Benns: British West India Carrying-Trade 137 
were introduced into both Houses of Congress/^ The Senate 
bill provided:^® 
1. That from and after September 30, 1827, the ports 
of the United States should be closed against any and every 
vessel coming or arriving by sea from any port or place in the 
British possessions named in the order in council of July 27, 
1826, and in addition, Lower Canada, the Provinces of New 
Brunswick and Nova Scotia, the Islands of St. John and Cape 
Breton, and the dependencies of each respectively. 
2. That any British vessel taking on a cargo of American 
goods in a port of the United States must give bond not to 
land it in any of the interdicted British possessions. 
3. That this act should not go into operation if, before 
September 30, 1826, the President should receive satisfactory 
evidence that the said colonies were open to the admission of 
American vessels from the United States on the same terms as 
to British vessels from the United States, and that American 
vessels were permitted to export from the said colonies any- 
where except the dominions or possessions of Great Britain any 
article which British vessels might export. If the President 
should receive such satisfactory evidence, he was authorized 
to issue his proclamation declaring so, whereupon the ports of 
the United States would be open to vessels of the United States 
and British vessels from such possessions; British vessels 
would be subject to no higher charges than American vessels 
from the same colonies ; and from the date of the proclamation 
the acts of March 1, 1823, May 15, 1820, and April 18, 1818, 
would be declared repealed. If, on the other hand. Great 
Britain should open her colonies to American vessels on the 
same terms as to British vessels from the. United States but 
should confine American vessels to the direct trade between 
the United States and the British possessions, then the Presi- 
dent should open American ports to vessels of the United 
States, and to British vessels coming directly from said pos- 
sessions into the United States, on the same terms as vessels of 
the United States ; and from the date of the President's procla- 
mation, sections one and two of this act should be suspended. 
A careful examination of this bill reveals several interest- 
ing features. In the first place, the American interdict was 
Register of Debates, III, 399, 774, 775. 
Ill, 399=402. 
