This growth was believed to be sufficiently rapid.

It was more rapid than the growth of British tonnage had ever been under the fostering care of their celebrated navigation act.

Let the existing system be left to its natural operation, and it was believed that it would give to the United States that share in the carriage of their commodities, which it was their interest to take.
But if a different opinion prevailed, and it was conceived that additional encouragement ought to be given to navigation, then let the duty on all foreign bottoms be increased, and let the particular disabilities to which American vessels are subjected in any country, be precisely retaliated.

The discriminations proposed, instead of increasing American navigation, were calculated to encourage the navigation of one foreign nation at the expense of another.
The United States did not yet possess shipping sufficient for the exportation of their produce.

The residue must reach a market in foreign bottoms, or rot upon their hands.