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Subject Area: Economics
Subject Area: Political Theory

GALLATIN TO J. Q. ADAMS. - Albert Gallatin, The Writings of Albert Gallatin, vol. 2 [1879]

Edition used:

The Writings of Albert Gallatin, ed. Henry Adams (Philadelphia: J.B. Lippincott, 1879). 3 vols.

Part of: The Writings of Albert Gallatin, 3 vols.

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GALLATIN TO J. Q. ADAMS.

No. 149.

Paris, 5th July, 1820.

Sir,—

I have not yet received any communication from you since your letter of the 7th of March; but the last arrivals brought accounts from New York to the 1st of June, and amongst them the Act of Congress imposing a duty of 18 dollars per ton on French vessels. It is much to be regretted that the law, instead of only equalizing the discriminating duties, should have made a difference as great against French vessels as it was before in their favor. Had that course been pursued, there would have been some complaints, but no pretence for retaliation, and their own interest would, after a short time, have induced the French merchants themselves to unite in the wish of seeing all discriminating duties repealed on both sides. But their clamors against the measure which has been adopted have been successful because they might with truth say that it stops entirely their maritime expeditions to the United States, and also that the notice was so short that voyages already undertaken would be ruinous to the parties. Mr. Pasquier gave me to understand that our act had the appearance of a wish to force the French government to accept the proposals we had made, and he believed it would be necessary for France to lay a retaliating duty before she could treat with us. Whether he meant one that would only re-establish the equilibrium or go beyond that I could not ascertain, and perhaps he has not determined. I must add that I believe him and government in general to be in favor of the mutual repeal of all the discriminating duties, and that the obstacles to an arrangement are entirely on the part of the merchants and of the chambers of commerce.

You may easily conceive that, even if the plan should only be to lay duties which in the whole should be equivalent to ours, there will be a vast difference of opinion respecting the amount. The greatest difficulty consists in valuing our old discriminating duty of 10 per cent. on the ordinary duties on importations; and I was particularly anxious that it should have been repealed at the same time a new tonnage duty was laid, because the French always insist that it is nearly equal to their own discriminating duties, and it is difficult to prove the contrary in an unanswerable manner, there being no common standard by which to compare their respective values.

I have, however, undertaken the task, and prepared a long note for Mr. Pasquier, which, not being yet quite finished, cannot be communicated by this opportunity. I will only state that my final conclusion is that the difference between the discriminating duties of the two countries was about 46 francs per ton against us before the last Act of Congress, and it is now about 45 francs against France. As I have not yet any instructions, nor any official account of the Act, it is my intention to send this paper as an informal note, which will commit neither my government nor myself.

It is possible that some proposals may be made by the French government, such as a mutual surrender of deserters, on which it will be necessary that I should apply for instructions, and that the negotiation may for that reason, and on account of the obstacles thrown in by the merchants, be protracted longer than had been contemplated. This contingency induces me to request that I may be supplied with documents the want of which I have felt whilst preparing my note for Mr. Pasquier. Those I principally wish are,—

1st. The principal annual statements of the importations of goods, wares, and merchandise in American and foreign vessels for the years ending on the 30th September, 1817 and 1818.

2dly. A similar account for the year ending on the 30th September, 1819. This is not printed, but may be prepared by the Register.

3dly. Statements of the exports, both foreign and domestic, to France and to its dependencies for the years ending on the 30th September, 1817, 1818, and 1819, designating the quantity and value of each species, and those to France in Europe from those to her colonies. These are never printed, but may be transcribed from books kept in the Register’s office.

4thly. A statement of the American and French tonnage, respectively, employed for one year in the commerce with France (not with her colonies), including the repeated voyages. Whether this last document can be made out from the returns to his office the Register will be able to say.

I have the honor, &c.