Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1826-12-27

the local Government, by which the port of Hail.
fax 10 have been closed against vessels OF the
United States from the fifth OF January last The
order was, in fact, from whatever cause, revoked
And as tina, port, and all other Bjtish Colonial
ports, remaining, after that day, open to our ves-
sells, We were confirmed in the belief that the act,
in the present state Of the relations OF the two
countries, was not inten3sa to be enforced on the
commerce OF the Unites6fnates. This belief was
further strengthened by tie terms OF the fourth sec
ton Of the act, which are: 60 And whereas. by the
law of navigation, foreign ships are permitted to
import into any OF the British possessions abroad
from the countries to which they belong. goods the
produce of those counties. and to export goods
from such possessions, TO be carried TO any foreign
country whatever: And whereas, it is expedient
that such permission should be subject to certain
conditions BE- il therefore enacted, that the privi
leges thereby granted foreign ships, shall be lin
tied to the ships oil those countries which, having
colonial possessions .hal grant the like privileges
OF trading with those possessions TO British ships,
or which, not having colonial possessions, shall
place the commerce and navigation of Thu coun
try and Of its possessions abroad, upon the footing
of the most favored nation, unless his Majesty by
his Order in Council, shall, III any case, deem II
expedien, TO grant the whole, or any of such pri-
vileges 10 the ships of any foreign country, al
though the conditions aforesaid shall not in all
poets, be fulfilled bY such foreign country"
lied, by his Order in Council, if he should in any
case, deem it exTedent, TO grant the whole or any
Of the privileges mentioned in the section, TO the
ships of ony foreign country. " although the cor
don aforesaid -hall not, in all respects be fulfilled
by such foreign country" This investment of
power in the Crown to dispense with strict com
pance with the conditions Of the act, in relation
to any Powers like the United States, not having
colonies, seemed necessarily to imply discus
sion, and consequently negotiation, with such
Powers. IL is not the object, in bringing
forward the facts and observations which have
been stated in vindcation OF the American
Government, TO convey any reproaches against
that Of Great Britain on account Of the unexpect
ted resolution which it has taken. These facis
and observations, however, shew that it ough,
not to excite any surprise that the Congress OF the
United States declined lesislating on matter
which ii appeared TO them was both most fitting
in itself, and preferred by Great BRIAN to be act
tied by mutual and friendly arrangement. When
celebrating on the only proposition which was
made during their last session, that of simple re-
peal OF all discriminating duties, which il now
appears would have been unavailing, and would
have fallen far short of British expectations they
were unaw arethat they acting under the pains
and penalties of British act of Parliament,
pended over their heads compliance with
the strict conditions of which, subjected the
United States only to the forfeiture Of all in
'tICOurSe Win tUc IDFillSH COiOHieS, OUT was TO
be attended with the further sequence of termi-
mating all negotiation between the parties
will now proceed 10 consideration of the
specific conditions required by the Of Parlia-
ment, the nonfulflmen; of which is the protested
ground of the late British Order in Council
These conditions are understood TO be contained
in the fourth section Of the act, which begins by
recting: And whereas, by the law of navigation, |
foreign 'hps are permitted to import into any of |
the British possessions abroad from the countries
to which they belong, goods the produce Of those |
countries, and TO export goods from such posses
sons 10 be carried to any foreign country whate-
yer: And whereas, it is expedien thst such per- |
mission should be subject to certain conditions |
Ii then proceeds TO enact, in respect to countries
not having colonial possessions. {" That the pri- |
vileges thereby granted to foreign ships shall be
Limited to the ships of those countries (not having
colonial p1sesssions) which shall place the COM |
merce and navigation of this country, and of its
possessions abroad, upon the footing of the most
favored nation unless his Majesty, by his Order in |
Council, shall, in any case, deem it expedient to
grant the whole or any of such privileges 10 the |
ships OF any foreign country. although the condi-
lions Aforesaid shall not in all respects be fulfil
led by such foreign country" In considering |
this act Of Parliament, the first circumstance
which commands attention il the marked difference
which it makes in the conditions required of TO-
reign Powers, between those which have colonies |
and those whish have From the colonial |
Powers it only demands that they should grant TO
British ships privileges of trading with their colo
MES like those which the British law of navigation
grants to those Powers, of trading with the Bri-
fish colonies; that is 10 say, that such Powers |
should allow 10 British vessels the privilege ofm
PORTING British produce into their colonies, and |
of exporting goods therefrom ts be carried |
to any country whatever, except the parent coun-
try. But, from the Powers having no colonies, |
the ac, demands that they should place the COM
merce and navigation, both of the United King |
dom md its possessions abroad, uron the footing
ri the most Japoured nation. With the Colon- |
al Powers the act proposes exchange of colo |
NAL trade for colonial trade, exclusive of the trade
of the parent country. With Powers not having
colonies, it proposes to give the British Colonial
trade only in exchange for trade between those |
powers and the u. Kingdom, and all its possess
sions abroad. From the Colonial Powers il asks |
nothing but mere reciprocity; which viewing the
vast extent of tue b. Colonies, in comparison with
those of any other Power, il only nominal The act,
on the contrary, is not sased with demanding from
the Powers having colonies reciprocity OF priyi-
leges but requires that in consideration of the
permission to import their produce into the Briti-h
Colonies aud 10 export therefrom produce of those
colonies to any foreign country, except Great
Britain, those Powers ahoula at once extend TO the
commerce and navigation Of the United Kingdom,
and It's possessions abroad, the full measure of all
commercial privileges which they may have grant
ed TO the most iavoured nation. Ii IL impossible
not TO see that this discrimination, made by the act
OF Parliament between different foreign powers.
operates exclusively upon the United States Al;
the maritime States have colonies, and therefore
will be let into the trade with the British Colonies
upon the less onerous conditions. The United
States are the only Power, not having Colonies,
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