The Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1822-1829, 1829-01-01
LETTER II.
.Ios. ckBKLL, Esq.

LETTER II.
Monipeltc,. Oct. 30. iS5s.
/ DIAN SIP IN my letle, Of September 18Th
| stated briefly the e. ouudS on which rested
my opinion IA a power 20 impose duties and
restrictions OH imports, with view TO encour
age domestic productions, was consinuiionally
lodged III Congress Ia the observations then
made. was involved the opinion, also, that the
mower vas properly there lodged. As this lasl
/ opinion necessarily implies that there are Case.
in winch the power may be usefuy exercised
by Congress the only body within our potica
system capable of exercising it with effect. you
may think IT incumbent on me to point out ca
ses ol that description
! Twill premise that concur in the opinion.
that as general rule, individuals ought 10 be
deemed the best Judges VI the best application
of their industry aud resources
/ am ready TO admit, also, here is no coun-
try in which the application may, With
more safety, be len to the intelligence aud
enterprise of individuals. than the United
States.
Finally, shaIl not deny, that, ia all doubtful
case. II becomes every Government to lean RAJ
ther TO = confdence IN the judgment Of indiyii-
uals, than 10 interpretations conuollinr the Tree
exercise Of II.
With all these concessions, ink il can be
satisfactorily shown that there D,e exceptions
10 the general rule, now expressed by the phrase
i" Lei us alone, forming cases which call for
interpretations VI the competent authority, and
which are not inconsistent with tho generality
of III: rue.
l. The Theory OF &" Let uS alone snpposes
that all nations concur In perfect freedom ct
commercial Intercourse. Were 'hs the cast,
they would, in commercial view, be Tut one
Al. al.
sing particular nation sod the Theory would
be as applicable to tie former as the latter.
But Ills 'iden age of free trade hrs not yet ar
rived nor IS there a single nation that has set
the example No nation can, indeed safely do
go, until reciprocity, at least, be en7uted 10 il.
Take for proof, the familiar cas- Of the nayi.
gAtion, adm riu, to the rule OF never nterpo-
sing coanieryaiins protection of its vessels,
admits foreign vessels into its Ports free Of duty,
whilst It's own vessels are subject to duty in
foreign poris she ruinous effect is 20 obvious,
that the warmeSi ajvucatesior the Theory la
question must shrink from HniueJSdt spplca
lion OF IT,
A nation leaving its fereisn.irsde, in all cases
To regul ate Itself nigai soon Gmd il regulated
by other nations, inIo SubseTviency to for.
eisn interest. In tina interval between the
peace of 1888 and the establishment of the pre-
sent Constitution OF the Onited States, the want
OF general authority to regulate trade IS
knowu To have had this consequence. And haze
noi the prrtensiOns ami policy iatterly exhibited
by Great Britain given warning OF a like result
from renuncia alton of all countervSiling regula-
tio.is on he part Of the Omitted States Were
she permitted by conlerrng on certain portions
of her dominion ,ae name o. Colonies. 10 opea
from these a II ale for herself to foreign cou,
f4t nd 10, La. 10 At
rocai trade to such Colonies, by foreign coun.
tries, lie use 10 be made Of the monopoly need
mol be traced H. character will be placed in a
US, relief, by supposnS that one the Colonial
Islands, instead of its present distance, ha pen.
ed 10 be IA ihr yicinI!y OF Great Britain that
ons OF the Islands Ia thai y,cinly should receive
the name and be regarded il the Iign' Of Colo
ny, with the peculiar privileges claimed for COL
onies. Is Il not nan lest, that, IN this case, the
favored Island might be made lha sole med nm !
OF the COMMERCIAL intercourse wlth foreign ma. !
ions and the aren't country thence njoy eve /
~ essential advantage, as 10 the terms off
il, which would how from an unrecprocal I
trade from her other pcris, with other ma
lions
Fortunately the British claims, however spe-
cIously coorcd or adrony managed, were re-
PEELED at the commencement Of our commercial |
career as an Independent People, aud at success
SiVe epochs under the existing Constitution.
both in legisla ne discussions aud 10 diplomatic |
negotiations. The claims were repealed Oh the
solid sr und that the Colonial trade, a4 a right
iul monopoly, was limited to the Intercourse be-
tween the parent country and its colonies, and
between one colony and Inolher tire whole b.,
lns, strictly, ~ the nature of a coasting trade
trom one TO another port u the same nation
uade with which no other nation has n |
right interfere. II follows, of necessity that the
parSnt country whenever Il opens Colonial !
port Tor n direct trade 10 foteiEn country 10
the same reciprocity IN every respect az la
It's Intercourse with any o.her ports of the ma
ton.
1hls is common sense and common rieht -
Il IS still more, if more could he required. Ii IS |
III conformity with the established USAGE OF all |
nations, other than Great Britain, which have |
colonies. Sum" OF those nations are known 10 |
adhere 10 the monopoly OF their colonial trade, |
Win all The r'gor aud consistency which circum-
s'ances permit But it is also known. that.
whenever. and from whatever cause. il has been
found necessary or expedent TO open their colo.
nla ports to foreign trade, the rule of recipro-
city IN favor OF The foreign party was no, refu.
5ed, nor, MS is believed, a cht to refuse il pre-.
tended.
IL cannot be said that the reciprocity was die.
tated by deficiency of the CONNIE, cial marine
France, at least, could not be, in every instance,
governed by that consideration Holland
stl less, TO say nothing OF the navigation states
OF sweden anu Denmark which have rarely, If
eser, enforced n colonial monopoly. The remark
Is, indeed, vious that the Stamping liberated
from the usual conveyance Of supplies from the
parent country TO the colonies mig be employ,
ell IN The ne" channels opened for them, in sup
plies from abroad
RECIPROCITY, or an equivalent for il, is the o.
RUE OF intercourse among independent COM
muniles and no nation ous h, to admit doc.
'r'ne' or adopt an lnNaria6le policy, hich would
preclude tue counteracting measures necessary
TO enforce the rule.
<, Inc theory snpposes, moreover, a perpe
"""' l,eaee supposltion, It is to be feared, not
less Numerical than a universal freedom ofco,,,.
merce.
Inc effect of war among the commercial and
manufacturing, nations oil the world. in RAISING
h. 4