Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1832-05-18
MIR. sPRAGUE'S SPEECH.
.CoNCLUpEu.l

IL. SPRhO L. - SFEESH
CoSCLupEu.
Having considered the power, which our rival
possesses to control the exports in the Colonial
Trade. L will now examine 1t as to the imports;
and first, Of
West India Produce.
The British have the power, by having expor,
duties the islands and varying them at pleasure 10
give such direction to the transmission of their
productions as experience of their interests may
dictate. They may erect iusupcrablc bar
ricr of such duties i'll the direct trade to the II
States, III which alone our vessels participates
and leave il free and unob sruccd in British vessels
ny tho circuitous route of the Northern Provinces
for IT is to be kept i'll remembrance, that an Amcri
can bottom is not permitted to carry their produces
from colony TO colony. Such export duties have
heretofore existed III some of the colonies. 'rhi,
right was formerly refused to G. Britain hy the adj
miniStraton of MIR. Monroe; and the acts OF 1870 s.
lS23 guarded against it. by requiring inpor,ations
of colonial produce to be direct from the leland of
which it WAS the growth
Plaster Of Paris.
Tho trade in this article has been Of much import
oncc to Maine. 1t is dug from the earth in the pro-
vinccS, and from 100000 TO $50 900 tons are ANN
ally Imported into the L. S., giving employment to =
largo amount oftonnagc, which we have heretofore
enjoyed almost exclusively, but which, under this
raTemcnt, the British can, at their option entirely
monopollzc. The ccntrivance by which this il to
be accomplished is simple, but ctIcctuul. To give
a show OF reciprocity our vessels are admitted
into the Provinces; but then they are restricted To
what arc called free ports, such Halifax, ST.
Johns, and ST. Andrews; while British vessels are
subject to no such limitations but arc at liberty tn
go TO all others The p!a at which the plaster
is dug are not at the free ports, and their vessels
may take 1t from the quarrics and transport it to
any part OF the United States; WHILE to reach our
vessels 1T must first he carried to the free ports =,
an expense OF IJt" 100 the ton, and there unladcn
and rcshipped. Let me illustrate this. We have
~ h'!l"wci in Maine, near the village where |
nave tho happiness TO reside, Quarrics of the finest
wOrll-hcautitiil
enduring granite. Suppose, Sir, what furtu-
n'eiy is not true-but imagine that tie Provinces
were our only market, tho United States is for
their plaster; and that, give the British color
OF equality IN the transportation, we should saw
your vessels may take this granite, but YOU Shall
not 20 to Ilollowcll-you shall not enter tho Kennc
nee klvcr Y on must seek for it at Portsmouth,
Portland or WiscarSc, while we will take it direct
l" any anu all your ports. Would Il British vessel
ever transport sing lie cIrgo7 Yet such is the adj
vantage which We have conceded To them, as to
gypsum, An article of which the freight exceeds tho
original value AT the quarries which indeed would
nc utterly worthless, il we did not become the pur
chascrs, and which they have, therefore, at former
periods, permitted TO be transported wholly i'm A
mercan vessels.
The same remarks are applicable in suhsf,pco
10 Tie trade IN ErindStoncs.
such Is the power which this Arrangement con-
ccdcs TO Britain, i'll the expectation to her colonies
OF American and torei gn goods, and the mpDriatou
oil west India and provincial prolmce Ii is full
HOW lar She may carry tic exercise of it. will
depend upon our endurance She will stretch tho
co'd until there Is danger of disruption So lonu
as we acquesce, she vii! continue To advance: and
therefore, now raise my voice against it. This
| very discussion may arrest her progress or at
| least, cause her to pause. She has already begun
10 use the lever which put into her hands and
its effects
In all competition with foreign navigation upon
equal terms, II ~ known that our republican indus
Try, economy, Skill, and enterprise, have given us
decisive superiority In the direct trade with
Great Britain, VIC have had more than four ftI,s
OF tho transportation, and still greater proportion
Ill our comnorcs with other nation7. | hold in
my hand 4 most instructive document which
have prepared, to exhibit the proportion of Ameri
cam British and foreign tonnage. in our internal
trade, from the years 1889 to 1880, Inclusive: bv
"hicn may be seen, at glance, as at a thcrmomc
ter, the elevation and depression of our navgo
tion and Inc effects of the compa adrapt, cs
which II enjoyed. In the most disastrous ncriod
at the commencement of the Government. durino
Inc late war, and subsequently while the English
were enjoying the fruits of the triangular yoyare
the proportion of foreign 10 domestic tonnage ne
yer exceeded 455 of the former to 100 of the lat
teri g. less than 46 per cent; while in our pros
pcrity, 1t was frequently less than 10 per cent I'm
our W. India trade the disproportion has been still
greater, tor the obvious reasons of our yicinoqo
the remotencss of the parent countries g. the inon
I'titndc OF such population US that of the islands
to traVcrsing the ocean.
Statement |. showing the American and Forcio,
tonnage engaged in the trade with certain West
India Islands, and the British American Cola
mes, from ie2l to 1880, both inclusive, with tin,
proportion that the Foreign bears to the Amer
can: