,  t ; !rf‘- )
2. tho Hritisli (I'j v t f ii ••iit
::ii . and artuj.Hv c3cred, the
,.)t otirsc ^houiM continue restricted to
.’.e (.i ('Ct voyajie, as it then was t»y th('
ctivc laws d1' the parties; that is to
nv, that an Amoiioan vessel, clearing
.rom the British West Indies with their
i rodiice for an American p*rt, shouhl
lie re(]nired to land her carf^o in such
port; and, on the other hand, a British
i'essel, clearing from the United States,
with their produce, I'or a Colonial port,
shoiiit be requireii to land her cargo in
sucli port.
tliirdly,^ho point on which the
part it > ron'd not then ajrree, w’as, that
the Tiiited States insisted that Amcii-
can jiroduce should he .tdmitted into the
British Colonial ports, ujion the same
terms as siniilar prodiico received from
any where ciso; that eiilior ironi a
Bitlisb possession or cny foreign coun-
uy.
nn c|!:;d ‘uir.iis.'-ion of cur pro-
niicd fur, i:i jKi'suancr nf
ic'tineni'- I't li e ()o:,i:ri‘.'S t f llt(
'•'•tales i:i t(
U’
Iho
Ur;
'-'■d ...
l!'(* Co:.i:ri
onci ol M.Tuh, 182.').
t!’.(* l\vo j-nili.'' nnii''at)!\ scpa-
ief^t.r.1, V
it ('if pri l!' I nnder-
c>f {!:■.), llie n.;v:)?.iation,
sucl: i>: c.L.i Css iiad
' rvf’.iMU (! : lul hro’L
'.t s( ’I'C I’uliiida}’.
hcoji niade, s.hoiih'' b
to r.Mi’ oi)i:cb:"i('n
To t'.ai rf iifwr l ii« !i;('tiatioii the U. S.
ha' lnv;:ri..h!y iof.Kuil,witij theconf.def'.t
ho)ic th;tf, uiien the jKH 1 irs apiin met,
th* \ V.- iild he nb'.e to leri iiciu-the only
diOf'Tiff wliieh obstriicttd an adjiist-
mt ' ' 1'bey nevtr could have dieamt
th't, uMthont the sniallest jnevions no
lle*. ;ii!.d rtt the very njoment of the ar-
riv.' I in Kn‘:;land of n new American
Mi ■ >iier, fully prepared to resume the
rec tiation, itwas to besiiddeniy arrest-
«d. K'd tl'.e new grounds for the first
tin taken, that tl,e subject itself was
ofji l atuie to admit of no negotiation.—
Ki tire cot.fideiice being reposed on the
resun'i-tion of the negotiation, as the
me-- ' wu which both parties relied, op
on 1' of Mr. Rush, in the Sprint
of 1S,’5, Mr. King was sent to replace
hi'. '.I’'v empowered to treat on all
the (including* the colonial trade)
of t: ( pifvious r.egotiation. He was
jnstnif icd, in the first instance, as being
« si:o)( rt of more pressing urgency, to
inv(-’ !• the interposition of the British
Goveri-ment to remove the impedi
jTt. »' the: execution of the St. Peters-
bu'R Convention, which had been cre-
tted by the British Commissioner at
1^'a>hington. And he was informed
that V is instructions on the objects of
the suspended negotiation should be
Irarsmitted to him in time again to open
it. They would have been so trar*?-
jnitted, but that, upon his-arrival in
England, in the month of June, 1825,
he was indisposed; that he learnt that
- His Britannic Majesty, was ill, and that
Mr. Canning was also unwell; and
moreover, that the British Cabinet was
dispMsifi over the island, or upon the
coi t'.ner.t, in the pursuit of health and
rec.eation. Wappily, liis Britannic
sr.d his j,i \»icijial Secretary of
FoT. ii!;n Afl'airs, Vvrreiestorcd to health.
The Jirilish Cabinet did not reassemble
yrtil tho Auti'iiin of lb‘25, and ]\!r.
Kir- uiifortuiiu'.Lly ren'uineil feeblc'and
nii'.v.iil upjo t'iC I'criod of his return to
the Su.t' in conseciuer.cc o! his
n,e i.ealin of Mi. niifns 2tli p;, al.iclt
Mr. Caniiir'g lai'Hitf'; to s;iy 1 ;*s been,
since his :h I i val in hir Ironi
sati>faclory, w ill jt»in any otlifr ne^otia-
tior in the com^iission with him.” If
the British Government had then in
tended to bar all negotiation, in respect
to the colonial trade, no occas on could
have been mojefitthan the transmisMon
of that note, to communicate- such in
tention. So far from ani’ such purpose
being declared, it is formally notified
to the American Government that the
British Government is j^rrparin" to
proceed in the important nej^otiations,
&c. anil that the negotiations* will be j
forthwith rvsunud, [ofcourse including:
the colonial trade.] It appears, from
the same n»)te, that tic l?ritish Govern
ment W':^s prrfettly ac(juaiiilcd with the
feeble condition oflMr Kii.g, atul there
fore mr.:^ the friendly snir^estion of as
sociating some oth‘r person with him to
conduct the necotiaticn. Mr. Vanglian
lonla^ p:>rti aq:a:ns‘ c>..-ve-A -1^: a;:d j Coloni.»i rowers it riuy d. ^
eo inr^ mation h;i>^ bc-n irccived ti-Mr • hi y.blM iild t,-ra:;i t«> llniish ships pi iv
from any Hr.usli Culot.iul poi t, exrepi! s oi i ^ r'nav A
Halifax,' of such inu-ntion. ! U.ose xvhich the lirUish law o nav
This Idler was publi'^hcd in t' e An* i-j tinn gratiis to those 1 owers, of irddin^
irau GazHtesj a copv of il was ftaniHhrd ! uiil. ihe llritisl. r :!?]h
io Mj-. VauiHian, whidi he is uiuiersi.-ocl j .I.at s-jch Powers should allow to British
to have trunsmitied lo Ids i;ovci nnu'iit. ' ve>-('!s the priviIt'p;o ol irnpoitinii; n is i
And it is h.-licviHl 1.0 have had sainr cf-j produce into their c:olonu-.s and ol ex-
' ■ ■ ' to be carried to
feet ia producing the r.'\;oc:iii.en of an i i-orUn.,-goods therelronu to be carried to
order (if tl.e local g(;vcriuTirtit, I)V wliicli | tiny f ouniry \vliaiever,except Uie puieni
the port of HaHfax «as to liave been do- country. But from the Powers havinM
sed dirainst vessels of the Unitrd Siart-s . no colonies, the act deniunds that tla-y
lnll!!^p''^!’-''!!
not foi
his instiuiiions ere.
tu hiir,
it was L'l’ia’ se it
V.’ii 1
raj--
i.
Bn'
iMfl
rie,v
’►nilt
llii'.l i'e \\as rniragecl lu dis-
1'-' !!;. tlic St. Pftershurg
it vvn'« !' lievi'»l that hi-
1 did i.oi : i’i> it ot’ * u
1, *i;C ^.liscl.ai (•' tiie ii;(;i •'
ci'ifsun.inLrti.e j'l'pe:'.(iei
'( ’,1. It v.ouh! row M'f ni to
■ IIl.C! Mscii"^.'^ to iiavelr. ns-
ll.t.l:),
I
was verbally infornicfl that w'c should
prepare, as soon as jtraeticable, to re
new the negotiation, and that the; stale
of]\lr. King’s lua'th wculd be. takfii
into consiticration. 'I’he President dit!
deliberate on it, and yfur willingness to
he associat'-d with Air. King, in that
public service, was ascertainef!.
In the mean (imr, ar.d l; lore the ne
cpssary arranpeirn nis rijuid bo made for
vour departure, a letter from Mr. Kinp:,
under dale the 21st day of March, 182'\
was rer t-ived, de^ii inij ()ermissioii to i f-
turn, V Inch was promptly f^t anted, and
you were in)n)ediately appoinu d, by a?id
wiihilu' ad\irr and consent of the Senatr,
to succeed him. Without ar.y unneces
sary dflay, you proceeded (jn your mis
sion, ( hari::cd with instructions, fr amed
in the most aniicable spirit, to renew ihe
suspended ne^(ytiation in all points.
It is )\ow necessary to turn back to th('
British act of Parliament of July, U?25.
That act has nevei. to this monu nr, be i-
officially communicated to the Anu i i( an
Government by thyt of Great liiiiain.
and it reached us only through other
channels.
^Ve did not suppose, whatever may be
the general terms of its enaciments, that
It was intended to be applied to the U.
States, ujitil, at least, the exprrimen> ol
the renewed nej^otiation should have been
tried, and should have failed. We en
tertained that supposition because both
parties, by all their correspondence and
public acts, appeared to regard the
renewed negotiation as the nu uns of
settling the existing difi’en nee. Wc had
o\her cogent reasons h*r that sujiposiiion.
If the British Government intended irre
vocably to abide by the conditiotis which
the act of Parliament prescribed, we be
lieved ncjt only that it w>uld have
been officially communicated, with a no
tification to that efi’ect, but that the Brit
ish Minister would have been instructed
to give such information asmight be ne
cessary lo enable as early to comprehend
its provisions.
This information to a foreign govern
ment could not be deemed altogether un
reasonable in respect to an act of Pariia
ment, extremely complicated, spread out
into eighty.six sections, besides various
tables, and which was accompanied by a
cotitcmporaiieous act relating to the same
subject, also containing numerous pro
visions, and botli referring to other acts
of P.irliau)eni, ihe-iitles of some of which
un not e\en recited. Not only was no
suchi nformution ever commtnicated, bui
you will pnc» ive, from the accompany
ing correspondence with Mr. Vaughan
in the last month, that, up lo that time,
lie was not jiiovided with instructions to
i ti’t'rd a saii‘factory answer to the inqui-
r\. wii tlu iiccording to the British in-
* 11 i>reijt Kill t)t ijie act (jf Pai liamcii', A-
i!.ej!(\iii ve.-M'l;-. may trade between ihe
iiiitish C ch inr-. foreif'Ti cnutitrit s.
dk'a
from the
was, ill i'act, from whatever cause, re-
v(.ked. And as that port, and all otlier
British Colonial ports, reinained, after
that day, open to our vessels, we were
confirmed in the belief tliut the act, in
the present state of the relations ot the
twi» countries, was not iniended to be en
forc’d c»n the commerce of the United
States. The belief v* as further strength
ened by the terms of the 4th si-'cvion ol
the act, wliich are; “And whereas, by
the law of ua\ijration, for‘'ign sbij ■ aie
permitted lo import into any of the liri-
ti>h possessif ns abroad, from the coun-
iries to v. hich they belong, goods the
produce  V tho^e counti’ies and to es-
[)oi i goods from surli posses*:i(»ns to be
carried to any fwrvign couiitiv whatiw*r:
.\vi, wJu'T'ms, It is expi dii nt tbat‘U*li
■  rntisston sfuiUid be subject t«i cu t'in
coi (!!iions ; be 't theietore cti.acted, h ■
the privih gts iherel'j grantt d to lore);; ■
sl'ij^s, shall he limited to the ship's
those coimtries which, luring Coh.niu!
possessions, shtdi gra::t the like f,riviie-
!>es of trading wi.h tiiusc po:•-^essions to
British ships, or winch, not having Col-
Ifjiuul possessions, sliall place t!'e com-
nierce and navigation ol this ' ountry,
lid of its possessions abroad upon ti e
f('(uiii|r of the most favoretl nrjion, unless
tiis Majesty. h\ his order in Council,
.hall, in any cave, deem it expedient to
LjiaTit the vvlu'le, or any of such privile-
(MS td*the shij)s of atty foreign country, 'iuie states l.uve Colonies, i
although the conditions aforesaid shall j w ill !)e let into the trade with ihe British led, no mailer upon what
not, in all respects, be fuifilled by such | C'olr.i’it s upon tite U'ss otierous c-:iu!i-
forei',rn couni.rv.” ‘ I tibns. The Ui.ned States are tho onlv
N. w ni‘ Britannic. Majesty was there-j Power, not haMng Colonies, w Inch tryoe.s
by autliorized, by his order in C'ouncil. j or is e\er likely to trade, to any extent,
if hc' should in any case, deem it expe- • with Priiish Colonies. And, it they alone
dient. to grant the wl-.ole, or any of the | li u\ betn named,in the second class of
privileges mentioned in the section, to ' powers described in the act, the applicu-
the ships of any forcM-n country, “ al-1 tion of its more burdensome conditions
though the conditions aff>resaid shall not, | would not, in that case, have been more
The trade
advan-
.th of January lust. The order j sl.ould place the commerce and naviga
tion, both of the United Kingdom and its
possessions abroad, upon the footing of
the most favored nation. W’ith the Co
lonial Powers the act proposes an ex
change of Colonial trade for Colonial
trade, exclusive of the trade of the parent
country. W’ith powers not having colo
nies, it proposes to give the British Co
lonial trade^^ly it) exchange for a trade
between thWe Powers and the United
Kingdom, and all its possessions abroad.
From the Colonial Powers it asks noth
ing but mere reciprocity; which, view
ing the vast extent of the British Colo
nii s in comparison with those of any oth
»>!• Power, is only nominal. 1 he act, on
the contrarj’, is not satisfied with de
manding from the Powers having no Co-
‘t,>.ies, reciprocity of privileges, but it
r » tpiires that, in consideration of the per
mission to import their produce into the
P-'iii:>h Colonies, and to export there-
iVorn pi oduce of thoiie colonies io any for
eign (o’M'.'.rv. except Great Britaiti, those
powers should at once extend to the com
pierce and cavig^iiion of the United
Kingdom, and its lJO^>sossions abroad, the
full measure of all tonmierciul privile-
i;es whicli they m«y have granted to tht
most fa\or((! na'.ioit. It is iinjjjssible
not to ‘‘••e tliut liiis discrimination made
liy the act of Parliament bcr.v.jcii (iilFer-
»-nt foreiiMi powers, operates exclusivt i\
upon tin United Stales. All tl'.e iiiari-
am:, Uht* foie.
in all respects, be fulfilled by such for-1 exclusively confined lo them. Tht
eign country.” This mvektment of pow- of the United States will bear an 
4 tK/» tn u/ith u sitrirt taiyeoils COnjH^irisOli \Vllh ihc ll’t)
er in the Crown fodispetise with h strict
cotnpliaiice w itb the conditions of the act,
in relation lo any Powers like the United
Stales, not having coloiiies, seemed ne-
tageous comparison with the trade of
any of the Colonial powers, either in its
amount, or the value or variety of the ar
ticles which it comprehend^, is greatly
.ei lb
Uin'ed y^liigdom, in like
liavllig
('f t^('
Mscii"^.'^ to ii.'ivrlr
ihi- jiiit’.^h Govrriiiiicnt
Tin tii''ii r;tiiid, IroJii the
•tel oi I* '.I 'linnicMt of.Iuly,
to ( io'«e iiit.’ dof'!' of Pf gptiaticMi.
Sueli a pi;i j O^e v. ;i^ i.( \ hinted to tlic
Ciov( riunei.t oftl',(* I'lii'cd StuK's. On
tlir eoiilraiy. as lute March.
M)'. !'n addrc'^'cd an ofli-
ci: ' nolo to t'u Drp.'ii tinctil, in wbieli
ii( -lU'tc d, “ I l..i\e ierti\ ed instructions
t'l.ii Il'iS >!','s (lovimincnt to ;»c-
inaiMi vnii, t;i:it it is pit jinrit.g to pro
Cyi. in the inij"it;ii I III got iuti(ui.'* be
tween th;.t ec.ni try at^d the I'nited
now i)!f ccd in tlu* lionds ol the
itemi IMitii'ttr in Jjondon; i\lr.
>sop li;i" bfi h nlrendy introduced
IJ. Kin;r, .’islli''l\lajc:sty*s Plei'i-
’.M\,;uid tlie ]Mil.i^'^*r of State,
_• 1 he dejjnitiiUMit of J-'oreign Af-
. Iff lived His Ma’Jcs’y's efini-
> To associate ?»!r. Addini;tc>ii, late
Mnje^tv's ( barge d’Alliiiies, in A-
uienco, with Mr. linskis-cm, as joint
P]c .putei.tiaiy on the part of Great
iiritain.
‘•-'I’hi' negotiations will, therefore, be
fo\' n b r'sunied, ap'i it will be !ri
thj - eriirnei.t of the I'r.ited Sta^s to
wiicthw, couijiilcrvnjj the btatt; of
MaK
Al. •
11.
to -•
lp(.‘.,
lal.
II.>
niaiin‘r v.ill' t^riiish viss ls; and vvht*ili-
t r all discriminating fluties and charges
iirposed, cither l.'V the hjral author ie;„
(jr by tt.v l>rii!^-h Partl.r.nenf, bete. t en
V( She's of the Cui'ed St.iies and Biiiisb
\fvsels, ha\e bet n c.tjoIis':u'd.
'n,e impoi lance of the latter irr^nirx
\as inc:eys,etl by information which lud
reaclud us. lhai, lan ly, during the pres
ent \ear, tht government i-l Nova Scotia
had pa^^ed an" act, by which American
vessels Here 'aibjei ltd ti; liigber duties or
charges llian Ih'iu-h. Tliai w e'^ince; el)
b('li('\f! ;ba' negotiation, ; nd not legis
lation. uas the rr.cut.s by which ii w as tx-
' pectevl an arhmgernein was to be affe i-
I'd by the pailio^, will further api>eai
from a leitrr aiid;essed by me, on the
25th (lav of Decetnber, 18.25, to a mem
ber of (Joiii^re^^, a copv of which is here
with traiisinitted. In iliat leiter the opin
ion isexpreesed that the Briti*-!! (»overn-
ment couid not bavi* inlt-ndfd to a{)ply
the tict of Pai liament of Mb Juh, 1H25,
t(» the intercom se ht tween the United
States and the Bri;isliCoIonies, because,
Isi, it would be inconsisient with profes-
sioTis made by that (ioverrnnent tn thi*;.
und with negotiations between tlu* iwt;
(iovernmer.ts cotitemplatc'h if nol\et re
sumed: 2dly, no noli* !• has been gi\ -n :.t
Wasi'ineton, or al Loiuhjn, of such a
;jur|'f'se as that w bii-Vt, lor the first lime.
■ itidit'ated at Halifax: odl\, the Bi itisb
\iinist(T here is unadvisi rl h\ ITn; gov
cessarily to imply discussion, and conse-j sujierior to that of most ot them, and
quently, .negotiation, with such Power.s. | justly entitles us to demand from Great
It is not the objectt in bringing forward ■ Britain as favorable tet^ms as thost? which
are extended to any of them. It is true,
that the act holds out the idea of son.e
miiigaiion of these concUtions in the au
thority confided to ihe king. But on
what considerations his Britannic Majes
ty might be induced, by his order in
Council, to exercise the dispensing pow
er vested in him, is not stated in the act
itself, nor have they been disclosed by
any order in Council, or in any other
manner which has con»e to our knowl
edge. The very investnient of such a
j)ow.er, I repea), implied friendly expla
nations and discussions, and cdnsequeni-
ly, the mrans of negotiation, which tlu
British Government now rejects as alto-
geiher inadmii'^ible. Beiug, therefore
unable to ascertain the undivulged con
siderations which might have led to some
relaxation or variation of the conditions
of the act of Parliatnetit, we are confinef
to an examination of these specific con
ditions themselves.
They recpiire that the United States,
to entitle themselves to the permission
of importation and exportation w hich is
granted by the British law of navigation
should place the commerce and naviga
lion of the United kingdom, and ol its
l)ossessions abroad, upon the fooling of
the most favored nation. ’^I'he first oh
servaiion occurring is, that, at thevt iy
the facts and observations winch have
been stated in vmdication of the Ameri
can Government,to convey any reproach
es agaijist that of Great Britain, or. ac
count of the late unexj>ected resolution
which it has taken. I’hese facts and ob
servations, however, show that it ought,
not to excite any surprise that the Con
gress of the United Stales declined legis
lating m a matter w hich it appeard to
theni was both most fitting in itself, arul
preferred by Great Briii-.in, to be setil^d
by nkutua! and friendly agreement. When
deliberating on the only proposition
which was made during the last session,
that of a simple repeal of all discrimin
ating duties, which it now appears would
have been unavailing, and would have
fallen far short of British expectations,
they Were unaware that they were acting
under the pains and penalties of a British
act of Parliament suspended over their
heads: a nofi-compliance with tlie strict
(onditiotis of which subjected the United
Slates not only to the forfeitu.'e of all in
tercourse wiili the British Colofiies, but
was to be attended with the further con-
sefiuence of terminating all negotiation
t ven beiween the jiariies.
1 will now proceed to a consideration
tii ;he sfM'cific conditiotis rt (juired by the
act of Parliament, the non-fuinimeT;t of
u Inch is the professed ground of the
Ktle British ouhr in Cotnicil. 'Pbese
c(.»nirr.ions air undtr.itood to be contain
ed in the fourth sn i.on of ihe act which
begins by recitif^g, “And whereas, by
the law of navigiuion, foreij^n ships are
permitted to import into any of the Brit
ish j)ossessions cdroad, from the coun-
uies U) v\ hich t!u'y belong, goods the pro
duce oj Ifin.n cuiwtrifs, and to export goods
Irom such possrssicjiis to l>e carried lo
an) foreign couf;try whatever: And
wliertas, ii is expedient that such per-
nnsston should be subject to certain con
ditions.'’ It then proceeds to enact, in
t esp« ct to countries not havn\g colonial
io:,sessions, “'i hat the jirivileges there-
i»y granted to fon-ign ships shall be lijn-
itrd lo the shijis (jf those countries (not
liaving colonii'I possesbions) which snail
place the connncrce and navigation of
lhi.i country, ai.d id ilsjj%sscsfiioniinhrondy
u])on the fooiitig of the mo>t favored na
tion. unless ln> Majesty, by his order in
Council, shall, in yny case, deem it ex-
pedit-nl to grant the whole or any of such
piivileges to the ships of any ftn-eign
country, although the conditions alore-
said shall not, in all respceis, be fulfilled
by such ft)r«’i(;n country.” In coiisider-
ing this acl of Parliament, the first cir-
( uinstaiice which (omntaiids attention is
ihen>ajktd diflerenie which it makes in
the conditions recpiired of foreiirii Pow
ers, beiween ihose which have colonies
.et’iimeiil V/f utiv iuttiitiofi to clo-c the Col*iuud tliUbc wh.idi huve nuiie* irom the
moment when the British Government
is putting forth the new princij)le ilut
the regulation of the ti-ade of the parent
country and of its colonics, drpends upon
two rules, essentially diflerenl, the otu
admitting, and the other excluding all
consultation with foreign Stales; thi
act confounds them together, k require
not merely that we should place th
Bi itisb colonii s upon the looting of tin
most favored coh-nies, hut that, to en
title us to ei»joy the privileges of an in
lercourse with those c(donies, we musi
comply wiih the re(juiremeni of placing
the navigation and coniTnerce, both of
the parent country and n/l ils poi>ses!;{io7is
alirovd, on the fooling of i!jc most favor
ed nation,
I'ue first difficulty w hich is encounter
ed, in ascertaning the precise nature and
extent of the conditions prescribed by
the aci of Parliament, is, that it furnish
es no (hfinition of the terms, “ the most
lavored naiion,” . which it employs. Ac
cording to one interpretation of those
terms, they \u\\)un lUt: gnilui/ori^'i conces
sion of commercial privileges. Accor
ding to another, they imply the nation
wl’.icb enjoys the greatest amount of
f(mm.ercial privilege, whether granted
U'il/i or iriihdut equivalents.
'I’hat tlie first w s not the sense in
which the B' iiis,h Ciovenum-nt intended
lo Use ilu»se terms, vvc ((uiji ctnred; br-
cause, ii it were, nothing i niained to be
done by the :\nicricun Gu\'jr:inieni to
bring !lseir within the conditions of t!..
act of Parliuinent, and we apprehei,(le(^
that the British Ciovernmdit requii,.(j
s(nne positive acl. (ireat Britain, in tha^,
sense of the terms, is, in resj^ect to tho
commerce and navigation both of th^
parent country and its possessions a-
broad, on the footing of the most favoreci
naiion. Whatever commercial privile-
ges are granted by the United Slates t»
any foriegn nation, by act of Congress*
or by treaties, are founded upon equiva
lents. Holding out the principle of iai^
reciprocity to all nations, we neither ask».
nor profess to bestow, commercial boons.
Thus, in respeci to alien or discrimina.
ling duties, we have not abolished theni
in behalf of any naiion-which has not
professed to abolish them as to us. If
they are now levied upon British vessels,
con;ing to the United Siaies from Bri,
iisb colonies, countervailing duties are
now also levied upon American visselsj
enJering British colonies, and have been
coiistantly, as’Mr. Canning declares, from
1823. If the amount of .American ton-
nage admitted to entry in British colon
ial ports, and of British tonnage .iter-
ing American ports from British colon
ies, were exactly equal, the collection of
duties on one side would neutrailzt the
collection on the other. But, as thrre is
much more American than British ton
nage employed in the colonial irade, we
pay a greater amount of those duties than
Grtat Britain. And, consequently, if
there were cause of complaint on either
side, on account of their existence, it
would be with us. It would not, tliere-
fore, have been 'in the first, but must
have been in the second, meaning of die
terms, that they are employed in the act
of I’arhameni.
Great Britain is understood,'then, to
have demanded that the United King
dom and Its possessions abroad, should
!u* allowed to enjoy, in the ports ol the
Uniled States, the greatest exiet-.i of com
mercial privileges which w^- have gran-
iiiple i. qui va
lent, lo any foreign naiion kviiatevcr. lu
oriler to ascertain the latitude of conces
sion thus required, it is necessurv lo
glance, aud it shall be done as rapully a'i
possible, at the state of our comi.iercial
relations with oiherfortngn Powtrs.
By the general law of navigaiion (see
61 b vol. of the laws of the U.S. page iso,)
it is enacted, that, after the 10th day of.
Septemi)cr, 1818, no goods, vvrjn s, or
mercliaiulise, shall be imported it.io the
United States from any foreign ,.'.rt or
place, except in vessels of the Li'iied
States, or in such foreign vessels as tru
ly and wholly belong to the citizens or
subjects of that country of which the
goods are the growth, production, or
manufacture, or from which such goods,
wares, or merchandise, can only be, or
most usually are, first shipped for trans-
portati'ni : Provided^ never}he/ess^ that this
egulation shall not extend to the vtsscls oj g-
ny foreign nation which has not adopted, and
which shall ml adopts a similar regula
tion."
Great Britain had. long prior to the
paasage of that act, adopted and contin
ues to enforce, the restriciion on which
it is founded; whilst almost all oiht-e n.i-
lions have abstained from incorpora
it in their navigation codes. A vt>sci,
therefore, of the United States, on enter
ing :i British port, being limited by Brit
ish law, to the introduction of goods the
produce of the U. Stales, a British ve.-^sel,
on etiiering their ports, is laiiiteti to the
introduction of goods being of British
produce: whilst the vessi Is of al! o'her
n.It ions,"tv hich have not adopted lie res
trictive regulation, are allowed, on
entering a port of the United States, to
introduce foreign produce wh..tever,
by paying the alien and discriii>n!ating
duti‘s from which vessels of the United
States are exempted.
By particular arrangements wiiii vari
ous Powers, some by treaty, and others
by separate but reciprocal a-ts of the
Ciovernments of the United States and
those Powers, the alien duties of tlu ^ •
vStates are abolishetl as to them: am! thci”
vessels and those of the United States,
are allowed the reciprocal liberty o!’iin*
portaiion and exportation at the sauv
rate of duty upon both ship and car-
Thus, by the' act of Congress of Jauua
ry, 1824, “so much of the several act.-
impobing duties on the tonnage jf
sels in thejjorts of the United States, at>
imposes a discriminating duty bt'v\ec!i
foreign vessels and vessels of tb*' Uni'et.
Slates is hereby suspended, so fai >•-->
spects vessels truly andwhollv belonginR'
to subjects or citizens of ihc Kingd om o'
the Netherlands, of Prussia, of the in',A'f
iai llanseatic (!ities of Hamburg, L’lln’C,
.Tul Brem.en, of the Dukedc*n of Oi''cti'
burg, of the Kingdom of Norway, ol the
Kingdom of Sardinia, and of the Empirf^
of Russia.” And it enacts a like suspen
sion of the discriminating duties on th''
cargo of any of the vessels of those sev
eral countries.
But it further enacts that the suspcti-
sion ol’those duties shall “continue it'
behalf of each of the above-mentiom’O
nations on condition that so long as th*'
vessels ot the United States, and n"'/
and wholly belonging to Uie citii|’-^’'*’
thereof, k all goods Scmerchandis( ol ih«
j)!oducc and manufacture thereof, lanei>
therein and imj>orted into any of 'Ih‘
nations in I'.uiope. respe ;ivflv, snuil hc
exempted from ail eveiy iiscrimiP-^
{Concluded on second