74 OUR CONSTITUTIONAL SHIPPING POLICY. 



cordant governments, highly taxed and impoverished people— after the 

 example of Europe. Great Britain was then neglecting to observe the 

 treaty of peace. She was determined, and already preparing, to engross 

 our commerce and navigation — that no rival should rise in the west. By 

 a proclamation of her king, the ports of the British West Indies and of 

 the loyal provinces were shut to the vessels of the United States. All inter- 

 course was reserved for British vessels. We were prohibited the carrying 

 of our own exports. This action was a violation of international shipping 

 rights. England had refused to make a commercial treaty. This refusal 

 has been said to have given us our Constitution. Certainly, the king unwit- 

 tingly put renewed life into the Congress of the time. Several states called 

 its attention to his encroachment, and a committee headed by Thomas 

 Jefferson reported that improvement of conditions could only come from 

 "navigation laws" such as would counteract foreign regulations and 

 protect the vessels of the several states. The states should be requested 

 to confer on Congress, for fifteen years, authority to enact such regulations 

 of commerce as might seem essential to the end in view. For various 

 reasons the states did not respond as desired. Seeing the failure of the 

 proposition, each state, for itself, enacted navigation laws. These were 

 quite diverse — discriminating tonnage duties in one state, discriminating 

 tariff duties in another, and both kinds of duties high in a third state. 

 Unfortunately, the regulations of one state applied to the vessels and 

 cargoes of the others, just as they did to those of foreign countries — the 

 vessels of the several states being foreign in all states not their own. Little 

 protection against foreign vessels resulted, while much friction followed 

 between the states, mitigated somewhat by reciprocity agreements. 



Thus it was demonstrated that only "uniform" regulations of com- 

 merce, enforced by a national government against foreign vessels only, 

 would answer the purpose of building up an American marine — the only 

 basis for commercial independence and strength on the ocean. The weaker 

 side of our country was toward the ocean. From that side had already 

 come the first invasion of our rights. We might expect more aggression 

 from the same quarter. The remedy for our sea-weakness would only 

 be found in shipping and commercial prestige — the growth of the marine, 

 the building of vessels and the extension of commerce by the hands of our 

 own people. Our situation with respect to the sea was well described by 

 Judge Jay, of New York : — 



"Among the many objects to which a wise and free people find it 

 necessary to direct their attention, that of providing for their safety seems 

 to be the first. * * * But the safety of the people of America against 



