Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1828-09-23
SCLECTIOMS,
lFf0m Beirs Weekly Messenger IF Juy 27l
OF THE COMMERCIAL RELATIONS BE.
TWEEN GREAT BRITAIN AND TIL

very highes, Importance to the inter course between
Great Britain aud the United States OF America
ms trade Is the largest OF. all o,:r commercial
ueanSs, and has hitherto flowed IN u strong, stea-
! dy and prosperous channel The Americans, with
the same habits and feelings ourselves, hrve
natura! disposition towards British produce, anu
lectures, and art and are, therefore, largest
customers and consumers In favor Of this trade,
soon alter the termination OF the first with that
country, we repealed the third section OF the Ma
vigation Ac.-by which all the commodities of the
three great continents Of Asia, Africa and Ameri-
ca, were prohibited, unless brought direct from
those countries i'll British built sbippings The
poley oi this repeal of the iidSnd ChGTtd OF
maritime rights, was founded on the necessity OF
dealing upon terms Of reciprocity with infant
state, soon likely to become most valuable and
increasing consumer OF our produce; and after the
| peace OF 1878, the same treaty OF commerce
offered by the British government, and accepted
by the Americans. The iirs; invention OF COM
nerce was stipulated to endure for four years
~. Ii was before its expiration, renewed for ten
years from 1873, and il will expire in October of
the current wear.
| fhe principle oithe convention was that all ar
hcies OF trade or manufactures, should be
ceyed IN either country on the payment OF duties
! as low as were paid on the same articles by any
other country, and that there should he no dis
eliminating duty with respect TO the ships in which
.they were imported. Here, again, the third Sec
ton OF the Navigation Act was repealed. The
policy OF the United States was at FIRST sound and
| wise, and they laid on such duties only were
suhcient TO provide for the exigcnces OF the state
The duties or our hardware and cotton goods were
lequaily low, not exceeding .ei5 per cent In
/ 1923, whist the convention was still binding
iboth countries, the Americans, strange 10 say, a
sdoped a change in their tariff, imposing much
shigher duties or those articles which they cons-
sdered the great staples OF our manufacture. Hard
sware was taxed 30 aud 90 per cent. cotton about
the same; and, as ifto give proof of their inten
ton deliberately to violate the existing conven-
lion, they raised the duty rolled iron one half
ibigher than that on hammered iron, thus taxing
even our Improvement Oh machinery: Upon
Itnonstance from this country, the Executive Gov
sernment admitted, much 10 its credit that such
increase OF duty ought 10 be imposed; that Il was
scontrary to good faith and Of hostile character
subsequently,, an attempt made 10 induce US
tagan TO enter into commercial convention for
tanoiher term Of ten years. In the course of the
,dscusslon our ministers took two objections To the
RENEWAL. The first, that as the Congress had Ia
hen ths with the iron, there was nothing to
prevent them from doing the same with the other
articles OF our exports To The United States for in
stance, cotton gocds-that, il. fact, IL al all admit
ted. the principle would 20 10 deprive us--a great
Misunderstanding country-ei all the benefit OF our
improvements IN machinery. The second obec-
ton was, that the scale OF duties on other articles
had been attempted 80 be increased IN IS2l in
1925, and 1926, and lost only by the casting vote
.oi the President. We therefore proposed tlla, the
spares should, III a new conventions not be bound
10 term Oh years, but conclude convention dc
;terinlnabie a! any period, prov ded twelve months
Ewere given by either party. This convention
leaving The two countries comparatively unfeuercd,
was concluded last August. Whilst iron, cotton s.
hardware, wcre rendered liable 10 duties which al
most amounted 10 prohibition, being tie staples
ct this country, the productions OF other countries
were IN the same proportion lowered, evidently
showing intention to wound and injure, if not
altogether ruin, the extensive trade carving on
by this country 10 articles OF its manufacture
81 length, to fall up the measure OF commercial
lIa.t. md to
spleen and malignity, forth came the late laws
passed by the United States, which Is in effect
law prohibiting the intrOdueon OF our nanutac-
tures,ii SIC imposition Of duties nearly cent per
ce.iu'n, can be deemed regulation ot ;fat csscip
ion.
The American tariff, in all reasonable cous;ruc-
ton OF IT, aims at exclusion, aud not at revenue
/. and is directly pointed against the trade aud
commerce OF this country. Its object is to shut
out our cottOns, woollens and hardware and 10
nurse up by this prohibitory system, the sckly ia.
brcs OF their own country.
. That America has a right 10 pursue this policy
! 40 man can doubt. Every independent nation has
! right TO say upon wha, terms she will deal with
another. But then an important question occurs:
has not England her rights and her duties like
wise? Shall we submit to these restrictions on
| our own commerce, our own staples and manu-
! lectures, and not retalate upon the raw produce
which we import from the. tnited States? Shall
we let American cotton come in almost free, and
have staple manufactures excluded by inoTdi-
| nate and unequal duties? Shall permit Amcri.
! vessels 90 come with their oargoes OF native
growth into British ports and return in ballast
| because our own manufactures are shut out liy
/ this hostile tariff? We think Government should
/ promptly meet these restrictive measures by cor
responding regulations at home. Ii we were not
/ IN a condition to assert our rights, there was at
once an end Of all equaiY nor could we account
satisfactorily 20 other Countries, with whom we
still allowed 10 trade on fair terius oil fecipro
city, Tor tiS tame endurance OF injustice aud fd,-
corOus spleen Neither Is is consistent with de
/ dignity OF great commercial nation like ihs, TO
/ ST ~ apathy, and Affect not 20 feel the impcd-
menis thrown IN the way OF is commerce. II we
we're to take raw materials for cur manufactures
/ from the United States, SIC certainly should en-
sure Tor our articles, when manufactured from
those materials, equally favourable reception
- they experience ia other countries, not deri-
wing in tgrn such considerable iniercCnfnerciaI
advantages Whilst we were dependent on that
country for The raw material. were they 20 be
encouraged and aided in their determination to be
heBceiorth independents four manufactured goods
Of which they had till now required so large sup
/ Ply The manly course Is surely this--trade on
equal terms or not at ala system of commercial
hostility is always to be regretted but self defence
is as much Tie law OF commerce as of those who
carry it Oh. This appears 10 us to be the proper
language TO tsn To America
There are two descriptions of articles imported
into ibis country OF the first class, such as to-
bacco, rice and turpentine, we speak as of articles
which afc not essential to our commerce for mann
lecturers, and are mere articles OF cOusumption |
Every man must be satisfied that we could soon be-
abundaniiy supplied wiiiI tobacco from The East
Indies by wise and prudent bouniies held out to in
lduce its improved cultivation. The rice OF India
would soon (indecdt was already doing SOY usurp
ilt place in our list Of imports which that oil Cafo
lima had done In Other articles the same change
would soon tc observed. With reference TO that
7 81. L..