Portage sentinel. [volume] (Ravenna, Ohio) 1845-1854, 1849-03-21
The Polk Administration.

| The outgoing administration must stano
out in history as at once the most remarka-
BILE and most brilliant of the present century,
as well in diplomatical and commercial,
as in military view. The leading meas
ures of the past four years may be thus emu
merated:
l. The Oregon boundary treaty, def
nitely marking the claims Of England upon
this continent for the first time since our in
dependence.
2. Treaties of commerce with New
Grenada, Peru, the Two Sicilies, Belgium,
Hanover, Oldenburg, Mecklenburg, Schwe-
rim, Saxony and Nassue, opening the way tc
an extension of our commerce with interior
Germany; and the postal treaty with Great
Britain.
8. The Mexican treaty, by which Cali
fornia and New Mexico are acquired.
A. The admission of 5 new States
Texas, Florida, Iowa and Wisconsin-inte
the Union, and the erection If Oregon into
Territory.
8. The abandonment of the "protective'
principle" which has haunted our tariff
laws for thirty years, and the establishment
of the revenue ad ralorem principle, by
which the credit of the country has been re-
stored, and the revenue, which had been
deficient from 1887 to- 1915, raised to the
current expenditure.
6. The establishment of a warehouse
system, of nature similar to that which in
England has drawn the carrying trade Of
the world into British vessels, and by which
a renewed impulse is given to those causes
irresistibly in operation to draw Canada
peacefully into the Union.
7. The separation of Bank and State,
and the es ablishment and successful opera
ton of the constitutional treasury.
s. The commencement of ocean steam
navigation to Bremen and California
9. The establishment of cheap postage.
Each and all these important measures
have had direct tendency to enlarge the
area of the country, multiply its resources,
promote the interchange Of products, and to
enhance the general prosperity, by remov-
ing those injurious restrictions which tended
to prevent any producer from disposing Of
the results of his industry to the best adj
vantage. How the country at large. as well
as every department Of the Federal and
State finances, and the condition of corpo-
rate companies, have improved under the
genipl influence of these measures, is mani
fest in the fact of enhanced dividends, re-
sumption of payment, rising credit and grow
ing surpluses, with so manifest an increase
of the capital of the country as to indicate
a permanent reduction in the rent paid for
its use. No better proof of the great pros
perity of the country can be addueed than
the fact, for the first time in our CONNER
cial history, revulsion in England, unri-
vailed in severity, has passed in the last two
years without making itself felt at all Npon
this side of the Atlantic.
From system of strict exclusion at the
close Of the last century, England has, un-
der the influence, direct and indirect, Of
the. United States policy, modified her nav
igation laws, her colonial laws, her CONNER
eal laws, and has now abandoned her corn
laws and established reciprocal postal in
tercourse; is about to abandon her naviga-
ton act, and must soon relinquish her colo
nies. The steady progress Of the CONNER
cial principles so successfully carried out by
the out going administration, has immense
ly enlarSeu the maIkets vi ouI SAFE. AS an
indication Of this fact, the quantity of A
meriean produce sold and carried abroad
in American vessels has been progressively
as follows: 1880. = 1910.
Pro Ex. $5l, ,l06, ,l89 92@30,S9S
Am. V. tons. 97l ,760 I,647,O09
lS42. lS45.
Pro. Elk. $7l l,467,634 75,473,I23
Am. V. tons. l,536,45l 2,O53,9H
lS48.
PRO Ex 95,544,2l7
Am v TONS 2,414,825
Under the high tariff of 1912 the ex-