By this time, a new class of labourers had risen up: those who were boys at the close of the revo lutionary war, had become men. The devastations of the contending armies had been in a degree re paired: and though neither our agricultural nor commercial capital was equal to what it was in 1770, the country afforded a considerable amount of surplus products for exportation, which surplus increased yearly.
The same year in which our new constitution went into operation, the French revolution com menced. The events that grew out of it, while they raised the price of our staples in foreign markets, compelled the different European powers to relax their colonial policy.
The combined effect of these different causes be came very apparent by the year 1794, in which and the succeeding year our exports amounted to eighty millions of dollars, being twice as much as we had exported in 1791 and 1792. Part of this increase was owing to a rise in the value of our staples, prices being, according to a statement by Mr. Gal latin, forty per cent beyond their usual rates. Part of it was owing to the re-exportation of foreign com modities, the value of which, in these two years, 1794 and 1795, was, we learn from the same author ity, twenty-five millions of dollars.
It was believed by many, that the external causes which had proved so powerful a stimulus to our commerce, would be temporary in their nature: but they continued in operation for more than twenty years; and the causes of internal prosperitybecoming at the same time more efficacious, our commerce ad vanced with a rdpidity, of which the history of no nation affords a parallel. Mr.. Gallatin, writing in 1796, seemed to suppose that our commerce had, in 1795, nearly reached its maximum; but in 1796 the exports amounted to 67 millions, giving an increase, in a single year, of 43 per cent. In the year 1801, they amounted to 94 millions.
We were the carriers of much of-the produce of the East and West Indies. The treasures of South America passed through our country, on their way to Europe. Our merchants carried on a lucrative business in supplying the West Indians and South Americans with European commodities.
Our tonnage increased at a rapid rate. In 1793, the total was 491,780. In 1801, it was 1,033,218. In 1793, it exceeded that of any other nation, ex cept the British. In 1801, it appears to have been nearly equal to that which the Dutch possessed in the period of their greatest commercial prosperity.
The profits on the American tonnage employed in the foreign trade, from 1795 to 1805, if calcu lated at the rate of S50 a ton, must, according to the estimate of Dr. Seybert, have produced, for the freight alone, S32,459,350 per annum.
Our prosperity was much increased by the addi tion of a new article to our staples. In 1789, a member of congress, from South Carolina, stated, that the people of the southern states intended to cultivate cotton, and added, "if good seed could be procured, lie hoped they might succeed." In 1790, the first parcel of cotton, of American growth, was exported from the United States. and amounted to only 19,200 lbs. Prior to 1502, the cotton wool of foreign and domestic growth was blended in the custom-house returns. On the average of the five yeais from 1802 to 1806, the cotton of American growth, annually exported, amounted to 42,147,653 lbs. In 1809-10, the export amounted to 93,361,462 lbs.: and 16,000,000 lbs. were consumed in our own manufactories.
After the peace of Amiens, which took place in the fall of 1801, our commerce declined; but that peace continued for only eighteen months, and com merce revived again. Our carrying trade increased, so that in the years 1805, 6 and 7, our exports of foreign produce exceeded those of domestic. The former were annually, on an average of the three years, S57,701,937: the latter S44,R63,507.
The prosperity of our trade excited the envy of the different powers of Europe. To reduce its amount, to make it tributary to their own wants, and to promote their belligerent purposes, they is sued various orders, edicts, and decrees, the bare enumeration of which would exceed our limits. This system began at an early date, for it was stated, in the British house of peers, that 600 Ame rican vessels were seized or detained in British ports, between November 6, 1793 and March 23, 1794. The captures of American vessels, made by the British, from 1803 till November 1807, amount ed to.528. Those made by the French, from 1802 till the time of passing the Berlin and Milan de crees, were 206;--during the continuance of said decrees, 307. To these were added seizures by the Neapolitans, the Danes, and the Spaniards.