Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1843-11-09

tam suc0 commerce. Vt 10 pfoltct fiSeli
BY all necessary countervaiing measures.
fails in an essential purpose for which il
was established.
Gen. y. then wen: ON 10 show what was
not free trade in American commerce.
Thus, with Spain our commerce, he said,
is embaTasstd with restrictions, and pro
hibi,ions, and the FREQ trade was all on
one slde.-For example, last year.
The imports we're SD, 4o0, Duo
Exports 6,300, 600
7,I50,000
SPAN has ng since, he said, imposed
duties on cotton prob bitory 10 American
vessels. The course ofthis trade is 10 ship
our cotton TO Cuba, where on touching, it
is deemed naturalized, and then shipped
in Spanish vessels to the mother country,
as the produce Of Cuba. Our country
has ingloriously looked on, and en- this
sacrifice TO our shipping interest Of this
carrying trade Of the South. Ourimports
from Cuba amount to about five millions,
and she receivs in return exports from us
amounting to two millions, leaving year.
ly balance against US ofthrec millions to
be paid in currency. The duties on these
imports are generally light, while many
Of the exports of the United States, are
charged with enormous duties, such as
$40, 80 ON barrel of -four!
Gen. r.. then spoke # our relations
with Great Britain. The balance oflrade
had been against US, he saii, for many
years, varying from five even 10 sixty
millions. Her duties upon many Of our
productions has also been oppressive, and
almost if not quite prohlbtary Our bread.
stufls are prohibited bat in sliding scale
or through the Canadas. Tobacco ia
leaf worth to the producer from Hsreo 10
four cents per pound, was subjected to a
duty Of three shillings sterhng. 1 the
tobacco is stemmed then the duty is niue
shlllings sterling. Rice is subject to
duty Of fifteen shilings sterling per cwt.
II, in the rough, it pays but a nominal
duty, for ten British labor is thus secured
the cleaning OF it.
With France, Gen. I. then went on to
show there was like Free trade, all on
one side. While two thirds Of all the
importations here frons France are admiit-
ed free of duty, not an article we export
to France is there exempt from duty.
France even admits Egyptian cotton al a
lower rate OF duty than that OF the Uuited
States, and thus pays bonus to the Egyp-
tinns at our expense. Our trade. with
Germany he then went on TO show, was
equally unequal, and adverse 10 us.
The Colonial arrangement the u. States
had with Great Britain pess arrested IN
Speakers attention. As there IS now no
question in this country that the treaty
NJ. McLane made in 1880, rs highly in
iuiious to cur commerce, we admit the
fact Gen. T. adduced to sustain his posi-.
ton.
Gen. t then went on TO show that such
treaties as these, and such unequal trade
as he had described, had brought on the
late disastrous state of things in this coun-
try. For example, said Gen. T. look at
the official tables for single year, 1s4l.
The Imports amounted in value TO H.
600, 900 Of dolars--upon which we col
lected duties 4,000,000 or1l pei cent
upon the aggregate. During The same
year the Exports of home products,
amoaated in value to sol, 000, 900, on
which foreign nations imposed duties a.
mounting 10 Sl33, 600, 900, being ia per
cent upon the value. Enquiries made
have ascer.ained, that of tho heavy I'm
portations into this port, eighty three per
cent were avowedly or foreign account;
while Of the residue, about one hall was
nominany imported by commission hou.
SEES, but virtually an foreign account.
These measures have driven our own
merchants out OF business, and provided
for us numerous bankruptcies. This un-
equal foreign trade almost monopolized
and in the hands Of foreigners, has push
ed 'free trade and the credit system" till
the bubble has exploded; leaving the
country and the States without currency,
and overwhelmed with debt; and in the
revulsion has broken up business. depress-
ed agriculture, deranged the fair com.
merce between nations 10 their produc-
tons; stopped domestic manufactures, and
dismissed from employment the home 10.
dustry Of the country, to hold competition