The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-05-12

the species of commercial warfare in which
it engaged us in consideration of the COM
parative value and bulk of the articles sub
ject to it. in each country, furnished no re-
medy. On the contrary, as the principle
was unfavorable, the farther it was carried
the worse would be its effect. BY this clause
/ it is presumed that the evil will be com
pletely done away, while we iatter our
selves that the stipulation in favor of draw
backs and bounties, without exposing us to
any Inconvenience, will be productive OF
SONS advantage.
| 1t is proper to remark that we did not
omit to propose an arrangement on the sub
| lect OF export duties, by which the United
States should at least be placed In that re-
spect upon the footing of all other nations.
| The discrimination to our prejudice in the
British duties on exportation, which took
their rise in the convoy duty of the last war,
has undoubtedly an unkind and oppressive
effect This discrimination is found in the
43. Geo. 5. CHI. IS, a permanent act, (Which
repealed the then existing duties, and sub
stituted others) and in the 43. Geo. 5. CHI. 20
which imposes additional duties during the
present war. Taking the war duty and the
permanent duty together, the consumers i'll
the United States of certain British manufac
| lures for the duties in question apply only
| to British manufactures, and not to all OF
them British cotton-yarn and manufac-
lures, and some other articles being except
| ed1 pay two and half per cent. ad valorem,
! more than the consumer in Europe, or with
| in the streights, pays on the same goods.
! The only mode in which it could be sup
posed to be possible, that this unplea amt
distinction could be removed was by applying
to the subject the rule of the most favored
nation. Great-Britain was not likely i'll her
tpresent situation to stipulatc against all eX
lport duties, or even to agree to a maximum
Neither was she likely, by considering the
actual duties as originally, and even new
convoy duties, and therefore in their princi-
pie applicable only to the navigation which
her conveys protect, to relieve from them
wholly or in part, such merchandise as
should be carried TO our country in Ameri-
can vessels, and leave them to Cypress her
own tonnage thus Offering bounty i'll favor
of American ships against her own. The
rule of the most favored nation was there
fore finally suggested, with hope that 1t
would meet with no objection. 1t was how
lever, perseyeringly opposed. We were told
that the single effect of such an arrangement,
would be to compel Great-Britain to raise
the export duties against other countries,
not to reduce them as to us, and that this
would be of no advantage to the United
states, but might be serious embarrass-
ment to Great Britain. 1t was urged OH our
p>rt that if CT. Britain could not give up en-
tirely the excess of export duty, nov paid
by us, it did hot follow that it might not be
fairly distributed among the consumers OF
her merchandise, in every part of the world
so as still TO produce the same revenue, with
more regard to justice that as her best Gus
toners, we had a right to be placed upon at
least an equal footing with othernations. &
to complain If we were rather distinguished
by the peculiar burthens which she under
took to impose upon us that the discrimi-
nation against us upon the notion, that the
duty had reference to convoy, was a failaCy,
snce part of the discrimination was perma-
nent, and OF course peace, as well as war
duty; since we, who paid the duty, derived
MO benefit from the convoy, which was pro-
feSsed to be the consideration of it; and
since the protection of their own trade, in
their own navigation, being general and
national concern, there was no sound reason
why the relative expence of particular con-
voys should be allowed to suggest the rela-
tive measure of the duties, which were to
supply the means of affording them. They
replied to the idea of distributing the a.
mount of the discrimination among all the
consumers of their merchandise, by refer
ring us to the present state of Europe
/ They reminded us that their own colonies in
America paid the same export duty that was
paid by us, and repeated that, as it was only
VIC UStWttn VIC SHllCQ oLdtGS
and Europe, of which we could have any
right to complain, we could not demand to
have any part of the duty against which we
demonstrated, withdrawn from, and that we
could gain nothing by forcing this country tc
add to the burthens of others, already over
whelmed and impoverished by the calami-
, ties of war. We we're cbliged, though very
reluctantly, to abandon this object.
:. The sixth article relates to the commerce
: with the West Indies, which it was found
impossible to arrange in satisfactory man
Der. There were many serious obstacles tc
+ an agreement on this point, some of which
5 seemed to be peculiarly applicable to the
, present time. The British West-Inda mer-
: chants, had at an early stage represented
: that by the trade which our citizens enjoyed
: with the colonies of their enemies, we had sc
t completely stocked the markets of the con
tinent with West-India productions, as tt
shut those markets ON them. They had re.
l monstrated earnestly against any arrange
| ment of that point which should sanction, in
( any degree, our trade with those colonies
t This question had taken deep hold of the
minds of a great proportion of this commu
!, nifty, among whom may be classed, not those
in the mercantile line only, who were imme
f, diately engaged in the trade, but the whole