The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-11-03
TRADE AND COMMERCE OF THE BRITIsE
NORTH AMERICAN COLONIES FUTURE AN
NEXATION

Il
NORTH AMERICAN COLONIES AN
NEXATION
We are indebted to Israel d. Andrews for
copy Of his very interesting report on the
Trade and Commerce of the British North
American Colonies. 1t forms volume of 900
pages and embraces wide range of topics.
In general Introductory Mr.. Andrews rap
idly reviews the origin and growth of the trade
of the great lakes and of the British Colonies.
Then follows an exposition of the sea fisheries
of British North America. In part second,
full returns are presented of the commerce of
the lakes, with a particular description of
each A survey of the canals and railroads of
the United States is next taken, with their
bearings on commerce. domestic and foreign
Parts fifth, sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth,
are devoted to detailed accounts Of the posi-
ton, condition, and trade Of Canada, New
Brunswick Nova Scotia, Newfoundland and
Prince Edwards Island severally. Tabular
statements arc then presented of tho inter
course between Great Britain and these Colo
MES and also of the trade of some of the At
antic ports of the United States with them.
In parts twelfth and thirteenth, we have care
fully prepared statements of the deep sea fish
cries of New England and the French fisheries
Of Newfoundland. An appendix of more than
two hundred pages 10 filled with statistics Of
the internal trade Of the various sections of
| Of hn nd yolna nc "a
great staples, and with certain speculatons,
which we may notice before we have closed
our remarks on this very elaborate and vau-
able report.
Mr.. Andrews has devoted much timo and
labor to the collection and preparation of the
mass of facts here presented and is strenu-
Gus advocate of reciprocal trade with Canada
The chief opposition to the policy springs from
two sources-a bigoted devotion on the part of
some Northern men to the dogma of Protec-
ton, and Southern jealousy of territorial cx-
the policy because opposed to the dogma of
Prot ,tion, because free trade is tho true in
terest Of this nation and all nations, because
we are in favor of territorial expansion on our
Northern border as well as elsewhere and
because tho increase Of commercial and social
intercourse between the United States and
Canada will facilitate such expansion.
A clear sighted, independent Administra.
ton, unfcttered by sectional interests, could
have little difficulty in dealing with this ques.
ton 1t is understood that the British Gov
crnment il willing to settle it at once in con
necton with the navigation of the st. Law
renee and the Fishery question, on terms hon
orablc and advantageous to both parties
Whether General Pierce is prepared to rcspont
to it, proposition hvorably, is not yet revealed
He may DO we'll inclined to-day, but an un
propitious wind may set in from the Soutl
tomorrow.
When the project for reciprocal trade wa
, brought forward some years ago in tho Senat
. by Senator Dix its chief opponent was Scnr
tor Hunter, from Virginia but what interc'
, Virginia can have in resisting such n mca
, ure it is impossible to understand, unless it
I a secret dislike to any policy which shall ten
. to bring new accossions to tho non slavehol'
d not by the good people of Virginia, but by i
,s politicians who arc forever struggling to kcC
d the sccptre of powor in the South. The Sla'
r. interest which t. strengthen itself sought Il
he war with Mexico to enlarge tho area
9 Slave Labor, is abcring insidiously to establi
T. itself in California and secretly encourages Il
\, plotters for the acquisition of Cuba, cannot
d expected to look with any favor upon poll
ct which might add to tho already proponder
4. ting weight of the non slaveholding Stat
IF the vast provinces Of Canada with their +,
10 millions of people, oil unfriendly to SLAYER
Ono of the principal objections to Gcncr
|. Scott in the South WAS his declaration in iay
3. of Canadian annexation. Reciprocity in ira
4 does not necessarily involve annexation, but
I" opens the way for it. and multiplics the
Il ducements to it. 1t is against Nature, tn
,c the vast regions lying in the basin Of the gre
ID Lakes and the st. Lawrence with nation
II interests, vast system of inland seas, al
= a great highway, oil in common shou
N remain divided, and alien to each other, II
s. laws OF Nature are constantly drawing the
IS together; the laws Of man alone keep the
&c apart Establish reciprocal trade betwe,
. them, and they become dependent upon ca,
II other social intercourse is quickened, pref
d dices are broken down populations bccou
is amalgamatcd and assimiated, and nothing
y the consent of Great britain would be war
!. ing, to enable them to become one in form,
4. they had already grown ono in substance.