of government, with the Father of his country at its head, trade and commerce soon revived, public and private credit was restored, and a new spring given to agriculture and manufactures, and new security afforded, to the various pursuits of individual industry. Since that auspicious period, the United States have peaceably acquired, as before stated, a vast extent of territory; and the following pages will show, we trust, that no country has ever increased more rapidly, in population, and in internal and external resources.

5

CHAPTER III.

Exports-Divided into those of Domestic and Foreign origin-Domestic, derived from the Sea, the Forest, Agriculture and Manufactures-Products of the Sea principally from the Cod and Whale fisheries—State of the Cod fishery prior to, and since the revolution-Secured to us, by the Treaty of peace in 1783, by the firmness and perseverance of the American negotiators-Whale fishery began at Nantucket in 1690-State of it before the Revolution-Its great increase of late years-Number of vessels engaged in it, in 1832, with their tonnage, number of men-Value of the vessels and their outfits, and of their produce-Value of Exports, the produce of the fisheries, in each year, from 1803, to 1833-Products of the Forest-viz. lumber, naval stores, pot and pearl ashes, skins and furs, ginseng, oak bark, and other dyes, value and quantity of each, exported, from 1803 to 1833.

IN our view of the wealth and resources of the United States, at different periods, we shall commence with the exports. These consist of articles, either of domestic or foreign origin. At an early period of the present government, provision was made, at the Treasury department, to ascertain the quantity, as well as value of all the exports of the country; but in the general accounts, no dicrimination was made, between the value of domestic and foreign articles, until 1802. To ascertain the value of the exports, the several Collectors, were directed, by the Treasury department, to add, in their quarterly returns, the quantity of the various articles exported, and also their value, at the places of exportation.

The quantity of the articles exported is furnished, by the exporters, and may sometimes fall short, and sometimes exceed the real quantity. At the Treasury, an average was made of the prices returned by the collectors, and the value of the articles exported, was calculated, from the average prices thus ascertained. Table No. I, contains a statement of the value of all the exports, from each State and territory, annually, from the 1st of October, 1790, to Septeraber 30th, 1816. Table No. II, exhibits a statement of the value of exports of domestic origin, from each State and territory, from October 1st, 1802, to September 30th, 1816, and Table No. III, a statement of the value of exports of foreign origin, during the same period. Table No. IV, shews the exports of domestic and foreign origin, from each State and territory, in the years 1817, 1818, 1819, 1820. Table No. V, contains a statement of the whole commerce of cach State and territory, in each year, from 1821, to 1833, embracing not

only, the exports, but, also, the imports, distinguishing the domestic from the foreign exports, and also, the annual imports and exports, in American and foreign vessels.

The value of all the exports in each year, from 1790 to 1833, and the value of those of domestic and foreign origin, since 1803, was as follows:

The exports of domestic origin, have been classed into those,

which are

1st. The produce of the Sea.

2d. The produce of the Forest.

3d. The produce of Agriculture.

4th. Manufactures, and those which are uncertain.

This division or classification of the exports of domestic origin, and the value of the articles exported, under each division, has been ascertained at the Treasury since 1802.

It presents a useful and important view of the different pursuits and employments of the citizens of this extensive country, differing so much, in climate, as well as soil; and indicates the various sources of national wealth.

Each of these will be considered in their order—

1st. The products of the Sea.

These are derived from the Cod and Whale fisheries, and from the river fisheries, such as herring, shad, salmon, mackerel, &c. The Cod fishery has been an object of great importance, to the States of Massachusetts and New Hampshire, from their first settlement. It has furnished a lucrative employment, for many of the inhabitants of these States, who settled in its neighborhood, along a rocky and barren coast. It has given employment also, to the shipbuilder; and has always been considered as an excellent nursery for seamen.

The vast quantity of fish, found, soon after the discovery of North America, along the banks of Newfoundland, soon attracted the attention of Europeans.

The inhabitants of Biscay in Spain, and of Brittany in France, first engaged in this fishery. The French and English afterwards claimed an exclusive right to it, in consequence of owning the adja

cent coast.

Previous to the American revolution, this fishery gave employment annually, to about four thousand American seamen, and about twenty eight thousand tons of shipping; and produced about three hundred. and fifty thousand quintals of fish, then valued, at more than a million. of dollars. By the 3d article of the Treaty of peace, between the United States and Great Britain in 1783, "It is agreed, that the people of the United States, shall continue to enjoy unmolested the right to take fish of every kind, on the grand bank, and on all other banks of Newfoundland; also, in the gulf of St. Lawrence, and at all other places, in the sea, where the inhabitants of both countries used any time to fish; that the inhabitants of the United States shall have liberty to take fish of any kind on such part of the coast of Newfoundland, as the British shall use (but not to cure or dry them on the Island ;) and also, on the coasts, bays and creeks of all other his Britanic Majesty's dominions in America, and that the American fishermen shall have liberty to dry and cure fish, in any of the unsettled bays, harbors and creeks of Nova Scotia, Magdalen Islands, and Labrador, so long as the same shall remain unsettled; but so soon as the same, or either of them shall be settled, it shall not be lawful for the said fishermen to dry or cure fish at such settlement, without a previous agreement for that purpose, with the inhabitants, proprietors, or possessors of the ground."

For this favorable article, in relation to the fisheries, as in the case of the boundaries, the Americans were indebted to the firmness of their negotiators, and particularly Mr. Adams, who knew their value and importance to his countrymen. The British negotiators, for a long time, refused their assent to this article, and particularly to that part, relating to the coast fishery, and which acknowledged the right of the Americans to take fish, on the grand banks, &c. and at last insisted, on inserting the word liberty, instead of right. Upon this, Mr. Adams grew warm, and declared to the British negotiators, he would put his hand to no articles, without satisfaction about the fisheries: he asked, "whether there was, or could be a clearer right? In former treaties" he said, "that of Utrecht, and that of Paris, France and England have claimed the right, and used the word. When God Almighty made the banks of Newfoundland, at three hundred leagues distance, from the people of America, and at six hundred leagues distance, from those of France and England, did he not give, as good a right to the former, as to the latter? If Heaven, in the creation gave a right, it is ours, at least, as much as yours,-if occupation, use and possession gives a right, we have it as clearly as