Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1827-02-01


been driven into this commercial struggle, by the
spirit OF her legislation which left ONION but
the recognition or resistance of her exclusive.
monopolizng system. When she made partial re-
laxations. she expected general concessions.
When she offered restricted and limited trade
she asked free access to all ports, trade in
all productions, and 10 be absolyeJ from all re-
| straints ard burlhens. We have met every over
ture in the spirit of liberai,y.
| We rendered her fee commercial intercourse,
which she declined to accept. When SIC
cluded US from her Colonial ports, we closed our
ports against British vessels coming from ports
closed against us. When she opened her ports
1 to a direct trade, we did the same. When she
admitted our vessels with certain enumerated arti
cles, we opened all or potts TO all her produc-
tons When she asked tie emOval Of our discrimi-
mating ddty, we required, a precedent condi-
ton, anG a fair equivalent, the repeal Of the i'm
port duty; discrimination highly unfavor TO
our productions, ours TO their vessels
! When she offered fair competition in the
! pesseis, we offered the same in the vessels and
productions of both countries, by the removal Of
all unequal duties, charges, aud determinations.
When she persisted in The right to levy the import
| duty, and TO demand the repeal of our duty. and,
III the spirit OF retaliation, levied similar coun-
ltervains duty, we, on our part, atigued it'll the
conflict, anxious 10 avoid collision, unwilling 10
disturb the intercourse then in successful oper alton
and DESTROYS to try the effect of the experin ent
acting system in the hope that the contemplate
negotiation, which had become inGisI ensa-
tle, would upon amicable explanation, lead to a
satisfactory conclusion.
The distinction must be borne in mind that we
have not at any time required of her the repeal OF
her commercial law. We have merely refused 20
repeal our
The abstract right of Grea, Britain IS make her
own laws; 10 foster her Colonies; to protect her
trade and navigation, was never denied, and is un
denisble. So. also, have the right, which is
equally sacred and binding, OF cherishing our in.
terests AID our institutions.
II has been said, that the right to supply her
Colonies and protect her productions, in her own
| markets, was a fundamental law of her policy
upon which was founded her colonial power and
: maritime strength, and which she could no, sur
render. And il not our trade and our navigation
which are al-o connected with our agriculture
equally the foundation OF our strength and power
These are vital interests to both. But the poIicy
by which she regulates those Interests is founded
in system of artificial rules. which she modifie.
every day to suit her purposes. There Is noth:ns
sacred in them They change with the yicissitutle
: Of the seasons, and he changing scenes of III.
political world. They have lately Irotessed a new
theory, and have, IN many instances, since Til,
discussion began, altered the colonial system. will
which the rights OF navigation were intimareI
blended. In the last fifty years this system
, has undergone entire change In the he
ginning, Ireland itself was a dependency. aot
was made subservent to the interests nj III,
parent state; but under wiser councils she has beer
. freed from its restraints. AT that Tine a ri,id ex
clusion of the colonies from all commercial inter
course, except wih the mother country, was the fl X
ell law OF coloDizaion and was part of the inter
n rational law. But the act of 1925. and the ver
laws we have been considering, are deviation,
from the old code; and every session of Parlismen
produces some new project of Innovation new
light has broke in on legislation, which has expos
ed he errors OF their exclusive systems. Trad
must he released from the thraldom of regulation
The colonial posses, ions of Great Britain have be
come so extensive that, in the present state of b
t world, new code has become necessary
by this colonial systeIn, while she claims he
intcrcoiOnial trade, that il, the exclusive right O
supplying and Carrying for all her vas, possession.
AID, "a Tar she can, all commerce with them
she expects US 10 abandon to her the only NJ o. ec
ton we have given 10 our Navigation.
Tie right TO carry between the Colonies ant
between Colonies and the mother country is Tn,
right merely TO the coasins trade, which " e also
Claim TO appropriate to ourselves, and which W,
have secured 10 our shipping by our laws But il
is the right of the nation which they NAV resp,a,,
or abolish at will, or which they may yield 20 ,h,
TAR competition Of any nation who may offer >
suitable equivalent There is MOI hing sacred in III,
right, and England may and would do so, If il wa,
her interest, or it the advantage was greater than
the sacrifice. With her it is a question of powe,
and profit. If it is right which England canno,
surrender, 1t must be very valuable privilege
which they ask us to yield to them; and if i, i.
valuable, II is worth contendng for, for exactly n,
II Is profitable TO them. is it injurious to u.s. we
have not demanded of hei TO surrender any of these
advantages We merely claim to exercise ours a,
the same time, and in the same way
In opening the trade of the West Indies 10 US
IT presented the inquiry, how ia, such preference
as she claimed TO herself we're compatible with tbe
liberal principles on which we opened he trade
to her! Whether what she offered us was ms,
equivalent for the extensive market, and lucrative
trade, which we gave her, 1t was question o.
equivalents. Great Britain nominally opened her
colonial ports TO our trade aud navigation. In
the first place, she prohibited several articles Of
primary necessity and of great value, which our
country produced, and then pro ecied all the pro-
ductons of her North American possessions. -
The balance, which she was unable to suppiy
herself, which no other nation could furnish Ger
taiDly cbeaply, and for which her colonies were
dependent, she offered us; but STILL burhened with
heavy duty. In return, we gave her an open
unrestricted admission. with all her productions
into all our ports, where her articles met with lit
tie competition from The market she opened
to us, was in some articles entirely filled, and in
all others partially supplied by her, ON her own
| colonies, by her own vessels, upon terms exclu-
siyely favorable TO her trade and cation And.
In consideration of opening such ports and mar :
kes so supplied, and under such conditions she
demands the free admission of her vessels and
| productions into our ports on the same terms as
our own.
| Ii was question, not of The right OF Great Bf-
tain TO lay duties and regulate her affairs; but whe.
tbef, under the circumstances stated, she was
warranted in demanding OF Us repeal of the a..
lien duties!
1