The Phoenix — Dover [N.H.], 1794-06-14 00:00:00, page 1

7 Vol. IV. Numb. CCI.
DOVER, (N.H). Published by Samuel Bragg, jr. near the court-house —at B{per ann.
Sentiments of Mr. Jefferson, on
War— on Commerce— Naviga
tion — Defence —as they reseed the
United States —Extracted from
'Notes on Virginia.
YCUNG as we are, and with
such a country before us to fill with
people and with happiness, we should
point in that direaion the whole ge
nerative force of nature, wafting.none
of it in efforts of mutual deftruaion.
It should be our endeavour to culti
vate the peace and friendship of every
nation, even of that which has^juted
us most, when we Shall have carried
our point against her. Our interest
will be to throw open the door of
commerce, and to knock off all its
shackles giving perfect freedom to all
persons for the vent of whatever they
may chufe to bring into our ports,
alkingihe fame in theirs. Never was
so much falfe arithmetic employed
on any fubje&t as that which has been
employed to perfoade nations that it
is their interest to go to war. Were
the money which it has cost to gain,
at the close of a long war a little town
or a little territory, the right to cut
wood there, or to catch fi(h there,
expended in improving what they al
ready possess, in making roads, open
ing rivers, building ports, improving
the arts, and finding employment lor
their idle poor, it would render them
much Wronger, much wealthier and
happier. This I hope will be our
wif.lom. And perhaps, to remove as
much as possible the occasions o' mak
ing war, it might be better for us to
abandon the ocean altogether, that
being the element whereon we Shall
be principally exposed to joflle with
other nations ; to leave to others 'to
bring what we (hall want, and to car
ry what we can spare. This would
make us invulnerable to Europe, by
offering none of our property to their
prize, and would turn all our citizens
to the cultivation of the earth ; and
I repeat it again, cultivators of the
earth are the most virtuous and inde
pendent citizens. It might be time
enough to seek employment tor them
at sea, when the land no longer offers
it. But the adual habits of our
countrymen attach them to commerce
They will exercise it for themselves.
Wars then muff sometimes be our lot
and all the wife can do, will be to
avoid that half ofthem which would
be produced by our own follies, and
our own aas 0 of injustice ; and to
make for the other halt the best pre
parations we cam. Os what nature
fh@uld these be ? A land army would
be ofelefs for offence, and not the
best nor fafeft instrument of defence.
For either of these purposes, the sea
is the field on which we should meet
an European enemy. On that ele
ment it is necessary we should possess
some power. To aim at such a na
vy as the greater nations of Europe
possess, would be a toolifh and wick-
dd wade cf the energies of our coun
trymen it would be to pull on our own
heads that load of military expence,
which makes the European laborer go
fuppeilefs to bed, and moistens
his bread with the sweat of his brows,
It will be enough if we enable o^r
felves to prevent insults from those
nations of Europe which are weak
on the sea, because circumstances ex
ids, which render even {he Wronger
ones weak as to us. Providence has pla
ced 4hei'r richest and most defencelefs
poffeflions at our door ; has obliged
their most precious commerce to pals
as it were in review before us. To
protea this, or to assail us, as a small
part only of their naval orce will ever
be rifqned acrefs tne Atlantic. The
dangers to which the elements expose
them here ae too well known and
the greater dangers to which they
would be exposed at home were any
genera! calamity to involve their
whole fleet. They can attack us by
detachment only ; and it will fuffice
to make 6urfeives equal to what they
may detach. Even a smaller force
than they may detach will be render
ed equal of superior by the quickness
with which any check may be repair
ed with us, while losses with them
will be irreparable till too late. A
small naval force then is {efficient for
us, and a small one is necessary.
What this should be, I will not un
dertake to fay. I will only fay, it
sh ould by no means be so great as we
are able to make it.
TTTHEN Congress resolved tobuild
▼V fix large Frigates for the pro
teaion of our commerce from the Al
getine pirates to appropriate a large
sum of money to purchase a peace
and ransom our unfortunate citizens,
to fortify our ports and supply our
arsenals, every one was pleased, the
zealous attention to our national de
fence and the preparations against in
sult, the anxiety to redeem the miser
able fufferers at Algiers and prevent
an increase of their number, were
fubjeas of general applause.
But when money is wanted to pay
for all these good-things the tone is
changed and people begun to grum
ble. Commerce is taxed more than
it can already well bear, and in case
of war it will yield little ; that is there
fore but a (lender resource. Land
must not be touched ; that is the re
source of the State governments ; the
poor farmer's can't afford to pay tax
luxuries and fuperfluities. Well
fnuff is certainly not a necessary frail
agree that is a proper obje& ; a man
may live very happily and never take
a pinch of fnuff. But an excise is an
odious thing youmuft not touch
domestic manufactures. Well if
commerce can't be taxed, if land can't
From the Philad. Gazette.
To the reasonable citizens of the
I ^^^^^
United States.
be taxed, if manufaaures can't be
taxed, tho of fupeiflmus luxuries,
pray what is to be taxed, where is
the money to come from to build
the frigates, to obtain peace wi<h
Algiers, to ransom the poor captives,
.o forgfy.your harbours, to purchase
arms ammunition and military (tores,
you mud borrow. But loans are as
odious as excises ; funding systems are
badges of llavery ; and if you won't
lay taxes to redeem your loans, who
will be fools enough ro trust such a
government ? That's true. What a
pity Congress have not got some gold
and silver mines! T hen there would
be no difficulty. Worse (till, for the
people would become idle, agriculture
would decline ; manufaaures would
expire, and all public spirit would be
enfeebled, and we should become the
Haves of the firfl foreign invaders.
Beware my fellow citizens, of these
persons amongst us. who excite you
against a govemment, which is drain
ing every nerve to prote& you against
your enemies; foreign emissaries
would rejoice if the people refufe to
pay taxes, for then your enemies
mightinlult you with inpunity.
If you fee new comers clamouring
against taxes and inflaming you against
the government you may juflly fufpt&
some sinister delign. Ii when danger
threatens from abroad, we are dis
united at home, what will become of
our independence ? Rouse therefore
let every man contribute his (hare to
wards the defence Qf his country, and
reprobate these who under the cloak
of patriotism, are sapping the Foun
dations of that excellent government)
without which we should soon fall a
prey to internal feuds and foreign in
vaders. The man who at this criti
cal moment, withholds his contribu
tions and thereby exposes the United
States to ruin, shews clearly that
while he pretends to patriotism, he
is nothing better than a fe fifh inter
ested person, worthy of public execra
tion.
' London, 28/A January 1794.
DEAR SIR,
LORD GRENVILEE having told
me that he would fend the an-
Iwer to my memorial on the Grain
trade to Mr. Hammond to be by him
dated to you, I inclofe you a copy of
that representation that you may have
them both before yeu at the fame
time.
The follewng lucre read tn the Senate of
the United States on the \ztb Maj,
I remain with great
and sincere lefpcd,
Dear Sir,
Your hiThful and most
obedient servant,
THOMAS PINCKNEY.
The Secretary of State.
THE underfigted Minister Pleni
potentiary of the United States of A'
merica, has the honor of represent.
Important State Papers.
Phenix.]
_____________ _ _——-————^-— ......
SATURDA Y, June 14, 179,
i'% to Lend Grenville, that the Pre#
fident of :be United States has recei
ver information of the additional in#
(bullions to his M j-fly's (hips of war
and privateers dated the 8 h June,
1793, and that it is with, great' con-.
Cern he finds they authorize meafury
which tanft materially injure <he "Ur,>
ted States and abridge the rights to
which, as a neutral nation, they are
entitled, He has, therefore directed
the undersigned to expose to his Ma.
jelly's government, the demonflration
of the injury done to the U. States by
this a&, firmly relying on # the justice
and friendfhip of his Mejefty for its
difeentinuafte. The article of the ad
ditiomal inftruaiors which is deemed
peculiarly injurious to the U. States
is that which permits all yeffeis laden,
wholly or in part with corn, flour or
meal, bound to any port in brance, to
be flopped and sent into such port as
may be most convenient 0 be purcha
sed by government, or to be relea.ed
only on condition of security being gi
ven by the matter that he will proceed
to dispose of his cargo in the port of
some country in amity with his Ma
jesty. It is conceived that this article
is in opposition to the law of nations,
which has for i< r bafis, reason and
the usage of civilized countries ; fcr
reason and usage have established, that
when two nations are at wa r those
who chufe to live in peace retain their
natural right to pprfre their agricul
ture, manufaaures and other ordinal
r y vocations ; to carry the produce of
their industry, for exchange to all na
tions belligerent or neutral, as usual,
to go and come freely without injury
or molestation, and io fh°rt that ths
war among oth rs Ihall be for them
as if it did not exifti One reftriaiom
on their neutral rights has been fob/
mitted to by nations at peace which
is that of not furnifhiog to either pari
ty implements merely of war, for the
annoyance of the other, nor any thing
whatever to a place blockaded by its
enemy ; what these implements of war
are has been so often agreed, a id is so
well understood as to leave little qnef
tion about them at this day ; there
does not perhaps exist a civilized na„
tion in our common hemifpbere which
has not made a particular enomera^
tion of them in feme of their treaties
under the name of contraband ; front
whence it clearly appears, that corn,
flour and meal, are not of the class of
contraband and con fequently remain
articles of free commerce, it is the
common interest of mankind that a
culture which like that of the foil fun
nifties sustenance and employment to
io great a proportion of them should
not be interrupted or suspended be
cause the nations are involved in war.
It is also the interest of humanity that
those articles which are defined for
the deftru&ion of mankind should not
be classed with those intended for their
subsistence. If any nation has a right
to (hut up to the produce of another
all the ports of the earth, except her
own and those of her friends, (he
may flint them up also, whereby the
neutral nation would be cor fined to
her own ports ; or if from the motives
of policy (he were to abstain rom this
last exclusion, yet the opposite part,
would certainly have an equal righq