Phenix gazette. [volume] (Alexandria [D.C.]) 1825-1833, 1827-06-27

the condition. therein stated, unless his Majesty,
by his Order in Council, should IN any case
grant such privileges, although inc cohoiio"s
had not been performed And the act was
declared to come in full force and operation,
from the 5h January, 1926. 1t had at hrsi
been determined at Halifax, that the port shouid
accordingly be shut against American We sse,s
after that day. This decision was afterwards
revoked, although the condition had not been
performed, and although no Order IN Councli
had granted the privileges in question.
To this you permit yourself TO reply'in the
following terms:
"1he fact that some Of the British au,horl.
ties abroad took upon themselves to suspend
The execution Of the act Of 1925, towards the y.
States, is undenied.
But the only effect of this suspension was
the continuance OF rhe benefits OF the then exist
ing stale of things 10 the United States, Tor near
! Nv twevemonih longer than they would other
wise have enjoyed IL.
| That continuance was permitted BY the Brl-
| fish Government, mainly in consideration OF The
then penjency, in the Legislature OF The united
States, Of the Resolution therein before mention
ed. for conforming TO the conditions OF the act
Of 1885,"
Now the fact is no! tina, "some of the British
authorities abroad took upon themselves to
suspend the execution Of the act" but that one
only Of those authorities undertook 20 entoFe
| il. All the other authorities took upon them
selves noi 10 suspend it, bu, (wiih the Govern
ment Of the United States) 10 consrue II as mol
applying 10 this country.
With respect 10 the single port oil Haliiax,
! where il was attempted TO be enforced, gene
raj outcry against that measure arose both IN
the other British colonial ports and in the Uni
ted States, and this, backed by the express in
stances OF Col. Woodhouse, lthen OH the TOUR Of
the British colonial ports, as specially depn'
ted Inspector Gsreral) procured the speedy
revocation of the Order OF The Nova Scoiian
Council, on The ground, that doubts hat existed
whether that Order were agreeable TO the act
Of July, 1925; point which, by the revocation
the Council virtually decided in the negative.
/ Having thus, in manner pardonabe only
among the articles Of keen debate, perverted
the facts, you go on either 10 rlisapprehend or
10 mistake MIR Gala,in's argument, dcduced
from them.
"You say "the only effect Of this suspension
vas, the continuance OF the benefits o! the then
state Of things to the Cnired States, for nearly
a twelvemonth longer than they would oiher-
wise have enjoyed H." No, sir, this is not the
"ony effect" nor has it the leas, connection
with the matter in hand.
The effect Of this Suspension Gas you call ~
on this question is this-that the Government
Of the United States had right 10 infer, that
the law Of 1895 did not apply to our trade,
because it was construed by all the British colo
NAL authorities (save those Of Haliiax) not 10
apply to the said trade; and because the Coun-
Gil Of Halifax itself, ina few weeks, renounced
| III. f,u Iars n
a British Inspector General. and gave as a
I ground for IL this renuncIauoD, tnat tuubta had
arisen whether American vessels were admis-
sible under your acts, which doubts it settled,
by pronouncing them admissible as heretofore.
The force Of this argument, which seizes
the whole subject with grasp OF iron, you Ell.
Their strangely do not see or wisely evade, and
turn off upon your heel, with the most magnan-
imous suggestion--"What if the colonial au-
thorities did leave the ports open--so much
the better for you"
| The argument is, "the U. States may well
be believed not to have understood your act
inasr1uch as your own colon'ee, whose all is
wrapped up in it, did not understand it"
When Mr.. Gallatin presses you with this ar
gument you have nothing 10 say but-"Ameri-
ca surely will not complain that the colonies
were left open to her twelvemonth longer"
We do indeed complain, that you should not
only expect US to understand your laws better
than your own Custom House Officers and
Governors understand them; and when, 20 sat
isfy you that we did not understand them, (for
our word you will not take) we show you that
but one Of your colonies understood them, and
that one soon rerac.ed its. construction, that
you should briskly take us up, with the very
I conclusive rejection, that their error gave us
/ the trade fwelyemnnrh lnnoer
Aud yet the English press is blessing itselfo-
yer the ability you have displayed in these let
tiers to Mr.. Gallatin.
| Be pleased to accept the assurances, sc.
AN AMERICAN CITIZEN.
From the Louisville Focus.
| Z