The Litchfield County post. [volume] (Litchfield, Conn.) 1826-1829, 1826-12-12

siding here, who enjoyed, as ne merlted, the
entire confidence Of his new sovereign, as
he had eminently responded to that of his
Predecessor. But we have had the most
satisfactory assurances, that the sentiments
of the reigniug Emperor towards the Uni
ted States are altogether conformable to
those which had so long and constantly ami
mated his imperial brother and we have
reason to hope that they will serve to ce-
mont that harmony and good understand
ing between the two nations, Which, found
ed in congenial interest, cannot but result
in the advancement of the welfare and
prosperity of both.
Our relations Of commerce and naviga-
ton with France are, by the operation OF the
Convention of gath of June, 1922, with
| that nation, in state of gradual and pro-
gressive Improvement. Convinced by all
! our experience, no less than by the princi-
pies of fair and liberal reciprocity which
the Uuited States have constantly rendered
to all the nations of the earth, as the rule
of commercial intercourse, which they
would universally prefer, that fair and G.
quail competition is most conducive to the
interests of both parties, the United States,
in the negotiation of that convention, ear
nestly contenaed fora mutual remuneration
of discriminating duties and charges in the
ports of the two countries.
Unable to obtain the immediate recog-
nition of this principle in its full extent,
after reducing the duties of discrimination,
so far as was found attainable, it was agreed
that, at the expiration of two years from
the LIST of October, 1922, when the Con-
vention was to go into effect, unless notice
of six months on either SIDES should be Civ
en- to the other, that the Convention itself
must terminate, those duties should be re-
duced by one-fourth: and this reduction
should be yearly repeated until all discrim-
ination should cease while the Convention
itself should continue in force. By the eff
fest Of this stipulation, three-fourths of the
discriminating duties which had been lev
led by each party upon the vessels of the
other in its ports, have already been re-
moved and, on the LIST of next October,
should tho Convention be still in force,
the remaining fourth will be discontinued
French vessels, laden with French produce
viii be received in our ports on the same
terms as our own; and ours, in return,
will enjoy the same advantages in the ports
of France. BY these approximations to
an equality of duties and of charges, not
only has the commerce between the two
countries prospered, but friendly DISPOSE
lions have been, on both sides, encouraged
and protected. They will continue to be
cherished and cultivated on the part of the
United States. 1t would have been grati-
flying to have had itin my power to add, that
The claims upon the French Government,
involving the property and the comfortable
subsistence ofmany ofour fellow-citizens,
and which have been SO long and so earn
istly urged, were in more promising train
of adjustment than at your last meeting !;
but their condition remains unaltered.
With the government of the Netherlands
the mutual abandonment of discriminating
duties had been regulated by legislative
acts on both sides. The act of Congress
of April 20, 1913 abolished all discriminate
ing duties of Impost and tonnage upon the
vessels and produce of the Netherlands in
the ports of ths United States, upon the
assurance given by the government of the
Netherlands that all such duties operating
against the shipping and commerce of the
United States, in that kingdom had been
abolished. These reciprocal regulations
had continued in force several years, when
the discriminating principle was resumed by
the Netherlands in a new and indirect form
by bounty of ten per cent, in. the shape
Of return of duties to their national yes
sells, and in which those of the UnitedStates
are not permitted to participate. BY the
act of Congress of Jan. z, 1924, all discri-
minating duties in the u. S. were again sus-
pended, SO far as related to the vessels and
produce of the Netherlands, so long as the
reciprocal exemption should be extended
to the vessels and produce of the U. S. in
the Netherlands. But the same act pro-
yides that in the event Of d restoration of
discriminating duties, to operate against the
shipping aud commerce Of the u. S. in any
of the foreign countries referred to therein,
the suspension of discriminating duties in
favor of the navigation of such foreign coun-
try should cease, and all the provisions of
the acts imposing discriminating foreign
tonnage and impost duties in tho u. S..
should revive, and be in full force with re-
gard to that nation.
In the correspondence with the Gov
eminent of the Netherlands upon this
subject, they have contended that the favor
shown TO their own shipping by this boun-
fv upon thar tnnnaGn e 49, a. l.. .a.A.1