It was comparatively an
easy task to propose, to any Power the ports of which were freely
visited by ships from every part of the world, the terms of a commercial
treaty. But not so when, by any Power, commerce itself was interdicted.
Before general conditions of commerce could be proposed to such a Power,
it was necessary to settle the great preliminary that commerce would be
allowed at all. Again, if that preliminary was settled affirmatively, a
second point of great moment remained to be discussed, viz., to what
degree shall intercourse for trading be extended? Among nations
accustomed to the usages of Christendom, the principles and extent of
national comity in the interchanges of commercial transactions have been
so long and so well defined and understood that, as between them, the
term "commercial treaty" needs no explanation; its meaning is
comprehended alike by all, and in its stipulations it may cover the very
broad extent that includes everything involved in the operations of
commerce between two maritime nations.
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