Stephen Higginson to John Adams, December 21, 1789

Boston Dec r. 21: 1789

Sir

I intended myself the honour of a little conversation with you,
before you went to Congress, as to the trade of this State. We are suffering very much
for want of a proper inspection of Our exports. that We now have, under the State Laws,
is, as to most Articles, worse than none—it serves to conceal & encourage frauds of
every kind in preparing Our exports for market. 1 We surely can supplant Ireland in every open
market, with Our Beef pork & Butter; & we can vie with the British in the
various kinds of pickled fish, at any foreign port, where We are admitted. in every
instance, where the Shipper has been personally attentive to have these
Articles well put up, We have had the preference, both on account of the quality &
price; but, very few of Our exporters are good Judges of those Goods themselves, &
fewer still can find time for such attention.— I know of no way of getting Our exports
into good repute abroad, but by a strict inspection of them; & to effect this, there
must be a System with a responsible man of good character & information at the head
of it, in each State. let him be answerable to the Shipper who sustains any loss by
having bad goods delivered him, that have passed inspection, or been branded by an
inspector— let him have the power to appoint & remove persons under him, &
oblige him to give large Security when he enters into office

He will then take care, that none but faithful men & such as
can give him ample Security shall act under him.

Every One then will feel a responsibility; & their interest
will induce them all to do their duty. the fees which are now paid to no purpose by the
Trade, are nearly sufficient for the purpose. Our exports are such as call for more than
common care in fitting them for market; but the attempts made by the State to regulate
them have done more hurt than good. the Towns appoint such, & as many as they
please, without any regard to character or qualifications; & We can hire, for the
fees, the brands of many officers, or obtain their certificates for Goods which they
have never seen.— Our Beef, pork, Butter, pot & pearl ashes, pickled fish of various
kinds, flax Seed & Lumber, constitute a large proportion of Our exports in value, as
well as in bulk; & all these articles require inspection.— This must be made a
responsible & a respectable department, or nothing can be effected. Governments can
not find proper men in every Seaport in this State for inspectors but a good principal
residing here can; nor can the trade bear the expence & loss of time, which must
attend Our having only one place of inspection. every facility sh d. be given, & every expence saved to the exporter; but the regulation of
exports should be such as will give safety & confidence to the Shipper, as to the
quality, & tend to bring them into good repute abroad.—

I can not but consider your Revenue System as very defective,
without such a responsible man at the head of a large district. every petty Collector in
our out posts now feels quite independent, having no One within 300 miles that can call
his conduct in question; & I am sure that ten times the amount of the Salary proper
for such an Officer will this year be lost, for want of his influence care &
inspection. But this defect I think will soon be remedied.— it will be seen by so many, & the loss to the public will be so evident to all who attend to
the Subject, that I am persuaded Comptrollers or Inspectors of districts will be
appointed.— I should think that one man of ability & activity—well acquainted with
Our Commerce in all its branches might be sufficient for the NE States.—

We suffer very much in this State from the unequal trade We now
have with the British. They take from us in Our Vessels, even in their home ports, only
such articles as they can not do without; & in their Colonies They will not admit us
with any thing, on any terms. Our Oil is loaded by them with an enormous duty when in
their own bottoms, & prohibited in Ours; & yet theirs is the best market We can
find for the most valuable kind. We are totally deprived of the intercourse We had with
their Islands, newfoundland, Canada & nova Scotia; They are not permitted to draw
from Us, even in their bottoms, the Supplies They want, except in times of uncommon
scarcity, or some particular Articles, which They can no where else get without great
trouble & expence. But they have nearly the same advantages in Our ports, They used
to enjoy. other foreigners do but little interfere with them in carrying Our exports to
market; &, they as yet can vie with us, & must have a large share in that
branch, the tonnage &c notwithstanding. This inequality ought not to continue, but
the difficulty is how to remove it. Should We at once adopt a resentful, restrictive
System, the effect may be to increase the Evil. We may lose their markets for Ashes flax
Seed & white Oil &c, which would injure the trade of this State very much,
without gaining any thing to balance it; for We could not much profit by their being
excluded Our carrying trade, as We now pursue that branch as far as We have the means,
or think it for our interest. The Government of the union has now so much the appearance
of respectability & efficiency, the British may be brought, perhaps, by wise &
prudent measures to view it as meriting attention, & to have some respect for its
movements & decissions. I should hope more from open & calm negotiation than
retaliation.— If We exclude them as Carriers, We must tempt others by high freights to
carry Our produce. the nothern States alone can not for a number years carry off all the
produce of America, unless the Business be made much more productive, to call our main
efforts & attention that way; & this can not be done without causing a great
alarm & much uneasiness in the southern States.— the NE States, & particularly
this feel chiefly the weight of the British restrictions—the others never had much
intercourse with nova Scotia NLand or Canada; & their exports to Britain are not affected like Ours.— as the carrying Business is a great
Object with the British, We may gain somewhat by negotiation, as an equivalent for their
enjoying it; & in this the southern States may feel & go along with us. But if
We attempt in the first instance to restrain the British, Our southern friends may get
alarmed, & leave us without support; & should We succeed in drawing them into
Our Views, We may both be disappointed in the effect produced upon the British.—

I feel the necessity of having a more equal & reputable trade
with the British; but I am not yet satisfied that We can either compel or conciliate
them to more reciprocal terms—the latter however at present is, in my mind, more
eligible & promising.—

I have taken the liberty of suggesting to you in a hasty manner
these loose Ideas for your consideration. if they prove of no use, nor throw any new
light upon the Subject, you will excuse the manner when assured that the intention is
good.—

With much respect I have the honour to be / Sir your most hum l Serv t —

Stephen Higginson