Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1826-10-17

! they may come, and with whatsoever loaded,
on the same terms as vessels of the most favor
ed nations; and this, without conditions; while
our intercourse with them was, by their acts OF
Parliament, to be confined to articles OF the
growth, produce, or manufacture, Of the United
States, and exported directly to the colonies:
and this, at SO heavy rates of duty, above those
imposed on the same articles when received
from the British provinces of the Canadas, Nova
Scotia, and New Brunswick as TO amount to
more than full freight in many, if not in all,
instances; and, thus giving it, if assented to, a
most decisive advantage to the British trade,
and the employment in it of British shipping
The question was not as TO The utility OF the
free port, or warehousing system, which the
gentleman from Maryland has Introduced; but
as to the former, he would remark, in time OF
peace he did not perceive any very great adj
vantage that was TO ensue 10 the commerce or
the merchants of The United States, from trans
porting their produce merchandise To Nova
| Scotia, or New Brunswick, or to Antigua, or to
any other Island in the West Indies, there to
store it at heavy expense, in bad and hot
climate, where most of the articles shipped
from the United States would soon deteriorate,
if not get wholly spoiled; for the privilege, with
double freight, the expenses Of warehouse
rent, landing, reloading, and various port char
ges, of reshippng it to another market, to
which we could send the same articles much
better, in the first instance, direct from the u
nited States, and at half tile cost. In time of
war, Great Britain being neutral, and the Uni
| ted States belllgerent, we could make some
thing out Of these free ports by communica-
| - ,y;t |, IL h,,t ~ of
no. very likely soon 10 occur.
AS to the supplies, or assortment for the
South American markets, which, the gentle
man contends, vii! be more pro6tably procured
at these free ports, he had no belief in it. The
encouragement Of the South American trade
was, at this time, brought forward in favor Of
numerous projects of almost every kind, but he
knew not why, as good assortments, or, indeed,
very much better, could not be procured from
the principal cities of the United States, where
ten times, or a hundred times the quantity of
goods could be met with, as in Nova Scotia or
the West Indies; and, for articles of any consi-
derabe importance, with the benefit o. draw
back-the duty retained from which would, in
most cases, be two or three times doubled, by
the expense of carrying the goods, in the first
instance, to the British free ports, and the cost
| vi Keeping tHcIH tLtTc uUtll WdHttu.
! In reference 10 the warehousing system, un-
der proper regulations, he had no doubt ii
might be advantageously introduced into the
United States; and, as one material considera-
ton connected with it, would be its effect on
the revenue, it, Of course, should go to the
Committee of Finance; and, if the chairman Of
that committee would digest and present to the
Senate suitable system, it should have all the
little aid and support he could give it. But,
this was not the question now before the Sen
ate: that was; on the report OF the Committee
of Commerce, which, he would contend, was
correct in all its positions They were princi
pally taken from the able and full communica-
tons of the Executive to the Senate, the last
session Of Congress, to which he could not re-
| fer, as they were confidential.
The cash payment for duties in British ports;
! the difficulties that had sometimes been inter-
pos ed on United States vessels in going
| from bad market 10 a better; the onerous port
charges; the export duty; and the heavy discri-
| minatng duties on articles from the United
| States over those OF the same descri ption from
other British colonies, were all deduced as
proofs of the want of an actual reciprocity; but
| were admitted, TO certain extent, to be more
the objects of munich pal than international re-
gulation; still they served to show the DISPOSE
ton of the two countries towards each other
The export duty complained of, did exist, and
is believed now to exist IN most of the Islands,
in the West Indies, if not in all of them. This
we could not counteract; it has. been the sub ect
of much complaint and discussion between the
Ministers of the United States and Great Bri-
tain, as the diplomatic. correspondence before
referred 10 will show.
The gentleman from Maryland says, Mr.. Hus-
kisson has done away all the onerous port char
ges, and that United States vessels now pay
noue of them. Mr. Huskisson has no power to
do this BY an act of Parliament to regulate
the customs, passed in July last, which the gen.
tleman probably has not seen, for it has not
been printed for the use OF the Senate-and was
not among those laid by him upon The table
the Lords of the Treasury were authorised to
regulate these charges. The Committee of
Commerce were not negligent of their duty;
they sought to obtain information on this head
from the most authentic source, not from the
Executive or Departments, to which they could
have access; but, either the information was not
possessed, or it would not be impaired. He
believed the former; for he doubted if any one
in the United States knew what had been done
under the act Of Parliament, or what the present