Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1826-12-14

cultivated on the part OF Tue Cnlteu
States. II would have been gratifying
to have had it in my power 10 add, that
the claims upon the justice of the French
government, involving tue property aud
the comfortable subsistence ef many OF
our fellow citizens, and which have been
so long and so earnestly urged, were ia a
more promising train OF adjustment than
at your last meeting; but their condi-
ton remains unaliered.
With the government OF the Neither
lands, the mutual abandonment of dis
eliminating duties had been regulated
by legislative acts on both sides. The
act OF congress OF the aoth of ApriA ISL s,
abolished all discriminating duties Of
impost and tonnage, upon the vessels and
produce of the Netherlands in the ports
OF the United States, upon the assurance
given by the government Of the Meth
erlands, tina. all such duties operating
against the shipping add commerce Of
the United States, in that kingdom bad
been abolished These reciprocal re.
gulations had continued in force sever
al years, when the discriminating prln
ciple was resumed by the Netherlands
in new and indirect form. by boun-
ty of ten per cent. in the shape OF re.
turn of duties on their national vessels,
and in which those OF the United States
are not permitted to participate. By tie
act of congress of 18th January, 1924,
all discriminating duties in the United
States were again suspended, 80 far as
related TO the vessels and produ ce ofthe
| Netherlands, so long as the reciprocal
exemption should be extended to the
vessels and produce of the United States
in the Netherlands. Bat the same act
! provides that in the eveut OF a restora-
ton of discriminating duties, 10 operate
againt the shipping and commerce Of
the United States. in any OF the foreign
countries referred to therein, the sus-
pension of discriminating duties in ia
vor oil The navigation of such foreign
country should cease and all the provi-
sions of the acts imposing discriminating
foreign tonnage and impost duties in the
United States, should revive, and be in
full force with regard to that nation.
III 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 bounty upon their tonnage, is not
to be considered as discriminating du-
| ty. But it cannot be denied that il pro-
duces all the same effects. Had the
mutual abolition been stipulated by
treaty, such bounty upon the nation
al vessels could scarcely have been
granted consistently with good faith.
| Yet, as the act Of congress OF 7th of IAN.
uary, 1924, has not expressly anihori-
zed the executive authority to deter
mine what shall be considered as a re-
! vival OF discriminating duties by for
| eign government TO the disadvantage Of
the United States, and as the retaiato-
ry measure on our part, however just
and necessary, may tend rather to that
conflict, of legislation which we depre-
cate, than to that concert 10 which, we
i invite all commercial nations, have
thought it more consistent with the spir
il of our institutions to refer the subject
again to the paramount authority of the
! legislature 10 decide what measure the
emergency may require, than abruptly
| BY proclamation, to carry into effect the
minatory provision of the act of 1924.
During the last session of Congress,
Treaties of Amity, Navigation, and
Commerce, were negotiated and signed
at this place with the Government of
Denmark. in Europe, * with the Fed
Grafton OF Central America in this hemis
phere. These Treaties then received
the constitutional sanction of toe Senate,
bv the advice and consent to their ratiti
cation. They we're accordingly ratified
on the part of the United States, and
during The recess Of Congress have been
also ratified by the other respective
contracting parties. The ratitications
have been exchanged and they have
been published by Proclamation. copies
of which are herewith communicated to
Congress, these treaties baye establish
ed between the contracting parties the
principles of Equality and reciprocity in
their broadest and most liberal
extent: Each party admitting the
vessels of the other into its ports, laden
with cargoes, the produce and manufac4
ture of any quarter of the globe. up
on the payment of the same duties Of
tonnage and impost that are chargeable
upon their own. They have further
Stimulated that the partiss shall hereaf-