New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1848-12-12
rhe Trea.ury Report.


Mr.. Walkers Reports contrast strikingly with
the MESSAGES Of the nominal head Of the Govern
men,. Mr.. Polk is IN the blindest and worst sense
a Conservative, holding 70 the narowest view q
the duties and ends Of Government, aud seeing II
every expenditure Of money except for purposes
connected with aud looking % international
slaughter or the payment Of functionaries &c
dangerous inirsction OF the Federal Compact
He spins out his interminabe diatnbes against
almost everything that has been done by the
grea, and good men who have preceded han
in directing the GOvernneut-snaignIng per
verting, CONFERENCE.-The when you ask what
he proposes--what he " ishes 70 do or have done
what purpose Of decided aud general benef-
oenoe is TO be subserved by adopting bis recon-
nendations-there Is no answer Mr.. Walker'
on the other hand IS constantly suggesting. IN
citing provokiy action be does not practically
concur At all with the et-slone, do nothing, anti
Improvement policy Of Mr. Polk There IS
throughout hs Reports a careful avoidance Of
direct collision with the Presidents views, but the
spirit is as diverse as possible. The President
cries down River and Hsrbor Improvements as no,
properly within the pale OF the General Govern
ment, bot suggests no other mode Of eiectng their
construction the other goes 10 for Ocean Steam
SHIPS by the harbor-iull, a Railroad across the
isthmas OF DsreD, a struggle for the principal
trade Of Asia and for the gold OF all the world
Exaggerated and Elusive as are some Of Mr
Walkers visions, we much prefer them to the cold
chills Of bis masters petriiying logic.
Ii is quite desirable 70 have Steamships on the
Pacific, Railroad across the lsthmus direct com
manlcation in FIVE weeks from NewYOrk 70 Can
ton, weekly trips in twenty days to and from the
mouth of the Columbia River, &c. &c. and We
shall be glad 20 see all this and as much more
effected by private enterprise, aided by such sum,
as the Government csn properly give IN the way
Of payment Tor carrying Mails, transporting Mum
tions, troops officers. &c. We go IN for all this as
heartily a. the Secretary, and don't care button
whether il be declared to accord with or contra
vene the resolutions of ss 1t is wrong and de-
oeptivs 10 drag in low duties as one OF the ele-
ments OF success in this grand dash for the wealth
OF the Indian Ocean, when most OF its great sta
Piles were admitted at low (or no. duties under
the Tariff Of a. end mot competing with our home
prod1ctsj would be under any Tariff Nobody is
adverse to a liberal exchange Of our own for
Oriental commodities which cannot prohtably be
matarsd ia our olimate--Tss, Spices, &c. a pub
lie functonsry is unwise who drsgs into his public
communications the watchwords Of party strife
unnecessarily, making capital for his party at the
expense Of his recommendations.
But Mr.. Walker mistakes the relative import
ancs of the various fields Of human enterprise
and exalts commerce into rank which is by no
means justified Trade, the handmade and ser
virer OF Industry, is very well but Trade as the
master aud patron OF Industry, is misplaced and
petnicous. No nation so vast as ours was ever
enriched by becoming the hall way-house on the
highway between continents--the barterer aud
forwarder Of the products of one in exchange Tor
those of the other The few may be enriched by
trade the many never were, never can be. 1t
may rapidly build up and render opulent an Alex
andria or Venice, but not Germany nor an Italy
Imperial Rome decsyod and persisted with the
KEYS OF the world in her hands her farmers
and herdsmen were ruined by the cheap
ness Of tine corn and cattle which filed her
markets from Sicily the Hellespont and North
err Africa. Probably the entire foreign trade
OF no considerable nation ever cqualed IN
aggregate value its grsss-crop alone and yet
Statesmen talk of Commerce as though Traffic was
manlsind's chief business We are very doubtful
whether virtual monopoly OF the carrying trade
between Europe aud the Indies would be a last
ing benefit to our country we have very little
faith Ia the conversion OF Japan TO Mr.
Walkers theories by the mere sight OF
our steamships passing along her coasts
every week or fortnight aud MS to the sort
OF Christianity which commerce dihuses among
barbarous and simple tribes, we could not very
strongly commend IT, However, let us have the
steamships, and the more of them the better. In
such hang back Administration. il is g pleasure
to distinguish one such go-ahead disposition ss
Robert J. Walkers, and we leave 10 a kindly
oblivion great many crudities and talscies for
the sake OF his untiring industry, his enterprsing
spirit, aud his enlightened and ready Difference So
far as Politics " III allow, to the interests and ishes
OF the Business community. He viii retire from
off,ce lar more regretted than all has colleagues