File:The development of American nationality (1913) (14804479103).jpg

Identifier: developmentofame02fish (find matches)
Title: The development of American nationality
Year: 1913 (1910s)
Authors: Fish, Carl Russell, 1876-1932
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Publisher: New York, American Book Co
Contributing Library: The Library of Congress
Digitizing Sponsor: Sloan Foundation

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he West, as Washingtonsaid, stood upon a pivot, the touch of a feather wouldturn them any way. Independence brought to the coast colonies freedom fromthe navigation acts, and all the nations of Europe soughtthe commerce which England could no longer monopolize.Treaties were made with Sweden, Prussia, France, Holland,and Morocco, and adventurous American seamen foundtheir way into the Pacific, bartering on the northwest coastof America for furs and ginseng, which they exchanged atCanton for the teas and silks demanded in the United States.In 1788 it became necessary to appoint a commercial agentat Canton. Such new openings, however, scarcely madeup for the loss of some old trade connections and the dis-turbance of others. British protection had previouslyenabled us to carry on a considerable trade in the Mediterra-nean, where the Barbary pirates preyed on the commerce ofweaker nations. The new government was unable to make atreaty with any of these lawless little powers except Morocco,
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COMMERCIAL PROBLEMS 23 and consequently trade beyond Gibraltar vanished. Moreimportant was the fact that Great Britain cut off most ofour trade with the West Indian islands belonging to her.Previously these colonies had received most of their pro-visions and lumber from New England and the MiddleStates, and had paid for it in molasses, rum, and money.Now England allowed them to import American goods onlywhen the other English colonies could not possibly supplythe demand, and even then ordered that the importation bemade only in English vessels, whereas, before the Revolution,the trade had been carried on almost entirely in Americanshipping. These regulations distressed American merchants,farmers, fishermen, and shipowners, and they all asked forrelief. John Adams was sent as minister to England, butproved powerless. Congress had no power to threatenEngland with retaliation; the several states pursued varyingand contradictory commercial policies, and we had nothingto offer England, for

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