Oracle post — Portsmouth, N.H., 1803-11-22 00:00:00, page 1

k ^^^=^3=^
I Vol. XIV.]
I 4 — —
THE DISPO^TONd AND faRITS
WHICH LEAD. TO POLITICAL PROSPERITY
RELIGION and MOkALITr ARB INDtSPENSA
OLE SUPPORTS.— ^— Washington's L^j.
MORALIST,
The Necessity of Self Knowledge.
A long life nlay be pa&d without finding a friend in
whole underßapding and virtue we can equally confide, and
whole opinion we can value at once for its jiißnefs and fin
«rity. A weak man, however hope#, so not qualified to
4 judge. A man of the world, however penetrating, knot fit
% couufel. Friends arc often chosen for similitude of manners,
and therefore each palliates the other's failing, because they
ye his own. Friends are tender, and unwilling to give
pain ; or they are interested, and fearful to offend. These
Objection# have inclined others to advise, that he who would
know himfelf thould consul this enemies ; rmember the re
proaches that are vented to his face, and liflen for the cen
tres that are uttered in private. For hi, great bufitfefs is to
know hmfaults; and those, malignity and reLntment will,
reveal.
But this piece, may Ie eftn formed, '^ it U'em
sp%m that rivaW#6,feO{,gus are luherea to come near
enough to know our c^dittfl with fe much qn&nefs as that,
confcieoce thould allow and refl ? the ac&luNob, The
charge of an enemy is often totally fade, and commonly io
mingled with hifhpod, that the mih'-^kes advantage from
the fakire of one part to discredit =he rest, and never fuffers
any disturbance afterwards from fach partial reports.
Yet it feemsebae enemies hit been always landed by
experience the most faithful monitors; for ^dr.r/ky has ev
er been considered as the gate in which a man most easily
becomes acquainted with himfelf, and HistfL<d it mud
produce by withdrawing ILtcercrs, whole buhnefs is to
tide our weaknesses from us, or by giving lonfe to malice,
-and license to reproach ; or at leaQ by curing off thole pka-.
fates which called us away, from medication era our own
conduct, and repressing chat pride which coo easily per
faades us that we merit whatever weenj>y.
Part of tbefc benefits it is in every man's power to pro
cure to himfelf, by assigning proper portions of hutjife to
|be examination of the reth, and by porting himfelf fre
quently in fach a fixation, by retirement and abftradion,
as may weaken the influence of external objects. By this
practice he may obtain the folirpde of adversity without its
melancholy, its inftruaions without its ccpfur.6,and its fea
sibility, without its perturbations.
Theneceffity of setting the world at a distance from as,
when we are to take a survey of ourselves, has sent many
from high Rations to the severities of a monadic life ; and,
indeed,"every man deeply engaged in business, if all regard
to another state be not extinguished, muflihave the convic-.
ftion, though perhaps not the resolution, of Vrideffo, who,
when he Elicited Charles the Fifth to dismiss him, being
aflcc4 whether he retired upon disgust, suffered that he laid
rdown his comroiflion for no other reason but because there
QUgbt to be fame to for sober reflexion Ltween the life of a fol
^ier and bis death,,
& There are few conditions which do not entangle us with
foblunary hopes and fears, from which it is necessary to be
at intervals diftneumbered, that we may place ourfelvcs in
his presence who views effeds in their caufes,and anions in
their motives; that we may, as Chillingworth expresses it,
consider things as if there were no other beings in the world
but God and ourselves; or, to use language yet more awful
ma, commune with our oun forts and be fill.
Mr. Gallatin's Report.
The following report was laid before the House of
Repickiuatives bn the 2§th Oft.
— O—
Jr obedience to die directions of the afl fakmentary to the
aA entitled " /in all to e/lab ijh the Teajwy De
partment, the Secretary of the Deafer, reftajull,
submits the following
REPORTS AN @ ESTIMATES.
The annual nett proceeds of the duties an mer
cband;ze and tonnage bad in (ormer reports been
Animated at nine millions five hundred thousand
dollars. That estimated revenue, predicated on
the imputations of tae years immediately proceed
ing the late European war, and on th^ ascertained
fatiopf iicrcalc ofthe population of the United
Stages, appears from the experience of the two lift
years, tQ have been under rated, The nett reve
nue arising from that source, which accrued during
the year &2, t>c e^s ten millions one hundred
thousand dollar,. The revenue which hasaccrued
during the two firft quuters of the pre lent year,ap
pears from ihe b:ft eftim^c that can now be,form
ed, to have tin only ify 4, inland dollars Ids
than that of The two CQrrefo< lining quarters of the
year 1802, and the receipts in the Treasury,on ac
count of the fame duties during the year ending on
the goth of Sept, hft, have exceeded teg millions
fix hundred th mftot dollars.
Those f^s afford fansfawy evidence that the
we kh of the United fries mcreales ui a ftdl grea-,
ter ratio than their population, and induce a beijef
that this branch of the public revenue may now be
fefHy calculated at torl 'ons of dollars.
From the ftatement[A] it will appear that the
fame revenue for the two taft years of the late Eu
ropean wax(/Soo and idor) Calcu'Aed at the pte
fcn trate of dun s, averaged ii,6co Ooe dollars a
year ;'but although it might with 1 me degree of
probability be luppoled tnit the renewal of boftdi
ties will.agaio produce a similar inrreafe, no infer
ence from that period is driwn in this report in re
lation to the revenue of the editing years. .-
The statement [B] (hews the few 4 [pities of
merchandize on which the duties on importations
were collected during the year #B% ; the portion
of that revenue which was derived from drawbacks
and that which arofc from,be extra-duty on mer
'6handize imported in foreign veffete.
Although the fates of the public lands during the
year ending on the ^h day of September last were
affeded by the fixation of the weftern country;
' two hundred thousand acres have been fold during
that period ; and ; as it appears from the 11aternent
[C] that independent of future sales the sums alrea
dy paid to the receivers, together with those which
>exclusively of intcreftfall due during the 3 ensuing
years, amown' ti 1,250,000 dollars, the annual rev
enue atityg 'ram the proceeds of those sa les, can
hot be crtfmated at IcG than four hundred thousand
dollars.,
The extension of poll -roads, and the acceleration
of the @1,3 hilfr dififing and ingreafiag the ben-
efits of the institution,have, as an obfea of revenue
rendered it left productive. The receipts from that
source have amounted, during last year, to 27.000
dollars ; but as neither ihefe, nor those arising from
fame other smaller incidental branches, are of lurti
cient importance to a^ta any general refo t, the
whole existing revenue of the United States will be
computed at only ten millions idur hundred ihou
fand dollars.
The permatie nt and annual trpenets of govern
ment, which under exiting laws, mutt be defrayed
out of that revenue, amount to nine nhiJions eight
hundred thousand dollars ; to wit; °
The annual appropriation of 7,330,000 dollars,
for the payment of the principal and mitre# of the
debt ; of which about three millions an lan half are
at prelent applicable to the discharge of toe princi
ple, & the lehdue to the payment of in erert.
Dols. 7,300,000,
2. The current expend of gov
ermnenc which according to rhe d
tiautes for the year 1804 cenfift of
the foHowi"g itCT 1 ^ v:z -'
Far the civil department and ad
dofneftic expcrices of a civil nature, 771,00^1
For expencts attending the inur
courfe with foreign nations includ
ing the pe<m^nenc appropriation
for Algiers, and all other expenecs
relative to the Batb o y powers, 134000
For the military and Indian de
partments, 875,000
For the naval efablifhtnent, cal
culated on the supposition that two
frigates and 4 fit aller ff.ls fhail
be kept in cOuiaitffion, 650,000
9,^00,000
And deduced from the pe[ma,
nm revenue of 10.400,000
Leave a surplus revenue of 600 000
Six hundred thousand dollars applicable to other objedls.
The foliowfog extraordinary resources and demands not
being of a permanent nature, are not included in that cal
culation, to wit:
The specie in the Treafnry,which
on the 30th day of September last a
mounted to 5,860,000 dolls#
The arrears of the dire& tax es
timated at 250,000
The outflahding internal duties,
amounting to near 400,000
And the sum which will be paid
to the U. S. on account of advances
heretofore made in England for the
profecucion of claims estimated at 150,000
- Constituting an aggregate of 6,660,000
More than fix millions fix hundred thoufind dollars
which,after reserving the sum which it is necessary to keep
in the treasury, will beTufficient to difeharge the demands
due on account of the convention with Great Britian, and
amounting to 2,464,000 dolls.
Sundry extraordinary expences in
relation to the conventions with
France and Great Britain, estimated at 100,003
Tfofoti obtained fiom she ftata. ZCC,TCC
of Maryland for the city of Walh
fogten amounting to 200,000
And allo to pay two millions 2,000,000
' 4 964,000 dolls.
of dollars on account of the purchase of Louisiana being
the fame sum which was refer ved for the purposes, contem
plated by law the last session appropriating that amount
for the extraordinary expences attending the intercourse
with foreign nations.
It appears by the estimate [D] that during the year en
ding on the 30th of September last, the payments for the
treasury on account of the public debt have amounted
to Dolls. 3,096,700
Which together with the increase
of specie in the treafur, during the
fame period, amounting t0x.320,000
4,416,700
makes an a^ual difference in favor of the United States
of more than four hundred thousand dollars during that
year.
The payments on account of the principal of the public
debt, from the firft day of April, 1801, to the 30th day of
"September, 1803, have amounted as appears by the esti
mate [E]to Dolls. 9,924,004
The specie in the Treasury, on the firft day of April,
1801, amounting to 1,794,000
And on the 30th day of- .
September 1803,10 5,869,000
Making an increase of 4,066,000
Those two items constitute an ag
gregate of dollars 13 ,90,004
From which deducting the extraor
dinary resource arising from the sales
of the bank ffiarcs, which produced 1,287,000
Leaves for the amount of the true
differences - 12,702,404
—I.
in favor of the United Slates, for that period, of 2
y&s and an this, twelve millions fevep hundred 1
thousand dollars.
From that view of the present situation of the fi
nancial concerns of the United States, if seems that
the only question which requires coofideration is,
whether any additional revenues are wanted in or
der to provide for the new debt, which, ifCorgrels
(trail pass the l^ws necessary to carry the treaty with ,
France into efta, will reluk from tile purchase of
Louidana. - '
The sum which the United States may have to
pay by virtue of that treaty, amounts to fifteen
millions ofdollars and consists of two items. First,
11,250,090 dollars, payable to the government of
France, or to its assignees, in a flock bearing an
, iotereft of fix per cent, payable in Europe, and the
principal of which will be difeharged at the Treasu
ry of the United States, in four inflalmen's tl>efirft
of which (hall commence in the year 1818.—Se
condly, a sum which cannot exceed, but may fall
(hort of 3,750,000 dollars,payable, in specie, at the
Treasury of tbe'United Rates, during the courle of
the ensuing year,to American citizens having claims
of a certain description on the governmentof France.
It has already been dated that two millions of
dollars may be paid from the specie now in the
ORACLE POST.
^=^^=^^^E=^^#!!^^^
TUESDAY, November 22, 1803.
^==a-=— -=—--^^
treefury, on account ofthelaß item ; and the whole
amount of the new debt which may be eventually
creaed, cannot therefore exceed thirteen millions
of dollars, the annual interest of which is equal to
,So.ooo dollars ; but on account of commissions,
aid variations of exchange, will be e(Unrated at
: 800,000 dollars.
The exiting surplus revenue of the United 'Rates
will, as has been Rated, be (ufficient to difeharge fix
hundred thousand dollars of that sum, and it is ex
• [ -<ied that the nett revenue cofieaed at New-Or
teaos will be equal to the remaining two hundred
thousand doUa/L
Tnat opinion rests on the supposition that Con
gress (hall place that port on the fame footing as r
those of the U. Rates; so that the fame duties (hall
be collected there on the importation of foreign
merchandize as now by law levied in the United
ft" .$; and that no duties Ihall be collided either
o| the exportation of produce or merchandize from
N: ' Orleans to any piece; nor on any articles cm.
<nsimo the U. Rates from the ceded territories
rtitoe U. Rates.
The Ilaiements F. G. 11. exhibit the annual ex
ports and imports of the United Rates to and from
Ftorida and Louisiana, for the years 1799 to ISO 2 ;
and the ftnement [G] particularly foews that the
exportation from the Atlantic Rates to those colo
-4 die ,of articles nut of ihe growth, produce or man
ulaaure of the United States amounted furthe years
1 790, 1800, ißor, and ißoz to 6,622,189 dollars*;
making an average of more than two millions two
hundred thousand dollars of foreign articles liable to
pay du.y, annually imported into Florida and Loui
fi.ua from the United Rates alone.
It is afeertaiaed that the exportations from the
United States to Florida are so trifling that that
Ralemeat may be considered as applying fnlely ro
New Orleans; and it is also known that almost
the whole of those importations were consumed
wit hid that colony, and tint during the war the (ap
plies from the United States constituted by far the
greater part of its import;
From thence it results that the annual importa
tion into the ceded territory, of articles defined for
the confumptiou of its own inhabitants, and which
will under the revenue lawsof the U. States, be lia
ble to pay duty, may fafely be eftima^ed at two
millions five hundred thousand dollars: an amount
which, at the present rate of duties, will yield a rev
enue of about 350,000 dollars. From that reve
nue muR be deduced 150,000 dollars, for the fol
lowing items, viz
id. The amount of duties on a quantity of Su
gar and Indigo /qua! to that which (hall be import
ed from New-Orleans into the U. States ; as those
articles being imported free from duty, will dimin
ilh by so mu6h the re,venue now collected in the
lea ports of the U. States. The whole amount of
sugar exported from New-Orleans is left than
4000,000 0/ pounds, and that of indigo is Rated at
about thirty thousand pounds. Supposing (which
an aecouM of that exemption, is not improbable)
that the whole of those articles fliould hereafter be
exported to the United States, the loss to the rev
enue will be about 100,000 dollars.
2d. No increase of expence in the military eftab
lifhmcat of the U. States, is contemplated on ac
count of the acquisition of territory; but the ex
pences of the civil administration of the province
and those incident to the intercourse with the In
dians, are estimated at 50,000 dollars ; leaving for
ihe next revenue derived from the province, and
applicable to the payment of the interest of the
new debt, 200,000 dollars, as above Rated.
The only provisions which, if that view of the
fubjed be correct, appear necessary, and are refped
fully submitted, are
1. In relation to the Rock of eleven million two
hundred and fifty thousand dollars to be created in
favourof the government of France or of its allien,
ees;
That that debt be made a charge on the finking
fund, directing the commissioners of the fund to ap
ply so pouch of its proceeds as may be neceffary-for
the payment of interest and reimbursement or re
demption oftbe principal, in the fame manner as, by
the existing laws, they are direded to do in relation
to the payment of interest and discharge of the prin,
cipal of the debt nowecbarged on that fund.
Th,t so much of the duties on merchandize and
tonnage as will be equal to (even hundred thousand
dollars, being the sum wanted to pay the interest of
that new flock, be added to the annual permanent
appropriation for the finking fund—Making togeth
er with the existing appropriation, eight millions cf
dollars, annually applicable to the payment of the in
terest and principle of the public debt.
And that the hid annual sum of eight millions of
dollars remain thus pledged and be veiled in the
commidioners of the finking fund in trufl for the
said payment, until the whole of the existing debt of
the United States, and of,the new ftegk, (hall pave
been reimbursed or redeemed.
Asa sum equal to the interest accruing on the
new (lock will thus be added to the finking fund,
the operation of that fund, as it relates to the extin
guifhment of the existing debt, wifi remain precisely
on the fame footing as had been heretofore provided
by Congress. The new debt will neither impede
nor retard the payment of the principal of the old
debt; and the fund will be fufficient, besides paying
the inured on both, to difeharge the principal of the
old debt ; before the year 18 iB, and that of the new,
within one year and an half after that year.
2. In relation to the American claims, the pay
ment of which is assumed by the convention with
France.)„
Thu a sum not exceeding 3,750,000 dollars in
clusive of the two millions appropriated by a law of
• the last session of Congress for defraying the extra
ordinary expepces incident to the intercourse with
foreign nations, be appropriated for the payment of
those claims, to be paid but of any monies in the
treasury not otherwise appropriated.
That for the purpose of effecting the whole of
that payment, the helident of the United States be
authorized to borrow a sum not exceeding one mil-
lion seven hundred and fifty thousand dollars, at an
interell not exceeding fix per cent a year.
And that so much of the proceeds of the duties
on merchandize and tonnage as m^y be necessary,
be appropriated for the payment of the interest and
the reiinburlefhenf of the principal of the loan
which may eventually be effeßed by virtue of th^
preceding provision.
it is not proposed to charge that loan on the fink
ing fund, because its amount, in case it fhali be ef
fe&eJ, cannot at present be ascertained ; and be
caule it may, perftips, under then existing circum.
Rances of the treasury, be found more expedient no^
to borrow the money ; and, in lieu of it, to pay out
• of the finking fund the whole or part of the two
lall inßaiments payable by virtue of the convention
with Great Britain, as authorifed by the act making
provifioi ifor the payment of the whole of the pub,
lie debt.
It is evident that the possibility cf thus providing
for the payment of the Interest of a new debt of
thirteen millions of dollars, without either recuring
to new taxes on interfering with the provißon here
tofore made for the payment of the existing debt n
depends on the corr&tnefs of the eftimatc of die
public revenue which has been fobmitted. AU
though it is not wigjout diffidence that the hope of.
such favourable [efult is entertained, fume reliance
is placed on the solidity of the basts on which the
eßimate is grounded. It rest, principally an the
expectation that the revenue of the enfuiog years
(ball not be less than that which accrued in the year
1802. No part of it depends on the probable in
crease which may refill from the neutrality of the
United States during the continuance of the war in
Europe; nor even on ihe progreffivc augmentation,
which, from past experience may naturally be ex
pected to arise from the gradual increase of popula
tion and wealth. Nor has that effeCt been taken
into consideration which the uninterrupted free na
vigation of the Miffifippi, and the acquisition of
New-Orleans may have, either on the fates of the
public lands, or on general resources of the inhub,
itanis of the weftern Rates.
All of which is refpe&ively submitted,
WILBER T GALLATIN,
Secretary of the Treasury.
Congress of the United States.
In Senate, oct. 2s.
THE bill to enable the President to take poffeG
Ron of Louisiana, was taken up, and on the queG
tion- will the Bill pass, it was carried in the affitma-.
live. Ayes 26— Noes 0.
AYES, —Meffrs. Anderson, Bailey, Baldwin
Brackenridge, Bradley, Brown Butler, Condit,
Cooke, Dayton, Ellery, Franklin, Jackion, Logan,
M'Clay, Nicholas, Potter, S. Smith, I. Smith, J.
Smith, Stone. Taylor, Worthington, Wrrghr,J)%/4,
ard 7^—26.
NOES.-ADAMS, PICKERING, HILL
HOUSE, OLCOTT, PLUMER, and TRACY
—6.
[By this hill the Prefdent is authorized, to enable
him to take and maintain pofleffion of Louifana, to
employ an, part of the ar my and navy, and of the 80,000
militia, authorized by the aR poffed in March Ayf.]
Iloufe of Referefentatiies.
Monday, Oct. 24.
Mr. Griswold, [of Connecticut] after a num.
ber of pertinent remarks, submitted a motion call
ing for the papers relating to the cession by France
of Loui (iana. [ This motion was given at length in thy
foft Oracle..]
Mr. Randolph replied at considerable length
• and opposed the call for papers—His observations
were repelled by Mr.. Goddard.
Mr. Gregg called for a divifiop of the queflion,
to confine the call to the treaty of St. Idlejonjo.
Messrs. Sandford, Elliot and Nicholson opposed
the motion, which was advocated by Mr.Thawhefy
Mr. Mitchel withed to give the motion the f'go
bye;" and moved to postpone it until May near.
This wag not agreed to; and the question was di.
vided.
On the question, to agree to the firft member of
the morion, viz.
Resolved, that the President of the United State;
be requested to caufeto be laid before this Houle
a copy of the treaty between the French Republic
and Spain of the tftOctober, ißco.
The Houle divided—Ayes 59. Nays 59. The
Speaker declared himfelf in the aßirrtiative, and the
motion was carried.
The question was taken on the part of the mo
tion refolding the deed of celfon from Sffa to
France, and loft—Ayes 34; and the question on
that part which relpcaed correfpor.dence between
our government and the Spaqifb Ministers was loft
by the fame majority.
Mr. Nicholson moved an, amendment, to add,
" together with a copy of any infaument in possession of
the Executive,fewing that the Spanif Government has or
dered the Province of Louisiana to be delivered to the
Commtfary or other agent cf the French government,=re
Agreed 10— Ayes 64.
The question was then taken by Yeas and Nays
oa,be motion, as amended, AND LOST.-— 1%
Si-Nays s fr
Tuesday, oct. 25.
The House-went into coamitiee on the Lou;f@
na Business; when the following Rcfolutioru wft
come to, viz.
1. Refolded, That provision ought to be mad#
for carrying into efta the Treaty and Conventions
concluded at Paris the 30th April 1803, betweeer,
the United Rates of America and the French Re,
public.
2. Rtfolved, That so much of tire Message of the
Prefideut of the 21st in Raw, as relates to <be efab
liGiment ola provifiopJ government over the terri
tory acquired by the United Rates, in virtue of the
Treaty and Convention lately negociated with the
French Republic, be referred to a (.left Committee;
^rco^^
[No. 6.