Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-05-08

vidual decision If this shall induce the belief,
that the permitted trade, although heavily bur'hen
ti. or narrowly restricted. may yet be carried on
probably, they will still engage in il. But will
he at once abandoned. without any requirement OF
law, when 1t can longer be persisted In with the
bope OF beneficial results. 10 such a state OF
fhing', therefore. the reply OF the old French mer
chant TO the minister, who wished TO know what
he could do to promote the interest of the mer-
chants. emPhsically applies, Ldisse= nOu, )u;rc
Jiut alone.
The absolute prohibition Of any trade by one
country, because has been partially yrohib,ed or
burthened by another is measure which wisdom
can never Jisuiy, except as measure at Ieiaa-
ton aud coercion. l. then. its propriety NUT
always depend upon the probable effects to be
psodnced 10y such prohibition. For if i, is not
kelly TO effect any change in the existing state OF
things, ii is. at hest. but quack nos,rum, wild
experiment, or the exhibition OF a sort of dog in
the-msnger policy, which would deny to some OF
the interests OF society, the benefits of a commerce
profitable TO them, because il cannot be equally
beneficial 10 all. And in such country as the
u 3. where partial legislation cannot be long en-
dired, such course OF policy must ALWAYS meet
'ue-<rved Repatriation.
Such were the expectations and reasonings Of
the old and ssgsciors sta'.sme Of the u s. upon
the restoration of peace in 1916. Anticipating
nothing like return OF the hacyon days of former
times, when were the only neutral they
the rivalry OF universal peace NUT unavoidably
produce upon us. IT not seasonably guarded against
Anxious to- avoid the effects upon our commerce.
10 be npprehended from the retaliation and dis
examinations OF other ralions, they made haste TO
take OH the discriminating duties, which we had
formerly imposed upon them, to favour our own
navigation; and to which thsir belligrrent condi-
ton alone had induced them TO submit Congress
therefore on the Sd day OF March 1916, passed an
act, whereby they repealed so much of all FORMER
faws, az Imposed discriminating duty upon the
Tonnage OF foreign vessels, upon their cargoes
be'ns the produce or manufacture of the nation to
which such foreign vessels might belong Thi.
repeal, however, not to- take effect, in favour
at any foreign nation. until the President should
ne satisfied, that the discriminating or counter
FALLING duties of euch foreign nation, had been
aooli'hed 80 lar as these might operate to IN. dis
advantage of the u States
For the Introduction of this new principle into
onr legislation the u $. indebted TO the ,xislou
at that literal merchant and Intelligent politician
tIen. Smith oil Baltimore. He was the first states
man IN this country, who assaed the anticuated
notion, that commerce was struggle to gain profit
on one side by infic'ng loss on the other To him
nseened business, which to be permanently pro.
mho!e to oie party, must be advantage ous TO bath.
and that to be useful To both in time of peace j,
must be Tres the wind which esle,i the bo.on
oi ITS san'-from tue active competition bich
such freedom would surely create, agriculture and
manufactures must derive benefit /; commerce mus,
also be qGickened & improved and altho' navi
Eaion might possibly suifer, yet ii II did the ipi,rx
would result only from lis own natural dIs,dvan,s
gss, which could not be remedied In peace bec.us.
'ney could only be obviated by discriminate DIM
TIES measure that all states TO be efeaied BY them
"onid surely counierval, whenever Ii resorie,I
90. Gen. Smith therefore proposed by this act IN
set an example oil Tree trade, 10 all the nations yIb
which we had commercial intercourse under Tic
ne Iutff al hv TIN
they might be so induced not to burthen what thev
ought 10 tighten, II they wished II to prosper
Ibe u .. al this tune, had no CONNER ci.I trea.
" WIN " brtaln.-l5y the rejection OF the Trca-
- OF 1Sp7, IN which the commercial p1oyisons oC
that of 1894 had been proposed to be r.re,,.1
these provisions bad been suffered TO expire The
restrictive system and the war had succeede1 ,his
and The Treaty concluded at Cheat in 1914 was n
mere treaty Of peace, containing Commercial
sipulaIIons Whatsoever In tits rtate of thi,,
o. Britain, very soon alter the lion of n.ace
III accordance with The practice she had ever he
FORE riTsutd under Ihe like ciI cunlsl suces r.. cs
faolShcd her ancient colonial system. aud aporo
pTiated Tor her ell exclusively, Ill the t,ad- nj L.
coioues.
Tie interest of both nations at this time. az i,
1884 required, tAst the commercial in,ercnnrse
they mutually wished TO exist between Hon,
shouid be placed upon some permanent basis least
ii LETT exposed then was, to the le,i,Iat ~ -,
be loaded with new imposiiions fatal TO ia nm.
petous continuance on either side. To accom- Iisb
ihs iect, Messrs. Adams, Gallatin and t,Iay
ihree oI the ministers who had necotIatei ,Ss
treaty o! Ghent, were authorized and Instructed
ny ITs'ident Madison, Immediately after the ratj6
cation OF that Treaty, TO proceed to London. and
there TO negotiate a new commercial irea.v ,vitb
Great BriiHiu In this negotiation these minister,
wereiiDstrIciel, as oil other. had been bef,re tho,
u;ne) 10 iuclude tle subject OF the colonial trad.
In pursuance TO these Instructions, Messr.. A
dams, Galaun and Clay did repair to Lon,,on
and there entered upon the performance of the
duty assigned them In the cOur-e of the neso
tiaion, they prohsred TO the British nini.ier.
the lib raj principle of the act of 1915. "a
The basis OF the proposed 1Iesty-and Offered
that the vessels OF either nation, should Le 20
ceived into all the ports OF The other, uuoo the
same terms with liz own. Tie British neaotia-
tors scceeded 10 this prOposltion so far az !,
might Apply 10 the European possessions of e.
Britain, but refused to- admit u, as Applicable I'm
her other dependenciesl In relation TO ,bess
they declined entering into any discussion what.
ever, as 10 tile nads OF the AmerIcan colonies Of
Great Btl'ain; and wonld only agree to ,eoay
some OF the pTovjsions OF the 1'rea,y of I7g4 IN
reference 10 the trade Of her East Indian uo..ss
siQus: Thus mari owing and restricting sill fur
ther, tue privileges formerly conce ed 10 ~ IN
this respect. And rs the principle adopted a. tLe
bass oil the proposed Treaty, so far ~ IL atrII.
ed even 10 the European possessions of Great
Buiain, was new one. the operation aud effect
OF which upon either party, was of course but an
experiment, IT was mutually agreed, that TIN,
proposed Treaty should continue for four year.
only
Such Treaty was concluded on the "a d,v nj
July, 1Sl5--wss ratified on the Pr a., - r.