Newspaper Page Text
At a meeting of ?he freeholder sand
others, inhabitants of the town of
Marblehead , legally convened at the
town house in *aid i”wn, on Tues
day. theytk day of December, 1808,
at halffast two o'clock in the after
noon.
Captain Richard James, Modera
tor
The following resolves being read,
it was unanimously voted that they
pass:
Resolved, Thu this town conti
nues lledlaft in the faith that the em
bargo law was a law of w.fdorn. and
that the president and congrels ot the
tinted xites are entitled and fhali
receive our warmed thanks for their
early attention 10 the independence,
liberty, and just rights of the union,
ar*d particulaily of the commercial
p-.rt’ thereof.
Resolved , That this town will uTe
all the energy they p'offefs to carry in j
to full effect all laws the prelent con- 1
, grefs have or may enaCt for the sup
port of ourjuif and qual rights as ari
independent nation, against the tin-]
justihabl”, lyranuical, ami imperial
oroers and decrees of the belligerent
p wers of Europe, by proffering to
our country our property and servi
ces.
Voted, A committee b* appointed
to transmit to [ofeph Story, esq. our
reprelentativ in congress, the doings
ci this meeting.
‘-V*u-ci, ‘Hie above commiuee con
lilt of the f iliowtng perfonsf viz. c-vp.
tains William S*oiy. Nathan & Mar
tin, and Joseph Pcdrick.
Audi, jOSHUA Pit ENTIS9,
2'own tierk,
. r - i_ .1
From the National Intelligencer.
In reply to the enquiries of a cotr
iniuee of the house of repreleniatives
the secretary of the navy has returned i
the following anlwer;
Navy Drp artment, Dec. 7, 180s
Silt-—I have rec ived your letter
of the 3d mil. and, in answer, have
the honor to state, that the accorn- j
panytng paper, marked A, exhibits!
the additional number of officers and
ft mo required fur ihepublic service ;
none of which could be employed
without the authority ol a lpetial ad
of con refs. The •fame paper alio
ex mbits thevnumber of marines requir
ed,, in addition to the present elUolrlh
tnent : for the employment of which
provilion by law will be necellary.
Paper if, exhibits a view of the an
nual txpmfeof maintaining in service
the number of officers, peuy-oificers,
feauien and marines, required, in the
opinion of the prefidem, in addition
to the number already efiimated for in
the annual eftimsite presented to the
boute through the secretary of the
tic al<*ry.
This additional estimate, added to tlie
efbtnate, piefented throngh the trea
furv department, will make the differ
ent items of the necessary appropria
tions a- lilted s below, v'iz.
For pay and fubfiflence of the f
---ffeers, and pay olthe teamen, 1,077,834*
Fiir provifion*, 4*90,354 31
For hospital accounts, 30,000
For repairs of veffrls, 445,000
For continent account, compri
finjr freight, (tore rent, com
miflioas to agent*, travelling
expences, &c. 130,000
For pay and fubfiflence of the
marine corps, 186,390 70
Feril >athing, 44,699 50
Ffe military Itores, 6,700
For hospital account, • 3,000
For contigent account, 19,035
For navy yards, 60,000
For ordnance, 150,000
Dollars %66?, 939 51
•
I have the honor to be, relpedfully
fir, your molt obedient
* ** #
Robertas St jf'rp,
* .* * 1
Ifnorablc R. JVelfoA. Cht'ndman .
oj the committee on military
am naval ejtabhjlments.
A. flares the additional number ft
officers, seamen and marines, require
fr hire* public service, winch canno *
* •
be employed without the authorltyoF
a special ad of congress, as follows—
-334 midshipmen, 2 000 former), 144
coiporals, and 152 private marines.
From the Baltimore Whig.
FAIR PLAY.
[ When we view the mass of corrup
tion and terror which fas over
whelmed the liberty of the press m
Britain, we are agreeably surprised
when we meet with such trails of
hone ft independence as char cte
rize the foliowing article, from a
London paper of Odober 15. fbe
writer is of Sanuho’s opinion, that
the Frying Pan cannot with a good
grace fay to the Kettle, “ avaunt
biackairiort !’; England is more
pcrfidtoii’ than France )
The perfidiou-* arts by which Bona
parte attempted to dethrone the royal
1 family of Spam, appear in per.
’ fedlv odious, when contrasted with
j the uniform fidelity of that family t*>
Ibis inte.efts. The Spaniards therc-
I tore with reason call out 44 trai yt
irul thief,” while the erv is re-echoed
from every coiner of Eurcpcj and b\
none more loudly than by us. F u
when we stop and take breaih, it is
not a lit lie mortifying to re fled, that
of all (he tranfidions of modern |
times, that which bears tf* {Longed j
refembltr.ee to the proceedings ol
Bonaparte, is to be found in our own
hiflory at no very ditlaht period, ihe
royal family of Spain were not only
the-firm allies, imt the fervanis oi
Botiap'ar s te. B he’ wanted money, if
He wanted trd'ops, it he wanted any I
tljinJ which Spain could furmfh, h
had only to ask, and every thing wa - j
granted. Not fatlsfied vm|i this, i
y . j
however, he insisted on having Spain j
for himfeif, which if they would quiet-1
;!y resign, he promised them a house, ’
-garden, plealure grounds and atten
dants. But finding them refine, and ,
not so fcnfible bf his beneficence and !
generosity as they ought to have been,
jhe began to propagate my (Lriou->
] doubts as to the legitimacy oi Ferdi
j nand, and at last told thqm plainly,
] that,he had a fyflnn of policy of
hit own,” and that the king had - only
to choole between cession anti death.
Now the Nabobs of the Carnatic
j were at lead as faithfut and fubleivi-.
]ent to us. as the royal family of bpam
has been to Bonaparte. 1 hey fop
plied us with troop.-,, with pro’ itions,
j with iwoney, and allowed their for
eign policy to be entirely directed at
our discretion. But marftul Welles
ley. too ‘-had a fyflem of policy 01
his own,” and was not to be fatnfied
without a cession, for which he made
jfimilar promtfes to thole of Bona
parte. But finding the young prince ■
i inflexible, he all of a sudden felt vio
| lent suspicions as to, his legitimacy,
] difeovered palpable treason in a cor-’
refpondence carrnd on at the defirt-!
of ouf own gov; rnmerit, and threat
ened the traitor wnh death, or some
thing like it. The aepofition follow
ed, and another jva? set up, and so far
the parelb 1 is pretty dole, but here it
; flops. Whether Bonaparte woul i
have committed Ferdinand to the cus
tody of king Joseph, cannot be known,
as he had no opportunity to try the
experiment, but the Nabob was given
in keeping to his rival. Ferdinand
is It ill alive, but the Nabob died
(oinc how or other. NOIV as by the
acquittal of M irquis Wellesley,’ we
have taken all this upon us, we ought
to be cautious how we reproach Bo
naparte, lead we should inadvertantly
pronounce judgement upon outfelv*. s.
Vt the fame time, however, there may
•e good policy in imitating the exam
de of the chief, who when putfued in
He fireet, has f *me chance of escape
•v bawling “ flop thief” louder than
uy of the mob at his heels.
For Sale,
thirty barrels of tar, by
PEI ER 0\ ONNER,
December s3 78 rincitivx s ‘w&rj
REPORT j
0/ the Secretary of the Treasury concluded. j
. -
The annual appropriation on account of the
public debt, amounting to eight millions, and
the interelf for the year 1809, being less than
three millions of dollars ; an authority to bor
row five millions would only create anew debt
equal to the principal of the old debt reimbursed
during that year, and appeal's l'ufficient to pro
vide for any deficiency arising from the extra
ordinary expences which may be thus authori
fed by congrels.
It thus appears that not with (landing the ge
neral warfare ot the belligerent powers againit
neutral nation , and the ctmiequent fofpenlion
of commerce which took place in the latter end
of the"year 1807, id notwithftiin ing the in
creased rate of expenditure naturally arising
from that date of things ; the ordinary revenue
will have been fufiic eht to defray all expences ‘
of tne years 1808 and 1809, including for
18; >8 a reimbuifement of debt exceeding fix
millfOns oi dollars, aud without making any ad
dition so that debt in 1809’ /he rneaitsres
necefiary to be adopted in order to make a
timely provision for the service of the enfiling
years, depmd on trie couife which the United
bia f es will purlue in relation to foreign aggves
fions’. yli id that being yet unalcertained, it be
come* necefiary to examine the several alterna
tives left to the choice *f efingref*.
Either the navigation of the ocean will be a
baudoued by the Uujtod itutes, or, it vriii be
re fumed.
i he firft- supposition is that of a continuance
of theambatgo on the-vessels of tiie United
States, and admit* of two alternatives.
1. El the 1 a provdioh generally forbidding
-exportations, may ci.-'itiniie to make part of the
iyiu.ni, in which cafe,’ importations, whether
t JrprelAly interoict. dor not, mull, tor want es
the means oi payinent, be afto -dilcoutinued ;
(3. Or exporfauqma *nd correlpondiiig ipi
portatio.is may be :, |>rmitted in -foreign veflt*U,
1 he fee oi id ‘iuppoiiUou alio o fit is two, and
two only, alternatives. It may indeed be ad
mitted that tiie decrees of France can be eufoi
ced only in her own territories, and 111 thole of
her allic-s ; that however eilicient 111 preventing
any commerce between the United btates and
he t felt, those deer Cob cannot materially affety
that between her enemies and the United btaiei,
and may therefore in that refpett be difregk.d
ed- jsut Great limain having tiie meayS of
enforcing her orders on the ocean, the naviga
tion of that element cannot be resumed without
encountering thole orders ; and they muit ei
ther be iubmitted to or irliited. There can
sc no tniddie way between thole two courics.
3. Either America muit accept the portion
of commerce allotted to her by the iiutilh e
dicis, and abandon all that is forbidden : and
it is not material whether this be done by legal
pravihons lnnuirg tiie commerce ts the United
States to the permitted places, or by acquies
cing in the capture of v.ilcis, lteppmg beyojid
the preienbed bounds :
4. tr the i>atitm-ir-.u>i t<|>pofe “force to th
execution of the mi deis of England : and this,
however done, and by whatever name called,
will be wai.
Ot those four alternatives, the fecund and
third differ neither in principle, nor in their ef
fect on the revenue. /h both plans confilt in
pn mitting partial exportations aud importations,
it mult be acknowledged that objectionable as
that couile may be in other refpeCts, if confi.
dcred merely io relation to the fiscal concerns
of ‘he union, it will tor the moment be attended
with less difficulty than either the present fyg.
tern or war. For however narrow the limits to
which, on that plan, the exportations aud im
portations of the United States may be reduced,
yet there will ttill be feme commerce, and feme
revenue anting from commerce. And as, in
pll rluing that humble path, means of defence
will become unuecefiary, as there will be no oc
cation tor either an army or navy, it is believed
that there would be. n< difficulty m reducing
the public expenditure to a rate corresponding
w.th the trag.T.ents of impost which might Hill
, be.collided. If that courl'e be adopted, no
other provilion frems neceffaiy, than an immedi
ate riduihion es expenses.
I The frftem now in force, and war, however
j dissimilar in fome refpe&j, are both comfidered
I a* refillance Nor is it believed that their es.
. leCt on national wealth and public” revenue
would be materially different. In either case a
‘ portion, and a portion onlv, of the national in
j duftry and capital, heretofore employed in the
produdtion, tranfpbrfation and exchange of agri
cultural prodtidh, or in the foreign carrying
trade, can immediately be diverted-to other ob
jedts. In calc of a continuance of the embar
go and non-exportation, either a less quantity
of commodities rmift be produced, or a portion
i will accumulate until the freedom of commerce
(hall be rettored. In case of war, that surplus
will be exported : and although a part mult be
loft by capture, a portion of the returns will be
received. If the embargo and fufperifion of
commerce (hall be continued, the revenue aris
ing from commerce will, in a (hurt’ time, entirely
disappear. In case of war, feme part of that
revenue will remain : but it will be absorbed by
the increase of public expenditure. Iy either
case, new resources, to an amount yet unafccr
tained, mull be retorted to. But the assertion,
that the amount will be nearly the fame in
either of the two alternatives of embargo or
w*ar, is corredt only on ttie supposition, that
the embargo and non-exportation are, after a
certain time, to be ltiperceded by war, uni. fg fo
reign aggreflions (hall cease ; and that render.
■'s therefore, preparations for war necrffaiy,
they require a rate of expenditure far beyond
that of a peace efiablifnment.
If, however, the embargo and non-ir.tpr
couife are to have equal continuance with the
belligerent edicts, indefinite as that is ; if it be
determined to rely exclusively on that meafurr,
and at all events not to risk a war on account of
tlmfe aggressions ; preparations for war will be.
come useless, and the extraordinary expenses
need nor be incurred. In that case, the expert,
diture for the year 1809 ought not to exceed
the film of thirteen millions of dollars, which
as ha been ilated, is requiiite for the support
of tiie present eftablifil'ment. And this would
leavi, for the service of the year 1810 the above
mentioned surplus of three millions, and the
prcpcied loan of five-millions, which, together,
would be fijfffeiqnt to defray the peace ekabldh
ment, and to pay the iiitcreiton the public debt
during that year. Thus two years more would
be prjvidtd for, without either increasing the
’ public debt, or laying any new taxes. }•
certainly only with a view to war, either imme
diate or contemplated, that it will become ne
ceffarv to resort, at least to jyiy cor.liderabla
extraordinary sources of supply.
Legitimate resources can be derived one
from loans or taxes : and the reasons which in.
duce a belief, that loans should be principally
relied on, ui case of war, were dated in the an.
nual report of lad year. That opinion has
been corroborated by every fnbfequehl view
which has been taken of the lubjeft, as well as
by the present situation of the country. 7; ;e
embargo has brougiitdiito, and kept in the U.
; States alinod all the floating property of the
nation. And vvhiltl the depreciated value of
dundtic products increases the difficulty of
I raiing a coi fulcrabEyrevenue by internal taxes,
*at jo former time’lias there been so murh lpe.
tie so much redundant unemployed capital,
I the'country. The high price of put,lie decks,
aid indeed of ail species of docks, the rcdudion
iif the pnblsc debt, the unimpaired credit of the
general government, and the large amount of
{ixifting batik flock in the United States, leave
Jo doubt of the practicability of obtaining the
Liecelfary loans on reafohable terms.
I The geographical situation ol the United
Skates, their hlltory fmee the revolution, and
itiove all. present events, remove every vpp-c.
/fie:,lion of frequent wars. It may therefore be
confidently expCctedj that 3 revenue defin'd
tblrlv fiom duties oil importations, though no
} cell in iy impaired by, war, ill always be amply
| iufficieirt, during tong intervals ol peace, net on.
ly to defray current expenses but also to ic.tc.
buvfe the debt contracted 1 urhig the few pe.
riods of v\ ar.
No internal taxes,either dire£f, or indirect
are therefore cohjemplated, even in tiie case of
holtilitics carried againd the two great belliger.
eht powers. Exclusively of the authority which
mult, from ti ne to tfine, be given to borrow,
the sums required, (always pioviditig for the re.
imburfement of such loans kithin lirrv.trd pe
riods,) and of a due economy in’ the several
branches of expenditure, nothing moic appears
necessary than such modifications, and ir.creTs
of the duties or* **nypdrtations, os are naiuralVy
fuggeded by cxiding circumtlances.
i. Although importations have already cm.
Adorably diininirhed, and may, under the \sfi
tem new in force, Alertly be altogether Tiler, -
tinued no reasonable objection, is perceived *.
gatnft an incrcaie if duties on such as may (till
take place. Had the duties beer, doubled on
the Iff ‘'January, 1808, as was .Tuggeffed in
J case o£ war, the receipts into.the-freafury du
ring that and the. enfeiug year, would have been
increased nine or ten millions of doll us. Those
articles of molt univerfaJ confuffiption, on which
an increase of duty would be\ ujeanvenie t,
are generally either free of duty or abundant.—
It is therefore propoted that not only the Mreli
te: raoean duties, which will expire, on the lit
day of January next, (hould be continued,T,ut
that all the exiftmg duties fliould be doubled
on importations fiibfequentto that day.
2. The present system of drawbacks also ap
pears susceptible of modifications. The pro
priety of continuing generally that provision or
the embargo laws which allows a drawback on
articles exported more than one year after they
have been imported, is doubtful, and modifica
tion might check fpeculatious and moilopolies.
The demiuution of importations has Afforded
fufncierit profits on molt ,<?f the articles which
had been imported: and a provision which
would have a tendency to bring into maiktt,
and leflen the price, of those articles, would
generally beneficial.
3. The causes which induced the adoption
of a psrtial non-importation a£t, haveceafed to
exi!t. The objedt then in view has merged into
a far more important one. The feieftion of in
dicted articles was founded on the •possibility 01
obtaining them in other coiiqtrfes than Eng
land, and does not agree with exilthig circlin'-
(lances. The adt producing now no ther cf*
fedt that to increase the temptations, and to
produce habits of smuggling, impairs and injines
the revenue. A general iion-iutercourfe with
that country would fupercede that partial nic>
fare, and might be executed with great facility*
And it is believed that, under every ev&nt, it*
repeal will be beneficial, sr.u that if pcirr.ar.er
increafe of duties on articles fcleiied with
view to those which may be H
the United States would be orefenfele,
4. It is believed that the ffyflem ol
accountability of tKe miliary ‘xjjPnaval eftah*
1 ifn meats may be rendered t and di
rect, and is susceptible of imprivetkteßjs.wnich*
without embanatling the public service, wifi
have a tendency more effectually to
abulos by filbordinate agents. Provifion* t#
that effect are rendered more ceccffary by