The Rhode-Island Republican. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1809-1841, 1826-12-14

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which the United 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 equal competition is most condu-
Give to the interests of both parties, the
United States, in the negotiation of that
Convention, earnestly coDtended for a mu-
tual remuneration of discriminating duties
and charges in the ports Of the two coun-
tries. Unable TO obtain the immediate re-
cognition of this principle on Its full ex-
tent, after reducing the duties Of discrim-
ination, so far as was found attainable, 1t
was agreed that, at the expiration Of two
years from the lst Of October, 1922, when
the Convention was to go into effect, un-
less notice Of six months on either side
should be given TO the other, that the Con-
vention itself must terminate, those duties
should be reduced by one-fourth and
that this reduction should be yearly re-
peated until all discrimination should
cease while the Convention itself should
continue in force. BY the effect of this
stipulation, three-fourths of the discrim-
mating duties which had been levied by
each party upon the vessels of the other
in its ports, have already been removed :;
and, on the lst next October, should the
Convention be still in force, the remaining
fourth will be discontinued. French ves-
sells, laden with French produce, will be
received in our ports on the same terms
as our own: and ours, in return, will en-
Joy the same advantages in the ports Of
France. BY these approximations to an
equality of duties and charges, not only
has the commerce between the two coun-
tries prospered, but friendly dispositions
have been, on both sides, encouraged and
promoted. They will continuo 20 h"
cherishoa and cultivated on the part Of
lie United States. 1t would have been
gratifying to have had it in my power to
add, that the claims upon the justice OF
the French Government, involving the
property and the comfortable subsistence
of ma.y of our fellow-c citizens, and whicl,
have been 80 long and so earnestly urgeG.
were in more promising train of adjust
neat tha n at your last meeting but then
condition remains unaltercd.
With the Government of The Neither
lands, the mutual abandonment OF discrlm.
mating duties had beer regulated by Lee
gislatlve acts on both sides. The act
Congress of the 2pih Of April 1913, abo-
ished ait dlsrrirninatiDg, -duties> Of Inpos
and Tonnage, upon the vessels and pro
duce of the Netherlands in the ports ofthc !
United States, upon the assurance given
by the Government of the Netherlands
that all such duties operating against the
shipping and commerce Of the Unncj
States, in that Kingdom, had been abolish
ed. These reciprocal regulations had con
tinued in force several years, when the
discriminating principle was resumed by
the Netherlands in new and indirect form,
by bounty Of ten per cent, i'll the shape
of return of duties To their national YES.
sells, and in which those of the United
States are not permitted to participate. BY
the act of Congress OF the 9TH January, II.
"a, all discriminating duties in the United
States were again suspended, so far as re-
lated TO the vessels and produce ofthe Ne
therlands so long as the reciprocal exemp-
tion should Ire extended to the vessels and
produce ofthe United States i'll the Meth
erlands. But the same act provides that
in the event of restoration Of discrimina-
ting duties, to operate against the ship
ping and commerce of the United States,
in any Of the fore i.ri countries referred to
therein, the suspension of Disseminated du-
ties in favor Of the navigation of such for
eign country should cease, and all the pro-
visions of the acts imposing discriminating
foreign tonnage ard inpost duties in the
United States, should revive and be in full
force with regard to that nation.
In the correspondence with the Govern
ment of the Netherlands upon this subject.
they have contended that the favor shown
10 their own shipping by this bounty upon
their tonnage, is not TO be considered as
duty.-But it cannot be de-
MED that it produces all the same effects
Had the mutual abolition been stipulated
by treaty, such bounty upon the national
vessels could scarcely have been granted
consistently with good faith Yet, as the
act Of Congress of 7th January, 1924, has
not expressly authorized the Executive au-
thority 10 determine what shail be consid-
cred as a revival of discriminating duties
by foreign Government to the disadvan-
tnge Of tie United States and as the retail
iatoiy measure on our part, however lust
and necessary, may tend rather tothat con.
fict Of legislation which VIC dcprecnte.
than to that concert 10 which we invite a..
commercial nations. as most Conducive =
their interest aud our own, haze though
il more consistent with the spirit cf our in.
,titutions to refer the subject again to The
paramount authcri'yof the Legislature to
de,ide what meassrc the emergency NAV
require, than sbrubty by proclamation, t.
carry into effect the miniatory precision Of
the act Of 1924.
During the la.t session Of Congress,
Treaties oF Amity. Navigation aud Com