The establishment of some of these principles by Great Britain,
alone, has already lost to us in our commerce with that country and
its possessions, between eight and nine hundred vessels of near
40,000 tons burden, according to statements from official materials,
in which they have confidence. This involves a proportional loss of
seamen, shipwrights, and ship-building, and is too serious a loss to
admit forbearance of some effectual remedy.
It is true we must expect some inconvenience in practice from
the establishment of discriminating duties. But in this, as in so
many other cases, we are left to choose between two evils. These
inconveniences are nothing when weighed against the loss of wealth
and loss of force, which will follow our perseverance in the plan of
indiscrimination. When once it shall be perceived that we are either
in the system or in the habit of giving equal advantages to those who
extinguish our commerce and navigation by duties and prohibitions, as
to those who treat both with liberality and justice, liberality and
justice will be converted by all into duties and prohibitions. It is
not to the moderation and justice of others we are to trust for fair
and equal access to market with our productions, or for our due share
in the transportation of them; but to our own means of independence,
and the firm will to use them.
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