Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-30
COMM UN ICATIoM.
THE COLONIAL TRADE.

The commercial intercourse between the United
States and the British North American and Yves.
India colonies is of great importance to us, and
particularly to agricul'uris,s. The value of
it is stated by Committee of Congress from OFF,
cial documents at 81 ,000, goo, per ann including
exports and imports Of the exports the pro-
ducse OF our forests and land amounted in one year
up to The 30th of September last 10 81 79S, 765,
nearly one-fifth of the whole of our exports of
such products, except cotton. to all The world ::
and the value Of the lumber, included in the sum
of $4,796, 765, was $697 26l, (see Gen Smiths
speech in the Senate of the u. s. on the subject
of the Colonial Trade, 1929 The loss of this
market, or a serious impeachment to the enjoyment
of H., cannot but be severely felt by the land
holders Of the United States, already so depressed
and burthenei by the concurrent operation of ma
tuta and artificial causes. We are threatened
with this loss; and the same causes, which may
lead to this result, will also in all probability, de
prive US of trade to the British East India pos
sessions. We enjoy this trade only under the
conventions of 1915, and 1918. which will ex-
pire in 1928 Ii is obvious, thai the same no.
tives which Induced the British Government 20
close their ports in the We., Indies to our ships,
would have led them to exclude us from their
+. India possessions, if they had noibeen restrain.
ell by the stipulations OF the convention of 1918
Whether these mischiefs shall fall upon us, or
be fortunately avoided by the abandonment Of the
grounds we have heretofore taken; it is impor
tant to the public to understand distinctly how
these valuable interests have been treated by those
10 whom for the last ten years the management of
our public affairs has been con.ided. had hoped
that the people of the United States would have
had full exposition of this subject in the pro j.
ceedings of the last Congress; or that some one
well acquainted with it, and having access to all
the information and documents, necessary to eIuci-
date it., would have laid before the public a
simple and condensed view of the course of things
that has led to the condition, in which the subec,
now stands. In this am disappointed. Whate-
yer information the proceedings of Congress might
afford, they publi-hed in fragments in The
newspapers, in such way that very few can
have at once full view of the whole of the case.
Even the communication OF the President, pro-
Tossing 10 lay the whole matter before Congress
for their consideration, does not give full infor-
nation many important documents, ,llnded to
IN IL. did not accompany it, and U be!ieve) are
TO be found only in the Office of the Secretary of
State.
Having from the beginning, watchedthe strue
gle between the British government and ours in
respect TO the colonial trade, with great anxiety,
feeling deep interest in the event, and doubling
not only the discretion, but the integrity of The
motives of those. who were the chief actors in this
Comedy Of Errors; / have thought, that may
render a service to the public, by laying before
them condensed view of the whole progress OF
fns contest, as far the imperfect materials in
my power will enable me.
From the times of Cromwell, and of Charles
ii, the settled policy of Great Britain, and of all
other nations having colonies, has been. until We
ny lately, to monopolize their commerce. and to
exclude all foreign nations from any participation
in it; the right do this has never been question
ed by any other nation, and has always been adj
mitied by the Uni'ed States The exercise of this
right was sometimes relaxed for the benefit of the
colonies, and sometimes partially in favour of
other nations in con -idera,ion of some eGniyaIen,
to the mother country, but always at the mere
pleasure of the latter. After our revolution we
enjoyed, in our own ships, the trade of The British
colonies, under various regulations and restrictions
as to the articles imported into them and as to
the ports, to which were allowed TO trade
according to the mere pleasure of the British 90
vernment. OF these regulations we never COM
planned; at least we never thought il prudent 10
resort TO any retaliatory measures; until after the
close of the last war. The convenience OF having
our supplies for the use of their West India colo
MES, and indeed, Gas things then were) the neces-
sity of having then, some security, that the
British government would, Of their own accord
and for the sake of their colonies allow us this
trade upon such terms, as would make il valuable
20 US.
AT very early period after the organization OF
the government Of the United States, for The en-
couragement OF our shipping interest, discriui-
mating duty was imposed upon the ships of foreign
nations, and their csrgoes entering our poris (see
the act OF 1907 and these discriminating dute $
on the cargoes were fixed by the act OF April
~, 1916, at ten per cent, additional to the duties
paid on similar csrgoes, brought in a vessel of the
United States; and by the Of January Ia, 1917,
the discriminating tonnage duty was fixed at nine
ty-four cents per ton, in addition to the tonnsge
duty paid on vessels.
On the third Of March, 1915, an act OF Con
gress abolished all discriminating duties on the
tonnage and csrgoes of foreign ships, 10 favour
Of any nation; whenever the President should ne
satisfied that The discriminating asd counteryailing
duties of such nation had been abolished. 50 far
as they opcrotsG 10 tie disadvantage of the IT,
StqtsS
The President and his Cabinet s. the Senate of the
u. States soon gave practical proof Of their under.
sanding OF the spirit OF the last mentioned act ,
by negotiating and rstf5ing the treaty with Great
Britain Of the third of July, 1915, which, MIR
Adams says, was " substantially the acceptance
on the part Of Great Britain Of the proposal made
to all nations by the act Of 1867 and which
" put our Intercourse with the European posses.
sions OF Great Britain on footing of entire reci-
Wocty," (see documents accompanying the
Presidents message to Congress at The commence
Dent Of the second session of the nineteenth
Congress, No. 2, pages Al, 49, BY this treaty il
was stipulated mutually that no higher or other
duties should be imposed in the ports of either
upon the vessels OF the other, or their cafgoes be
ing Of the growth, produce, or manufacture of Ell
ther country, than were imposed upon their own
vessels, and similar cargoes that no other or high.
er dates should be imposed by either upon articles
the growth. produce, or manufacture Of the other
than were imposed on The like articles, the growth,
r