The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-11-23
From our European Correspondent.
THE DANISH SOUND TOLLS.
No X
FRAsKFoRr-oE-rHE-MAI Anne,
Octahsr al lRA6

expected that Tue Ddnish oOuHd fpaS Woulu present.
prominent subjecF but, unfortunately influences
prevailed during the existence Of that celebrated
body with the most distinguished nation repre-
scented to leave the question entirely in stau quo.
Frederick vi, OF Denmark was present, for whom
the different members entertained unaffected sympa-
thy on account Of the disasters which he had expe-
rienced; and Great Britain, conscience at
the unustiiable destruction Of his feet and the
shameful bombardment of Copenhagen, contrary to
her evident interest remained throughout as silent
az though a visitation of incspaoity to speak had
seized Upon her. The whole maner-Gonh ic.ng
directly with the law Of nature and OF nations-re-
eeived no more consideration in this august assem-
blage than ift had related to the removal OF the tolls
upon an insignificant German river
| Amer the adjournment of the Congress OF Vienna
after Europe had been parcelled out by Prince
Melternieh and Lord reagh-hnding herself
unhurt and unframed, Denmark became infinitely
more arrogant in her pretensions. She construed
her escape from molsstston into recognition, by
the soveregns Of Europe, Of her undoubted right to
exact contributions from commerce; and she be-
slowed upon Elsineur the appellaIion Of "ths gold
miasn In the beginning Of the seventeenth century
the number Of vessels embracing every size and de-
nomination, which passed the Sound, amounted to
435; in 1875 it had increased to IL 000 and in s45
TO liule upwards Of $4,000! Prior to 1915, the
United States had comparatively no interest In the
question, particularly as related to its immediate
bearing upon their commerce. but in 1925 they
commenced przing open, by moral agent as pow.
erful in its character Archimedes imagined in his
l. a II l.. IL .1
place to plant it upon-our reciprocity treaties
the ports in the north Of Europe; and since then
| their intercourse with Russia Sweden, Prussia,
and the Meckenburgs has been constantly aug
menting Forty thousand barrels Of whale oil,
alone the product Of our fisheries, to say nothing
of our agricultural staples, find market in the ports
| Of the Baltic; and the highway on the north
seas should be as free TO its transit the ocean
highway on the south is free to its manufac-
lures.
The American Union can acknowledge no "im.
memorial custom"-no usage that "has existed
since old times"as just, when it is deprived OF that
unrestricted freedom Of navigation which the Al
mighty, in His wisdom, has youchsafed TO 1t. Eng
land has ne YER had the temerity to even dream Of
appropriatng to herself the Straits Of Gibraltar
a canal" France and England, when they were
| perfectly spe-bound by the felicitous workings Of
the "enitnis eOrdaI.," well before its silken
chains we're wrought as since their dissolution
never entertained the idea Of appropristng the Brit
sh channel to themselves as a 'eanal" Ships sail
as freely from the Atlantic into the Mediterranean,
| and from the Atlantic into the German ocean, as
they do upon the broad bosom Of either and yet
- -. r IL.
Baltic and the North seas meet, and flow
/ from one into the other, as her "cAsAL ~
forsooth and this, too, when the territory
side Of it has belonged to Sweden for centuries
Whatever motive may have, prevailed with Euro
pean states to tolerate from time to time this anti
civilized usurpation, the period assuredly has
rived when our country cannot, without a fragrant
neglect of its rights, submit to its continuance with
impunity. In the political affairs Of the Old World,
we have no voice to be heard. The efficient and
immaculate C) Understandings may issue any
sort Of an edict that its sageike wisdom deems
suitable with reference to Denmark and the German
duchess the three partitioning powers may make any
disposition they think proper of the free city of era
COW; Louis Philippe may marry his sons and daugh
tiers to whom he peases, and by the transact
ton as much money and power possible; yet what.
ever eaousies may thus be occasioned by soveregns
or subjects, we at least have cause, nor will we
impertnently in,ermedde by remonstrances pro-
tests We hold ourselves aIoof from all questions
not connected with the hemisphere in which our
fortunes have been cast, except those having i'm
mediate bearing upon our natural rights Spreading
our commerce with rapidly unparalleled all over
I,h. oka II hehn N In hnl he Of
seas as a sacred inheritance and it is imperative
upon us to remove all nterposing obstacles which
may array themselves, whatever the consequences
ofIcourse "peaceably if we can, but forcibly if we
must" This is duty owe to Him who made
and rules the Vastly deep. This is duty that we
we to ourselves.
1t may be asked if the wrongs of which COM
plain are glaring, why does Great Britain submit
them that her conscience, after thirty years,
is eased for the enormtes which she committed
upon Denmark The ready. Great Brit
ain exports annually to the Baltic about fifty mil
lion pounds of cotton yarn, which, under treaty
which she concluded with Denmark in August, l84l,
is permitted to pass by paying toll of per cent
ad valorem, while under the modification
Of the tariff of dues in May last ran cotton is
charged about three per cent ad valorem II
we can consent to such tax upon our ran
staple, Great Britain can well afford to agree
to the comparatively moderate one upon the article
Jact,,red from IT, But let the case be reversed
let Great Britain become the gro,cer and we the
Manufacturer, and camor so terrific would be
heard, without the discharge Of gun, to make
Cronborg castle quake from its foundation. Apart
from, othera this ia sufficient motiye for Rnole nd
to desire the pcrpetuty, rather than the nbrogaon
of the Sound dues. She is ruled, now, and for
tunately, by her cotton spiDheries, and she must
of necessity find markets for their products.
Were the tolls abolished she distinctly foresees that
we would create markets for the rao material, while
she would az certainly lose them for the manutac-
,tred one. Important political considerations also
govern her to some extent Any Infringement OF