Martinsburg gazette and public advertiser. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1826-1833, 1829-01-15

.,SnSpeiJ VI thelr Colonial
trade, with all the rigof aad con.,oa a,a,
which circumstances permit Bpt !, /.
also known that whenever and tro.
whatever cause, il has been fond
cessary or expedient 10 open tbe;r 60
lonial ports TO a foreign trade. The ri.
of reciprocity in favor of the fors;1n
party, was not refused, nor, as believes
right to refuse it pretended.
1t cannot be said that the rec;nroc;sx
was dictated BY deficiency of ,bs
commercial marine France, at least
could not be, in every instance govern
ed by that consideration--an Holland
still less: to say nothing of the nayioa,
ting states OF Sweden and Denmark.
which have rarely, if ever. enforced :
colonial monopoly. The remark il
indeed, obvious, that the supplies from
the parent country to the coionie. MIGHT
be employed in the new channels open-
ed for them, in supplies from abroad.
Reciprocity, or an equivalent for it, in
the only rule OF our intercourse among
independent communities; and no ma.
ton ought 20 admit doctrine, or adont
an inVariahle policy, which would pre-
clude the counteracting measures ne.
cessary TO enforce the rule.
2. The theory supposes more over. a
perpetual peace; suppcsition, it is to
be feared. not less chmeficsi than u.
UNIVERSAL freedom of commerce.
The effect of war among the com.
mercial ant manufacturing nations Of
the world, ia raising the wage. ofiabour.
and the cost Of its products; with like
effect on the charges of freight and in.
surance, needs aeither proof Tor expla-
nation. In order to determine, therefore.
question of economy, between de.
pending on foreign supplies and encou.
raging domestic substitutes, it is neces.
sary to compare the probable periods of
peace; and the cost added to foreign
articles in times ofwar.
During the last century, the periods
Of war and peace AVE been nearly e.
quail. The effect of state of war in
raising the price of imported articles
cannot be estimated with exactness.--
1t is certain, however, that the increased
price of particular articles may make
1t cheaper TO manufacture them at
home.
Taking, for the sake Of Illustration,
an equality in the periods, and the cost
of an imported yard of cloth in time Of
war 10 be nine an d alfdollass, and in
time Of peace to be sevendollars, hilst
the same could at ali times be manufac-
tured at tome for eight dollars, it is evil
dent that tariff of one dollar s. aquaY-
ter 90 the imported yard would tproteoe
the home manufec ture inTtime of.peaca.
and avoid tax OF one dollar and a4haK
supposed by = state OF war.
II cannot be said that'Ghesgnansifact0 .
ries which ccoid not support themselves
against fors ign competition IN fperiods
of peace, would spring up Of themselves
at the recurrence of war prices Il
e1ust be obvious TO every one, that a.
part from .he difficulty of great and
sudden changes Of employment, DO pru.
dent capitalists would engage in expen-
ave establishments of any sort, at the
unmencec,ent ofa war Of uncertain
duration, with certainty of having
them crushed by The return of pesce.
The strictest economy therefore sug.
gests as exceptions TO the general rule,
an estimate, il every given case, of
and peace, periods and prices with infer
ences thereirom. of the amount of a
tariff which might be Afforded during
peace in order to avoid the tax result.
ing from war And il will occur at once.
that the inference will be stronghold by
adding 10 supposition Of wars wholly
foreign, that Of wars in which our own
country might be a party.
s It is en- opinion in which all must
agree, that nation ought to be necessari-
ly dependent on others for tbe munitions
of public defence, or for the materials
essential to snaval force, where the ma
ton has a maritime frontier or for
eign commerce to protect To this class
of exceptions TO the theory may be ADD,
ed the instruments of agriculture, ala
of the mechanic arts which supply the
other primary wants OF the community.
The time has been, when many OF these
were derived from foreign source, ana
some of them might relapse into tbas
dependence, were the encouragement
TO the fabric alton of them at home Wild
drawn. But. as al foreign sources
must be liable to Interruptions too ID.