The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-07-23
"The Reciprocity Measure.


'Tho Reciprocity Measure.
at was long since given out by members Of the
Canadian government, that if the United States
Government refused to adopt reciprocal free-trade
in tho agricultural productions Of the two coun-
tries, the imperial government would resort to a
cOuntcrvailing policy. by adopting discriminating
duties against the products of the United States 1t
10 stated by undoubted authority, that the provn-
cial government is now negotiating with the i'm
perisl government for the adoption of this policy,
under prevailing belief in Canada, that Congress
will not agree to the proposed reciprocity. A
writer in the NetDs, who derives his information,
no doubt, from reliable source at Toronto, says
the Canadian ministry propose to the English Par
lament to favor 4 law rs-establishing duty on
tsods6s from every nation tchich does not reciro-
cate scith their o,cn and the Canadian propinces in
these articles The provincial government have en-
couragcment to believe that such law will be
passed by Parliament, unless the reciprocity bill
should be enacted by the American Congress The
plan proposed will bring the same principles to
operate on breadstuffs, upon which the English
navigation laws are now based.
"Thcre are powerful reasons for believing that
such = law will DO passed by the British Parlia-
ment, and II il should it would be disastrous to the
business Of this country Such a law would be
quite satisfactory to the Canadians, as it would
give them tho carrying trade Of our surplus bread
stufs, win the st. Lawrence. Should the home gov
eminent adopt this policy, to save the dismember-
mcnt Of their provinces, the effect upon the Erie
canal and its vast business may easily be conjec-
tured."- Os,cego Times.
The Canadians did not contrve to get the
carrying trade of our surplus breadstufis by the
way of the 81. Lawrence, prior to the repeal Of
the corn laws, and it is difficult to see how their
chances would be increased by the re-enact-
ment Of them. But let us see how seriously
we are to be affected by a restoration of the du-
ties. The London Economist of the 9th inst,
now before us. contains article on the grain
markets Of the United States. in which it states
that. at it's latest advices, Genesee wheat was
selling at New York at 81 so bushel, equal To
5Is. Cd. the quarter The weekly corn returns con-
tanned in the same paper show that the average
price Of wheat in the English markets for the six
weeks preceding was 40s. Cd. The Rochester
Demoerst Of the Goth inst, published in the heart
Of the Genesee wheat district, and four hundred
miles from New York city, quotes the price Of
new wheat on the previous day at 81 25. In
TINS state OF things II is very obvious that 1t Id
oil small consequence, that wheat is now admit
ted at nominal duty in England, amounting To
about two per cent. upon It's value at Rochester.
Our lands are fortunately too valuable 10 raise
wheat for England at such prices. Even Can
ada, though she can and does pay duty OF
twenty per cent. for the admission Of her wheat
into our market, and can carry II through our
territory at rate cheaper, including the half OF
one per cent. duty to our Government upon its
transit, than 1t can be transported through the
ST. Lawrence, yet finds no inducement TO ship
10 England. The price there must rise TWEEN
y-fve per cent, or fall here in an equal ratio,
before 1t becomes matter OF consequence whe-
ther duties arc raised or depressed. II the Eng
lish price rises, France, Russia, and Prussia,
which have tor the past eighteen months fur
nlshed more than three times as much wheat for
the Brush market as the United States, will
export sun more freely, and supply the demand,
10 our exclusion AS mas been done dunng the pres
ent year IL the British market Is To be attained
only by decline IN our own, Then there viii be
sun more reason than now exists tor maintaining
the duties, whlch tend TO prevent Canadian bread
stuis IRON competition win The American ag-
ncul'uris' on MS own soil That u docs 50
cohPeue now we nho evidence w Ieuer from
we" fork, uhoei oa'e oi June ~, emoodicd