Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)United States. Congress
History
Abridgment of the Debates of Congress, from 1789 to 1856, Vol. 2 (of 16)
United States. Congress
Law -- United States; United States -- Politics and government
In China and the East Indies, Mr. H. said, the inhabitants could shut
themselves up within their own territory, and avoid any intercourse with
foreign nations. In countries so far removed from Europe, as to prevent
any one nation from making a monopoly, of its trade, this policy might
exist. But could America lay up her ships, and say she would open her
ports to all nations? No; that very instant you give up your trade to
that nation which has the greatest power at sea; for she will
immediately block up your ports, and oblige you to trade with them only.
In order, therefore, to trade with all nations, we must be the carriers
of our own produce, for other nations would not leave us at liberty to
do so. The strongest power would say to the others, you shall not trade
with these people, you shall do so and so, or we will go to war with
you. You must, therefore, said he, protect your own trade.
Will these resolutions, then, said he, if adopted, tend to this point?
He believed they would. To provide a dock-yard, and to take care of a
supply of timber suitable for the purpose of ship-building, were very
essential steps. Much expense, he said, would be saved in carrying on
the building of several ships together in one yard, instead of having
them scattered in different parts of the Union. Timber might also be
laid up to season in this yard, so as always to be ready for use; for,
he believed that much of the delay which had attended the building of
the ships now on the stocks, had been owing to the difficulty which had
attended the procuring of proper timber. Besides, Mr. H. said, its being
known to foreign nations, that you had provided a dock-yard, would have
some weight; it would at least have the appearance of an intention of
building a Navy.
With respect to the purchasing of land clothed with live oak timber, he
thought it a very desirable measure. It was well known that this timber
was confined to a few spots--a few sea islands on the coast of South
Carolina and Georgia, and some small strips along the seashore; and in
each of these places there were only a few trees of a sufficient size
for building large ships. The land upon which these trees grew, since
the cultivation of cotton had been introduced into those parts, was
become valuable land for that purpose. This induced the people to cut
down the timber and burn it, for the sake of getting the land, and there
was no way of arresting this practice, but by securing the land; and
being of so good a quality, when the trees were cut down, it would
probably sell for a greater price than was originally given for it.
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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