L 376 .C58 TO THE ELECTORS O r Franklin, Patrick, Htunj* and Bedford. v Fjpi «-ow-Citize«s: To give a detailed view of each question that tomes before the national legislature, will not be expected; I doubt whether it would lie possible from the magnitude and variety of the subjects that are daily arising to do so within the usual limits of a letter; but having enjoyed uniform good health, and thereby enabled to vote on every measure that has been acted on since I was a member of Congress, I can stsite im vote on each sub- ject, and the reasons which governed me, n required) so to do. Influ- enced by these considerations, this letter will be principally devoted to political and statistical views of the United States. Several of ffiy con- stituents have requested of me this course, and I am sensible of its pro- priety. A war bar pn\ ailed for some time between Russia and the Ot- toman Porte; but from present appearances, its flames will not reach any of the other pones s of Europe; on the contrary, we have reason to be- lieve the other greaj powers will continue aloof therefrom, until an op- portunity shall arise to enable them to act '.he part of mediators. As yet our commerce has sustained v.o loss from this war, nor is it likely that it -will, die theatre of hostile opciaiionc l>emg principally on the Black sea and in the interior of the country; and we may well anticipate, that nei- ther France or Great Britaii would look with indifference on military operations in the .Archipelago, whereby then' commeice, as well as ours, might and would be subjected to great and certain loss. This war has already had a considerable influence on the price of our bread stud's; and it is believed by me, thai should it continue another \ear, that influence Mill bo treatly increased, not that our bread stuffs will be sent to the combatants — for the war prevails in the most fertile regions of Europe — 'he regioir from which many of the northern and other markets of Eu> < p" have heretofore been supplied; but ov the contrary, our bread stuffs 11 be sent to those places which were *'ont heretofore to be supplied iVi.m the borders of the Black sea. I oay be mistaken, but it seems to me, that s.iould peace be speedily madi between Russia and the Ottoman Porte, we may still calcilate on a god price for our surplus wheat the ensuing year, for we knew that t|i< crops of the last year have partially lVded n a brre portion off ':•' Hal Knrope. E ,c D o Oar controversy, of su< i (Hug with Great l$ritaiuj northeastern boundai • is not yel settled; bi shortly will. In < | rnvisions of the i aud the c< nv< ntioi ..■ •■' ,| . N< 'In rlai both bj Greal Bi itaiu an< irbitrj between as. The preside i uicatioi u opening of the pre*< nt sess on, " 1 be proposal to him" Netherlands,) '* to ncc< pt live desiu nation for the performance ot tins friend)} urine, will be made at an ear)\ day, and die I nitcd States, rely- ing upon the justice of their cause, will cfieeKtiUy commit the arbitra- ment of it to ;i Brince equall) distingui fur the indVpeudi fi« •< <,|' big spirit, his indefatigabh assiduity to the duuw of his station, and his 'in- flexible personal pr bity" V. ith Fraiur our comnWrc< has lucre" sed ; and heii g p( < .diacK bene- ficial to die section of enu.iiA 1 have the honour in part u> represent, I hope will be found inutiu of our eiti. ( i> for spoli; il\ advantageous to both nations. The claims ;tions committed by the Brazilhans during the ],, v. j between ilea: and the people of Buenos A^res, have in part been paid Is the gqvernnenj of Brazil, and the balance are in a train for final settlement; and I will add, that the claims of our citizens on Den- mark for spoliations on our Ann mem that occurn tl during the wars that grew out of the Fit m !i revnjuiion. have in ) art been paid, and satisfac- tion is promised to all ; and no doubt i> entertained l>\ me that litis will be speedily done* Recent a&\ ices from France "encourage the expec- i that the appeal to ihc justice of tlie Picnch Government will ere lone rec< ive a favorabl • consideration," and tint our claims on them l«u depredations on our trade, at an era vvtieii the rights of neutral nations were wholly overlooked, whl be recognized aid Fettled. \ sclus-ive nfmonej received under the tonvtntjon with Great Bm f ,|,« I3ili Nov. 1826, then was in the peasu/y on the 1st Jan. J . j =3 cts. Tlie receipt- in the tryasurj up to 30th Sept. J 32! .. 33,580 _T cts. and it was estimated that the succeeding quar- ft ould uiajie up the sum of $24,094,863 6*3 cts. It is perhaps uu- SS an to state, thai the duties accruing oiie year are collected gem the next, the importers giving bonds fof the duty payable at tie expiration ol a given period I om t'.a execution of the bond. What tin ; .„„ m ., of rev* nue n;. :\ be the next year, no one I thin!. :< rmint accural J i but it is Imped it will lie suflh ieot to support the govern- ment, >.ve. and enable us to np^ly, as heretofore, -'.nee 1819, the sum ol millions to th- discbarge pi the national debt. The exports of tl« I tiled Slates of oracle* raised bVoui elves in our own territory, aM&ny ourown labour in 1627, aim ante. tin value to Sj|58 21,1 91. Thus f , I, oil, spcnnnreij, &c. >\.:r t 5,332. From the forest, skins, I rs nseng, staves, lit r, board ■ ',, -. t;r, pitch, turpentine : '"d nav il stores, bark and dy< ,n >?0 prom agricullure^wtjeat, ■tobacco an.! cotton principally, pork, bea, tallow, butler^ live stock, ««gar, bopa, «j\, flaxseed, horses, mulesA&cc. &c. i - • 846,905^143; manufactures sti.4S;;.^4G : misjcgMauepus ttWHMQQ; marine a grand total as above nY $58,921 .O'.i l , of goods irexiously brought info ibe United States; from foreign conmri. tl|pra was re-exported in is27, to the amount ol .»'; J.5.-10.;,!:>6, making tie total amount of exports for that year $8*J^J4,827, and exceeding the imports 82,840,759. Our Mcporla are to every tpinVter of the globe, To give a bet- ter idea of the extent of our trade, and die almost boundless in- dustry and enterprise of our citizens, I subjoin a Ftatemt^ut of (he American coinmeree with China — * M;itei r ,-.. M t which 1 am assured b) commercial men approsinmtes jo acceracy. !i wttl I •■• korne in mind that a voyage to and from this distant region of the globe, requires at least •Re-yea? and ten months, though ii is sometimes . performed. iq a much shorter space of time. It appears that the exports from the United States to China! durinc the jear ending 30th .Tidy, 1827, amounted tq 84,243,617, ,of which only $1,844, 168 were in specie, and 4QQ,000 bills of exchange on Ku- rope; heaver, otter, fox, and other skins 252,,000 ; cotton and woollen goods, Si)5,000; lead, iron and copper, 2-.i,0:;:i ; quicksilver, 197,000; ginseng 06,0(10. During the same period the exports from China to the United States in 21 vessels, amounted to S lj4«)9,715 : of this sum $1,- 903,000 were for teas, 92,000 for cassia, chiuaware, and matting; 1,556,- <>00 for silk poods. ' Thus we find that where man is, there is our f»M! — •'"'' 1 u '" a dd, it is every where r; -peeled — and well it maybe. It i- the record oi our national existence, independence and cjlory. The American tonnage engaged in the foreign* coasting, and i i - 1 1 i i . _ : .. ! .um\ be fairh estimated at 1, 100,000 tons. The American Navy consists -of a m els; of which there are seven ?4's, or ships of the line already aih : - *ev< n ! I"», or frigates of tlie first class afloat; lour of ti id < •! i~, io< ladinn the Pulton steam ship; twelve sloops of war; seven schooners, ami other vesteh. The 74*s afloat are- the Ltdrpendance, Franklin. Washington, Colum- l)iis, Ohio, North Carolina, and 1 )< law ., e— -tlie frigates alloat are die Constitution, Uniied States, Guenyiere, Jaya, Potomac. Brandywines and Hudson, Congress, Constellation, Macedonian, and Fulton — the sloops of war are the John Adam-, ( vane. Hornet, Erie, Ontarie, Pea- cook, Boston , Lexington, \ im-enm-, Vv a.j. •. \ chex, and Palaonth and others — the schooners are, among others, the Dolphin, Grampus, Porpoise, Shark, Fox, Alert and Sea Cull. At the present lime, nineteen of the above vessels are in ordinary, and twenty-one in commission. In addition, five ships of the lirje, six frigate*, an > four, sloops of war, are now building, and in a state of forwardness. The ('■ iistiintion, United States and Constellation, frigates, were launched in 17!»r. :1 ,td are d eldest vessels in il.e navy 1 ; tie Congrt »s and John . • i 1709; ■* Hornet In 1 P03, from whir' time till ]Pi:3, an interval of ten year*, m> public vesselwas built, foe Macedordan frigate, and Alert, sloop nf war. captorcd in that jMtr,Uare ever since remained in the navy. Every means 1»\ shelter and otherwise is resorted to, to presefve our vessel- of war from d»-csly. Of the ships at sea, a part are in rfie Medi- terranean — a part on the coat of Brazil — a part on rtie coast ol the W i Indies, iml the remaining squadron in the. Pacific. The object of (hose squadrons is the protection of ourc immerce. The vessels stated to be building* can l»e f-nish* ■■ ud pot afloat in ninety or one hnndred <\w *, should necessity reqi in . Thus \ou see, we have a highly respectable nav.il force; a force that in all our war have done Mien duty; a force drat fought it-elf' into favor. The piifnifatirm ofthe United States in 1790, was 3,981,426 ; in 1800, it was 5,319,762; in 1810, it amounted to 7,220,903 ; in 1S20, the population was 9,637,999; and at this time it is estimated at 12.500.000. This population is spread unequally over a territory of 1,009.1-4 \ square miles. Thus in Massachusetts they have upwards of seventy to the squatt mile, in Rhode Island sixty-three, in Connecticut sixty-one, in Virginia seventeen, in the District of Columbia three hundred and ninety-one; and in some states not more than 1 1, &:e. Fortunately such is the char- acter of the soils and climate> of our country, that it is capable of sustain- ing a population equal to that of half continental Europe; and if it be true, and it is believed to be so, that our present increase is near half a million annually, but a few years will roll rdund before, with the blessing of God, our numbers will equal that of the most numerous nation that now or ever did exist. Let u clirrr /„ ,,,/r happy and tfloriotu union, rare entangling alliances with none, do equal justice to all nations, frown iud-nanihjon hnmelunci uld cut our union asunder, if ami such there he, end should the ho about twenty-six thousand, nine hundred and lift\- \. There art about seventeen tiiuti^nnd five hundred and eighty-four horses ein/>bi> eel, and two thousand eight hundred and -< \ i Rty-niue car- rirnresi including two hundred and forty-three sulkies and wagons. It is Known thai llie people at large take a deep interest in this de paiMnnr. of the government, and wtell iIk y may. Besides the informa- tion, literary and political, that it dieses over the country, there are iew, if any, to whom it does not at one time or another furnish the means of epistolary conversation v. itb relations ami friends-, and it affords me pleasure to say; a> !'ar ;i> 1 am capable of judging, it is managed bv th' post-master-grneral vvfiJi prreat ability. We enjoy peaco with all nation-, and have in prospect a longcontiuu- nnce oi" thai blessing. What ciliisen who beholds, our increase in popu- lation and resource- for defence,, who contemplates our star-spangled banner wavinp on every sea — who recognizes in every object that meets bis eye or solemnises his thonu-his evidences of an independence — founded on a sure and broajd basis, who can perfectly appreciate the thousand ties besides a commjon language, auc<>trv and glory, which will forever save us from those political disrupting that might endanger onr union. Who does not feel bis bosom srlow v> idi gratitude to the ruler of the world that he i^ an American • itiaen ? noue,, eo not one. Having exhibited the foregoing political and statistical views. I wit! proceed to other neuters. So l'w this may be said to be a business Congress, for in truth a great deal has been dour. V et a detail would be dull ami uninteresting'. { have endeavoured, b> distributing in various neighbourhoods in m\ District public documents And newspapers, to give information as to the businc s transacted, and the votes 1 have given; and if I have succeeded cording to my wishes ariv tiring further woalH be superfluous. Some attempts were made to modify the existing tariff, but they all failed. Ft is true that the revenue this year has not suffered bj the tariff of 1828; but ii <>;: ^ !i t to be renumbered that in anticipation of the pas- sage o\ that tariff an unexampled mass of goods were poured into the country, n.nl tJi.it the importations since have been much le>-, can be proven to demonstration ; and should the diminished importations con- tinii", ;^ -o.K- believe v. ill he base, it max lehd to a inodificiiim of the tariff. N ay, 1 itelieve that those who are die most favour il ,i a national point of view it is true ecu ay to provide p . time of peact — that is the season to fo passes in.o tin . v, to enlarge tlie navy, and lay up the means o. defence. To avoid aggression and insult, we must be in a situath to meet and repel it — and we must look forward and count the c h njd the vicissitudes of the world for the interrupt tion of our ti It is true for the government to take no more by taxes frouj the people than will mswer those jgreat purposes just enumerated, suppori the govern id pay the public debt; all beyond this should be left with the p 10 be applied by a profitable economy to enlarging th< ii flocks, imp* ving their fields and their house-, therein- increasing their eomforts and the comforts of posterity. J might appeal to th,' Gdelit\ of legislators and to the affection of fathers, and ask, air th -' re marks just.'' It hasdreen said by politi< al writers, that luxury, corruption, and large standing armies, have led to the decadence of free govern rnehi wherever they have prevailed; and no doubt they have; but there ai : other agents just ;*> (ni-cbievotu, just a- fatal t<> ("r governments, to »jt: patronage, and a profuse expenditure of public rooneVi |, ; government be administered by wham it may, believe me, ir will not do tu have th. private fortunes the entire (tesiiuics of too main individual united to tin destinies of the government 'n official and fiscal relationship— government is like every thing else that is the *ork of man, iin • I j prone u " occasional error. Our forefathers !. .. . th<*se at? berrationa, \\lnu tbej occur, can be corrected} the;, hove told as tint thi- blessiugs of free aovernroeDI can alone !><■ | I bj a frequent r*vur- reace to fiial prim iples; which I understand to mean, look to the ( .i ti- iiuinri. and abide by its tetter; it i> the grant of power, and do n x tran- scend it. What may be the political excitemi uts< '- when I will not pretend to say; but up to thk moment th« deliberations of Congress this .-.>ion have be. n calm an. I dignhitJ. and there -W>1'