The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-09-07
The British Navigation Laws.

policy that has been uniform for centuries,
it is that, we believe, of legislating on all
occasions for the benefit of its own manu-
features, its own navigation, and its own
trade, without reference to the interests
OF any other nation. If GREAT BRITAIN
has ever proceeded upon any other prin-
ciple, we have yet TO learn it. For the
interests of her own subjects she originally
passed the navigation laws, for the inte
rests of her own subjects she has from
time to time modified and has now partially
repealed them.
The ex-organ of the late administration
exults in the idea that by the late partial
repeal of her navigation laws, GREAT Bril-
TAIN has opened an immense field of en-
terprise for the American merchant Its
speculations on this subject read for all the
world like one of Mr.. RoBINs's auction
advertisements of real estate 1t talks of
splendid inducements, g magnificent
rewards "splendid fields of enterprise
and wealth" "vast and magnificent fields
of commerce and wealth." " glorious OPP
portunities,o and great deal more of what
Mr.. Burchell would denominate by his
emphatic monosyllable, Z" fudge' After
laying out this magnificent field, the ex-
organ wishes to know if our merchants
are making any preparations" for embark
ing init; and intimates that, if they are not,
they ought to be looking about them, and
that they will be the blindest of the
blind" if they fail to profit by these golden
opportunities. This is pleasant. New
HAMPSHIRE and VIRGINIA unite to stimu
late Wall street, and put it in the way of
turning an honest penny! Gentlemen
who are under the impression that there
are no means of livelihood but those flow
ang from the treasury, undertake to tutor
the merchants of Philadelphia and Boston
in the art of making money!
But before dismissing the subject, the
ex organ betrays the secret of the big
ewes which enab,,,e il to see all these mar
yellous visions of mold opulence-these
scenes exceeding in sple.nodor the "feld
Of the cloth of gold," and throw INTO
the shade the wonders of the Arceoian
Nights Entertainments. All this splendid
future, by which our merchants are to
make fortunes if they will only open their
eyes to it, was opened for them .'by The
policy of Mr.. Polk and hi Cabinet"
90, fortunatam, natam, me consule, Roma 20
Fortunate merchants, who have had
such Cabinet to spread before them
" magnificent prospects ~ Fortunate
Cabinet, with such an organ to chronicle
their achievements Happy country,
with Cabinet like that of Mr.. Polk,
minister like Mr.. BANCROFT, and an Off
cial editor like our venerable contempt
rary-who have been able, by the insinu-
ating and persuasive eloquence of diplo-
matte biiLet-douI, TO overthrow" {" this
celebrated system, the result of the wis
dom and labor of centuries"
II appears that under the instructions of
Mr.. BUCHANAN, late Secretary Of State,
Mr.. BANCROFT, on the 30th of November,
ls47. addressed to the British minister Of
foreign affairs letter containing the fol-
lowing paragraph:
Universal reciprocity in the widest sense is held
by the American government the only tho
roughly appropriate basis for intercourse between
two great nations. The prohibition of the indirect
trade has but restrained enterprise; it has done
good 20 neither country. To abrogate II would at
once set free dormant commercial wealth without
iniuring any one Should her majesty govern
ment entertain similar views. the undersigned IL
prepared, on the part Of the American government.
TO propose that British ships may trade from any
port Of the world 10 any port in the United States,
and be received, protected, and, in respect 20
charges and duties, treated like American ships;
II reciprocally, American ships may in like man
ner trade from any port Of the world to any port
under the dominion Of her Britannia majesty"
"The result" says the Union, :" was
the repeal of the navigation laws, bring
ing with it the suspension of our own a:
far as Great Britain is concerned"
Certainly It's as clear as preaching that
Mr.. Folks Cabinet invented this idea Of
reciprocity" and the British Parliament
repealed their navigation laws in order tc
oblige Mr. BUCHANAN and Mr. BANCROFT.
II was mere matter Of courtesy, to crafty
these eminent American statesmen, and
open magnificent prospects for American
merchants True enough IT Is, however,
that Mr. JOHN Quincy ADAMS, IN his first
message, called the attention Of Congress
to this subject, and the act which was the
basis Of Mr.. BAScRoFT's offer was passed
during Mr.. ADAMs's administration-in
May, 1923. If IT were law capable Of
being made so instrumental IN enrichlng
American commerce, and If the British
government we're so ready to legislate for
our benefit, how does IT happen that fU'
Democratic administrations have slept up.