which the people of the United States now send to the European markets are but few, and can be obtained in equal perfection from other countries: and it is more likely that the demand for them from thence should in future diminish, than increase. When the crops of grain in Europe happen at any time to fail, the people of the United States will have an oppor tunity of exporting (as in the course of last year) great quantities of corn to the markets of Europe; but there is no trade so precarious as that of corn; and no syste.n of foreign commerce, permanently profitable, can be founded upon it; and new settlements are forming in the neighbourhood of the United States, which will soon rival them in this and in every other staple commodity which they produce. The fisheries of the Ued States, once so prosperous, are now greatly declined, because there is no longer any sufficient market for the sale of the produce of them; the former success of these fisheries is principally to be imputed to the share which the produce of them had before the war in the markets of the British dominions. Since the peace, the merchants of the United States have endeavoured, by means of the cheapness of the rum distilled from molasses, to carry on a trade to the Coast of Africa, but with little success; at the same time they laurched also into a trade with the coun - tries to the east of the Cape of Good Hope, particularly China, which was at first profitable; but this trade soon found its limit, and has of late very much declined; the people of the United States have not wealth suficient to support any large consumption of Asiatic luxuries, so that those who have engaged in this trade, now found their hopes on the profits to be derived from smuggling these articles into other countries; it must be acknowledged, that the commercial intercourse between the United States and the French Islands in the West Indies, has of late been greatly increased; and it is also probable, that the merchants of these states have found opportunities to open illicit and profitable connections with the subjects of the Spanish dominions in America; but as these sorts of commercial connection, though perhaps encouraged by the people of the French and Spanish Colonies, are highly detrimental to the interests of their respective mother countries, and contrary to the laws by which the commerce of those Colonies has hitherto been regulated, the conti. nuance of the advantages which the people of the United States may derive from these sources of wealth, must be precarious, and will depend on circumstances. Such is the present state of the commerce of the United States; the Lords of the Committee have thought it right thus to collect these considerations, which have been stated more at large in the former parts of this Report, and to bring them once more under the view of your Majesty, in order to shew that your Majesty may safely resist any unreasonable pretensions, but not to prevent a commercial arrangement with the United States, founded on terms which are consistent with the essential interests of the commerce and navigation of the British dominions." We trust no commercial arrangement with these States will ever be founded on any other terms. After the preceding Report was printed, an Abstract was received of Exports from America, for the year ending on the 30th September 1790, which is subjoined. "It appears, by this Abstract, that the exports from the United States to the dominions of Great Britain, are nearly one half of the whole of of their exports. To the dominions of France, the exports of the United States, during this period, were less than one half of the exports to the dominions of Great Britain and it is probable that the increase of the exports to the French dominions; above the common average, was greater during this period, than the increase of the exports to Great Britain, or to any other country, as the dearth of corn in the years 1789 and 1790 affected France much more than any other European nation. It was less felt in Great Britain than in any country with which the United States have a commercial intercourse. About this period also the government of the French Islands, by regulations of their own, first opened their ports, almost without restriction, to the importation of lumber, fish, grain,' live stock, and provisions, from the United States, contrary to the inte rests and intentions of the mother-country. It appears that the value of the lumber, fish, grain, live stock, and provisions, exported from the United States during this period, amounted to 10,968,049 dollars, or 2,467,8111. os. 6d. sterling, being more than one half of the whole of their exports. It is singular how small the value is of the produce of the whale fishery exported from the United States: it amounts only to 252,591 dollars, or 56,8321. 195. 6d. sterling. "This Abstract does not distinguish the exports to the several nations of Europe, from the exports to their respective Colonies; so that it is impossible to determine what proportion the first bears to the latter." What a farce is it, then, for the Americans to threaten us with a prohi. bition of our manufactures. Without the revenue arising from their im ports from this Country, and from their exports to it, they would not be able to pay even the few miserable ships of war which constitute the sum total of their mighty republican navy. We were never more astonished in our lives than when we heard a Noble Lord, who supported the Intercourse Bill, dwell, at such a period, as the present, on the advantages which this Country derived from her trade with America; and never once adverting to the infinitely superior advantages which America herself derives from that trade. Surely there was neither wisdom nor policy in such observations. The American Congress is much wiser. Its members abuse us, but never talk of the benefits which they derive from our trade and our capital. John Bull's Soliloquies on the late Impeachment. 8vo. Pr. 52. Hatchard, London; Hill, Edinburgh, POOR John Bull, alas! has enough to soliloquize upon! And we have an earnest desire to amplify, to enlarge, and to extend (Mr. Romilly will pardon us), his soliloquies upon men and things, usque ad inf nitum! The contrast between promises and performances; the former in -Brobdignag, and the latter in Lilliput: between charges and proofs, punishment and desert-but we beg pardon; we did not mean to puzzle poor John's brains, and to lead him into a train of thinking and of talking, that would involve him in inextricable confusion, and tire both his mind and his tongue. We must, however, transcribe his motto from Ben Jonson's Every Man in his Humqur; first, because we, in our great wisdom, ex cathedrâ critica, pronounce it to be appropriate; and secondly, because it suits our bumour." Let me not live, an' I cou'dn't find in my heart to swing the whole gang of 'em one after another, and begin with him first. I am grieved it should be said he is my kinsman, and takes these courses. Well, as he brews so he shall drink, 'fore George!" We have heard it said, that the summit, the acme, the ne plus ultra, of malice, call it what you will, gentle reader! was exhibited by a wicked bard, in certain malevolent couplets, addressed to the late Sir John Hill, of sage memory. "The worst that I wish thee for all thy d-n'd crimes, Is to take thine own physic, and to read thine own rhymes." But, really, for truth demands the confession from us, John Bull, in the present instance, is infinitely more malicious, for his malediction amounts to neither more nor less than this "The worst that I wish thee for all thy law breaches, Is to drink thine own beer, and to read thine own speeches." Now, in sober seriousness, we declare, that we would much rather be doomed to take "essence of water-dock, honey, and sage," than to be compelled to drink such maudlin stuff, as beer in which only the essence of three bushels of malt are to be found in a whole barrel! To be sure, if skill be an apt substitute for strength*, in beer as in battle; in other words, if wormwood, molasses, and cocculus Indicus, be of equal efficacy with pure malt and hops, then the whole vis vite of John Bull's malice is destroyed. And as he is an easy, credulous, good-natured soul, we are willing, for once, though it hurts our conscience a little to let it so pass, take it for granted. It is but fair to let John Bull speak for himself. Attend, therefore, courteous reader, to his fifth soliloquy. "To be sure, nothing can be better contrived than the managers voting an address of thanks to themselves, and before the verdict too!! It was rather an omission in them not to bribe St. Martin's to ring a round of double bob-majors at the end of each day's trial. They have received the reward of thanks-for what? for bringing to light what never was hid? But no matter-it is not the first time a reward has been paid for supposed discoveries. Self-commendation is an easy purchase. It is bidding at our own auction. And yet, after all, there is reason in the thing. Every man must be the best judge of his own merits; and is, therefore, best qualified to pronounce his own panegyric. Besides, it were hard if those whom no one else will praise, should not be permitted to praise themselves. Is the line in Horace, or where is it ? P pulus mesibilat, at mihi plaudo’—— They gathered the fruit of their labours before it was ripe; but it is not wonderful that the party should be greedy of praise, considering how long the public has kept them upon short allowance." Not merely greedy of the whip-syllabub of praise, but absolutely vo * Vide Mr. Rose's speech, passim; and the answers of Messrs. Whitbread and Combe, non seriatim. Tacious racious of the more substantial food, profit. They actually fall to with as outrageous an appetite as that with which a good Catholic devours flesh and fowl on Easter Sunday, after a long meagre Lent of soup-maigre and herbs. Falstaff's ragged regiment are nothing to them. But we beg pardon for this involuntary digression, and proceed with John Bull's soli. loquy. "Alas! the verdict in expectancy-never fell into possession. The SPEAKER was rather unwary in dealing forth his eulogies with such an unsparing hand--he overpaid the purchase without looking into the title*. However, to applaud by anticipation is better far than to criminate by anticipation. The error was reversed, but there is always virtue in re pentance. Did the party ever expect a verdict of victory? Did it ever seriously enter into the calculations of their arithmetic, that he would be found guilty? "The philosopher of Laputa endeavoured to extract sun-beams from cucumbers, and he failed. How the philosopher would have stared, if his attempt had succeeded!" Aye, marry would he, as much as if he had extracted loyalty from the friend of Brissot, or virtue from the successful candidate for Hni'ton ! ! ! † "This will form an era in the history of impeachments. The proportion between the magnitude of the charge, and the measure of the proof, brings to one's mind the tree mentioned by Pliny, whose leaves were as broad as a shield, but the fruit not as big as a nutmeg. "The turn of the epigram made in allusion to the husbandry of Thrale, may be applied to the management of Whitbread : "The facts of the case, as impartially put, That the proof of the charges was WHITBREAD'S ALL-BUT, Honest John thus soliloquizes, much to the purpose, in fifteen distinct soliloquies. The fourteenth of these we shall extract. "SHERIDAN, Treasurer of the Navy!-Well, the party will have worked a miracle if they have made him a good TREASURER; but they will work a miracle still greater, if they make him a good PAYMASTER. His late divertisement was a novel scene at Somerset-house. Its offices never before resounded with the revelry of such a festive crowd. SHERRY grows old with a good grace. He eats well, and drinks well, which things cherish corpulency; but he is still alert withal; and can say, with old FALSTAFF, he that will caper with me for a thousand marks, let him lend me the money, and have at him.' "I think the broad-bottomed Administration never tripped on the fantastic toe more gracefully than at that night's carousal. SIDMOUTH'S There might be policy in all this;—an expected dissolution; a subse quent election; an-cætera desunt.-EDITOR. + En passant, be it said, that this said candidate is very much indebted to his worthy electors for confirming, in their election of him, the truth of his assertion, that "they are the most corrupt rascals in the kingdom." friends <friends won the palm; they footed it to the tune of Over the water to Charley,' admirably well. Indeed, they have been so accustomed to dance, as the old proverb says, to any man's pipe,' that it is not sur. prising they should excel; and to be sure they do turn half round,' and **change sides,' with great dexterity. LAUDERDALE was in no humour for capering; he attempted a Scotch fling, but failed sadly, and sat down vexed and disappointed. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER performed wonders; he indeed almost regretted his own proficiency; and expressed his fears, that he should rob himself of all his reputation as a Minister of State. A punning Peer whispered, that the value of the thing lost would be so trifling, that it could not be more than petty larceny at the worst." Now as all our readers may not be learned in the law, for the information of such as are not so, we deem it expedient, in order that they may appreciate the malice of this said Peer, and the extent of his bel, to apprize them, that fetty larceny is the offence of stealing below the value of ten-pence; and we farther deliver our grave and serious opinion, that the said Peer has been guilty of a heinous offence, and ought forthwith to be impeached for petty treason. And, so saying, honest John, we bid thee and thy Soliloquies good night. The True Origin of the Present War betwixt France and England, with Observations on the Expedi ncy and Advantages of an immediate Peace. Second Edition. 8vo. PP. 52. Halle, printed; and sold at Leipzig, Bremen, and Hamburgh. IT would appear by this pamphlet, that not only French and German publications are used on the Continent to mislead the people, and to render this country odious in the eyes of foreigners; but that English productions are likewise employed for the same purpose. The author of this tract professes to be an Englishman; but there is certainly nothing in it English, except the language. Here is the same condemnation of England and her politics, the same justification of France and her politics; the same attempt to excite de pondency and despair in Britons, and to encourage and inspirit Frenchmen, as so strongly pervade the "Inquiry into the State of the Nation," written by the Editor of the Edinburgh Review*, corrected * That the Edinburgh Review has been constantly and diligently employed in reviling our religious and political establishments, and, not unfrequently, in ridiculing religion itself, is well known to most of our readers. Yet has one of the principal writers in it been rewarded with the office of a Commissioner for Auditing Accounts, under Lord Henry Petty's new system, a place worth Scol. or 1000l. per annum ! And the author of the Inquiry would, we are assured, have received a still greater reward, but for the interference of one noble member of the Cabinet. So long as such services are deemed worthy of praise and compensation, it will be our pride to deserve execration and punishment. We trust, how ever, that our countrymen are not so degenerate as patiently to contem plate |
