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In contemplating future America, the mind is loft in the din of cities— in harbours and rivers clouded with fails-and in the immenfity of her population. Admitting her prefent population to be three millions, and calculating her progreffive increafe to continue doubling once in twenty years, as has hitherto been the cafe, at the end of one hundred years there will be ninety-fix millions of fouls in United America; which is twothirds as many as there are at prefent in all Europe. And when we confider the probable acquifition of people, by foreign emigrations, and that the interior and unfettled parts of America are amply fufficient to provide for this number, the prefumption is strong, that this eftimation will not differ materially from the event.

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Europe is already aware of the rifing importance of America, and be gins to look forward with anxiety to her Weft India Islands, which are the natural legacy of this continent, and will doubtlefs be claimed as fuch when America fhall have arrived at an age which will enable her to main、 tain her right.

The northern and fouthern ftates differ widely in their customs, climate, produce, and in the general face of the country. The middle states preferve a medium in all thefe refpects; they are neither fo level and hot as the ftates fouth; nor fo hilly and cold as thofe north and eaft. The inhabitants of the north are hardy, induftrious, frugal, and in general well informed; thofe of the fouth are more effeminate, indolent, and imperious. The fisheries and commerce are the finews of the north; tobacco, rice, and indigo, of the fouth. The northern ftates are commodiously fituated for trade and manufactures; the fouthern, to furnish provifions and raw materials; and the probability is, that the fouthern ftates will one day be fupplied with northern manufactures inftead of European, and make their remittances in provisions and raw materials.'

NOTE III.

The following obfervations on the fubject of the probable revenue that would refult to the United States from the impoft and excife, were com municated by a gentleman who, from his fituation in public life, from the attention he has paid to the fources of public revenue in this country, and from the pains he has taken to collect the facts on which the following eftimate is founded, is capable of giving as accurate information on the fubject as the nature of the cafe will admit.

From the want of accurate documents of former collections under the ftate regulations, it is not poffible to determine with precifion, the amount of the revenue which may be relied on from thefe fources, under the new form of government.-I am, however, clearly of opinion, from several returns I have feen of the former impoft and excife duties, in fome principal importing ftates, that after the regulations adopted by Congrefs, have had their complete operation, the produce of thefe duties, without encouraging contraband, or other frauds on the revenue, may be eftimated at 2,000,000 dollars.-This fum, it is true, will at prefent fall short of what is neceffary to defray the expences of the civil government, and to discharge the intereft of the foreign and domeftic debt.-But by the aids of a national bank properly organized, it will be cafy and perfectly fafe to borrow in anticipation, fuch fums as may be deficient, annually for thofe purpofes, pledging the above revenue (which will conftantly en

creafe

,-more

crease rapidly with the population of the country) as a fund of reimbursement. This is practised in other countries, under fimilar circumstances, in fupport of public credit, and may undoubtedly be done in this,-m efpecially, as the Capital of the domeftic debt will be constantly decreasing by a judicious difpofal of lands in the Western Territory, and means may be devised of inducing the domeftic creditors to agree to a reducion of the prefent rate of interest.

With refpect to direct taxes, I am of opinion, that in times of peace, little, if any, recourse need be had to them :-It is, however, abfolutely neceffary that the general government Thould be invefted with the power of levying them, becaufe in times of war, or the calamities to which all nations are fubjected, the fources of impoft and excife may be fo diminished as not to be adequate to the means of national defence and every ́ government ought undoubtedly to have the means of preferving itself.

I know it has been faid, that on fuch great occafions, requifitions may be relied on; but paft experience proves the fallacy of this obfervation; for if during a war, whofe object was to refcue the whole body of the people, from the most ignominious flavery, the earneft and repeated recominendations of Congrefs, could not draw forth from the ftates any contributions of money in the leaft degree proportionate to the public exigencies, what could be expected on future occafions? Nothing elfe than fubjecting the citizens of the ftates most contiguous to the scene of action to a ruinous depredation of property; whilft thofe in the diftant ftates would not only be perfectly free of any burthen, but difpute, when the danger was over, the juftice of reimbursement.-To fuch acts of violation of private rights it is well known that the citizens of New York, Jersey, and Pennsylvania, were peculiarly fubjected, during the late war; and if they are wife, they will never again expofe themselves to the fame hazard.' Number of Reprefentatives according to the return of the Cenfus now made from the feveral States, if the ratio of representation established be of No. of Reprefentatives 1 for if 1 for if 1 for] if 1 for

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Georgia

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And allowing South-Carolina, which state has made no return, upon a fuppofition 5 members, in every cafe, the total number of members in each cafe would then be

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SCHEDULE

Of the whole Number of Persons within the several Districts of the UNITED STATES, according to an Að “ Providing for the Enumeration of the Inhabitants of the UNITED STATES," paffed March the First, One Thousand Seven Hundred and Ninety-one.

Free

whiteFree white Free white fe-JAll otherl Slaves. males of 16 males un-males, includ-free years and up-der fixteening heads of fons. wards,includ years. tamilies. DISTRICT S. ing heads off families.

Total.

per

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Truly stated from the original returns depofited in the office of the Secretary of

State.

October 24, 1791.

THOMAS JEFFERSON.

EVANS's

44

CORRECTED AND IMPROVED,

Shewing the DISTANCES between the PRINCIPAL Towns.

The Distance in British Miles, between two Places, is found in the fmall Square at the Intersection of the Lines, drawn both Ways, from thofe Places; as for Example, the Distance from Bofton to Williamsburg 659 Miles; from Charlestown to Quebec 1396 Miles.

Fo

Marlb

Montreal, Province

NEW BERN, South C

Newcastle, Delaware Countie

Newhaven, Connecticut 21

NEWPORT, Rhode Island IIO 3

NEW YORK 170 So 1

Falls of Niagara, Province of Quebec 571 595 545 6

Ofwego, New York 200 371 395 345 4

PENSACOLA, Weft Florida 1826 1671 1469 1668 1558|13|

PHILADELPHIA, Pennsylvania 1372 454 619 97 296 186

Prince Town, West New Jersey 43 1415 411 571 54 253 143

QUEBEC 626 669 2041 440 640 586 610 560 7 ST. AUGUSTINE, Eaft Florida 1726 1100 1057 315 15111470 1154 1324 1286 10 SAVANNAH, Georgia 220 1506 880 837 535 1291 1250 934 1104 1066 7 WILLIAMSBURG, Virginia 534 754 972 346 303 1069 757 602 400 599 489 2 er, Virginia 174 708 928 885| 259| 166|1243 670 619 313| 512 402| T

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