| Title: | [S.D.?] Corbitt, U.S.A. to W. J. C. Allen, Belfast. |
|---|---|
| ID | 694 |
| Collection | Irish Emigration Database |
| File | Corbitt, S.D/19 |
| Year | 1843 |
| Sender | Corbitt, S.D. |
| Sender Gender | male |
| Sender Occupation | businessman |
| Sender Religion | unknown |
| Origin | USA |
| Destination | Belfast, N.Ireland |
| Recipient | Campbell Allen, William J. |
| Recipient Gender | male |
| Relationship | business, friends |
| Source | D 1558/1/1/91: Papers of William John Campbell Allen Deposited by F. D. Campbell Allen. |
| Archive | The Public Record Office, N. Ireland |
| Doc. No. | 9708191 |
| Date | 22/07/1843 |
| Partial Date | |
| Doc. Type | LET |
| Log | Document added by LT, 29:08:97. |
| Word Count | 1841 |
| Genre | |
| Note | |
| Transcript | 5J AP 11 43 [Dublin transit datestamp 11 April 1843?] LIVERPOOL AP 10 43 [Liverpool arrival datestamp 10 April 1843? BELFAST AP 12 1843 [Belfast arrival datestamp 12 April 1843?] To/ Wm. J. Campbell Allen Esq York Street Belfast Ireland p [per?] Soochoo [ship?] Savannah 22d July 1843 W.J.Campbell Allen Esqr Belfast My Dear Sir Your valued favour 2d ulto [ultimo?] is before me - when the next remittance is to be made I'll not forget the cost of the corn grits. Was sorry to learn delay occurred in their delivery, I ought to have recollected that John Bull knows nothing of corn feed to bipeds. That article Indian Corn - is selling here by the hundred bushels or more at 42 [--?] p [per?] bushel - and all other food in proportion. Cotton is not so low as it has been, it sells now at 4 3/4 to 7¬ - and the total production of the past season will turn out 2,500,000 Bales. There will not however be so much come to market unless present prices are maintained of which I have my doubts. You appear to labor under the European idea as to repudiation in this country when referring to the difficulty met by the agent of the U. States Government in his attempt to secure a loan, the mistake which you appear to make in common with all, or nearly all, of your side of the water is, in confounding, the states in their separate financial arrangements of the General Government emanating from Washington. In no instance in the history of the U.S. Govt. [Government?] has there been an attempt at repudiation neither has she ever forced any of her creditors or stock- holders to accept of scrip at such reduced rate of Interest by cancelling one of higher rate of Interest - as was the case with the British Govt. [Government?] not once I believe - but oftener - The State of Mississippi is the only repudiator & she you know is not the U. S. Govt. [Government?] The late Tariff act of Congress at the Xtra [Extra?] session, with very few exceptions is such a one as will be permanent & such as every American should insist on. I am aware of pamphlets being published lately and now at British instance to teach Americans what is their best Interests - but it will not succeed, for the Democrats themselves Janus faced as they are, being at the North high Tariff men, and to the South Free Trade visionists - when out to the test, go a tariff outright. If John Bull wishes to have America change her policy, let her begin at home by taking off the discrimination between American & British shipping when carrying American produce; let there be no colonial discrimination ! Let her then square her Tariff to meet those of this country. No more! Let her abolish her light money system - by which such a ship as the Jno. Cumming pays over œ50 Stg [Sterling?] each voyage to L'pool [Liverpool?]! Do you say it is right because British ship pay it. My answer is that is not a just position. Great Britain has her commerce, they have the lights for themselves, she may tax her own shipping and I believe their own shipping pays all the expenses of the lights and not a doubt it can be [---ed?] all that it collected from American & other foreign ships, adds so much to the Treasury of the British people. Contrast that with the simple unretaliating and [--ise?] Light system of this Country. British & all other ships visit our ports & no charge of light money, not one cent. Now, I wish to see, & it will 'ere long be adopted I hope, that every British ship visiting the ports of the U.S. will be charged with as nearly the amt [amount?] as similar ship pays in British ports, as strict justice can draw the account. This [--ew?] of the case begins to be felt throughout the land as due to justice, and to the end of getting an equitable commercial treaty, you will 'ere long see Danl. Webster sent to London a special minister for that purpose. The whole nation will be of one voice in claiming from great Britain an equitable & just remodelling of her navigation laws. as they now exist, British shipping in American ports have a decided advantage over American ships - it has been submitted to long enough. 'tis time to correct it. The Bank of the State of Geoa [Georgia?] is beginning to take her proper position in this State, and this mainly, indeed almost entirely, through the good advisement of my friend Mr. George Brown Cumming, aided by two others. Mr. Cumming has of late acted as pro. tem. president, & I hope he may be prevailed on to be the next President at the May election, as Mr. Bullock should be turned out, his conduct having met with disapprobation on every hand. The Bank will lose 10,000$ by him, having had to compromise a debt he owed it of $27,000 for what will nett some $17,000 - The Stock under good management must improve - she is now the strongest & best managed institution in the State. & with the majority of the present directors re-elected, will continue to improve. Of politics you see enough in the extracts from the newspapers of this country. The Democrats of the north have mostly Van Buren for their candidate at the coming canvas, whilst the Southern Demos [Democrats?] have John C. Calhoun. The Whigs have but one, the greatest in the land Henry Clay. and I have no doubt he will be President, if Providence spares him his health. It is said Van Buren has declared that if Calhoun be nominated by the National Democrat Convention, then he will cast his influence for Clay, rather than Calhoun, and my opinion somewhat tends that way, but my experience of [Loco-focvism?] is, that I will not trust one of its disciples; in any matter of party Interest. The exchanges in the Country are in every part of her seaboard against Europe, so much as to make it profitable to import Coin, and why is this, simply because the people are economising, & not importing the luxuries of Europe besides which the manufacturing Interests at home are improving and getting forward at more economical rates. I am truly rejoiced that this land is so near able to do without foreign importations, and I am fully persuaded the period is not distant when this country will not only make the grain required for Great Britain's consumption, cheap as she can get it anywhere else, but manufacture for such other countries as Great Britain does now, and in as low terms. The [stuff?] is to be for the ascendency, and that not very remote. Present my kind respects to Mrs A - and accept the [assurances?] of unabated esteem from Yours very truly S. D. Corbitt A downcast member of Congress from the State of Vermont, by name Augustus Young, announces that he has a book in course of printing, by which he shews forth the errors of Issac newton's principle of gravity, and upsets his other theories of the solar system - report speaks of him as a man of most extraordinary endowments & that his work will create a revolution in old set opinions - P.S. 1st March - After writing the preceeding - at night I was quietly seated in the cottage a few evenings since and after the labours of the day cosily seated in the rocking chair, toasting my toes and sipping a cup of good tea, I took up the Washington National Intelligence - when my eyes lighted on the speech of senator Dayton from New Jersey. I herewith send you that paper of the 23d ultimo & call your attention to it - You can see John Bull; [skirts?] are not free from repudiation of the worst kind when compared with the result eventually - of the State of Mississippi repudiation as I have no doubt at no remote period, better councils will prevail - the Whigs get into power in that State & honesty be triumphant - [Loco focoism?] is infamous and in time to come will be synonymous with all that is evil - The honest of that party now [writhe?] under the name, as a reproach too vexatious to be borne - I see by the Savh [Savannah?] Republican of today, some shares of State Bank Stock offering at $55 for 100 [-?] paid & share - this shews only that money is not plenty for Stock investments. When speaking of Repudiation in this country I desire to place before you some facts. In the early history of the Revolution each state had its own financial crisis - they had no Constitution, no laws except for general safety against their common adversary Great Britain. Yet they were called in Convention the Continental Congress - during the struggle a vast amount of Continental money was put out to meet the expense of the war, and an unknown amount was counterfeited and set afloat so that 'ere the Revolutionary War was terminated the so called continental money was sold for $1000 for $5 of silver - at that time not paying the expense of paper & printing it was well known large amts [amounts?] of such counterfeits were set afloat by Vagabonds & counterfeiters - and I have heard myself, old Revolutionary men declare their belief that British emissaries put much of it in circulation and there is little doubt much of such was redeemed. When the Constitution was formed, agreed to, and the States entered into its action as such - The U. States Government properly declined paying the forgeries beyond a certain amount. Since the Constitution was adopted - never has this Government refused to pay her debts - and to foreigners she paid debts on account of our own Citizens of the Revolution that had been outlawed, thus assuming to pay as a National debt. - private claims for which she could never have been held answerable - I mention these facts least you might suppose that in stating only what appears in the first part of this letter, That I satisfied myself with a case of special pleading to believe my Country from the reproaches of Foreigners. You know we are a thin-skinned proud people and jealous of censures - combative too - as you see in this, ready when a blur is given to hit back - Well I have [me?] not cause of pride when looking around upon the labouring class of our people to see them at least well fed & well clothed and a voice allowed them in selecting their rulers. There Sir ! If you do not yield a Yea! to such arguments, you deserve not to go to parliament, that is certain - What think you of peach trees in leaf and blossom for three weeks past ? Fires not necessary except at night. The L'pool [Liverpool?] cotton mkt [market?] is rather a pukative * (* there's a word for you) medicine for the shippers and holders in this country - Adieu LDC |
