Debates in the Several State Conventions/Volume 4/Motion for Commercial Restrictions
Mr. Madison's Motion for Commercial Restrictions.
House of Representatives, February 14, 1806.
Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that the interest of the United States would be promoted by further restrictions and higher duties, in certain cases, on the manufactures and navigation of foreign nations employed in the commerce of the United States, than those now imposed.
1. Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that an additional duty ought to be laid on the following articles, manufactured by European nations having no commercial treaty with the United States:—
On articles of which leather is the material of chief value, an additional duty of per cent, ad valorem.
On all manufactured iron, steel, tin, pewter, copper, brass, or other articles, of which either of these metals is the material of chief value, an additional duty of per cent, ad valorem.
On all articles of which cotton is the material of chief value, an additional duty of per cent, ad valorem.
On all cloths of which wool is the material of chief value, where the estimated value on which the duty is payable is above , an additional duty of per cent. ad valorem; where such value is below , an additional duty of per cent, ad valorem.
On all other articles of which wool is the material of chief value, an additional duty of per cent, ad valorem.
On all cloths of which hemp or flax is the article of chief value, and of which the estimated value on which the duty is payable is below , an additional duty of per cent, ad valorem.
On all manufactures of which silk is the article of chief value, an additional duty of per cent, ad valorem.
2. Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that an additional duty of per ton ought to be laid on the vessels belonging to nations having no commercial treaty with the United States.
3. Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that the duty on vessels belonging to nations having commercial treaties with the United States ought to be reduced to per ton.
4. Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that where any nation may refuse to consider as vessels of the United States any vessels not built within the United States, the foreign-built vessels of such nation ought to be subjected to a like refusal, unless built within the United States.
5. Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that where any nation may refuse to admit the produce and manufactures of the United States, unless in vessels belonging to the United States, or to admit them in vessels of the United States if last imported from any place not within the United States, a like restriction ought, after the day of , to be extended to the produce and manufactures of such nation; and that, in the mean time, a duty of per ton, extraordinary, ought to be imposed on vessels so importing any such produce or manufacture.
6. Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that where any nation may refuse to the vessels of the United States a carriage of the produce and manufactures thereof, while such produce or manufactures are admitted by it in its own vessels, it would be just to make the restriction reciprocal; but, inasmuch as such a measure, if suddenly adopted, might be particularly distressing in cases which merit the benevolent intention of the United States, it is expedient, for the present, that a tonnage extraordinary only of be imposed on the vessels so employed; and that all distilled spirits imported therein shall be subject to an additional duty of one part of the existing duty.
7. Resolved, As the opinion of this committee, that provision ought to be made for liquidating and ascertaining the losses, sustained by citizens of the United States, from the operation of particular regulations of any country, contravening the law of nations; and that such losses be reimbursed, in the first instance, out of the additional duties on manufactures, productions, and vessels of the nation establishing such unlawful regulations.