Gazette Of The United States & Evening Advertiser

For the Gazette of the United States.

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States, in Congress assembled.

The Memorial of the Live Oak and Cedar, and other trees, situate on navigable water, in the United States.

Humbly Sheweth,

That your memorialists the ancient aborigines of the country, have seen with peculiar pleasure, the prosperity and happiness of its citizens, and especially their enlargement from the yoke of foreign thraldom, by the magnanimous declaration of 1776—that in consequence, they had flattered themselves, the day was at length come, when they were to quit their old, erect, and local positions, for the purpose of going on their travels into foreign parts; and of surprising every sea with the celerity of their operations, and the benefits they were every where intended to confer.

But, that to their great grief, it would seem as if the influence of some foreign trees combined together, and known by the name of the Wooden Walls of Great-Britain, were to defeat the laudable aspirations of your memorialists, in their projected race of glory; and to impede that destination to which God and nature have given them the justest pretensions.

For your memorialists have been reduced to the necessity of seeing some of their neighbors of the forest, cut down, in order to make hoops, staves, and other kind of lumber of, and yet, your memorialists, though they had so fair and natural a right, to convey their brethren across the Ocean, to Jamaica, and elsewhere, where use was made of them; yet these foreign trees dared to invade the privileges of your memorialists, they have taken indeed, the staves and lumber, that they indispensably wanted, but have denied to your memorialists, all right of transporting them.

Your memorialists are indeed, sensible of the benefits conferred on them, since the Federal Government was established. Having seen with delight, many noble piles of ships, constructed from their growth, in every part of America, who have done great honor to the United States, and brought them large emoluments; but till they see with pain, and indignation, too many foreign boards, and timbers, yet employed to the great mortification of your memorialists: and which it only wants a little firmness and resolution on your part, utterly to prevent.

Your memorialists therefore entreat you, to take their case into consideration, such of your honorable bodies, as shall advocate their claim; they promise to fan with their choicest breezes in the Summer and Spring ensuing, and to cover with their broad and protecting shade—While laurels and palms, shall adorn their names to very late and distant posterity—as among those who have the best merited of their country— and for their happiness and prosperity your memorialists as in duty bound, will always pray.

Signed by the Live Oak, the Cedar, the Pine, And a variety of other valuable, independent trees of the United States.