The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1805-06-11
CHE Gnquirer.
RICHMOND, I1tb JUNE, 1905.
COMMERCIAL INTERCOURSE
wlTH GREAT BRITAIN.

our 4 rate with Great Britain and It's Colonies
was regulated by jays famous treaty of 's4. 1t
is well known 10 them, that the 6rit 10 articles
OF that treaty, being intended to fct.le pre-exi-
ing differences about boundaries and debts,
were ftipulated to he of +" permanent" nature,
and that the IL remaining articles which deter
mine our commercial relations and neutral
rights, were 20 "ceafe and expire" altogether,
unlef, the tmo countries fhou!d agree in the
conrie of two years after the termination of the
exiting war, upon renewing the 9th article, or
adopting iome new arrangements upon the fub-
ject of that article: that is, our commercial in.
tercourfe with the B. Wen-India Hands. Our
readers will alto recole6t, that the two conn
tries have in vain entered into negotiations for
this purpoie; that two years have long fince
elapfcd Guce the fgning of the prelminaries of
peace; and that of courfe our commercial inter
courie with G. Britain and its dependencies.
has been, fince that time, completely fnbieeted
TO the discretionary power of that count. 1t
was in the exercife of this power, that the Br-
ti.h Cabinet very lately determined to prohibit
our expectation of Provilions and lumber to ia
| maica in our own bottoms after the elf ultmo.
We may conclude from the following para
grapf, in late London paper, which gives us
the only information we have yet on this fub-
ieet, that our minifter at London has never vet
fuipended his negotiations fer the formation of
Treaty of Commerce, and that it has termina
ted, not in the adoption of neSv commercial ar
rangements, but in an agreement to "conti-
nue." the former &c Treaty for one year,
1t is perhaps worthy ofregret, that thefe ne
gociaiionS had not been fpun out till after the
2lft of May: for as the Britifh court would
| fcarcely have been daring enough to have car.
ried its decree into execution. our intercourse
with the Wef-Indies would have been free
from thofe reftrictions. which the treaty will i'm
pofe upon it. IT'S true they might fill have
opened thefe ports, and yet limited by law the
American trade to all veiiels under 20 tons, as
the treaty itfelf ftipuates, but it is alto true,
that fuch law would not go 70 far as to ex-
clude us from other advantages from this trade,
which the treaty itfelf expressly forbids. We
ihou!d, for inftance, have enjoyed the power
of difpofng of their produce, after we had
brought it from their Hands, in any way which
we fhould find mott advantageous Whereas
the twelfth article of the treaty denies to us the
right of landing our Wef-India Cargoes in any
other than the ports of the United States, or
afterwards re-exporting them TO any FOREIGN
port. No infinuation is here intended to be
conveyed, that our negociator at London has
not acted with the wfeft policy when he en-
braced this treaty. Rather than fee our trade
to the Britiih Wen-Indies completely cut off,
1t was the duty of the administration 10 fecure
1t even under the restrictions which the treaty
impoies. Rather than fee all our vefIels exclu-
ded from their ports, it was the wfef policy
TO content that none over 10 tons ihould be en-
titled to admiiiion. This speculative view of
the motives of our own government, induces us
10 form iImliar conJee'ures upon the motives
OF the Britifh Cabinet. Are we mifaken in our
idea that this renewal Of our former treaty, will
enable us to explain away the apparent incon-
llitency of their conduct, with regard to the
Jamaica trade We have only to fuppofe
either that the Britiih Cabinet merely beH out
the IDEA OF iuipending our intercourse with
the Wef-India Hands, for the infidious purpoie
OF drawing us into this treaty or to fnppofe,
that their promulgated plan was really intend
ed to be carried into execution, but that the
iubiequent adoption of the treaty filDerfeded
its necefity. The lalt would be honourable to
the Bfsiih character the firit is much more
conformable to the uiual fubtility of Britil,
policy. The extract will, however, G,ow
that even among their own ftatefmen, the treaty
Of 'e4 is ftill coniidered as very imnolitic mea.
tirc. Hear, for inftdnce, the fen,iments of
Lord Sheffield on this fubieG:
April 2o.-On the occaion of the American Treaty
aud Neutral ihiPs Bill being committed:
Lord Sh, field fad, the Bill now before the HouC.
proPoies to continue treaty which contains the mon
improvident conceiiions that can be made by Ma
i.'hie country nut as II Is only Tor one wear. and
there Will be another opportunity of difcufinp the
iubea, he ihould not then oppoie the Bill going into
committee, and he only meant now to protelt aeaipn
Tome OF the terms of that Treaty, len expectation
ihould be formed, that objections would not be made
them wheneverthe quefiou fhall again be difcufIed.
On the Foreign American intercourfe BILL Lord
Sheffield iad, he fhoud not Object to the Bill voino
to committee, as it for a limited period. bnt
that ne could not fufer any fufpeniion of the Navi
CATION or Colonial Syem pats utterly unheard, ef
pecaiIy at a time when the Brith fhip Owners are
iabouring under fevsre deprelion, many of them al
moit to iniovency, through the want Of adequate en-
pioym'nt for their ihpping, and from the great inn
petition and difficulties to With they are fubet and
ne ihould take this opportunity Of Rating ta, un!efs
The Navigation ACT IS hriely enforced, and the pro-
eeting duties equalized, 70 put the Britii iip
Owner on footing with the Neutral Owner, tbe
Maritime Dtereif of the country will, in yerv few
years, be nearly annhilated.
No treaty with Great Britain, however. can
he expected TO fecure to us the moft exten(iye
freedom OF trade. III the purpofe of fuch con-
tracts to tpulate, not for Ipreifc rights, but for
rights which we may enjoy in common with all
other nations. The language offnch treaties is.
No of6er or higher du,ies HALL be paid bv the
ihips or merchandise of the one party in the
ports OF the other, than /ileb as are paid by the
like vetiels on merchandise of all fber nqt;o0t."
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