Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1866-06-20
THE CHRONICLE.
WARREN. o.
WEDNESDAY. JUNE go. 1856.
= For the Chronicle
CONTINUED.
Trade with british America.

The Committee Of Ways and Mean
through its Chairman, during the presen
session Of Congress, introduced q bill TO reg
ulate trade with "British America" Thi
bill was designed to take the place of tht
'Reciprocity Treaty" which was made when
the Free-Trade pto-slavery Secession POLICY
governed the country. His Treaty wss re
garded so prejudicial TO American interests
that it has recently been terminated il
obedience to the public Judgment. Tht
character of this bill will be discovered from
the statements of thorough Union men anC
leading republicans, while it was under dis
cussion in the House. / shall quote from
the Globe:
'tMR. KELLEY-The bin should be reiec.
ted. It is false in principle and in detail
and will materially diminish the revenues OF
the country, by suspending several impor-
tant branches of our industry. As eonned
its sections became doubtful of its origin
whether it was of British or American con.
ception. There are many of its feature.
which constrain me to think that it is oi
foreign and not of American origin. Mr..
Kelly, quoting q portion of the 9th section
as follows:
SECTION 9th. A,Id BE- 1t further enacted,
That the President is hereby authorized to
terminate or suspend the provisions of this
Act, or any section or sections thereof, and
as to the whole or part of the British North
American Colonies, by giving public notice
of such termination or suspension, whenever
in his opinion it may appear just and proper,
&C." And, ''Sir, such power may be exer-
eised by the Emperor of Russia in regard to
the commerce Of his Empire; but such power
Regulating the trade Of this country aecor-
ding to his caprice has never been confded
to the President of the United States, or will
be confded to one while the American people
remain free" !"
In reference to this bin Mr. Kelley further
remarked, "that it had all the vices of the
Treaty." (Reciprocity Treaty, and to show
what the Free Trade Secessionists thought OF
the Treaty, Mr. Kelley quoted extensively
from Southern work, entitled tfOotton is
King" One sentence of which will quote:
"Ths Canadian Reciprocity Treaty viii
bring Che products of the British North
American Colonies, free from duty into
competition with those of the United States
when prices with US rule high, and tend to
diminish their cost"
This bill was generally approved by those
Republicans who favored Protective Tariff
on the ground that it struck blow at the
coal and oil interest of the country.
On the 18th of March, when this bill was
under discussion Mr.. Schenk said, 81 should
think by this time the gentleman of the
Committee of Ways and Means would have
discovered that this bill is an outrage upon
the American policy in more senses than
has been indicated by the gentleman from
New York Mr.. Conkling,) one of the Com
mittee. It is an outrage upon the Amer
ican policy in attempting to make tariff
with reference to one particular country, in
stead of having general tariff system, which
shall bear equally upon all foreign countries,
which make importations into the United
States. On test vote to strike out the en-
acting clause, the bill was defeated by a vote
of 76 yeas to 50 nays. Gen. Garfield aOas
the only member from Ohio l0ho advocated or
voted for the bill.
I have no doubt the action of Gen. Gar
field was in accordance with his peculiar
theory Of trade and finance; but if he is right,
then all the other Republican members from
Ohio are wrong, including our Senators
Wade and Sherman.