The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1851-04-08

8D00klOR anu our treaty oftuRol there
ing common except provision in the latter abol
ishing discriminating duties oftonnase and all other
port charges upon vessels In the negotiation Of our
treaty with her, our charge dafaires, Mr.. Ksve-
enlarged intercourse. which We had with these ma
tions. But Portugal preferred to keep the direct
trade, placing herself with those nations which had
denied to Us the indirect trade, or tho Transports
on Of foreign produce in our vessels from the place
of its growth to their ports.
Having shown that there are nations which have
night by treaties to bring into ports in their
vessels the produce Of foreign nations, from the
that our own vessels may import them, tho act or
empting coffee from duty, when brought in Ameri-
can vessels, direct from the place Of its growth
when brought by foreign vessels, entitled by recip
duties, tonnage, and other charges, has plain in
tention and certain application. Its terms are no
longer doubtful No room is left for Interpretation.
The nations to which it applies are known. 1t
clude other nations under the act, with which the
United States has no such reciprocity, either by
mutual legislation or by treaties. Ii different
application Of the act is made, it opens trade to
our ports in the article of coffee in foreign vessels
which those nations deny to the United States.
The act itself shows a careful consideration of our
carrying trade of that article. Reciprocity is what
the United States had desired in that particular.
Ii cannot be supposed that Congress meant to dis
regard it, or that it was inadvertently done, or
that, for some unayowed and indiscoverable cause
or reason, Congress has permitted foreign vessels
to bring into ports, from the place Of its growth
or manufacture, merchandise duty free, only be-
cause we have treaties with the nations TO which
they belong aboshing duties of tonnage and port
charges. Such and Interpretation Of the act o.
July, 1876 involves departure from point in
our commercial system which has never been yield
ed to any nation, except when reciprocaly done,
where n compromising advantage has been gained
by doing so, which supposed to be the case
with our treaty with France OF 1922. With Portu-
fhnro, c,rohi ind, ,1ap IN
relies upon the second article of the treaty with
Portugal in connection with the tariff act Of July,
1916, and upon nothing else They do not avail for
his purpose. The suggestion that such an inteprc-
tation may be given to the act, because it might
have been the intention to give the consumption of
coffee duty free to the people of the United States
is not at all probable. II surrenders priaciple
more imporant-one upon which the United st
has nvarable acted-not to grant an indirect trade
to ports to any nation by which it is not reci-
procated.
Our conclusion in this case afIirms what has been
the unvarying policy of tho United States since
they began as nation their commercial inter-
course with other nations. Its effects upon own
interests have been beneficial its influence upon
other nations has been ultimately decisive and sue
cessful.
Perhaps it is not too much to say-however much
the changed political and productive condition of
nations, during the last half century, may have
aided in liberazing navigation between them
that it would not have been what it is if it had
not been for the stand taken by the United States,
in respect to navigation and commerce, early as
17S5, which has been kept ever since. Its basis
was TO ask for exclusive privileges, and to grant
none-to offer to all nations and to ask from them
that entire reciprocity Of avigation which is made
by each carrying to the other, their own vessels
their productions and those of Ill nations with
out regard to the places from which they may be
shipped, upon the same terms, both as 10 vessels
and cargoes, ms the vessels of each nation may take
them to their own ports. One great object has
been to produce such relations, either by corrc-
spending legislation or by treaties. The latter
being preferred MS legislative liberty to trade is too
vague and uncertain TO secure to a nation all the
advantages Of its own commercial condition. Thirty
years, however, passed before our proposals made
any impression upon the restricted navigation sys-
TEN Of Europe, aud then only partially so. During
countries with which VIC traded the productions Of
the United States. Even that could not be done to
many Of the ports and colonies Of other nations.
Repeated efforts were made to get for our vessels
the same reciprocity.
1t may be said, as it has been, that our liberal
views were forced Upon the United States, by the
necessities Of their commercial condition, at the
close Of the revolutionary war. It may be 20 but
the remark admits the restraints that were upon
navigation between nations, and il cannot be de-
MED that the application Of them to the United
States brought its appropriate wisdom
Our views upon commerce and navigation we're
part and parcel Of the intellect and spirit Of our
Of that day-madc what il was by tho great events
in which they had borne their parts, and the diff
cultes which they saw were to be overcome before
their country would be put upon a ccmmerciasequa-
lily with other nat isns. Tho trade which the States
colonies had been allowed with the other colonies
Of England was cut off by separation that with
thcmother country subjected to the rigid exclu.
sions ofthe 81 section Of the navigation act Of Charles
H., chaperl2. The English system, too in respect to
navigation, had bocn adopted by tho other nations
Of Europe, with worry slight exceptions, which can
scarcely be said ts.have been rekxations. heavy
duties were laid upon vessels and their cargoes
by all Of them. The trade and navigation 81 the
United Statos. with all parts of the world alto
getber permissive-such ms each nation chose to
allow upon lis ean terms. Our treaty stpulations
Mt that time with France, the Netherlands, and
Sweden were nod exceptions of any value. The only
benefit from them was, that the commerce and
navigation Of the United States should not be bur
dened more than that Of any foreign nation With
Great Britain, Spain, Portugal, and Denmark there
was not even that reciprocity In such state of
things the United Estates began their career as a
nation. How changed our condition now,
Our views upon commerce were promulgated in
the state papers Of that day As early l7S5, Mr..
John Adams, then representing the United States
in England, proposed reeprocation Of trade in the
produce and manufacture Of both nations, and in
foreign produce in the vessels Of each, upon the
same terms and duties, upon the vessels and their
cargoes, az national vessels might pay. Ills pro-
posals were rejected, with q refusal to make any
commercial treaty with the United States. Mr..
Adams says, in letter to Mr.. Jay, dated London,
October ~ l7Sj:-" This being the state Of things,
you may depend upon il the commerce Of America
will have relief at present, nor, in my opinion,
ever, until the United states shall have generally
passed navigation acts IL this measure i not adopt
cd we shall dc derided; and the we suffer the
more viii our calamties be laughed at. My most
earnest cxhortaton TO the states, then, Is, and
ought TO lbe. TO lose time in passing such acts.
The temper Of the times concerning navigation and
commerce generally, ard that Of the United states
especially, had been previously shown in Parlia-
ment by its rejection Of Mr. Pitts BILL to permit
vessels belonging to citizens Of the United States
to 20 into the ports OF he West India islands with
goods or merchandise Of American origin, and to
export 70 the United states any merchandise or
goods whatever, subject only to the duties
and charges as IL they had been the property of
British natural born subjects and had been export
ed and imported in British vessels" Afterwards
American vessels were altogether excluded from
the British West Indies, and the staple productions
Of the United states could not be carried there even
in British vessels
The exhortaton Of Mr.. Adams had been disre-
rdc by of ha afa nr han