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Subject Area: Economics
Subject Area: Political Theory

GALLATIN TO JEFFERSON. - Albert Gallatin, The Writings of Albert Gallatin, vol. 1 [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 JEFFERSON.

Treasury Department, 28th December, 1808.

Dear Sir,—

I had already received and rejected a duplicate of Jacob Smith’s petition. There could be no hesitation in the case, as she is a vessel owned by citizens of the United States, and the President had no authority to grant a permission unless by virtue of the power vested by the first Embargo Act; and that has never been used for any but public purposes. The vessel being originally foreign bottom does not alter the case. There are more than fifty thousand tons of shipping of that description owned by citizens of the United States, and they are expressly embraced by the embargo laws under their technical name, viz., sea-letter vessels.

We cannot destroy the boats, &c., at St. Mary’s without being authorized by law so to do; and Congress shows so much reluctance in granting powers much less arbitrary, that there is no expectation of their giving this. You will also perceive by the letters of the collectors of Brunswick and Savannah that the system of illegal exportations is carried on the largest scale, and embraces all the sea-coast of Georgia. I enclose one more (anonymous) letter on the subject, but which adds nothing to the information already possessed. I wrote yesterday to the three collectors to man and arm a number of boats or vessels of the description mentioned in the Savannah letter. I had already written to Mr. Smith stating the necessity of sending gunboats amongst those inlets and islands, and to the Secretary of War requesting if possible some troops to guard against land exportations across the upper waters of the St. Mary’s. Cotton at this moment is the great object. Every precaution and instruction within the powers of the Treasury has been given in every direction. Even to the northward similar plans are in operation. All the cotton in New York has been purchased by speculators in Boston, and they want to transport it. A single person wanted to ship six thousand bales, equal to 1,800,000 pounds. I have written to Mr. Gelston not to permit the shipment of one bale, as there must be a plan, though the details are not known, for its being illegally exported from Boston. As to Georgia, I do not perceive that anything more can be done than to send gunboats in addition to our small revenue boats. For I am confident that the attempt to negotiate with the Governor of East Florida would be fruitless.

The Atlanta must have been seized by gunboats, in which case the collectors will not be suffered to interfere, as the forfeiture, if any, belongs to the captors.

No permanent grant or permission to settle can be given to the Alabamas without an Act of Congress. But as the President is authorized to except lands from the sales, he might perhaps grant them a permission revocable at will. I think that Congress would agree at once to give them a reasonable tract.1

Respectfully, your obedient servant.

[1 ]See the letter to which this is in answer, in Jefferson’s Works, v. 405.