Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1830-10-22

pas-sge OF An~fican Act he propo.-
ed the passage OF law by aCongress accepting thos-
terms. and that too ,ciho any explanation of this
ambiguity, and what u equally curious he suffered the
whole session OF Congress- aud the entire year to pa,
over, wi,'u taking the Very obvious .sp OF applying
to the B'itsb GovernmeYt tor that eSplanaton The
British See cary noticed this arrum OF MIR. Clay in
the following satcastic terms:
"Mr. Sa,lainvsry clsary Stat s. that the conditions
on which was Ia ended by the Ac' ,f Jelly 1925 to
open the colonial rs .e to the American vosels,
not distinctly undstN od in he Unit Sats; but what
was the Ircciss Uaur>o the Diff ulty exuernced in
constituting thos' conINOn'. thu und-r gned has mo-,
been able to collect; for, with regard the specific
doubts which Mr. Gallauo msn'ions attaching to The
meaning OF the act, these he seems to state rather
suggesting themselves to hs mind ON view # The
provisions o. the act, than the recorded grounds OF
the perplexiy by the Amercao Government OF Lee
gislature.
,uii exposition Of those doubs in fact given by
Mr. Gala in, IN hi note 10 Mr. Canning, of the 2Sh
December, 1926 and that exposition ia bv reference
embodied in the note now under considerations, Of the
4,h OF June in which lat note Mr. GELATIN observes,
that no explanation IN respect OF these doubts has
been given by hs NJ Aiesy's Government.
The portion OF the act to which ,h- remarks Of Mr.
Gallan apply, il the condition which the iuerco
with the Bhi'h colonies is opened to our countries,
possessing no colonies Of thei own namely, that they
shail place the commerce aud navigation of this
try, and OF s possessions abroad, upon the footing Of
the most favored nations.
Without aiming to admit or 20 deny, the ustics of
Mr. Galatin's criticism that clause, the uDdersign-
ed bears willing uihute 10 is force and ability; but
the question after al ia, whether the clause referred
to, threw such practical difficulty in the way of A.
merican legislation on The subject IA to account 70,
the to,ai insccn Of the Congress Of the Uaited State.
And to this question the last note of Mr.. Gallan
Chat IL the note OF the 18th OF Augus presents more
conclusive answer there appears that oswithstani
ing those xplained doubts the srican Govern
meDt has found difficulty in tend sring to the British
Government the passing OF certain specific
by Congress. as the condition contemplated by the act
OF July 1885, that's as the very condition which APP
peared 30 nexplicable.
Not only 70, but il is observed in that note, has
already been mentioned, that, had it not been Tor Mr..
CanniDg's de claraon 10 the contrary fleet, sthe Co
vernmen Of the United States would have had doub,
that upon the passage Of act OF Congress OF that
tenor, the nterdic, laid American Shipping, Under
the act OF Palianent, Of 1925, would be removed
matter Of course Ii unnecessary to remark that the
conditions which, under that at Of Parliament, the
interdict on American shipping would be revocabp,
are the very conditions which the makes foreign
shipping admissible he iti-h colonies; tie passage
consequently just cited from Mr.. GELATIN, she that
whatever doubts might attach to those conditions,
the principles OF severe construction, they seemed TO
the Government o. the U. States perfectly clear for
all practical purposes, as to be susceptible only OF
Interpretation.
Even admitting, however mp 70 any required extent.
the difficulty OF constituting that act, sii il
easy TO account for the naccn OF the American Legs
laure, and sIll less Tor tat Of the American Govern
ment. The Legislature might he uuabe TO determine
what was precisry meant by the condition OF placing
the shipping Of Grea, Britain aud her 40, DAD
on the footing Of The mot favored nation; but there
could be no donb that the con iitou in any
ton OF IT, could be fortified, 90 long the dis
eliminating duties rcmained unreps aled that the
abolition Of those duties was, essential term in he
condition; anu hat his term could be applied only by
an act OF Congress IT. however, IA. Legislature could
not thus proceed AT least the Government which must
have felt with it, had effec ud remedy for every
dlfhcu'y-that Of reference TO Gfeat Britain for eSpla
nation; ADD the undersigned IL resy at conceive
why the whole session of 1925, 90 suffered pass
away without any resort expedieut obvou. and
decisive.
The last reason offered by Mr. Clay is treated in the
same summary manner. The Foreign Secretary ex-
pressed his surprise hat NJ. CLAY could possibly have
Inferred any intention in The British Government to
exempt the United States rom the operation of the
friction contrary to HE elaborate provisions of
act OF Parliament and that such opinion should have
been entertained for months implicitly, although
ring all that period il received support confirma
ton OF any kind from 'hs Bdu-h Government, aud al
though i, was more than once 10 official communication
with the American government. sy dscounte-
nancej by the British Minister at Washineon."
Mr.. Cisy's only apology for nferrng th.t tie Unit
ed Sfstes were not ncu ed in bin regulating the in
tercourse OF the British Cyon-s with all foreign
tries is in the strange supposiin that he description
" countries not having colonial s,ions, did not
mean the United States When Mr. GSstin him.el
expressly adntted hat with the exception OF of
the German States, the terms OF the enactment apply
to no other maritime po,reT!'
After making all these excuses for NJ acceptance
OF ih' Birth of OF 1925, he nsructs Mr. Gallatn
to make the inquiry OF the Brii-h Government, whe-
Their in IN" event OF the passage by Congress at that
time (iS2D Of Iaw az was contemplated by the
British OF 1928, the British Government would re
woke their order in Council of July, 1926. The Offer
OF MIR. Galdtin IL in The following words, which we
FecOnfne MI 10 accurate attention o. those who OBJ
jec to General Jackson for having gained without hu-
initiation, the same terms asked for by Mr. Adams,
der snch Notifying circumstances, aud refused.
Under h at in preston the President of the Tn ted
States is willing to recommend Congress at iis next
session. i open rain the ports Of the United States
to Briih vessels coming from the British colonies al
lowing the entry, in the said ports OF Bri,ih vessel.
laden with such British produce, or produce of the
British colonies Ameicsn vessels ran lawfully i'm
port, wi hou paying any alien discminati duties
and payment only OF the anJ higher duties
Ou ia han,
under the circumstances payable by Ane
vessels cargoes; 2dly to aboI-h the restriction con-
taiRed in the act OF Congress of March, 1928. which
confines the trade to direct intercourse between the
British colonies aud tie United States
The effect OF ihis measure will be 10 leave Great
Britain in the exclusive possession OF the crcsitous
trade between the United Kingdom and the United
States through the British colonies the pro visions
in former OF thu American Government which had
been deemed Objectionable Ivy that law OF his Maje.ty
will thereby be rep aIed. The condition conte plated
be fulfilled Every obstacle, which had heretofore pre-
vented arrangement would if this were still subject
OF negotiation be removed"
To the inquiry Of Mr.. Galla'in, what would be the
course OF the B ish ministry II such law passed!
Lord Dudley replied hat the Briiisb government can
not propecvely commit itself 70 the adoption OF any
specific line ut conduct in the event OF such a law be
ing enacted"
After this detail Of facts. we AK how any man can
with any face complain of the which G.n Jackson
has obtained and yet profess to retain any respect Tor
Mr.. Clay. The whole affair mamsnsg ID most die.
credahy by hin, And lis late atterpp's to recover
ground and 20 remedy his own bunders sbew his own
consciousnets Of his early neglect The present adj
min'strstion, uorammeled by any responsibilities for