Page:Memoir upon the negotiations between Spain and the United States of America which led to the treaty of 1819.djvu/72

62 Commerce of the United States.

Commerce appears to be the grand basis of the prosperity, wealth, and power of the United States. But without stopping here to point out the insolidity of this basis, when it is not perfectly combined with the produce of the agriculture, manufactures, and industry of the country; and without bringing to mind, the destructive vices which are always cherished in the bosom of a Republick or of a state, which owes its grandeur only to commerce, I shall confine myself, at present, to give a succinct, but correct, idea of that which is carried on by the Anglo-Americans with foreign nations.

The independence of the United States, had scarcely been realized, and the people of the confederacy, freed from their internal conflicts, had scarcely begun to revive their efforts towards opening a vast career to their commerce, when the memorable revolution of France broke out, and gave origin to the wars which desolated Europe from that period to the general peace of Paris.

The period which elapsed from the year 1789 to 1814, was as flattering and fortunate for the Anglo-Americans, as it was dark and disastrous to the nations of Europe. The former prodigiously augmented their number of merchant vessels; and their flag, respected as neutral in every sea, not only carried the productions of their own country to the