Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-08-19
From The Boston Atlas.
OUR TRADE WITH TIE BRITISH PROV
INCEs-vAN BUREN's INSTRUCTIONS.

tcroSting view OF the operation VI '"c "cot
India commercial arrangement made by
Mr. McLane under Mr. Van Buren's instruc
tons. II may not be irrelevant TO the sub
iect TO rccapltulate some Of the circumstan-
ces connected with this transaction, so
utterly disgracefu to the administration by
which it was effected, and so disadvan'a-
reous to the country at large. II was long
The policy Of the United States to establish,
in her commercial relations with foreign
States, the principle of entire reciprocity.
To this end, we have offered by our act
of Congress, that, if any nation Will admit
our vessels into her ports without dlscrm-
mating duties. we will, forthwith, admit
her vessels upon the like terms. Several
nations have acceded to this offer, and the
principle has been Incorporated into several
treaties.
England refused to agree to terms so
equal, until, in the year 1915, she was for
ccd to adopt lhem Mr.. Huskinson, her
minister, observing, that, "aiter a long
struggle to counteract the navigation sys-
tenn of America, without, in any degree,
relaxing our own, Great Britain found it
necessary to adopt the system Of reciproci
ty." But she expressly excepted her West
lDula IsIaIuS lIO'n tile ope'dt'oii VI tnls
principle; long varying her contrvances,
with the sole view Of keeping the trade in
the hands of British ship owners.
Many fruilless attempts at negotiation
were made. III 1917, the British wished
to give the trade circuitous direction,
through their northern provinces or the
island Of Bermuda, in British bottoms, to
the exclusion of American vessels. To
accomplish this, they at first proposed TO
reserve to themselves, the right to vary
their mposts, upon our productions, nj
pleasure, in different colonies ; SO that the
same articles might be made to pay higher
rate Of duty when transported directly in
American bottoms than when circuitously
in British. This was firmly resisted, and
the British, in the negotiations of 1918,
expressly and unqualifedy abandoned it.
1t was relinqnished too, by the acts of Par.
lament Of 1929 and 1926, and never renew.
ed until The negotiations Of Mr. vMcLane in
1880.
The consequences, the suspension of the
direct trade between the United States and
the British colonies, were infinitely more
injurious to the British commerce than to
ours. Neither the exports, navigation, nor
revenue Of The United States suffered dmi.
mutton. The evil effects of the suspension
became known TO the ministers who declar-
ed their conviction that the interdlct had
been injurious to the colonies, without be-
lng useful to the rest Of the empire.
In this state Of the case, the administra
ton Of Mr. Adams came 10 a close, and
Gen. Jackson came into Office. During
the presidential canvass. the condition Of our
commerce with the British colonial ports,
became favorite theme of elecionecring
rhetoric, and Mr. Adamss administration
ton was falsely accused of having lost the
Vest India trade whereas they had only
resisted the domlnecrlng cncroachments
and the unequal proposals Of Great Britain.
The Government Of tho United States was
declared by Mr. Van Burea, in his instruc-
tons TO Mr. McLane, "to have been in The
,crong, in too long and Too tenaciousiy resist.
ing the right OF Great Britain to impose
duties in her own colonies, and 10 omitting
10 accept the terms offered by the act OF
parliament of 1925. You will therefore, -
continues Mr. Van Buren,, in a spirit which
should call up the blush and indignant scorn
of every American cheek --"you will there.
fore see the propriety of possessing your
self folly of all the explanatory and mitiga.
! ting circumstances connected with these
causes. that you may be able to obvale as
! far as practicable, the unfirorabke impress
sion which they have produced" Out upon
the ignominious traitor to his country's
honor and interest!
After stating the condition of the trade
and greatly exaggeratng the disadvantages
of lis operation on the interests of the U
States. Mr. Van Buren, proceeds, st is the
ANXIOUS wish of the President to put al ent
to a state Of things so injurious to all par
ties. He is willing to regulate the trade
in question upon terms of reciprocal advan
tage, and to adopt for that purpose, those
which Great Britain has herself elected
and which are prescribed by act of Parlla.
ment OF 5th July 1885,"
To complete this picture of meanness
svcophancy, and duplcity, on the part o.
Van Buren, we need only refer to his wei
known alluslon 10 our party dlsscn,ions-
to his representation that the conduct o
of the former Government of the United
States was the act Of a party, which the
nation had judged and condemned, and hi,
reference TO Gen. Jackson's adnnistrat ior
as another party Favorable 10 Great Britain
ITO set up The acts of The late ddministra
ton" said Mr. Van Buren,, ''as The cause o.
forfeiture Of PRIVILEGES, ohich could 9th
erpise be EXTENDED TO THE PEOPLE o.
The United STATES, ,oouid, under eristing cir
cumtances, be unjust in iiseU and could no
fail 10 ercUe THEIR DEEPEST sENsIBILITY.
Here functionary Of a great and indie
pendent nation places himself in the atti
tude of a suppliant before Great Britain 70
PRIVILEGES to be extended to the peopl,
of the United States-beseechng her I,
take into consideration the mitigating cir
cumstances Of the case-and not to exclt,
the deepest sensibit,ties of the poor peopl,
Of the United States, by refusing the priv
leges for which they sue.
In the whole history of diplomacy, w,
know ofnothing so abhorrent to nation
dignity as this. Such language shoul,
stamp the author with indellble lnfamy, :.
But is it not fully Characteristic of the ser
: vile and trucking spirit Of the man, win
considers it sufficient glory to serve unde
such chief as Andrew Jackson, VIVA