The Bennington evening banner. (Bennington, Vt.) 19??-1961, 1911-03-29
TIE RECIPROCITY ISSUE
Ex-Governor John L. Barstow Says
Old Law Not a Success

49, 1aFf 49, = N~NN~NN
Editor of The Banner:-A glimpse
at the causes and effects of the old
Reciprocity Treaty of 1856 may be in
teresting If not useful AT that time
the Democratic party, under the lead
ership of one of it's greatest states
men, Robert j. Walker of Alabama,
had enacted a tariff law Il think In
lS46) which like all other tariff laws,
whether enacted by Democrats,
Wings, or Republicans, gave protec-
ton to farmers in greater or lesser
degree as well as to manufacturers.
There was a duty of ten per cent on
hides and a corresponding duty on
nearly every other article which far
mers produce. Canada had popula
ton of about 100000, mainly engaged
in agriculture. There were no steam
ship lines to England as now, and
almost their sole market for farm
products was the United States. I'm
able to secure free admission Of these
products to this country the distress
| in Canada became acute and the peo-
pie saw no remedy except through
annexation, and they clamored for 1t.
This feeling was particularly strong
after 1S4S. 1t existed among nearly
all the younger Canadian public men,
among whom was Sir John Melon
aid mot then knighted), and he too
advocated annexation.
The desire for annexation was so
strong that in some places revolution
was threatened England sent that
great statesman, Lord Elgin, over as
governor general of Canada to study
the situation In 1849 he wrote to
the home government as follows:
IF England will not make the sac
rifces which are absolutely necessary
to put the eolonists here in as good
position commercially as the citi-
zens of the states, in order to do
which free navigation and reciprocal
trade with the states are indispen-
sable, the end may be nearer than
we wot of.
Again in November 1S4s, Lord FL
gin wrote:
But if things remain on this foot
| ing there is nothing before us but VIC
lent agitation ending in CONFUSION
or annexation and | much fear that
no measure but the establishment OF
reciprocal trade between Canada and
the states, or the imposition of duty
on the produce of the states when i'm
ported into England. will remove it,"
Repeated efforts were made to ne
gotiate such a treaty but they all
failed, as did similar proposed trea-
Ity with Germany and another with
Mexico, mainly on the ground that
1.-THE president had no constitutional
right to make treaty regulating the
revenues and also because such a
treaty with Canada would work great
hardship and injustice to the border
farmers. But Lord Elgin persevered.
He came to Washington in 1853 ac-
companied by a brilliant staff of
Iyoung wealthy English noblemen.
They entered into the social life OF
the capital with great zeal and earn
estness, giving parties, balls, din
ners and other festivities of the great
est luxuriance, and succeeded so
well that Notwithstanding the Demo
cratic Senate was at first strongly op-
posed. the first reciprocity treaty was
ratified by the Senate and approved
by the president August 5, 1854, TAX
ing effect March 16, 1855
At the time, and for long after
wards 1t was openly charged that the
treaty was secured by corrupt and
dishonorable methods. IL was said
over and over again that the treaty
was floated through the Senate by
British gold and silver champagne
Lawrence Oliphant, one OF Lord Ell
gins stan. wrote book giving a sar
castle and contemptuous account OF
American craftsmanship, which was
held TO give color to the charges.
Antislavery agitation was then rife
throughout the United States There
. was an equal number OF slave and
free states. Southern politicians
feared annexation as the addition oil
three or more free states from Can
4 ada would destroy the even balance
OF power. and they preferred free
! trade for northern farmers rather
than annexation. Some northern SCI
4 ators thought the Canadians would be
so grateful for reciprocity that the
annexation feeling would increase
But in this they were mistaken. Lore
Elgin and the southern men were
more farsighted. The gratitude o
y Canada turned to Lord Elgin and tn,
4 British empire. BY this treaty Pres
/ ldent Pierce had secured for the Am
\ orleans equal rights in the navigation
q Of the st. Lawrence and St johns
river and the canals of Canada, ais,
q Important concessions as to the fish
4 cries, none of which President Tai
secures in the latest effort to Civ,
farmers free trade on what they hav,
to sell while still paying a high pro
tective duty on what they have 4
| buy.
| This old treaty was strongly oppos
1 ed by solomon Foote OF this state
l by Daniel Webster OF Massachusetts
and by nearly all OF the Wing sena
tors on the North They -predicte,
that the results OF the treaty woul
be very unfavorable to northern fal
mers: they said that with much lowe
lands, much lower taxes and niue
cheaper labor In Canada we coul
not compete with them successfully
4 Few persons now living have an
personal recollection OF the actual 81
fects OF that treaty. My own remcn
brance is that Senator Foote'S prediC
tons were realized. One farmer
over eighty years old, writes me tina
the treaty was hateful; others sa
that Il was everywhere In the mort
regarded as distinctly unfayorable. a
indeed II must have been. Edga
Nash. ESQ. now living in anothe
state, was then farmer In Shelburn
owning one OF It's best farms. lie Nv
ed here until within n few years an
was long called our best farmer. an