Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1828-03-29

On any conditions under any circumstances whate
ver"
European doninon,. The party at whose instance il
was Thus limited was Great Britain. Ii was the wish
oil tue u States, that the British colonies should for
e PURPOSES OF inc treaty, be considered part of
rreat Dritain; and the trade between america and
those colonies laid open, like that of the mo her cnup
Try, Inc shippes 81 both nations on footing of per
'eCl equality. Tins proposition was recommended, not
only oy ITS conformity with sound princinles bu, nv
what, To the then ministry, m;rb he s,p,oscd , moro
powerful recommendation--,he authority of Mr. Pitt
we oeieYe 10 not generally known that this states
man. shorty ater The close of the American ar nitro
duced bill INTO Parliament, admitting American yes
ses SO far regards the dgect trade be,wee, the II
states anu The w est Indies, all the privileges of our
own Inc Oil was lost by the breaking MP of the
'"c'"uiio 'a,"'S''a'ioh: when the vulgar and ex-
poued IDEAS oil commercial policy regained their Assem-
daucy, BY the elevation of Mr. Fox hut the Castle.
reaSh MINISTRY faithful To their custom of borrowing
"o.h''e i'"i WI. 1itt except whatever bad his
pFhcip!os ~ pocy We're resoy ed 10 keen, SO lar as i,
was still in their power the mononov of the cooD;,
trade unmpaired. The colonies were therefore ex
cePleu n''" me Convention of 1915; and the inter
course IN american vessels, between the Z. States
and the vest ladies, remained inter dcted The Uni
ted States, becoming impatient under the ex clusoo
AZ length h'efdiced the intercourse in British vessels
unth 1t should DE permitted in their own; measure
winch Mr. Canning, nm his first letter to Mr. Gaaiin
aiia"s 10 nave been, under the circumstances above
stated, justifable. We have mentioned these cirsu,
stances la'loush they have immediate bearing IN.
on Inc matter At Issucl because they show that
treat Britain, and not the United States, who com
mcnced the of prohibitions add that notb,pg ex
cep the obstinate refusal of Great Britain prevened
perfect system OF reciprocity from having been estab
ished as long ago 1915. From villa, cause such +,
system failed 10 be established, when ministry hostile
TO free trade. had been succeeded by ore which has
gwen substantial proofs Of inclination to it. remains
to be accounted for
tiavng thus shown that Great Britain, and not the
tnited States, occasoned the existence Of the resric
tons upon the Colonial intercourse and that tho rasort
|" 'nem was measure of necessary couneraction on
cur part te cEiewcrs proceed examine the conLi-
tons of the act of July 925. and clearly enonsr,
"eir ih'usuce III their application Foreign Powers
not possessing CconiesIu Other words To the IJn,,ed
2os zone o' IN tlen only do t,ose coGiitions ope
rate. Speaking OF that act, the Reviewers say:
III was accordingly required that they should MA
the commerce ami navigation Great Britain and her
dependencies on the footing ofihe most favored nations,
10 obvious without proceeding further, that this was
ave'y different and might be mncb greater copces
son. ti'an that which was required from nations having
colonies nation. therefore, which possessed colon
's' might act very reasonably in accepting the recp-
rocty offered TO It. while yet the United States might
ne perfectly right IN surprising that what was
from them not recipr0ctv but someb;ns rot. IL,
dlierent From the acceptance, therefore, of the con-
o''o"S o' "e ac'' oy any natIon having colonies no
]us argument can he drawn in condemnation the po
hey OF the american Government in refusing them
"B" further, even To countries in similar situation
with the United States, the terms which the act offer
ed d'iiar IN their nature widely the lave of one
I
IS. that they should admit Great Britain T., tho nrivo
ges OF The most favored nation. But the privileges of
the most favored nation diversified as the com
nercial policy OF different States. In some coun,ies
they may amount TO free trade in others TO no more
than intercourse loaded with innumerabe hur,ban.
aho restrictions. Nor should omit 10 observe thai
the concession required from nations without colonies
oY wiat Mr. taunng terms reeIprocity r. great II; nro
portion 10 the gensrsi beraiiy OF their pelicv 4nd
The policy OF the United States in respect TO nsyipa,on
- mrs i''e'a' 'lah mat OF any other masme Power
hF tanungs assertion that the United States had RI
Jec'eo terms winch other nations had accented canno
he admitted. From other nation, we coocess;nn,
I required cquai TO those which demanded from
'hs on''eh states For our permitting this trade 10 be
carried on IN .fmeScan vessels the Droner
would, should seem, have BEEN t,at iner;c, sbori
permit the same trade to he carried on in British vesse
oit RECIPROCITY act required much more than this
anu Tor what required beyond this offered M e,u
Va'eh Ii claimed for British vessels freedom of
between our colonies and the United States: and for
'"s 1t ohsieo me proper equiv ent--heedom of The
same trace III 'liner'can ships. But it claimed more
over certain privileges The ports of The nod St,,e
Tor lie comfne%a and navigation Of the mother cnnn
! ny NOw The commerce and navigation Of Great Ri
tain, considered as distinct from or colones ,lro,d
ENJOY every privilege in the american norris vhch
@rea brltan herself grants to the commerce and navi
ehion OF the United States. Tie sole object here
tore OF cur pretended reciprocity. must have been 10
ooain farther privileges from the United States which
we ourselves do not grant TO that Power: or 10 retain
me privileges winch our commerce and navigation now
ENJOY although we should grant the correspon
diog privileges 10 that of the Uuited States
"Were we admitted, therefore, To the nr;oi,o,oo n,
The most favored nation, nerey IN return for orr 3D.
mn"og .amer'cam vessels to our coonses) we should
acquire 'h'' privilege without giving the equivalent
which the most favored nation has given for il,
"fhe reciprocity sen which we offered TO the United
STATES, was sham recprocity-a reciprocity only in
name ln'sead of requiring concessions from 9nerca
only equivalent TO those which we offered in renyn
we demanded privileges for vessels which we with,
ne'd from hefsr aud which, If ceased 10 withhold
by hor To-
stands OBTAIN for ourselves without dificutv The
navigation laws of the United States are pnnded nm
perfect reciprocity No naton which does not rnpose
restrictions on american vessels has any rerr,ctions
imposed upon IFS own. But Congress did not thnl, il
" reciprocity That our vessels should be relieved from
all resHictions while restTctPsns continued i'm tb;,
country on The shipping of 8rnercs orr Ministers did
IDS was me radical and incur able difference of onin,
ION winch DIR Canning hello TO be bevopd the power of
nesocIauon to remove. And certainly any minds which
we're capaoie OF for moment, entertaining such an
op'on As ,bat protested by our Ministers on The sub
Ject might DE very well presumed capable also hold
ing ,nst opinion in spite of any arguments which !,