Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-03-27
PANAMA DOCUMENTS.
NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS. az.
(CoNrINUru.)

y
endeavoring tofx some gennral principles of inter
course. applicable to ali the powers III America, for
the mutual reguuton oi tcir aud na,iga-
ton. The United States, from the origin ofthc pre-
sent war, have, on M proper occasions, uniformly
proclaimed that they entertained no desire to procure
Tor themselves, from any of the new powers peculiar
commercial advantages. they continue to adhere TO
this dlSinteresed doctrine. Aou will state Ii, your
conferences that. tey have sought in treating
With the American Satcs, separately, neither viii
they seek, i'll loint negotiations with them, for any
privileges which iot equally extended cry
uitlein. Indeed they prepared tlcpiscfees, TO
extend To the powers ri Europe the same liberal
principles of copmerci; Intercourse aud n;vinetion
on which tlie United Stats ready TO treat Tue
PRESIDENT hoics That you ai meet with cUrrcspon-
ding dispositions in the other American States; and
that you will have difficulty in obtaining their rca
dy concurrence TO the equitable bases ofpercc equal
ity and reciprocity, which you are hereby empowered
at once to propose for the commerce. and navigation
between all The Amurcali nuiions. The whole of
What Is very material 20 their commerce and nayi-
CATION may be comprised under two general prinr-
pies, both otwhich ua:ILed these bases. The
first Is that no American nation shall grant any ia
vcS In commerce navigation any foreign power
whatever, either upon ~ his any other continent,
which shall not extend to every other American na.
ton. And, 2dly. That whatever may be imported
from any foreign country into any American ma
ton, OF exported from it, in It's vessels may,
like manner, be imported into exported from the
same nation, i'll the vessels Of every other American
nation the vessel, whether national foreign, and
same duties and charges, and no more.
Tie first of those two print ip!es is sronglyrn-
commended to al Nations, by considerations poll
cy well justice, that il ii connai at least in
the abstract, the assent Of mas. it is
nonnced. Nations equal, common members of
an universal family. Why should there be any inc
quality between them. thcir commercial inter-
course. Why should@ grant iavcys 10 an
other. which it withioids from third? Al such
partial faNors Liable TO excite jcapuscs and, in
the end counterbaanced Or punished by The in
jurcd Powers The principle now proposed does not
preclude those particular arrangements which are
founded upon real and just equivalents. independent
OF more commercial rec rocity, by which certain ad-
vanagcs are grapted to particular Power but it is
wiser even to avoid these much possible. If
tie principle be correct in its universal appca .ion it
must be allowed To be particularly adapted TO the
condition and circumstances of the American Pow
crs. The Unl;cI States have had no difficulty IN
treating, on that prncipc, with the Republics Of Co
ionlbla and Central America, aud it is accordingly
inserted in the treaties which have been made with
both those powers. Other OF the American nations
arc believed to have disposition to adopt it. The
United Mexican States alone have opposed II, and in
Their negotiations with have Aroue forWurd the
nadnlIssiGie exception, fru its operatio of those
American States which have Spanish ORIGIN in
whose behalf Mexico insists upon being allowed! 10
grant coiiicsc!a t1Ycrs winch she ,aGy refuse 10 the
United States. CSto -:c- I,,s;c r.o entertain OF
isuch exception, you will he able to possess YOUR
Iselves by perusng despatch from this Office to Mr.
Poinsett. under date the 9th day OF November 1926
copy OF Wnicn IS herewith 1t q has been
ted to break of the negotiations, if contrary to ex-
p ectation, the Mexican Observation-Disclosures persist in
the exception. What renders it more extraordinary
IS that whist they pretend hat there has bec some
thing like slch an UNDERMINING between the new
republics, no such exception was Insisted upon by
either Colombia or tac Cen r.l RcTu &c. IL was not
even mentioned during the late negotiation here
which terminated in the treaty with t!s latter power
Whether 1t was advertcd TO not, III that which
vas conducted by Mr.. Anderson with Colombia he
Will rccollcct. We can consent to 10 such cxcop-
ton You will resist it i'll every iornl ii it be brot
forward, and you will subscribe to 10 trcutv which
shall admit 1t. We are not yet informed whether
Mexico has abandoned the exceptions and concluded
with Mr. Ponsett commercial treaty, or has perse-
Ycred in it, and broken OF the negotiation. The ba-
sis of the most favored nation, leaves the partv who
treats It, free prohibit what foreign produce and
manufactures he pGasos. and to impose on such as
may bea Omitted into his ports any duties which his
policy or his interests may require. The principle
only enlos nlpartiaty, 10 the oreir1i Powers 70
whom it is applied and consequently that his prohi
billions an, his duties, whatever they may be- shall
equally extend to the produce and manufactures or
all OF them. fla nation has already contracted en-
gagements with another Power, by viii II it las rrar-
ted commercial tavors, Inconvenent or uilrro1s 70
itself, 1t may be coatary 10 It's interests 10 extend
these same iavorS to other Nations But the United
states nave made no such nprovidcnt concessions 10
any particular foreign Power, nor have INV of the
other American States, as far as we know The.
time and the theatre therefore, prop tious for tho
adoption Of broad and liberal commercial pripcipl.
Which, by dispensing equal favor to ALL deprves eve
~ one ofany Just cause of complaint.
?. To the other leading principle which has boon
stated, that OF allowing tire importation into or the
expectation from the ports OF any American nation
in the vessels of every other, Of all produce and
manufactures, the introduction or expectation OF
which is admitted by law, Doth tie native and the
ioTegn vessel, ard tine cargo pavinr the Same
duties md charges, and other, tie President
attaches the greatest Importance. You will press
1t IN your conferences with an cIrncstncss and
zeal proportionatc 10 lis high value, and TO The
!iberaLty IN which 1t is conceived. Its reciprocity
is perfect; and when it comes to be a,onied Inv al
natons we can scare sy see any thing beyond i, In
the way OF Improvement, to the freedom and in, cr-
csts OF their mutual nsvigat ton. The devices Of ina
RUNE hatops have ooea various TO augment their
marine, at the expense Of other povers. yVLsn
there mas been passive ocdIiesconcs in the opera
ton OF those devices, without any resort 20 counter
Vaing regulation, their has sometimes been
very great. But nations now too enllrhccned ia