The Statesman.
London, England, 1818-02-12 00:00:00

•111'
merce. if a man were to embark his property in
fiat species of traffic, and if the Spanish Government
were to be consistent in their prohbitory decrees, no
mischief could fusee ; but if those decrees were con-
tinually varying in their nature to the merchant who
shipped his goods on the supposition that the duties
were remaining as they were before, loss must be the
consequence. Re- trusted. that the Noble Lord
_ . Asada, i.eaobaol

(Lord Castlereagh)•wouto
*non him to insist that due notice should be given of
any alteration- intended by the Spanish Gareernmeat.
Be conceived that this was what the commerce of the,
country had a right to expect, and he would now
only ask if any such meavere.as be had described
was in contemplation ? He would beg to, ask if any
temonstrancebad been made. and if any had been
made, what answer had been received ?
Lord CASTLEREAGH was sorry that' let cteuld
not .give that satisfactory answer which he weld have
voished. He lamented, as much as the
sal
Honmourable
Gentleman, the fatal influence of mush cooverc
regelations aa had just been mentioned ; bat it asset
not be forgotten, that until very lately, and until tbm
•yes of this country *ate open to the MI and 10-1
stantial advantages of a libelist system of commiketaeti
the same clogs to the freedom a trade eliatid jam
us now 'listed in Spain. He hod no hesitation in
saying, that such a system must impoverish every
state that pursued it. It was certainly desirable that
these regulations' .should be removed, es far as re..
garded_ this couottly, but it woeld be equally de-
sirable that they should continue, if the endeavors,
was to weaken Spain ; in that csee the way woeld be
to preserve most of the duties as they 'aimed upon.
tariff, which must necessarily have no other effect
than driving the People to a contraband tralfic--.
There could be no doubt that lower duties would be.
more available to the Spanish Government, but this
was a subject which did not come within the con.
troul of his Majesty's Ministers. Two propositions
bad been made, with a view of obtaining a modifica.
tient of the existing duties, and of opening the
trade upon more liberal terms, but be was sorry to
say, that little or no progress had beets made. There
were strong prejudices to encounter, which he was
fearful could not readily be done sway with. With re.
',pea to the particular question,as to the duties inSpain,
Ise was not aware that he could give any satisfactory
answer, the question being too complicated in its
mature to allow him to reply at once. He did not
recollect a case of grievance being felt from a want
of notice, nor was it the case in this country to gien.l
such notice when duties were increased. It woad,
perhaps, be better to-return to the ancient system of
commercial regulation as it was practised In 1792.—
At that time cottons were as much excleded as they
were now, and he was not aware that even if in con-
eeque'iee of the introduction of different relations,
this country was benefited for the time, that it had
any right to complain of the Spanish Government's
choosing to return to the old standard. It was cer-
tainly to be much regretted that a greater liberality of
sentiment did not prevail, and nothing bad been want-
ing on the part of his Right Honourable Friend (be
l'irsitlent of the Board of Taade, whose peculiar
province it was to watch over the commercial in-
terests of this country, to point oat to the Court of
Spain the policy of pursuing a snore enlarged system,
and to prove to it, that it might enrich its subjects
while it was conferring benefits upon every other
country. Thw, however, were altogether new
maxims, and the truth of them were far from being
apparent to prejudiced minds. Of this the relation
between Great Blitaiti and Ireland, before the Union,
a tiortled the strongest proof, by showing that the sys.
ton of fettering commercial intercourse was equally
ruinous to both countries.
Mr. LYTTELTON expressed his satisfaction in
hearing from the Noble Lord an expose of senti-
ments so sound and generous in themselves, and so
sitiafactory to that House and the mercantile and ma-
nufacturing interest' of this country. He could
congratulate the House, from his own knowledge,
that the sentiments of his Honourable Friend at the
head of the Board of Trade were in unison with
those of the Noble Lord, and hoped such sentiments
would continue to be acted on, and produce cur.
responding effects on the commerce and wealth of
this country. His intention had been to press his
objections to the Spanish Tariff, principally as it af-
fected, by suddenly increased rates of duty, the im-
portation of iron.
Mr. ROBINSON observed, that the prohibition
if cotton was riot absolute, but the monopoly of
purchase was vested is the Philippine Company. Al.
thouels other articles had been prohibited, neither
woollen goods nor iron were among the-number; but
they were certainly subjected to extraordinary high
duties, which might have nearly the effect of a prohi-
bition.