1st Session.

TIMOTHY D. AND ROBERT A. PETTIGREW.

APRIL 16, 1830.

Read, and committed to a Committee of the Whole House to-morrow.

Mr. HUBBARD, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, to which had been referred the case of Timothy D. Pettigrew, and Robert A. Pettigrew, made the following

REPORT:

The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was referred the memorial of Timothy D. Pettigrew and Robert A. Pettigrew, report:

That the memorial sets forth, that, in the year 1794, John and James Pettigrew left South Carolina with thirteen slaves and other property, for the purpose of making a settlement on the Mississippi river; that, in passing down the Tennessee river, at a place called the Muscle Shoals, the said John and James Pettigrew were murdered by Cherokee Indians, and the property of which they were possessed was either taken and carried away, or destroyed; that the memorialists are the nephews and heirs at law of the said John and James Pettigrew; and that, by the provisions of the treaty of Tellico, made with the Cherokee nation in 1798, the memorialists are prevented from enforcing their claim against that nation, or against any individual of that nation; and that the Government is bound thereby to make compensation for the property thus taken away or destroyed.

The subject-matter of this memorial was presented to the consideration of Congress, as early as January, 1805; and that, whenever it has received the attention of a standing committee of the House, it has experienced the same fate-a report unfavorable to the prayer of the memorialists. It is true, however, that, in 1810, a different result was produced, by the examination of a select committee, to whom the subject had been referred.

With a view of presenting the facts which can have a bearing in the decision of the House, on this memorial, the committee have carefully examined the several treaties existing between the United States and the Cherokee nation, which can have any relation to this claim, and also the testimony which has been presented, and they now submit the subjoined statement.

In May or June, 1794, John and James Pettigrew, who were brothers, and in connexion with one William Scott, purchased a boat on the river Holston, and proceeded down that river and the river Tennessee, having thirteen negro slaves, belonging to the two Pettigrews, with some other property, the amount of which is not shown. That they arrived at the Muscle Shoals, on the Tennessee river, where they were murdered by Cherokee Indians, and the property described, was either destroyed or taken and carried

away.

1st Session.

PENNSYLVANIA.

MEMORIAL

OF

Ship Carpenters, Smiths, Rope Makers, and others, employed or connected in Ship Building, in the city of Philadelphia.

APRIL 19, 1830.

Referred to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union to which is committed the bill H. R. No. 164 to amend An act in alteration of the several acts imposing du ties on imports.

PHILADELPHIA, April 15th, 1830.

To the Hon. the SPEAKER of the House of Representatives:

With this I send you a petition from the different mechanics employed in the ship building and navigation interest, which you will have the goodness to present to the House at such time as you think most proper; you will perceive that, so far from the duties imposed on raw materials having had a tendency to improve the demand for them, it has been found more profitable to import and get a supply of sails, cordage, anchors, and chains, in foreign ports, rather than here. The memorialists are of opinion, that raw materials ought to be free of duty, as the manufacturing would be beneficial to the country, besides putting our ships on as respectable a footing as foreign vessels. We trouble you with our petition, asking your goodness in presenting it for us, as we believe, notwithstanding the change taking place in the minds of people with regard to high duties, that our Representatives think a majority of their constituents are yet in favor of high duties, which we doubt.

Very respectfully,
Your humble servant,

J. JOHNSON.

To the Honorable the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America in Congress assembled:

Your memorialists respectfully represent, that they are ship carpenters, smiths, ropemakers, coppersmiths, riggers, sailmakers, plumbers, mastmakers, blockmakers, stevidores, lumber merchants, ship joiners, painters,

made of flax can be considered free, it being imported into this and other countries in competition with Russian, and from the fact that the duty on flax is but 36 cents per ton; but on account of part that may be made of hemp, we shall say a ton of hemp is used, the duty on which is $20 74. For the first outfit the duty stands at $269 62. The sails and rigging require to be renewed every three years, for nine years, amounting to $808 86. Total amount $1,078 48. From the foregoing it appears, that, in twelve. years an American ship of 500 ton, pays a duty of $5,375. A British ship, during the same period, pays $1,078 48. Making a difference, in twelve years, of $4,297 52, against the American ship. If we take into consideration the difference of duration of a ship built out of English oak, and one built out of our common oak, the difference will still be greater. Then take into consideration the difference of capital employed, and the rate of interest, which is nearly double here to what it is there, and it is not difficult to see where this will end, viz: in driving the American ships entirely out of the contest, to the great injury of your memorialists, who have spent their youth in learning trades that are daily becoming useless to them, as the increase in British shipping is very visible, more particularly in the carrying of bulky articles, such as salt and crates, iron, &c. and taking a return cargo of cotton, tobacco, &c., The number of British vessels is yearly gaining ground on ours, at this, as well as other ports: they are generally fuller built than ours, by which cause they pay less tonnage in proportion to their cargo-this, with the above duties, operates as a bounty in their favor. These combinations of effects cause not only an individual loss, but a very sensible national loss, in transferring the ship building business to foreign nations, whereby we are all made the sufferers, in a national as well as individual point of view.

4thly. The British shipping have another advantage over ours, viz: they are on equal footing as to an inward cargo; and if they go South for cotton, rice, or tobacco, they are on an equal footing for outward freight home to England or the Hanseatic towns. (If it was here objected that our vessels have the advantage of taking a cargo coastwise, it may be remarked that this is only nominal, for our ships going from here South very seldom wait for a freight; this is the business of regular coasting packets.) Besides, if it is not in season, they have the advantage of going either to the West Indies, or Northern Colonies for timber, an advantage which our ships do not possess.

5thly. Notwithstanding the discouraging state of our ship building interest, yet it is not the worst feature of our present policy. Many of your memorialists are suffering from the present rate of high duties on their raw materials, as the following statement will show, of that part of business retained by the country. The rope makers, chain and anchor makers, and sail cloth manufacturers, are in a great measure deprived of participating in the business. The duty on hemp, so far from having created a demand for American hemp, has actually had a contrary effect, as may be seen by the following extract from the Report of the Secretary of the Treasury. In 1819, there was imported 251,356 lbs. of cordage. In 1828, the importation of cordage was 2,164,096 lbs. And the exports from St. Petersburgh for the supply of the shipping trading to that port alone, was 1,348,224 lbs.

bles per piece of 38 yards, or 33 cents per yard, at the rate of exchange, or nearly six cents per yard higher than the best British, which is said to be as durable, if well kept. This proves what we have said, that the duty on sail cloth is nominal in Great Britain.