mmerce was not seriously disturbed, Walpole's
peace policy, accompanied as it naturally was by years of plenty and
general content, was easily maintained, even though Spain continued
threatening and arrogant in her demands for Gibraltar; but
unfortunately she now entered more deeply upon a course of annoyance
to English trade. The concessions of the Asiento, or slave-trade, and
of the annual ship to South America have been mentioned; but these
privileges were but a part of the English commerce in those regions.
The system of Spain with regard to the trade of her colonies was of
the narrowest and most exclusive character; but, while attempting to
shut them out from foreign traffic, she neglected to provide for their
wants herself. The consequence was that a great smuggling or
contraband trade arose throughout her American possessions, carried on
mainly by the English, who made their lawful traffic by the Asiento
and the yearly ship subserve also the unlawful, or at least
unauthorized, trade. This system was doubtless advantageous to the
great body of the Spanish colonists, and was encouraged by them, while
colonial governors connived at it, sometimes for money, sometimes
swayed by local public opinion and their own knowledge of the
hardships of the case; but there were Spanish subjects who saw their
own business injured by the use and abuse of English privileges, and
the national government suffered both in pocket and in pride by these
evasions of the revenue. It now began to pull the strings tighter.
Obsolete regulations were revived and enforced. Words in which the
action of Spain in this old controversy have been described are
curiously applicable to certain recent disputes to which the United
States has been a party. "The letter of the treaty was now followed,
though the spirit which dictated it was abandoned. Although English
ships still enjoyed the liberty of putting into Spanish harbors for
the purpose of refitting and provisioning, yet they were far from
enjoying the same advantages of carrying on a friendly and commercial
intercourse. They were now watched with a scrupulous jealousy,
strictly visited by guarda-costas, and every efficient means adopted
to prevent any commerce with the colonies, except what was allowed by
the annual ship." If Spain could have confined herself to closer
watchfulness and to enforcing in her own waters vexatious customs
regulations, not essentially different from those sanctioned by t