The Massachusetts spy, and Worcester County advertiser. [volume] ([Worcester, Mass.]) 1825-1831, 1830-05-19

single instance will serve to illustrate its eff
fects in a hundred other cases; and will ask the
attention of the House to only one branch of COM
merce-the sugar trade. The sugar of Louisiana
is now protected by duty of three cents per pound
upon the imported article, which is more than
duty of 90 per cent. ad coiOrem. The prosperity
OF that State depends, in great measure, upon
gar planting. Now, we bring sugar from Cuba and
Others of the West India islands, from South Ameri-
ca, particularly from Brazil and from the East In
dies, places wholly Independent of each other
Should this bill pass into law, some one of these
countries, Brazil probably, land | believe Brazil
alonel would accept our offer of reciprocating du
ties, and what would be the consequence The
sugar OF Brazil, which costs but or cents per
pound, would come here charged only with duty
OF 80 per cent ad valorem, equal to duty varying
from cent to cent and half, less than half the
present duty. There can be no doubt. them that
IN very short time, the importer of that article
would drive the Louisiana planter from his own
market. The ruinous effects to that State are OBJ
vlous. Her prosperity is destroyed at blow. Nor
is this all Brazil will probably agree to this scheme
out Cuba and Porto Rico, being dependencies of
Spain, could not. The places in the East Indies
from which we bring sugar. from the peculiarly of
their political condition. could not or would not
adopt it. And thus, the high duty of three cents on
sugar frem these places, is virtually prohibition of
trading with them; and our trade at present with
Cuba, as every one knows, and particularly in
gar, is one of the most iourshing and important
branches of our commerce. Frauds, too, of q diff
ferent character from those l have mentioned
would be resorted to. England and France would
not indeed, cannot reciprocate this rule. But
they would be very DESTROYS that should adopt
It with other nations, because they could, through
those nations, derive every advantage from it,
without yielding us any equivalent in return.
all the Hanseatic towns Sweden and Denmark
and perhaps Holland-some, if not all these, would
agree with us. The course of things would then
be, that British and French goods would be shipped
to those places; and either there or at home, so
marked and packed that they might be imported
into the United States as Dutch Swedish or Danish
goods, at the reduceddu duty. And thus, France and
England, holding firmly to their restrictive system
towards u.s. would enjoy, through other nations, all
the advantages of total relaxation. of system
towards them.
But Sir. said Mr.. G., I must close. Many other
evils might be pointed out and will be readily per-
ceived by any one at all acquainted with COM
merce, and, indeed, there must be many more than
perhaps the most experienced merchant can FORE
see The measure, if adopted, is radical change
In eur revenue system, and all our commercial re-
lahons, and cannot but be followed by the most
perncious consequences. The bill is strangely en-
titled, bill to amend the navigation laws of the
United States" yet makes no reference to any one
OF those laws, and contains not one word about
either ships, vessels or navigation. 1t should be
entitled bill to encourage frauds and periuries
disturb the revenue and embarrass and restrict the
commerce of the United States" Mr.. G. conclud-
ed by saying, that he had been surprised into this
debate. and he threw out these few remarks, the
suggestions of the moment, to shOw'the impolicy
and rulnous tendency of the measure.