The enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1804-1815, 1808-04-26

tercourse with them made as free as that
with Europe. The relative situation of the
United States and those coloaies, and parti-
cularly those wants which we can alone sup
ply, must necessarily produce that effect at
some no very distant period. And it should
not be voluntarily retarded, either by aban-
doning by treaty, the strong hold which our
right OF stopping the intercourse gives us
or by accepting any temporary or trif,;ne
privilege, the exercise of which would dimi-
nish the probability of soon obtaining per-
fectly free trade.
northumberland hris,ed1
The minimum which should be accepted
in relation to the intercourse with the West
Indies, will be the admission of our vessels
laden solely with articles of our growth, pro-
duce or manufacture, the importation of
which, in British vessels is not prohibited,
on the same terms as British vessels, solely
laden with the colonial articles, shall be adj
mitted IN our ports that is to say, either
without alien duties, or with fixed maxi
mum of such alien duties, with the two fol-
lowing restrictions list. That Great-Bri-
tain may prohibit our vessels from exporting
from the British West-India islands in SUI
gar and coffee, more than one half of the
proceeds of their inward cargoes 4: I'd. That
such sugar and coffee shall be exported only
to the United States, or that the vessels thus
admitted in the West-Indies shall be obi
ged to return and land their cargoes in the
United States, provided they may, however,
on their return, touch at any other West-In-
dla island or the Bahamas, to complete their
cargo. For it is usual to carry the specie
which proceeds from the sale of cargo in
the WeSt-Indies to Turks island or the Ha-
hamas, and there load with salt for the u.
States. Although those restrictions, and par
ncularly the first, be announcement, vet they
may be acquiesccd in. AS respects the first
restriction, the value of our average expor
tations to the British West India islands, be-
ing six millions of dollars, and on exportati-
ons from thence in every article (sugar and
cottee eXcepted) being three millions dollars,
the privilege of bringing in return, in sugar
and coffee, one half of the value of our ex-
portations, will just complete thereturn car
goes But 1T would be desirable til at the res
friction should be altogether dispensed with,
or: that Great-Britain should allow the ex-
portation in those two articles to the amount
OF two-thirds or three-fourths of the value
OF our cargoes. AS relates to Great-Britain.
If she one yields the point of admission, the
restrictions which are proposed seem to be
amply sufficient to remove her minor obiec-
tons. We now import, Notwithstanding the
nominal prohibitions to some amount in A.
mercan vessels, about one million and half
dollars, being the whole amount imported
from the British islands, in both American
ana British vessels. The value of our ave
rage lnPortations from all the world, is,
In Sugar, 1900 900 ! Or more than sixteen
In Coffee, 8,400,0001 millions of dollars.
The value of our, annual consumption, ex-
cluslvely OF the New-Orleans Sugar, is,
In Sugar, 100000 Or FIVE and half
In Coffee, l,500,000S millions OF dolls.
10 permit us therefore toimport for three
millions, canno, enable us to re-export. And
three millions OF dollars compared with the
value OF the sugar and coffee exported annu-
ally from the British West-Indies, which a.
mount TO not less than millions. cannot in
any degree affect their own commerce or ma
vigatlon.
Inc second restriction is intended still
more ehectuaIly to remove any apprehensi
on, that our vessels might become carriers
ct British WestIndia produce to any other
country than United States. And it NAV
even, II insisted on, be further agreed, that
no drawback shall be allowable on the re-
expectation OF those articles imported fro.o
the British West Indies in Anne rican vee-
sells provided, however, that on that condi-
ton the first mentioned restriction, limiting
the quantity which may be thus imported
from the British West-Indies in American
~0'~-S' "Ahttit D- Wis IeHSeQ with. he ut
most care Is to be taken in framing the res
tnctoA on ,re-exporting from the United
states, the produce of the British West-In-
dies, imported in American vessels, so to ex-
press 1T as to leave no possible pretext for
applying the restriction to any similar arti-
cles, whether produced within the q. S or
imported from any other than British posses
sions.
It will be reasonable stipulation ON the
part of Great Britain, that at all times and
places at which the trade of the United
states is admitted generally or partially, the
residence OF consuls and factors shall also he
admitted.
The duration of the commercial part of the
treaty and of any other parts which do not
establish in their tull extent, the rights of
neutral nations. ought not to exceed the term
OF eight years, and an abridgcment even of
that term may perhaps be rendered expedi-
ent by the tenor Of articles not inconsistent
with those Instructions
have the honor to be,
Gentlemen, &c.
(Signed) JAMES MADISON.
CIo he Continued