The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-04-04

and council As early September. 1859, thetefoie.
Of lie Board OF Trade The same committee was after
wards instructed 10 consider and report what were the
proposals OF commercial nature II would be proper 20
be made by the 10 the United States In jan
nary follow ing The committee made report upon Inc
subject Of American duties, and also upon The genera
subject Of the commercial relations between The TWO eoun
tries The report was drawn ply MT Jsnknson, ueh
Baron Haw bury, Afterwards Lord Liverpool III /
On the subject OF commercial treaty especially 10
respect 10 navigation il states latter full consldela
ton az ali that has been offered the subject of navga
tion the committee think that there IS but one popo
ton which would be advisable Tor the ministers o
Great Britain 10 make this head TO The government o
the United States, in negotiation tor commercial utay
between the two countrles viz that British shils
trading TO HE ports OF the United States should be treat
ed, with respect 10 the duties upon tonnage and ihpp
in like manner as the ships OF the United States shall DC
treated in the ports of Great Bntalni and also oon
gress should propose as Il Certainly w .ha. lns p and
islands aud that the ships OF the United States should DO
there treated British ships II should be answered 'n'
this demand cannot be admitted even as subject oil ne
COLLATION." ,,s
These extracts IRON that report show that the states
men OF Great Britain did not entertain the lioeiA no
lions OF trade and navigation which then prevailed W e
United States. They broughtu under an Opposite
policy, which had long prevailed probably very Wope
at FIRST as war measure 10 break up lhs had
become with most Of her writers and public men nAeu
principle OF The protection Which each nation should give
trade aud CATION agalrsl the Competition OF oheI
nations We do net intend 10 enter upon that discussion
But in confirmation of those differences OF opinon con-
corning trade and navigation which al that time existed
between American and BRUSH statesmen we refer %
Lord Shefelds contemporary structures Oh The necessity OF
nyiolaby preserving The navigation and colonial system
of Great Britain
Pursuing this point however, that the stand originally
taken by the United States had contributed TO the present
extended reciprocity OF navigation between nations, we
remark that the example of England towards the United
States had directed the commercial policy OF all the other
nations of Europe with which the United States then
traded. The utmost that could be gained from France,
Spain, Poriua the Netherlands, Denmark, and Sweden,
was that comilerce with them should be put upon
the footing Of the most favored nation That, however,
very short Of what the United States had proposed
Those nations, yielding 10 the commercial supremacy
of Great Britain, bad not then made effort 10 release
themselves from it. Nor were they IN condition 10 40
In three years afterwards. the intelligence and en-
erprise OF the United Saes unsubdued by past failures,
induced them their efforts 70 gain more OK.
tended trade and 9avsa,on NJ Jefferson, Then see,e
iec II has the ability OF every paper written by him his
long political MIR Forsyth says that suggested.
"ls, friendly arrangements with the several nations with
whom the restrictions existed or separate acls OF our
legislation counterfeit these defects TIE end proposed
to be attained by the first would have been free CON.
mece OF exchange between the different nations in those
descriptions OF commodities which nature had best
fitted each TO produce, subject 10 such notifications
as purposes of revenue might render necessary; and
supposed that It's operation would be an exchange OF
the materials then produced in the United States fer
either manufactures which had received The last finish
OF art and industry or mere Injuries. Failing this,
the alternative of statutory Prohibitions and coun
tervaing duties and regulations was TO be applied
(Repot of The Secretary of State TO the Senate 3oth
December, 1882 Upon the earlier State papers and
newspaper essays already mentioned.he report OF Mr.
Jefferson, another by Mr., Hamilton, (Which preceded IT'D
and the proposals OF Mr.. Adams in l7s5-we rest our
assertion that the United States in advance Of other
nations in respect 10 the principles by which commerce
and navigation should be conducted between nations
The refusal of Great Britain 10 meet proposals in
corresponding spirit proves it. From wha, has been said.
il must be admitted also, that, from the beginning, the
countervalng commercial legislation Of the United States
has been strictly retaa,ory If further proof OF both
were wanting may be found in the correspondence OF
Mr. Jay, connected with his negotiation Of the treaty OF
1894 with Great Britain, and in the treaty itself As all
OF US know, the restrictions which were put upen our
commerce by that treaty offensive TO the pride
we'll the interests OF the American people. But being
the utmost tina, England would yield at that time OF her
own long established system was thought that the ex
igencies Of commercial condition required its raca
ton Results proved to be So II did not recproca'e
10 any way the liberal views OF commerce which had
been INDUCED in the United States. But know
that was the most that could be got and history not
only relieves Mr. Jay from the complaints Of that day,
but places his memory far above them
Notwithstanding the failure Of every effort 10 place
navigation and commerce upon better footing nothing
was done egislayey by the United States from which
it can be said ha, there was any departure from the lib
eal policy which had been proposed 10 other nations
The natural advantages OF the United States the value
OF our productions, and the in Europe aiding the
consumption OF them were constantly overcoming for
eign exerons, and kept us forbearng II not always in
good temper In fact except discriminating duties upon
tonnage IN favor OF our vessels TO counterva such
all the nations OF Europe had imposed in favor OF their
own sbIpssevera of them intended TO bear particularly
upon American commerce--our legislation was, up 10
ba, ,ime and for twenty years Afterwards exemp, from
every interference with free navigation. In 1912,
measure, Congress passed act doubling all du.
ties upon goods imported into the United States, with
additional duty OF 10 per cent upon snch might be
broughtin foreign vessels The also increased the
duty upon The tonnage OF foreign ships dollar fifty
cents. Tha, il was strictly war measure is shown by
It's limitation TO the continuance OF the with Eng.
land.
When the war an end, and those in Europe had
ceased by the overthrow OF Napoleon the United States
took the earliest opportunity to their Efforts for
more liberal navigation than had been any time allow
ed by The nations oil Europe with each other with the
United States
In March, 1918, Congress declared tina, the dscrimna
ting duties laid by the act of July, 1912 upon foreign
the President should be satisfied that the discriminating
and councrvaing duties OF any foreign nation had been
abolished, far they operated TO the disadvantage OF
the United States When that declaration made, or
shortly after IL, penipoientiares-Mr John Quincy
Adams, Mr. Clay and Mr.. Gala,inwere in London, en-
gagged IN negotiating the commercial convention OF 1915
with England Ii is moi doubted that the act had its in
fuence upon the result The convention contains all
that the act proposes. II the first relaxation made
by Great Britain OF her navigation laws favor OF free
navigation, and the first step taken meet the liberal
principles OF commercial intercourse which had been pro-
posed 10 all nations by the United States early our
history has been already stated Ii secured national
treatment for our vesses-equal terms for cargoes
whether imported exported IN United States Eng
sh ships-equal import duties the produce OF the
United States like articles the produce of other for
elgn nations. But il still restricted the intercourse be-
tween the two nations to the production OF eilhern
other words, to the direct trade
Every effort which had been made by the United States
Tor more than thirty TO give and TO indirect