The daily national Whig. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1847-1849, 1849-06-05
A VIRGINIAH
9 s--r---------
THE ENGLISH NAVIGATION LAWS.

]
| The repeal Of the English Navigation
Laws is very properly exciting general at
tention. That act will strikingly mark The
inrovating spirit of the age. "change', and
Progress" are stamped upon all things
There is no exemption for even the statute
~ rocks of old England, which have borne
the peltings and surges Of centuries They
are assailed as ruthlessly, and toppled as IT.
reverently, as if they were fairy nothings'
Of Yesterday For two hundred years these
laws have been deemed by England the ever
present eenii Of her commercial greatness.
| Within that period they have met with oc-
casional notifications, but the principle re-
manned untouched The sanctity Of the
Crown was scarcely held in greater rever-
ence. "
But sold things are passing away" Ge.
MUS, skill, enterprise and superior intelli-
gence, are no longer the exclusive property
OF the "iast-anchored isle.n She has no
longer the monopoly Of these essential ele-
ments Of national greatness Not only have
long-slumhering nations Of the Old World
shaken off their torpor, and assumed the atti-
tude Of competitors where they have been
content to be tributaries, but the New
World, which had no existence until after
England's beard had become grizzled with
age, is treading upon her heels in all things,
and tar-leading her in many.
1t is because England feels that her scep-
tire is departing-that in commerce as well
as in manufactures her supremacy is threat
ened--that the repeal Of this ancient and Ia
vorite statute, has been preached She ex-
poets, Of course, to reap essential advantages
from this act. She can afford to extend new
privileges to the shipping Of other nations, if
those other nations extend new privileges 10
her
Our own country is deeply interested inthe
practical operation Of this new movement
England doubtless hopes that we will recip-
rocate her spirit Of progress" by inviting
her to participation in our eoasting trade
But this cannot be. 1t is true that Mr.. Ban
croft had promised something Of the kind /;
and although he may have spoken as some
having authority" and only said what the
late administration instructed MIN to say, he
does not represent the views of the present
administration. Nor would the people then
nor now sanction the principle which he pro-
mulged. If there was no other reason for
repudiating what it is said he promised, it il,
enough that England has nothing to give US
as an equivalent for the right to equally par
ticipate in our coasting trade. For thatt trade
is infinitely greater than our foreign trade,
and Of thousand fold more Importance than
the very limited coasting trade Of Great Bri-
tain. i now reaches from Maine to far re-
mote ports on the Pacific; and, from being
already nearly equal to the whole trade Of
one half the world besides, it is destined to
acquire vastness in the contemplation d.
which the mind becomes bewidered and
lost
But we do not suppose that it will be either
the wish or for the advantage OF our govern
ment to entirely repeal this new-iound spirit
Of reciprocity on the part Of Great Britain.
There are points where mutual concessions
would result in mutual advantages Some
of these it is our purpose hereafter to emu
merate-meanwhe remarking that, while,
on fair field, American seamen have little
to fear from the competition Of the seamen Of
any other nation in the world, yet that it has
never been the habit Of Engandto gire more
than she takes. A review Of the minutia Of
our commercial interests will show that cir
cumstances are being rapidly combined
which cannot fail to speedily render America
the greatest maritime nation in the world !;
and that the surest mode Of reaching this end
is 10 abstain from all unnecessary "entang-
ling alliance. ALBANY Ere. Journal