The National Register.
London, England, 1816-01-21 00:00:00

Our Ming, Constitution anb Lama.

No. 421.

POLITICAL. DISQUISITION.
On the AMERICAN TREATY Of COMMERCE. TRADE in
WAR often n Loss; in PEACE, always GAIN. True BALANCE
Of TRADE. State of AMERICAN FARMERS.

AN equal treaty of Commerce, like that which GREAT
BRITAIN has just entered into with the UNITED STATES
Of AMERICA, we shall hail as a blessing, with whomsoever
concluded. No nation, however great; no nation, how-
ever humble; no nation, however formerly hostile ; no
nation, however abhorrent in present manners, does there
exist, to whom we would not, with the olive branch of
peace, tende, the fair sample of trade, and enter into that
community of dealing which is the first opening to all the
charities of social affection, and the °nix means by which, bene-
Attin4 ourselves, we can advantage others.

Far hence let us banish all the absurd notions so long che-
rished by a barbarous Ll),ranee and a monkish superstiti .n, of
the rivalry of trade, and ti►e disadvantages of any peculiar co►n-
merce; save only where, tinder the mask of commerce, we pro-
secute the trade of the robber, buy blood with gold-dust, and
freight our vessels with mi,ery and wretchedness, in the form of
negro-slavery. This is not commerce, but piracy—snot trade,
but murder; and we are happy that by law. as.well as by reli-
gion, we eau now pwneuu-•e it feliny. With this single ex-
ception, we are desirous to he understood, that we wish all trade
to be free ; and we are quite certain ft will Men be mutually ad-
vantageous. • -•

On this subject we are afraid there are many lurking pre-
judices. which it will be our object to eradicate by degrees
from the public mind. We are no routine politicians; we owe
no subjection to financial declaimers; and by long study we are
come ab•olutely to the hardihood of laughing in the face of
many a grave secretary, when he tells us of this favourable ba-
lance with this nation, of another balance with another, and
of a grand total by which GREAT BRITAIN, in the whole per-
haps, has exported in one year, say 12 millions more than she
bus imported. Whatever be the name of the great clerk who
produces such statements to us, we pronounce at once, that he
knows nothing of commerce, and might as well go and balance to-
bacco-pipes at Sadler's Wells as talk on political economy to us, We
tell him plainly, his statements are fallacious. lle has not, nor
cannot have, all the accounts before him. His exports and im-
parts prove nothing, except that a great deal of business is done ;
but whether it is a gain or loss he does not know; and if his ac-
Count were to be trusted, it would he a pure loss. For if we
send out more than we get back, is it not plain that our out-
going exceeds our income, and is not this the straight forward
way to ruin?
What then should be the true conclusion drawn ? In peace,
all commerce is productive. In war, all commerce is produe-
-40% ca re that which goes directly or indirectly
raj. VII. No. OGCMYI.

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PUBLISHED AT NO. 81, CHANCERY-LANE, LONDON.

SUNDAY, JANUARY 21, 1516.

viv",4440'1".

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war. In trade there is a general' bahoice, that is, an epmtity;
and when this balance can be really struck, which no public
accomptant can do, it will he found, that, except• with our
colonies, whence we draw the interest of our capi►al advanced*
and the revenue of our colonial proprietors re: 4.m in the pa-
rent state, we get nothing into the country for which we have
not sent out a full equivalent; and that if we do ever send
out more than we bring back, it is because the state has &.;reed
to pay some bills for expences of war, or some draughts for
subsidies. This will account for a great deal of the roaring
trade which we seem to have carried on with the continent for
the last 25 years, hut which we appear to be now surprised that
we have lost with .the war. Be it so. It was an appendage of
the war, and must fill with it. To regret it, is about as wise al
to mom ta.tbe loss of a suffices booth after a grami review, or to
regret that the powder mills at flomnfrdow, and the Cannonfotor
dry and Congreve rocket manqrictory at Woolwich, are now re-
duced to a peace-establishment, and limited to the supply ne►-
cessary for the war on partridges and pheasants, with the squibs
and crackers at grand rejoicing days.
The war is over ; the object of the war is gained : with its
let us banish from our thoughts and wishes all the deceptive
commerce, which was ultimately paid for in 13,1T►su GO-
VERNMENT hills to supply PRUSSIA, AUSTRIA, RUSSIA, 'and
all the petty GERMAN State, ihtiesobiidies, foe,Tat are called
the materials of war, Whether in men a:A horses, cannon and
powder, or bark and medicines, lint and plaisters, or wooden
-legs and crutches ; for such, after all, are among the true
catalogues of the provision with which royal sportsmen take
the field, when the barking of their beagles is the thunder of
cannon; the game they pursue the conquest of nations; and
the catching i❑ their nets a few millions of people, more or less,
to fill up their royal aviaries. We have had enough of this
snort ; let us now steadily to business, mind our own trade, and
look out for good custotne-s from whom we may get a fair price
and,safe pay for all we send them.

We begin with the AMERICANS, because a little more than
50 years ago they were what is called a colony of ENGLAND ;
that is, they were governed, taxed, and, in return, protected by
us, at no small expence, and with little profit. 'Filo quar-
relled with us, or we with them, about 40 or 50 years ago ; and,
after a dispute of about seven years, or little more, we agreed
to emancipate them, as most fathers do agree to use their chit-
crren, when the young men find themselves able to work on
their own account; and though the empire was then said to be
ruined by the loss, it has turned out, in fact, that neither party
has any reason to complain of the event. The crown has lost
great patronage, it is tree ; but the people find they have a♦
quired a great increase of trade, and that appears to please us
much better. There is, however, among many persons a
• strange hankering after an interference with the AMERICAN.;
and some attempts were lately rnade to compel them to a sort
of submission, wi►icb t failed. After a Little quarrelling*
we'are glad to be good friends and as we cannot bring liens

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