Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1866-03-16
Congressional.
TRADE WITH CANADA.
OF MR.. MORRILL, OF W.,


Provinces, has become necessary in conse-
quence Of the termination Of the reciprocity
treaty, which takes place on the 9TH Of the
present month. The treaty was an illomened
one from the start, having been first extorted
from us by the armed raid upon our fisher
men. in 1852, made by the combined atma-
ments of the Provinces, and led on by the i'm
perial Government; and, second, won from
us by the delusion that favors would beget
fraternity. We are too old to be again de-
luded, and, being quite able to Withstand a
bite, we shall be unlikely to yield to a growl.
For eleven long years the United States,
OVERLOOKING with generosity, have granted to
these Provinces what their cwn mother coun-
try has long since weaned them from, that is
to say, privileges not granted to others
Hcnoefor,h we shall treat them as friends
unless they entitle themselves to DO treated as
favoritos or provoke that treatment awarded
to enemies BY the present bill we grant
certain privileges provided ample equivalents
are obtained In the main, however, increas-
ed revenue has been our object.
This House. after this recent unfortunate
experience, will not, at least during the pres-
ent generation, relirqush its constitutional
prorogative to originate all revenue billie
O int extent OF our Afhut Win Aht fuNluNtr
our legitimate prerogative has been ourtailed
and denied. If such commercial treaties were
to be tolerated It is easy to be seen that they
might 10 due time embrace all countries
with whom we have commercial relations, and
thus the proper functions Of the Honse in re-
gard to imposts and taxation would be usurp-
ed and superseded. If it is important that
we do not transcend our just power, it is
equally important that we do not abdicate and
surrender that which we are prominently
called upon not only to exercise but to guard.
] hat this treaty arrangement was not to
our advantage we not only have the testimony
Of the fishermen Of Maine the lumbetmen Of
New York, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and
Maine; the wool-Rrowers Of Ohio, Illinois,
Pennsy lvanis, New York, and Vermont the
grain growers Of oil the western States, and
the manufacturers whose business with the
Csnsdas has go notably decreased, but even
the provincial officials Isctly confess to the
prosperous gale they have enjoyed by the
terder Of terms less onerous to ue, if not less
lucrative to them, than those of the treaty.
They feel that they can afford to treat us bet
ter
Though we have ascertsined in our recent
struggle with the late slayeholding aristoc-
raay, far more powerful than any other on the
globe, that the Governments OF the world do
not love us nor our Republic, it is as foreign
to American ideas to base legislative action
upon hatred as upon fear. We ere simply
looking after the interest and honor Of our
own people, and propose that they shall not
be made unhappy by the contrast of their
condition with that of their neighboTs in re-
spect TO taxation or markets.
am aware that come very good people, en-
joying possibly present trade which may be
in danger Of being shorn Of its profts, look
ominously and shake their heads, saying,
:" Are you not afraid that our seamen--such
turbulent, reckless sea dogs--will disregard
the three.mile shore line and involve us at last
in war with England p Well, they may
but this story has an ancient and fish.like
smell, and we may as wellnot hug it too close
ly. 1t is true that it England desires a conflict
with us pretext may be easily obtained
through collisions among eager and exasper-
ated fishermen touching her absurd hesdland
interpolation, but there is no lack of heroic
pretexts elsewhere, and whenever the con
hict comes, whatever the alleged provocalion
may be, or by whomsoever precpitated, no one
knows better than England herself that the
Provinces will be gone forever, shook and
line, bob and sinker." Not that we desire
this, but, to escape the blows, they would
run nearer TO us.
But the terms offered in this bill in rela-
ton to the fisheries do not invite repulse.
On the contrary it is believed, especially from
the frank and friendly exchange of views be-
tween the Committee Of Ways and Means
and the minis ters representing the Provinces,
who were recently here, that they will be
readily accepted by most if not all of the
Proyinoes-certainly by those most interest
ed in the trade.
II there is any doubt on this point il is
really whether the terms of this bill are not
too indifferent toward our own fishermen
The public believes, and 30 believe the peo-
pie OF the Provinces, that mutually in The
right TO their shore fisheries is of great value,
and hence we have had to concede some equiv
elent, though conscious that the right cquired
or rather restored, is vastly overTated.
The rates of duty which the Committee of
Ways and Means have proposed in this bill
are such as it is believed will afford revenue,
and will not in any case prove prohibitory
In other words, we expect to take rs much of
their lumber, coal, and barley AS heretofore !;
but before a sale can be allowed alongside Of
American products, the privilege must be
bought with price equal al least TO our tax
es, and often much greater Even with these
terms, a commission SAINT TO China or Peru
will disclose no other market SO valuable,
When we abandoned all duties on lumb Der
under the treaty, the effect was not to reduce
tho price in the American markets, but the
value Of lumber increased in the Provinces.
Reversing our action, it is not impossible
that our revenue may be increased without
much additional cost to the consumer. Lum-
Der being an article of universal necessity and
incapable of any increase in quantity, only
moderate duties have been pFopoeed. At the
present time we seek rather to diminish than
to multiply objects of taxation; and while
lumber during the war might easily contrib
ute liberal revenue, il is not now proposed
to levy any internal duties upon it; therefore
we have only offered scale OF moderate du-
ties. 1t is sound policy to make building
materials cheap. Wood az building mate
rial is used to some extent by all, and exclus-
lively used by men of moderate means, and
the lower qualities for fencing purposes are
indispensable to landowners. The reasons
for exempung il from the burdens Of taxation
appear to be ample. Articles that were EN-
braced in the reciprocity treaty have for the
most part been treated in all tariffs for the
last ten years with neglect, and the PRESENT
bill lie therefore the more needful.
The part Of the bill which gives up the