You're omitting a key clause: a burden or disadvantage . . . by any of the unequal impositions or discriminations aforesaid
The "unequal impositions aforesaid" are:
1. a country that imposes duties/tariffs on the US but "is not equally enforced upon the like articles of every foreign country"
2. discriminates "in such manner as to place the commerce of the United States at a disadvantage compared with the commerce of any foreign country"
So the law only gives authority for retaliatory tariffs when the US is specifically being targeted.
You're omitting a key clause: a burden or disadvantage . . . by any of the unequal impositions or discriminations aforesaid
The "unequal impositions aforesaid" are:
1. a country that imposes duties/tariffs on the US but "is not equally enforced upon the like articles of every foreign country"
2. discriminates "in such manner as to place the commerce of the United States at a disadvantage compared with the commerce of any foreign country"
So the law only gives authority for retaliatory tariffs when the US is specifically being targeted.