70 



some measure, scarcely to be obtained. 

 The General told me, Philadelphia would 

 decline ; but New- York would always 

 maintain an eminent commercial rank, from 

 its position — the frost not stopping the na- 

 vigation so early, and sometimes not at all. 

 To convince me, he gave me reasons why 

 Baltimore and the federal city must be 

 ultimately places of great trade ; observing, 

 that from all the western country, which is 

 so extensive, and is said to be fertile, the 

 produce must come to these two markets — 

 the Potowmac bringing it to the federal 

 city, and the Susquehanna to Baltimore. 



To return to Mr. O'Donnell's informa- 

 tion. — It was, that the merchants in Balti- 

 more, as a body of men, were not worth 

 a guinea ; and that in the course of one 

 year, there would be such distress among 

 them as would amaze me. He said, there 

 were indeed rich merchants in the place, 

 but these could not overbalance the poor 

 ones. Now, according to Mr. O'Donnell's 

 observation, this happened ; and forty 



