The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-03-13
To HENRy c. -CAKEY, esqs
! Bulfuptt) New Jersey:

Join issue and leave ii for readers to determine who
makes out the ceares case In order to prove the posi-
lions have assumed, will briefly recapllulate the
mercal policy OF England for the last hundred years
and submit il TO your judgment whether Tree trade or
7" protection" predominaed .ana0n
Casom duties first made part oil the revenues OF
the English Crown the year 1875 under the reign OF
the first Edward, and were levied only the great
staples OF expot--such wool, skins. and leather.
Shortly afterwards various acts passed, by which
duties imposed well on imports as exports and
regular tariff established throughout the kingdom The
object oil all these various ACTS down to the recent entire
modification OF the revenue laws, protection" TO
home industry, and nearly all articles which in
competition with the productions OF the kingdom
excluded The first navigation laws, so called. were
passed expressly TO encourage English shipping and ship
building. In 1881 Richard II prohibited import and export
trade unless in English vessels In 1856 Henry VIII
prohibited The importation Of Bogeaux wines which had
become extensively used in England; aud four years
afterwards madden excluded for the sake OF the
manufacturers. For century and more. up the time
Of Charles l. very little legislation had this sab
ec, Daring the reign of this monarch the first &C, was
passed excluding foreign ships from trading with the
colonies Soon after the treaty OF Munster lin lo5o)
passed her celebrated navigation act, which, with
rous notifications, remained in force nearly two hun
bred years During the OF eighty years between Spain
and the Low Countries and which ended with the above,
named treaty, the Dutch, by their freetraie policy had
almost obtained the command of the rear They monop-
olized great deal OF the commerce OF England and
the caryngtrade for her merchants To remedy this
compete successfully with the Dutch, England passed
laws for the fostering OF her shipping In this and sub
sequent acts, observe that restrictive commercial
policy which, Tor long period Of time, made England
the Mistress of the Seas at the expense of her other
interests By the act above mentioned, goods coming
from Asia Africa, or America, and in particular from
the English colonies, could not be imported into Eng
land except in English ships and fish had be i'm
ported not only in English ships, but from English
fisheries Under the &C. Of 1900 the colonies were
and were not allowed to trade esewhere-not even
land their produce in Ireland and Scotland From that
period until within the last ten years these restrictive
law Yis wit near thar fu and tha
| various changes that were made went to sustain
the act of 1860. Within few years these various
acts both relating 10 revenue and navigation, were
consolidated into one general law Since the final
consodaho act OF August 4, 1915, The revenue laws
of the kingdom have been very much modified. and by
the act OF October A. ls4S, the doctrine of protection
home industry put TO rest forever These conces
sons the tariff coniced very much with the nayiga
ton for while the former admitted many manufac-
hbted the material Under this state of things such
was the clamor for change in the commercial policy
that in February. 1877 Parliament appointed two com
mees one in each house, to examine into the of
plant. These committees were in session several
months, and examined individuals engaged in all kinds
OF trades and business, especially manufacturing and COM
mercal. Their reports laid before Parliament
when after the most careful examination and discussion
OF the subject in all its bearings. resolved 10 re-
peal the whole of the navigation laws. and do away
with all restrictions upon commerce, Thus originated
the act OF 26h of June ls49 repeating all former navi
cation laws and which went into operation The first OF
January last. s..
| How can you, in view of all these FACTS and with
which you mus, be well acquainted, call England for
centuries back reerade country and assert that
free trade which has made the colonies poor and the in
habtanis OF the mother country psupesi In order to
show you how many of these restrictions upon trade
have been thrown of, will briefly note the main fea-
both OF the Old and English navigation
The leading provisions of the old act follows
viz: ..
Fs osIan enumerated sSs The produce Of Eu
sumption, except on the following conditions
"A In British ships -,.-,,,,.... ....
Second No goods, the products of Asia, africa, or
America, b. imported Tor consumption In the United
Kngd ON from Europe any whatever and these
products be imported Tor consumption from any other
place ony--h s
IA In British ships.
B. In ships OF The country from OF which the articles
Third No goods be carried from one port another
of the United Kingdom in any other than British vessels
| the carrying,tgad being confined to them
| /" Fourth No goods can be exported from the United
Kingdom any Of the Bcsh possessions In ASIA Africa,
and America, ia any bn! Brush vessels with certain
cepuons with wsprct TO India.
Fifth Nooods be carried from any British posses
siou in Asa, africa, America 10 another ppssrslol,
IRON place to another ia the same possession Ia
sSik,h No goods can be imported uto any British pos.
session IN Asia, Africa, or America, except
B Ia Sui s OF the cousty which they are the pro.
duets and provided. case they broayht
direct from hs &c country 10 which they are produced
OF the BRUSH possessions, wthont an authority bY oro
/ co,incd
Lei 10 me ABOVE PROVISIONS
OF the navigation laws OF England, which remained in
force nearly Two hundred years, and then tell how
much there in them that partakes of free trade 10 my
opinion they exhibit system OF restrictions upon trade
such scarcely any other nation has been guilty of
In conadstnc,ion let call your attention 10 the fol.
lowing liberal features IN the new navigation act:
First That Of porting from all countries all kinds OF
goods and ing them for wing
| duties imposed by the general tann OF England.
Second That OF trading with the English colonies OF
carrying hther goods IRON country, and exporting
thther market. r +
Third That oil importing the products Of the fisheries
| into England.
Fourth. That of trading freely with the possessions OF
the East India Company.
= Fifth That of being placed the same footing AS
| BRUSH subjects with regard TO drawbacks, NC.
England Tor herself the OF the
United Kingdom and the trade between the ports OF the
same colony" Mu#.s. N..-..
From The above the public will be able to Judge how
lar Eng land encouraged free trade until she repealed
her old navigation act In place thereof the most abon
Unable system OF restrictions intelligent government
only obliged to lind market in England for all their
produce which paid heavy duties, but 1t must be earned
in Englsb ships, when the vessels OF other
willing TO do their carrying trade cheaper The
effect Of this system to impoversh the colonies BY
draining the wealth 10 the mother country Tue nd
vantage which accrhe to other nations under the
navigation laws various and especially will be
highly beneficial TO our country, A ship may sail
| from New York 10 Brazil with load OF breadstuf ex-
change 1t Tor coffee sugar the latter port and from
thence sail ID Eng land the cargo of coffee can be sold
in the Engls market and with the proceeds purchase
load OF dry goods and carry them of the British
colonies last West Indies Our ships can trade
direct to and from England and the colonies and as a
matter Of course if they lake freight al lower rate than