Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-05-26


sirable to u.s. il is mnch wiser n in the present
friendly disposition Of nation to nation the invitation
To 10 better result by anicabe kind of
procedure Sow. gentlemen, wc have fallen INTO
tha Of treaty stipulations. /
/ do rot country in particular, but ell coun-
tries We have INDUCED too much in generali,ies in
the terms Of these treaties We speak oil placing each
other ia the "poson of The most favored nation. -
In my opinion, Whatever treaty stipulation is entered
into between States, that stipulation should be specific
ndispuabe, unequvoca, precise. All these general ex
pressons treaties that treating with and holding
intercourse with him should be placed the footing OF
the most favored nation, impractcabie in great
degree and in many cases wholly unintellgible.-
What does this phrase, "posiiion Of the most favored
nation, mean There is practicable meaning TO II,
because our treaties with men who deal in such
various commodities that there cannot possibly be
| common standard. We make treaty with Russis,
IN which. for instance, we stipnale that SO much duty
shall be laid on ton Of IRON; aud more than
much hundred weight of hemp. We then make
treaty with the Celestial Empire, whose only traffic
is in silks and teas, and tel! them that we place
them in the position of the most favored nation how
to do III How give for Russia tariff
which can be applicable 10 the Chinese' The whole
history of this generalization of treaties is productive
Of nothing but mischief, quarres and confusion. We
have treaties with France, Portugal and Belgium,
using these general terms, and The moment Congress
passes act laying Duty have complaints from
all Of these States of nfractons of their treaty;
and these complaints not always easily answered,
and never possible to be denied. In all such
the stipuations therefore, should be specific. will
add that IL does not follow that because nation
tiers into stipuatons with another it becomes the duty
of any one 10 associate league agains, the interests
Of other States. These subjects must be looked in
the light OF mutual eadingto
mutual advantage. There is nothing derogatory 20
other Siaies-nobng injurious, because the same i'm
pulses that lead TO favorable course upon specific spe-
culations with nation, may lead to 4 like favorable
intercourse upon other specific stpuatons with other
nations.
For example: | put the case, not as one in which
should choose TO make practical experiment. but SIM
ply as an illustration of the general principle. Let US
advert to the state of trade between this country and
Brazil TO if the interests Of both countries would
require justify stipulation TO The mutual
advantage of the two. What the of trade be-
tween Brazil and the United States? | ought to take
humiliation TO myself for assuming TO speak of such
subject here before genilemen most of whom are bet
ter acquainted With II than am myself. But use it
to illustrate the general view may take of the whole
matter There is more unequal trade IN the world
than that between the United States and Brazil. 1t
is altogether on one side. The United States take
some FIVE millions, believe rlfe more,) CT Brazil
ian products untaxed, and half million slightly taxed
| mean her sugar. And what do they receive from US
un,axed. Nothing al ALL Their taxes commodities
from the United States are excessively high. They tax
the products of the labor and land of this country and
sea 30 40 and AZ per cent We take FIVE millions IN
taxed and hafa million slightly taxed. How did they
stand with England under the late treaty between that
country and England Her stipulation by treaty
which still exiss-was, that English commodities
should not be taxed more than 10 per cent English
cotton, clothing Sc, is taxed only fifteen per centum
and from 80 TO 30 per cent Yet England taxes
them 100 per cent. some commodities. We take
Brazil coffee Free and England taxes it to ~ cents
per pound. According TO the English Interpretation,
The Treaty between England and Brazil does not ter
inmate ill Is44. Biuzi insists, that it expired in
1912, for | believe the Brazilian Government is anx-
ous TO get rid Of it. On the whole, however, she
was forced 10 yield to the English construction, SO
that the Treaty declared TO remain IN force TIL
1874 10 the meantime, some distinguished person
was sent from England to renew the Treaty, and
must say, that think The Brazilian Government ma
infested little address that subject. Brazil insisted.
That the Treaty expired in 1872 England, that il lasted
ill SI4-Brazll yields, and then says TO The English
Minister sent TO renew the Treaty, off the Treaty
last till 1914, as yon say-and we submit to what you
say-we will take till 1874 to consider what new
Treaty we viii make Laughter j Watching the
progress OF events you will take il for granted, that
our Government is not so nattenve 10 the great in
erests of the Of the country, as not 10 see
that, in proper time, Treaty may be concluded be-
tween The United States and Bfezil. Brazil would, as
suredly, think it most extraordinary, if England would
give her by Treaty, any such advantages those we
have afforded her. In Short there is in the
whole world, far now occurs TO me, so proper
for Treaty stpuation positively favorable TO the
United States What the trade of The United States
with Brazil We now receive her great article oil
product-coffer, free We receive her sugar at 81
cents pound duty. And we have great advantage
in this respect, that We have no colonial interests TO
protect England is restrained in her disposition TO
admit Brazilian products, IRON the circumstance, that
she has colonial products OF like character and that
she is hound TO give preference 10 them. That would
be very good for her-but IT constitutes one
Of the advantages of our situation, TO which we arc
fairly entitled, and no man can say that there any
reciprocity justice in our vast consumption OF Bra
lillian commodities without duty, at a moment wnen
our products are so highly taxed 10 every Braz'ian
port And this shows the faacy OF an argument,
which, understand, was made by The British Govern
meni, in its communications with he brazians, on
this subject They said, at is trne that the United
States take good deal of your coffee, but take as
much more and paymasters, even for part OF
what they take" There a q little approach to AFRO.
gar c. IN that argument 1t is true that the severe du
ties on American manufactures in Brazil exclude vast
quantities OF these manufactures, and therefore,
do import from Brazil merchandise, TO far greater
amount than that OF which send in return, and we
pay the difference out Of other earnings OF ours usually
by means Of exchanges on London, made good from
other sources Of property or industry NOW, u we
entered the Brazilian markets on as good terms as
England, could pay on the spot, and not be 10
condition ask England 10 pay our debts to the Bra
lillian merchants. applause } perceive, gentle
men, that am going into these subjects much too FAR
and have alluded to them, because in q Government
subjects preccde Legislative action and because feel
thai the has come when the interests of The coun-
try require that such opinion should be formed, and
expressed one way the other. have said, gentle
me that these two States instances OF the impulse
of commerce, of exchanges. We very remote
from Braz-noae the worse for that They have
different climate different products different habits.
So much the better Tor all that Ithas been said that
amid the various beings and properties Of things which
constitute this globe, it is
&lInaf, Fea IN
II may be said with much truth, that in matters of
commerc intercourse it is difference OF clmate-of
so-of products-and ofhab that really unite States
cons siring for the benefit of all 1t is this very diff
ference their pursuits that gives them an identity OF
interest in one respect-that is, in the mutual inter-
change Of commodities Indeed with respect TO Bra.
zl-the other end Of the continent-and much the
largest power on il, except our own-one might say,
that the products Of both countries seem TO contribute
very much TO what is common to botn in the common
epoymenls Of life We sip with pleasure the coffee OF
Brazil at our treakfas, table and sometimes sweeten It
with their sugar; whilst the Brazlians do moi, be-
lieve, reject rolls o. ras,er OF American bacon
Lauphter1 The two countries, Of oil others on the
/ Continent or perhaps in the world, are so placed,