, 1862-01-30
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY TREATY
Mem rial of the Saint Paul Chamber
of Commerce.

At special meeting Of the Saint Paul Cllan1-
bcr Of Commerce, held ut the rooms Of the q.
S. District Court, on the 18th inst, ". R.
Marshall, President, occupied the clair, and
s. X. Putnam was appointed Secretary, pro
{t7a,
james ". Taylor presented the following
memorial, which, On motion Of J. ". CatL-
cart,- WAS adopted, and directed to be for
warded to TIC Minnesota Congressional dele
CATION:
To The Snoff oi7N 7}onse II Representatives ef the
fhitfd s'atfscf -d'N77ca in Congress assembled:
Tie Chamber Of Commerce Of st. Paul,
Minnesota, would respectfully demonstrate
against any action ut the present session of
Congress susrending the Treaty between the
United States and Great Britain. Of June S,
lS3f-conMonl1 known as the Reciprocity
Treaty-cr proposing in any manner to impair
the terms or obligations thereof, unless such
action is thu result Of new negotiation and
agreement between the respective Govern
mentE.
!. Your ,nemorialists prefer to rest this re-
nl0nstrancG oil the slE1ie consideration Of na-
tional good 1lti-thc scrupulous regard for
treaty obligations Which the American Govern
mcnt has always observed and will continue to
observe.
For this purpose VIC invite attention to the
fifth article Of the Treaty, which is as follows:
ARTICLE s. The present treaty shall take effect
as soon the laws required to carry it into oper-
ation Ehal1 have been passed by the Imperial far-
lament Of Great Britain and BY the Provincial
paTliaments Of these IF the British North Ameri-
can colonies which are affected by this treaty.
States on The oihef. Such assent having been
given, the treaty shall remain in force for ten
years from the date at which it may come into
operation: and further until the expiration of
twelve months after either of the high contracting
parties shall give notice to the other Of its wish to
terminate the same; each Of the high contracting
parties being At liberty to give such notice the
Other ut tho end of the said term OF ten wears or
at any time afterwards.
This treaty was promulgated By President
Pierce on the 11tl Of September, 1854. Tic
period from its date to promulg cation, June 5
to September II, was occupied in the passage
Of laws to carry it into operation by the Unit
cd States, England and the Provinces iuter-
estca. Under special article {Art 81 the
treaty did not become applicable 10 the Island
Of Newfoundland until December II, 1855,
From the date Of President Pierees procla-
! matic1, September Il, 1851, the period of ten
years must therefore be computed, within
which the operation Of the treaty is removed
beyond the power of Congress. The life and
II, 1864, and neither Of the contracting parties
is at liberty even to give notice Of it's termlna-
ton until after the *'cnd oI the said ten years.
Twelve months must also clapse before sucl
notice can take effect.
There is one exception, however, to this
conclusion. By the first clause Of Article ".
il Was agreed e'that the citizens and inhabi
| tants Of the United States shall have the rigli
| to navigate the river St. Lawrence, and the ca
| nails IN Canada used as the means Of commune
| tic Ocean with their vessels, boats and craft
as fully and freely rs the subjects of her Brit
annie Majesty, It being understood,
! however, that the British Government retains
| the right Of suspcuding this privilege on Civ.
ing due notice thereof to the Government ol
| the United Statesn
Article II. then proceeds to provide that
! IT at any time the British government shall
| suspend this freedom Of navigation upon the
ST. LAWRENCE River and the Canadian canals,
the Government Of the United States may
suspend, as to Canada, the third article, which
growth and produce Of the Colonies and thu
| United statcs, into each country respectively
| free Of duty.
| Great Britain, not having suspended tht
| right Of Americans in the Canadian canals
| Congress has 10 power to act under thi:
tions of the treaty.
It is therefore submitted tliat, until Scptenl
Der II, I'M, and further or beyond that dat
until the lapse Of 4 subsequent notice Q
twelve months 1t the Government desire t.
terminate tlie operation of the trcaty,) th
Congress aud citizens Of the United State
will scrupulously observe and fulfill the obi
CATIONS imposed By Article = above cited, a
well as al the other provisions Of the treaty il
| question.
Il. We venture the further statement, th,
MI parties in this Treaty have hitherto obse11
cd It's stipulations in good L1ith. The Amer
cans possess and enjoy their enlarged rights i
the British fisheries Of the North-Easter
coast. aud the free navigation Of the St. Law
renee; neither government has interruptc
tue exchanges OF the free list prescribed By th
Third Article; while upon subject puFpose1
excluded from the provisions Of the treaty
namely, the tafifs Of the United States and til
rdjacent provinces in respect to articles Of mar
| uiacturc and foreign production, there Is n
legitimate GROUND 9Isl of f. complaint II any q9a
tariff were considerably enlarged after 1854
but recently the American scale Of duties b:
been advanced in q still greater proportion
In both cases, the changes have becn enforce
by financial NECESSITY, and do not contlit
with the treaty Of 1854.
III. At the regular session Of the America
] Congress, to be assembled on the first Mo-
! day Of December, 1Se4-almost three yea,
from the present time-it will be in order |
take measures which shall then appear eXped
ent, in regard to our relations Of reyenuc ar
commerce With tue British Provinces on th
continent. Within that period the discussio.
Of our future continental policy NJ
be expected to suggest the terms
a more definite and permanent treat
. avoiding former errors and omission
| IIlu II uiE1l, sA5 tUul AEuNkl44Gt5 AGpt Altl v
licvc, will be fir more comprehensive and So
. I isfacfory than the negotiation OF 1854. II
closing three years Of the decade during viii
The existing treaty is ircyoeablc, viii prou
: bly, disclose events bearing directly and il
rressiyely upon the question Of information
relations on our northern frontier Some
| these NC venture to anticipate
! j. Central British America, including an
> hahital!c area of SOC, COO square miles, and c
tending northwest Of Minnesota to the Roc]
Mountains, will probably be organized as
Z Grown Colony Of England, with the seat
Government at Seskirk. There is good rets
: to believe that bill for this purpose will
{ come an act If Parliament ut the session nj
l. imp.EdiCg.
) &. British Columbia On the Pacific Goa:
= having received similar organi ization in 18'
the establishment Of the Province OF Gent
British America will 60 far to realize tue 10
: so gracefully expressed three years since frc
the throne Of England That Her Maje5t
- dona!:2ion's ii North America may ultimate
Z !e Ecaplcd in AT unbn,ken chair from the
= ]antsc to the Pacific, by a loyal and irdustrie
population Ct subjccls of tho British Gro ~1
5. Minncsota, With the co operation Of I
!. Government al Washington, has relied y
!; confidence Oh the probability Of such CO
- r!Eatior Of TIC fertile valleys which sire,