Delaware journal. [volume] (Wilmington [Del.]) 1827-1832, 1829-04-07

4 ren
h;ch h,rs , snonisb origin in whose behalf Mexico m
sists pon being allowed to grant commences. iaVors wc
she may refuse the United States VI the view wo
entertain Of such an exception you WI. DC a'e ~ V
sess Yourselves by perusn5 despatch from s once ~
Mr. ,onsett under date the 9th day OF November 1873
copy of which herewith, lie has been Instructed 10
break Of the negotiations, if contrary 70 cxpec'aon' ue
Mexican Government should persist in tue eXceplioh
what renders it more extraordinary IS, that, whilst they
that there has bean something IKE slch an uaer
standing between the Republics, no such exception
was insisted upon by either Colombia or the Cena ~
nuh,;c II was not even mentioned during the late neBo-
tiaon here, which terminated IN the treaty WIN inc ltef
power Whether it advered to or not IN tha Whch
was conducted by Mr. Anderson with Colombia, he VIII re.
collect. We can consent TO no such exception you VIII
resist it in every FORM il be brought forwards ana you VIII
subscribe to treaty which shall admit IT. we are NOT
yet informed whether Mexico has abandoned t'c excepuo
and concluded with Mr. ponsett commercial treaty. or
has perseyered in it, and broken of the negotiation Inc
basis of the favored nation leaves the party who treats
on ttree 10 prohibit what foreign poduce aud manufactures
he plcase and impose such may be admitted INTO
his ports any duties which his policy or his interests may
require The principle only enjoins importantly as to the
foreign powers whom it is applied, and consequently
tina, his prohibitions and his Duties wateverth may be-
shall eo,uly extend to the produce and manufactures OF
all of them If nation has already cont acted engage
with another power by which II has granted CONNER
cia iavors, iconvenient injurious to Aelf 1t may be
contrary its interests to extend these same faSoro TO
other nations But the United States have made no such
mprovident concessions to any particular foreign power
nor any of the other American States as lar as We
know The and the theatre, therefore, are proptI
for the adoption ct broad and liberal commercial
principle which dispensing equal favors to ALL deprtes
every one OF any Just cause OF complaint
Q. To the other leading principle which has been
stated that of allowing the importation into or the
expectation from, the ports ofany American nation IN
the vessels of every other, OF all produce and man
uiactures, the introduction or expectation OF which
is admitted by law, both the native and the foreign
vessel and the cargo paying the same duties and
c,a and p,thp fhn PrpsiH ppt chpSth thu
greatest importance. You will press it, in your
conferences, with an earncstness and zeal proper
tonate to its high value, y to the lberaty in which
it is conceived Its reciprocity is perfect and, when
it comes to be adopted by all nations, we can scarce
y see any thing beyond it in the way OF improve
ment to the freedom and interests of their mutual
navigation. The devices of maritime nations have
been various to augment their marine, at the cx-
pense Of other powers. When there has been q pas
sve acquesccnce in the operation Of those devices,
without any resort to countervallIng their
success has been sometimes very great. But nations
too enlightened to submit quietly to the sell
fish Efforts OF any power tn engross, by its own
separate Legislation. disprOpOronate share Of nav
lgatiOn in their mutual intercourse. Those Efforts |
are now met by opposite efforts restriction begets
restrictions until the discovery is at last made, ai
ter long train of veyarnus and irritating acts and
manteuvres on both SIDES, that the course OF selfish
legislation ultimately does not effect the distribution
of maritime power, whilst it is attended with the
certain evil OF putting natlons into an i'll humDur /
with each other Experience at last teaches that.
in every view, it better to begin ard 10 continue
in the career OF berality. than IN that Of narrow
AMI restricted policy, since the most that can be
sad against the former, is. that it only conducts to
the same end. without, huwevrr. the unpleasant in |
cidents to which the other finally but inevitably
leads. There is a simplicity in tn" principle OF re-
cprocal liberty OF navigation, which conicrs on
1t strong recommendation. 1t renders unneccs
sary all difficult and vexaous scrutiny into the or
igin of the contents D a myed cargo. 1t dispenses
with all penalties and mrtritureS, denounced for
what is often both an ignorant and innocent viola
ton OF Custom House Law, in the introduction, |
perhaps, Of single intertcrd article of small val
lie, which is made. by arbitrary regulation, to faint
the whole cargo Of immense value. 1t sets UP a |
rule at once plain and Ineligible. 1t refers the
foreigner, for what he may lawfully do, to an Oh |
servatiou of that which the native actually does. 1t
opens every American port to every American YES
se on the equal terms. no matter in what dis
ant sea her enter rise mag have sought and earned
the riches with which she is laden. This principle
of reciprocal freedom of navigation like that OF the
most favored nation leaves every State which aopts
it, at liberty to impose such tonnage duties as lis |
necessities policy may dictate. 1t only holds out
that whatever may be imposed shall extend alike to
the national and the foreign vessel, and also that
the cargo, whether of import ion or expectation,
shall be charged with the same duties whoever may
be the proprietor. in whatever vessel It may be
laden. Perhaps it may be proposed to agree to the
imposition of precisely the same rate of duties ON
vessel and cargo, in all the ports Of the American
nations. But that would be inadmisslble. 1t would
subject each State to announcement restrictions, on
its power of taxation, instead Of leaving it free, as
is best for each, consult the circumstances of its
own peculiar position, its habits its constitution of
government, and the most fitting Of revenue
for itself AS to the foreigner, he has no pretext
for complaint when the same measure is applied to
him and the native
1t may, perhaps, be objected, that the marine
the other American nations is yet in its infancy
that ours has made great advances and that they