The daily Green Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-25
The Movements Against the Reciprocity
Treaty.

/
years, on due notice. That period expiresin 1864
The question as get has received no little Discus
sion IN Congress but it is plain that the body
is 10 temper to give our relations with Canada
IA complete Overhauhng.
The Treaty, as it has Stood has been SO far as
American inter lsts are concerned almost a dead
failure.
Its first object was the cultivation of strong
and intimate friendship with Canada. 1t was
| believed by our Government that freedom of
commercial intercourse would so assimllate the
interests and sentiments of the two countries as
to bind them in unaterable friendship. Canada
had little TO return Tor the great advantages we
gave her. Yet we felt that the ties could not
be drawn too closely between two branches of the
same great race situated side by side But de-
vel0pements OF CanaClan feeling during this re-
belIion have demonstrated that this reciprocity
measure has failed To secure that end Though
there has been no time in which we were with
out many staunch friends in Canada it is still
undeniable that until very ately-even if not
at the present time-the unfrlendly feeling to-
wards US has greatly prepopderated. From the
commencement OF the outbreak there was a con-
stantly increasing sympathy with the South,
and corresponding animosty toward the Ma
h0nal Government and when the Trent atf4if
occurred, this spiriG eliminated to pitch that
made it really matter of doubt whether our
worst enemies were North Of US or South Of US
AT that day, and Tor a long time afterward, save
the rebels, themselves, there was not people
on the face Of the earth who cherished toward
US ntenser hate, and wished US worse ill., than
the great majority OF these same Canadians
This feeling has tot been merely an English
feeling. 1t has been something quite distinct
from that, and decidedly worse. Therefore, we
say that one OF the main purposes of the Re-
ciprocal Treaty has tailed. The treaty has not,
as was designed, drawn Canada toward u.s. 1t
seems, on the contrary, rather to have filled her
with i'll will and arrogance. We are not certain
that this spirit has not somewhat changed since
our war-fortunes have improved. The Gov.
General and Ministry, at least now manifest a
very fair disposition, and perhaps the people
generally are coming to share this feeling. But
unless this positively proves to be SO, the impol-
cy of this or any other Reciprocity Treaty with
the only part of the American Continent that
turned against US in our dark day, should be a
ruling consideration with US. 1t is plain that
we cannot afford to be building upa permanent
enemy on our border, who will ever seek to stab
US when opportunity offers.
Before the treaty, the public mind OF Canada
was leavened to very conslderable extent, with
the annexation spirit In fact, annexation
would have been in time almost a physical me-
cessity; for the Province could not live and
thrive so shut up from free intercourse with tn g
outer world. We opened our avenues to her.
and from that time she ceased to be discomfort
ed, and the ord annexation was never heard
from her. With good reason. The Reciprocity
Treaty gave her all the advantage that could
come from the membership of the American
Union, with none Of its liabilities.
There never was more perfect misnomer than
the designation of this agreement IS treaty of
reciprocity, 1t never has secured reciproc,tq
worthy of the name. From the beginning the
benefit was chiefly on one side, and by provin
cial management since, it has now become al
mos. completely so. By its original terms il
admitted nearly all the productions of Canada
into the United States free of duty, and gave
them free transit abroad while our manufac-
tured PARTICLES introduced into Canada, have
from the outset, been subjected to import duties
and within the last few years these duties have
been doubled on many of the most important
articles, 80 that now there is virtual prohibi-
ton. T Q prohibition Is extended just 80 far as
it can operate 10 build up the manufacturing IN.
terests of Canada. Where it cannot 80 operate
1t gives place to system of duties expressly de-
signed to produce rs much revenue as possible,
whereby internal Improvements can be sustain
ed which shall divert the carrying trade of the
Northwestern States as much as possible from
our own great thoroughtares. This will tell
with the greatest effect, when our railroads
come to feel, as they soon must, the full pres
sure of our war taxes, in their various direct
and indirect forms.
The treaty has been equally one-sided, in its
operation, III respect to agricultural prudncts
We have opened tie way for Canada to the
grain markets of the world, and enabled her tC
compete on equal terms with our own farmers
Without thai license on our part, she would
have been utterly unable to maintain any such
competition. Her great outlet to the ocean il
shut to all navigation six months of the year
and during most OF the other months is very uu.
safe. The proposed railroads from Quebec tC
Halifax, some seven hundred miles in length
are in a very high latitude. and would involve
such cost of transportation that export of grair
by such means must ever be quite out of the
question. This agricultural reciprocity" il
an immense advantage to Canada but to us ar
unqualified injury.
AS in manufacturing and agricultural inter
ests, SO in commercial. Duties practically differ
entail, through a change from specific to ad val
orem, have been levied against our Shippers for
warders and merchants, tending to divert trade
in tea, coffee, sugar WINE and other articles
from our Atlantic cities to Quebec and Montre
{ al. BY this increase, since the establishment o
the treaty these articles have tn nav soma tvan