From the New York American.
THE WEST INDIA TRADE.
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The period is now at hand when the Brit.
ish ports in the West Indies are to be clos
ed to our shipping, and when of course our
ports will be closed to British shipping,
from, or going TO, the Islands. The Boston
Commercial Gazette surmises, we observe,
that Mr. Gallatin's visit to Paris may have
some connection with this vexed question.
This surnise is. we are persuaded, errone-
GUS. Mr., Gallatii's visit was unquestiona-
bly, one of private convenience and choice,
made at a moment when, according to i'm
memorial usage, there is cessation OF ac
tive business among the English Ministers.
A desire, indeed, to see how MIR. Canning
might be received, and how employ himself
in the French metropolis, may have added
some considerations of a public nature, to
those merely personal, but as to any official
cause for the visit, we feel satisfied none
such existed. Nor do we think any instruc-
tions Mr.. Gallatin may, or ought to have,
likely to produce the result that some OF our
contemporaries seem to think so desirable, OF
an arrangement upon terms with England
of the trade in question.


This country has from its earliest career
had but one general principle OF foreign COM
mcrcial intercoursc-that OF entire recipro-
city. This principle it has sought for years
to introduce into the West India trade, but
without success. This principle it is still
willing to abide by; but it must in truth and
in fact be reciprocity-not the mere name
of jt-and it must be established by treaty,
and not be dependant on acts Of Parliament,
over which we have no control, in the franz
ing Of which we have no voice, and which
may be at any time repealed at the pleasure
of the party making them. 1t has been Of
fered again and again by this government to
the British ministry. to put the intercourse
with the colonies and dependencies of G"eat