ADVANTAGES OF THE UNITED STATES.

39

numerous and distressing; and the farmers also have suffered greatly for want of a market for their produce; nevertheless, the moderate public expenditure, the comparatively scanty population, and the immense outlet for enterprising industry, in the new lands and virgin soil of the Western Country, prevent the necessity of any one, who possesses health and industry, suffering from absolute want of food, clothing, and lodging. The foreign trade of this country is, indeed, at present much less than it was previous to the embargo system; but such is the activity, skill, and enterprise of the American people, so well built, well navigated, and speedy are their ships, and so abundant the soil in valuable staples, that she must always average her full share of external commerce; and her home trade is continually increasing, by the improvement of her internal navigation, the variety of her products, and the rapid growth of her population, wealth, and intercourse. The wages of labour here average more than double their rate in England, and quadruple that in France; and land is plentiful, cheap, and fertile; so that those who are straitened and embarrassed in the large cities, have only to fall back into the country, and become industrious yeomen, and they readily provide ample sustenance for themselves, and lay a broad and permanent foundation of independence for their families.

The reader is referred to the second edition of Mr. Pitkin's Statistics for an account of the exports and imports, the home and foreign trade of the United States, and the proportions of their external commerce with different nations, during a period of nearly one hundred and twenty years, including their colonial as well as their national existence and commerce. The following tables show the amount of American foreign trade, in exports and imports, at different periods, in order to exhibit the rise and progress,

of the commercial career, whiess, and alternations

this this country has run, from the year 1700 down to the present time.

bargo year, 1810, embargo off 1814 war with England,

66,757,970 42,366,675 24,391,295

6,927,441 6,782,272 145,169 52,557,753 45,974,403 6,583,$50 81,920,452 64,781,896 17,198,555

pro

Of the domestic exports of the United States the portions are;-the produce of agriculture, three-fourths in value; the produce of the forest, one-ninth; of the sea, one-fifteenth; and manufactures, one-twentieth.

EXPORTS AND IMPORTS.

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Of the foreign exports, the proportions in 1807 (the greatest commercial year ever experienced by the United States) being the year immediately preceding the embargo, were 843,525,320, imported from the British Isles; 83,812,065, from France and her dependencies; and 811,318,532, from the rest of the world. During the years 1802, 1803, and 1804, the annual value of the imports into the United States was $75,316,937; and of the exports, $68,460,000. Of the imports the proportions were,

Whence it appears that the trade between the United States and Britain is greater in amount than between the United States and all the rest of the world which is a strong reason why the two countries, for their mutual benefit, should preserve friendly relations towards each other, in the spirit as well as in the letter of peace.

During the same three years, 1802, 1803, and 1804, the annual value of domestic exports was 839,928,000 Of which was exported to the British

dominions.

20,653,000

2,918,000

12,183,000 1,925,000 2,249,000

The annual value of foreign produce, re-exported to all parts of the world, during those three years was,

From this great commerce with foreign nations, amounting to nearly two hundred and fifty millions of dollars in one year, together with all the wealth it poured into the country, and all the productive industry it put in motion, Mr. Jefferson's embargo cut off the

United States; which, in consequence of our own restrictive energies, the late war with England, and the peace diminution, have never yet nearly reached that floodtide of trade which was fertilizing and enriching every corner of the Union. For a view of the trade of the United States with each country, from the commencement of the government, distinguishing the trade of the parent country from that of her colonies and dependencies, together with a general account of the trade of America with each quarter of the world, the reader may most profitably consult Mr. Pitkin's Statistics of the United States, second edition, beginning at page 183, and continuing to page 290.

The United States, since the establishment of the Federal government in 1789, up to the commencement of commercial restrictions in December, 1807, and the war with England in 1812, increased in wealth and population with unexampled rapidity, as appears by the great increase of their exports and imports; of the duties on imports and tonnage, and of their commercial tonnage; by the accumulation of wealth in all their cities, towns, and villages; by the establishment of numerous monied institutions; by the great rise in the value of lands; and by various internal improvements, in the shape of roads, bridges, ferries, and canals; and by their annual consumption of goods increasing rapidly. For instance, the average yearly amount of merchandise, paying duties ad valorem, consumed, was, in

At least seventy millions of pounds weight of sugar are consumed in the United States. In 1810, ten millions of pounds were made in the territory of Orleans, now State of Louisiana; and about the same quantity made from the maple-tree throughout the United States.