Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1864-02-05

Mr.. Morrill, on the Reciprocity Treaty.
On the 9th of Jan. Mr.. Morrill, Of Vt.
addressed the committee Of the whole On the
joint rcsolution for terminating the recipro
city treaty concerning commercial intercourse
between theU nitcd States and the BritishProg
inees. The subject is one Of great in Importance
to our country, and the extracts which we
make from Mr. Morrill, able exposition will
be found very interesting. Mr. Morrill, SAID
The joint resolution relative to the reciprocity
treaty with Great Britain was introduced by me
for discussion and action now because the allotted
time when the years notice for the termination
OF the treaty can be legally given draws near
and because 1t is a subject upon which, however
we may be divided upon other questions | am
willing to assume every member Of this House |
will reach and act upon conclusions justified by |
sound craftsmanship, and supported by what / |
take to be the general voice Of the American |
people; "a It Is not too much to take for granted |
that no part Of our people are concerted with the
treaty it now stands.
We are a nation Of producers, and one of the
paramount duties of legislators j. to see that mo-
ducers are probably employed and have mark
ct for their products Now, more than ever.
should exports be encouraged, and any excess of
imports vigilantly avoided. But the treaty Is
framed on the idea that We are nation of con-
sumers, and therefore it gives employment not
to US, but to provincial producers Il furnishes
a new market for the agricultural productions Of
the provinces rather than for those Of the United
States.
The JOINT resolution is not moved from petty
spite, engendered by the unfriendly sentiments
which a few subjects of the British Crown have
been recently so swift to ayow, as it appears to
me for the interest and reputation Of both coun |
tries to maintain the cordial relations of perpet-
ual amity and good will; but the treaty, whether
viewed as a foreign or domestic measure. seems I
to have been equally impoltic.
Mr.. Morrill, proceeded first to show that l
the treaty itself appeared to him to have been
unconstitutionally made, as it interfered with /,
the subject Of revenue from duties.-that so :
long as 1t existed it debarred Congress from c
laying duties, except as provided in the trea-
ty, on large class of imports from the PROV
inces. Yet this power to lay duties as the
public good may require, always remains, by
the Constitution, under the exclusive control !,
of Congress; and Mr.. Morrill, instanced a case
oi tne REJECTION, IN 18Th, OF proposed trea- ,
ty, by the Senate, on the express ground that y
1t interfcred with the power of Congress to >
lay taxes and impose duties. Such had been p
the fact in this case, and to the serious det- ;;
riment Of the United States Treasury. =
The inconvenience Of this treaty has been more
or les dormant while our revenue was abundant, u
but when the present rebellion burst forth, and n
il became necessary to largely augment the re- 1t
sources Of the treasury, the inconvenience was
demonstrated at every step. In the adjustment ~
'f the internal revenue, as well as the tariff.
he hands of the Government were tied up. lii
large resources were utterly lost because the
waste gates in the Canadian frontier were onen Ou
md could not be closed, at least until the treaty in
hould be terminated
Leaving an extended discussion of the Gol
Constitutional question involved, to others, Re