into several pieces, each piece becomes a complete creature.* Commerce and Manufactures. No country in the world enjoys greater advantages for internal and foreign commerce than the United States, by means of the numerous rivers and lakes that intersect the country and the excellent harbors and bays which indent the sea coast. Canals are opened, and many more might be opened, to facilitate inland navigation; and the whole country will probably soon be chequered into islands and peninsulas. The most considerable manufactures, are tanned leather and dressed skins; various works in iron and wood; cables, sail cloth, and cordage; bricks, tiles, and pottery; paper, hats, snuff, gunpowder; some utensils in copper, brass, and tin; clocks, and mathematical instruments; coarse cloths, cottons and linens for domestic uses, and some for exportation; and maple sugar. The principal articles of exportation will be enumerated in the accounts of the several states individually. The commerce of the United States is chiefly carried on with Great Britain and her colonies, with Russia, France, Spain, Portugal, Turkey, the East-Indies, &c. In 1799, 1800, 1801, and 1802, the exports of the United States fluctuated from 68 to 93 millions of dollars. The importations of manufactures from the British dominions, were little less than 27,000,000 dollars. In 1802, the imported manufactures from all other countries, were less than 41,000,000 dollars. The wines, teas, salt, distilled spirits, and other manufactured produce, from places not British, amounted probably to 80,000.000 dollars, and the like manufactured articles from British dominions were probably worth 3,000,000 dollars. The annual value of all the articles manufactured, it appears from an estimate made by authority in 1810, considerably exceeds 120 millions of dollars, and this value is rapidly increasing. The trade to China is considerable and increasing. The total amount of imports into the United States in 1810, is stated by Mr. Blodget, at 64,000,000 dollars; and of the exports, at 52,200,000 dollars; tons of shipping, 1,350,281; of which 463,044 tons, or * For more complete information of the quadrupeds, birds, fish, insects, &c. of North-America, the reader is referred to the American Universal Geography. more than one third is owned by Massachusetts. Mr. Blodget estimates the number of acres of improved land in the United States, at 40,950,000; horses, 14,000,000; horned cattle, 3,660,000; banks, 95; bank capitals, 51,000,000 dollars; custom house bonds, 9,600,000 dollars; total valuation of the United States, 2,510,000,000 dollars. Population. According to the census of 1800, the number of inhabitants in the several states was 5,305,666; of whom 893,651 were slaves. According to the census of 1810, the whole number of inhabitants was 7,239,903, of whom 1,191,364 were slaves. This population is made up of almost all nations, languages, and religions, which Europe can furnish; but much the greater part are descended from the English. Language. The English language is the prevailing language in the United States; and in this language all business is transacted, and public records kept. Excepting a few provincial corruptions, it is spoken with great purity in New-England, by all classes of people. In the middle and southern states, the great influx of foreigners has produced many corruptions, especially in pronunciation. There are some Dutch, French, Germans, Swedes, and Jews, who retain, in a greater or less degree, their native language, in which they perform their public worship, and converse with each other. Religion. The constitution of the United States prohibits the enacting of any laws for the establishment of religion, or controlling the free exercise of it. Religious liberty is also a fundamental principle in the constitutions of the individual states. Its public teachers are maintained by equal taxes on property, by pew rents, marriage and burial fees, voluntary contributions, &c. The following denominations of Christians are found in the United States: Congregationalists Presbyterians Episcopalians Dutch Reformed Church I Baptists Roman Catholics There are, probably, some others, whose numbers are comparatively small. State of Literature. There are in the United States 30 colleges; three or four of them, however, exist only on paper; and upwards of 100 academies. A plan has been contemplated for establishing, under the auspices of Congress, a National University, at the seat of government. Government. The government of the United States is vested in a President and Congress, which consists of two legislative bodies, called a senate and house of representatives. The The President is chosen for four years. senate consists of two senators from each state, chosen every six years by the state legislatures. In this body the vice president of the United States presides, ex officio. The house of representatives is elected by the people, every two years, and apportioned in such a manner, that every state shall have, at least, one representative; but that the number of representatives shall not exceed one for every 35,000 inhabitants. By the census of 1810 the representatives to congress were apportioned among the states as follows: The legislative power is vested in the congress, and the executive is lodged with the president, or in the vice-president, who supplies his place in any emergency. The president has the command of the army and navy, and has the power of pardoning offences, except in cases of impeachment. He can make treaties, and appoint am bassadors, with the consent of two thirds of the senate. The judicial power is lodged in one supreme court, and such inferior courts as the congress may ordain; the judg es hold their offices during good behaviour. Each state has its peculiar government, commonly cons sisting of a governor, and general assembly, annually chosen. The constitutions of the individual states are, with a few variations, similar to that of the United States. Seat of Government. The city of Washington in the ter ritory of Columbia, was ceded by the states of Virginia and Maryland to the United States, and by Congress established as the seat of the government. It stands at the junction of the rivers Potowmac and Eastern Branch, in lar. 38 53 N. extending nearly four miles up each, and in cluding a tract of territory, which, in point of convenience, salubrity and beauty, is not exceeded by any in America The situation of this metropolis, is upon the great post road, about equally distant from the northern and southern extremities of the United States; upon the best navi-. gation, and in the midst of a commercial territory, imə. mensely rich, and commanding extensive internal resour ces. The public offices of the government were established here in 1800. Revenue and Expenditure. The revenue of the United States is raised from duties on the tonnage of vessels en tered in the various sea-ports, and on imported goods, wares, and merchandize. The revenue for the year 1805, was 14,589,369 dollars; in 1808, 10,348,000 dollars; in 1809, 6,527,000 dollars; in 1810, according to the estimate of the secretary, about 12,000,000 dollars; the expenditures for the year ending 30th September, 1810, amounted to 8,174,368 dollars. The total receipts into the treasury of the United States from the 4th of March, 1789, to December 31st, 1800, amounted to 210,827,937 dollars, 34 cents, viz. The largest amount in any single year was, in 1808, 17,060,661 dollars, 93 cents; in 1809, the amount was only 7,773,473 dollars, 12 cents. Public Debt. The amount of the public debt at the commencement of the present government, 1789, was about 75,000,000 dollars; in 1810, it was reduced to 53,172,302 dollars, 32 cents. It has since been much increased. Mint. A national mint was established in 1791. It is provided by law that the purity and intrinsic value of silver shall be equal to that of Spain; and of the gold coins to that of the strictest European nations. The gov ernment of the United States derives no profit from the coinage. The value of the coins struck at the mint, during the year 1804, was 371.827 dollars, 94 cents. 1807, 2,731,345 pieces of coin, gold, silver, and copper, were struck, at the United States mint, amounting to 1,044,595 dollars, 91 cents. In Army. The United States have no standing army, such an establishment being deemed inconsistent with a republican government. The following is the return of the military force of the states and territories, made to the secretary at war, in 1807, arranged in the order of their relative strength. Pennsylvania 91,521 Georgia 18,655 |