Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-03-27
Congressional.
ON TIE COLO.NZ.aL T.RADE BILL
HOUSE OF REPREsENrArtvrs- March q.

Mr.. Websisr said that he remained of the opin.
ion, which he had before expressed, that it was
better 10 pass no Law whatever on the subject
than TO adopt the bill before them without amend.
ment. He was hardly able to persuade himself
that the bill was fully understood, even by ihose
who had supported il. If his own opinion as tc
IT. eitec, aud operation, were not entirely wrong
some misconcepton on that point, he thought
mad existed in another place. The existing
STATE OF law was somewhat complex, and the
,beuIlug OF this bill. on that state of law, was
not to be comprehended without careful exam
ination. He believed, in truth, it was greatly
misunderstood He ~ ouid first state what he
Considered the situation of things would be, il
the Senae's kfftssshopld pass without amendment;
anu would next shew how that state of things
wouid be prodoced by the provisions of the bill
As to The trst point, he agreed entirely with the
honorable member from, Conn ec,icut, that, if the
oenae's bill should pass without amendment, aud
no arrangement should take place before the 3lst
oil december next, British vessels would, frou,
'nst time, be admitted into the ports of the United
States without the payment of any discriminating
duties whatever; while our vessels would be en-
tireiy excluded from all Intercourse with the Bri-
.ush West Indies and o her Colonies. That this
was the result OF the enactDents in the Senate 5
Dill, would be, and must be, evident 10 every one
who would read with attention the existing laws,
and the bill itself. Indeed, he knew not whether
IT had been denied in the House, that such was
The necessary effect of the bill, though different
view appeared TO have been taken elsewhere
lie would now eadeavOur TO show how this ef-
iec' arose; and tor this purpose. ould ask the at
tention OIL the House 10 the particular provisions
OF the three existing laws which bore on this sub
Jeci, VIZ: the act OF 1918, 1920. and 1928.
by the hIst OF these, that OF ISIS, il was e.
nacied, that British vessel should come 10 this
fvN ,,Hp d.. - =
ordinarily rbui against our own vessels. There
are, in the law, other provisions, but thes are
all Intended 10 FENDER etfectual this main enact
Ineni.
The act OF lS2o is but what il processes to be,
supplementary 20 the foregoing. Instead Of using
general woTas OF description. in speaking of the
Colonial ports II enumeraies them all, and sub
Jecis 10 forfeiture and confscation every British
vessel arriving, by sea, from the British posses
sions on this Continent, and the West Indies
Neither this act, that Of 1875 touches at all,
the intercourse with Canada. The interdicted
vessel must be one that comes By ser; of course,
the lake navigation is not affected by these laws,
or either OF them.
Now, we were to remember. that in addition to
these two acts, there existed q p,ioT Ia.c-a law,
indeed, as old as The Gev ernmsnt--ke meant the
law Imposing discriminating siuiieso on foreign YES
sells. The law always applied TO all foreign yes
sells, except where, by treaty or other reciprocal
regulation. we had stipulated thai it should no,
apply These discriminating duties had their orr
gin, not in the act of 1918, nor ia that of 1920,
but In this standing lsw-tbe last re enactment OF
which, he believed, was in 1916.
so tar, then, there would be no difficulty in un-
derstandlng the case. We had standing law i'm.
posing discriminating duties foreign vessels;
this law was applicable to British vessels engaged
in the Colonial trade. Then, by the acts of 1913
and 1920, we entirely prohibited British vessels
from coming TO Our ports from the Colonies, be.
cause our own vessels were not permitted to vis,
those ColonIe'. These laws produced their effect.
Early In 1872 it was foreseen ,hat Great Britain
would probably take off her monopoly. end
admit us TO our share in The trade. And, accor-
dinghy, the &C, of May 9Th, 1922, " as passed. pro
vidns, in substance. that if she should open her
ports 10 our vessels, the President might, by Pro-
clsmatlon, open our ports To her vessels She
did so open her porls;-and the President issued his
PROCLAMATION, opening our ports TO her vessels,
in August of that year. This opened The inter-
course 10 vessel OF both Nations; but our discd.
ininating duties still, continued.
Then came the act of March j 1928; and /,
was upon the operation Of This act that be thought
the greatest mi'concepiion prevailed. The mem.
beers OF the House had the act on their tables; and
he begged them TO look at It's provisions. Thi,
act, which is unlimited in it's duration, suspends
by express words, the act Of 1918, and the act o.
1920; the suspension TO continue 50 long as N,
act Itself continues Ia other words, II repeal
the two iormer acts; subject, however, 10 be re-
vived, when the repeating act itself should be re-
/ pealed This is the first section He fMr. w
would pass over, for the present. that provision O
the act which had caused so much DISCUSSION; h
meant that which authorized the President 10 A.
oolish the discriminating duties on British vesseis
when Great Britain shenld abolish her dscrimnat
ing duties on our produce. That part of the cas-
| he was now considering.
| This act Of 1923. then, opened the trade :,
British vessels, coming from the Colonies 10 GU
ports. IL did not impose the discriminating duties
II found them already existing and ii left them a
! 1T found them. II opened the trade subisct n
those duties. 1t opened The trade to British YES
sells, because England had opened the trade I,
our vessels. But as England nigh, again clos
that trade against our vessels, SO it was necessar
70 make some proper provisions. that, in such al
event, If it should occur, our trade might be again
| closed against her vessels. For this purpose IN
b n section was introduced, which is in the fol
lowing words.
".4nd be IL further enacted, That tbi. ar,
unless repealed, altered, or amended by Congress
shall be, and continue, in force so long as The A.
b0ve enumerated British Colonial ports shall hi
open to the admission of vessels Of the IT, States
conformabIy to the provisions OF the British ac
of Parliament OF the Oath Of June last. being III,
eth chapter OF the Of the third year ofGeore
9TH. Rat If, at any time the trade and int or
course between the u. s. and all, or any, of the a.
bove enumerated British Colonial ports, an horizec
BY the ss'd sct Of Parliament, shall be prohibited b,
Briith Order IN Council. or by act of Parlismepi
then, from day OF The date ofsuch Order in Coun
Gil, or aci OF Parliament, or from the time that N,
same shall COMMERCE TO be in force, Pfoel,mato,
to that effect having been made by the Pfesiden
Of The United StaIes. each and every rrnvisle,u q