East Saginaw courier. (East Saginaw, Mich.) 1859-18??, 1865-07-05


Nova Scotia, Cape Breton, Prince
Edwards Island and Newfoundland
and increased her dominions over q
million of square miles. Her domin.
ions stretched without dispute from
the Atlantic to the Mississippi from
the Gulf of Mexico to Hudson's Bay.
In period Of fifty-seven years these
colonies had greatly increased in
wealth and population. The timber
trade had become immense and grown
with the growth Of foreign demand.
Emigration had commenced and car
ried annually thousands of the sturdy
yeomen from the parent country. The
sturdy stroke of the axemen could be
heard from the Seigniory Of Anticosti
to the blue waters Of the noble Ottawa;
from thence to the shores of the st.
Clair and the Huron. The exports
and imports were equal to that of any
other Of the British Colonies, and in.
creasing in ratio surprising all
others. The two powerful nations
owning contiguous territory, and the
inhabitants maintaining and carrying
on for years a commercial intercourse
of great valxe, and highly beneficial
to each other, the question naturally
arose, "as to who should be the car
riers of the surplus production arising
from the subject of mutual exchanges?''
The lumbermen of the st. Lawrence
and New Brunswick required in ex-
change for the products OF the forests,
the flour and agricultural products of
their neighbors. The subject was
worthy the consideration of the states
man, and soon became one Of Legis-
lative enactment between the two
nations, and resulted in the adoption
of nearly reciprocal acts, by which the
ports declared to be opened, allowed
vessels to import from the country to
which they respectfully belonged, GER
tain articles being of the growth, pro-
duce, or manufacture Of such country
with promise that before any such
expectation was permitted, bond was
to be given that the articles should be
bonded at the port or ports for which
they were entered, and a certificate
produced within one year to that effect
in order to cancel the bond-this was
in substance the act of Parliament.
The act Of Congress authorized the
President to issue his proclamation to
the same end, with the restriction that
the vessels of Great Britain 80 admit
ted into the United States should be
"bona fide British built and owned,
and the master and two thirds of the
mariners should belong to Great Brit
ain, or be United States built vessel,
which had been sold and become the
property of British subjects"
This was the first act after nearly
thirty years; negotiation and legisla-
ton allowing British vessel to sail
from Montreal or Quebec to any of
the ports declared to be open, or in
return, a vessel Of the United States
to clear from any of the aooi~rvd ports
in tho United states to any of the
ports similarly situated in the Colonies
Of British North America. This
measure was hailed with joy and ac-
clamation by those who were engaged
in the commercial trade of the United
States and justly regarded as giving
a new impetus to the honorable rivalry
Of the two infant nations. i.
Unfortunately, the congratulations
were premature, for, in less than one
month, the whole measure was signal
ly defeated by letter from the Con-
troller of the Treasury Of the United
States, addressed to the collectors Of
the customs, instructing them
"To consider all British vessels and their car
goes entering the ports VI the United States, by
virtue Of the proclamation OF the President, ms
liable TO an alien duty of one dollar per ton on
the vessel and tue cargo; also, liable to dis
eliminating duty of ten per cent In addition to
the duties chsrgeable upon similar cargoes when
imported vessels Of the United States from the
same ports" ah aesi iQ il
This construction Of the power given
to the President was most extraordi-
nary, and became at once the subject
Of much notice between the British
Minister ut Washington (at that time
Stratford Canning,) and the Secretary
of State. The former insisted, and
such was the fact, that the act Of
Parliament had imposed no discrimi-
mating duties, and that under it yes
sells Of the United States and their
cargoes might enter any of the ports
upon the same terms as British vessels
employed in the same trade. Mr.,
Adam maintained the doctrine that
the act Of Congress
"under which the proclamation was issued die
not empower the President 10 repeal any discrim
mating duties prescribed by Act vi Congress-, snc
that the alien duties were prescribed by 0fhei
acts Of Congress, and altogether independent "
any restI Iictions which had been Imposed on tls
commercial intercourse between the United State
, aud .hs british Colonies IN America" .rr s.i
Again was this great national ques'
ton frustrated, and again it became
the subject Of new legislation.
On the lst of March, 1928, Con
gress passed new act regulating the
commercial intercourse between ths
United States and certain British col
onial ports. This act was intended I.
adopt ENTIRE RECIPROCITY, and on thu
same conditions as that which Grea
Britain had already laid down as he
rule OF action; unfortunately, Mr.
Canning considered certain phrases il
the act as ambiguous, and here agail
commenced renewal of diplomati
interviews, which only ended by tn
British government issuing retaliator,
orders in council, in pursuance Of a
act of Parliament imposing a dis
eliminating duty on vessels of tn
United States and their cargoes!"-
Mr.. Rush, like all Of his predecessor
having failed, the government Of tn
United States authorized him to ope
fresh negotiations, providing for th