This account shows that France employs 82,510 tons, and Great Britain 66,582 tons, of American shipping; leaving in favour of France, an excess of 15,928, instead of 72,830 tons, as reported by the secretary of state.
From this comparative view taken of the regulations of the two nations, Mr.Smith conceived himself justified in saying, that the commercial system of Great Britain towards the United States, far from being hostile, was friendly; and that she made many discriminations in their favour.

France, on the contrary, placed them on a better situation than her rival, only in one solitary instance, the unimportant article of fish oil.
If this be a true picture of the existing state of things, and he could not perceive in what it was defective, was it not time, he asked, that the deceptions practised on the people by the eulogists of France and the revilers of Great Britain, should be removed?
The resolutions were supported by Mr.Madison, Mr.Findley, Mr.
Nicholas, Mr.Clarke, Mr.Smiley, Mr.Moore, and Mr.Giles.
They admitted the subject before the committee to be of a commercial nature, but conceived it to be impracticable to do justice to the interests of the United States, without some allusions to politics.
The question was in some measure general.

They were to inquire how far it was the interest of this country by commercial regulations to vary the state of commerce now existing.

They were of opinion that most of the injuries proceeding from Great Britain were inflicted for the promotion of her commercial objects, and were to be remedied by commercial resistance.

The Indian war, and the Algerine attack, originated both in commercial views, or Great Britain must stand without excuse for instigating the most horrid cruelties.