The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-12-02
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY.

CANADIAN RECIPROCITY.
We print, in another column Of to-day
paper, recent letter by Mr.. Blaine, repre-
sentative from the kcnncbcc District, on the
subject of 4 new treaty with the Dominion of
Canada. The former treaty which took eff
feet in 1851, was terminated in 1863, by this
country, in pet growing out of the late
war. 4 very widely expressed desire. both
in this country and in the Dominion, for a
renewal OF the treaty, has brought on this
letter from Speaker Blaine, in which he in
sists that the government of the United
States neither can nor ought to consent to
the negotiation of Ike terms with our neigh
bors
The position taken by Mr. Blaine, that the
f former reciprocity treaty was IN infringement
Of the prerogativcs Of the House of Repro
sentatives, because il affected the revenue. is.
we think, untenable. II is true that the con-
stituion explicitly provides that all hill:; for
raising revenue shall originate in the popular
branch. But ii also provides that all treaties
made shall be the supreme law of The land.
The right OF the House is absolute, save in
cases in which il is subordina,pd to public
eXIgcnclcs and necessities, of which the
treaty making power is thc Judge The pro
vision conters upon the President and the
Senate great power, but il was deemed safe,
inasmuch rs the President represented the
whole people and the Senate the States. We
haze never before seen the supremacy of
treaties made with foreign governments
questioned. Treatymaking was designed 10
be power in addition to the Legislative, exc
cutlvc and judicial. Hamilton, in the Feder-
alst makes the purpose clear, when he saws
The essence Of the legislative authority is to en-
act laws or i'll other words to prescribe rules for
? the regulation of the society: while the execution
OF the laws, and the employment Of the common
strength. either for this purpose. OF for the common
defence, seem to comprise all the functions of the
Il executive magistrate. The power of making
treaties Is. plainly, neither the the other
1t relates neither to the execution of the subsisne
laws, nor to the cnactlon of new and still less
to an eXertlon of the common strength. Its objects
are, CONTRACTS with foreign nations which h,ye
the force of law. but derive it from the obligation
OF good faith. They not rules prescribed bv
the sovereign to The subject. but agreements be.
tween sovereign and sovereign. The power in
question seems, therefore, to form Il distinct depart
ment and to belong. properly. neither TO the lrgi>.
;. lativc nor to the executive.
+ If Mr., Blainc's theory be correct. VIOLA
IS tons Of the constitution have been the rule
Y The acquisition Of Florida annullcd tho
= revenue laws of the United States with re-
d spect to it. SO did the purchase of Louisiana
and more recently Of Alaska-all without the
d concurrence Of the House in its revenue func.
y ton In the Ashburton treaty Maine lost q
5 portion OF her territory, and the preroeativ(
was violated by its being made British soil
# from which no revenue could be derived an(
u without the consent of the House. If Mr.
= Blaine be right, Jefferson, jackson, Webster
. and Seward are the great American viola
+ tors.
. MIR. Blaine points out the way in which
1 Canada can enjoy the advantages of oul
, trade. If the British Provinces desire the
n advantages OF our markets. let them seek il
o through the easily opened door of annex.
alton The door is not only easily opened
t but it is open and has been so for more thar
, ninety years. The tenth Of the Articles OF
Y Confederation expressly provided that Can
I ada, and Canada only, shall come into the
. Union when she shall elect to do so. The
-! doors has stood open for century. and she
r don't enter. Is she any more likely to enter
4 iii the century to come? And if not, is this
n country to be barred from profitable trad,
) with her by the present tariff?
: But the Dominion of Canada is a province
OF England We can acquire it only by treaty
!, with the mother country--that is, if the dool
q of egress is to be ''casily opened" If we Sc
e acquire it, the treaty making power alone has
r the right to negotiate if it is SO acou,-
c ed, the present revenue regulations fall at
stroke OF the pen, aoithoM tie concurrence
Of the House Of Representatives, Thus Mr..
K Blaines argument brings him ont of the same
hole ut which he went in
The statement made that the American
friends OF a reciprocity treaty propose to adj
e NIT Canadian products absolutely free. is
. very unfair on the part of Mr. Blaine. Ii
would not be right to conccde it, nor do the
e Canadians ask it. In January, 1866, inn
e mcdiatcly after the abrogation Of the previous
treaty, dcputation from the Canadian coy
eminent met at Washington with prominent
! members Of our own, for the purpose of dis
: cussing the terms of a new reciprocity treaty.
The delegation consisted Of Mcssrs Gait and
!, Rowland, of Canada; Henry, of Nova SEQ
I tia; and Smith, of New Brunswick These
gentlemen were willing to submit to du-
ties on importations from Canada sufficient
to offset the United States internal revenue
e tax, but objected to higher tariff on certain
other articles, as proposed, because they
! would be prohibitory. As the representatives
: OF the United States insisted on higher rate
h of duties, the negotiations We're broken off.
: In saying, therefore, that anybody, even the
:; Canadians themselves, ask the benefit of our
markets without paying internal revenue
q taxes Mr.. Blaine is not borne out by the re-
cord They propose to pay the taxes them