The mountain sentinel. [volume] (Ebensburg, Pa.) 1844-1853, 1852-12-09

! the advantages will not be confined to the Uni
ted States but, as in the of China, will b'
equally enjoyed by all the other maritime pow
ers. / have much satifacuon in stating that il
all the steps preparatory to this expedition the
Government of the United States has been ma
terially aided by the good Offices of the King al
the Netherlands, the only European power hay
| ing any commercial relations with Japan.
In passing from this survey of our foreign re-
latons, | invite the attention of Congress TO Lht
condition Of that department OF the Government
to which this branch Of the public business Is
! entrusted. Our intercourse with foreign powers
has Of late years greatly increased, both in CON
sequences Of our own growth and the ntroduc-
! tion OF many new States into the family OF ma
tons. la this way the Department of State has
become overburdened 1t has, by the recent es-
tablishment of the Department OF the Interior,
been relieved of some portion of the domestic
business If the residue Of the business of that
kind, such as the distribution Of Congressional
documents, the keeping, publishing and distrib-
ution of the laws Of the United States, the exc
cution of the copyright law, the subject Of re-
preves and pardons, and some other subjects
relating to interior administration, should be
transferred from the Department of State, 1t
would unquestionably be for the benefit OF the
public service. | would also suggest that the
building appropriated to the State Department,
is not fire proof: that there is reason to think
I
the archives of the Government in charge of the
Department, with the precious collections OF the
manuscript papers of Washington, Jefferson,
Hamilton, Madison, and Monroe, are exposed to
destruction by fire A similar remark may be
made of the buildings appropriated to the War
and Navy Departments.
The condition OF the Treasury is exhibited in
the annual report from that Department,
The cash receips into the Treasury for the fs-
nl ha l9S Of
trust funds were foIty-nine millions seven hun
dred and twenty eight thousand three hundred
and eighty-sx dollars and eighty-nine cents,
(S49, 726, 33G, So and the expenditures for the
same period, likewise exclusive Of trust funds,
forty six millions even thousand eight
hundred and ninety six dollars and twenty cents
(p46, OU7, 1876 20 y Of which nine millions four
hundred and ffty-fve thousand eight hundred
and fifteen dollars and eighty-three cents (S9,-
1881 So was on account of the principal and
interest of the public debt, including the last in
stalment of the indemnity to Mexico, under the
treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, leaving balance
of Sl4 632, 136 81 in the Treasury on the first
day Of July last. Since this latter period, fur
ther purchases of the principal Of the public
debt have been made to the extent of two mill
ions four hundred and fifty six thousand five
hundred and fCrty-seven dollars and forty y-nlne
cents, (S2, 45G, 5I7 49, and the surplus il the
Treasury will continue 10 be applied to that OBJ
ject, whenever the stock can be procured within
the limits, as TO price, authorized 10y law.
The value of foreign merchandise imported
during the last fiscal year was two hundred and
seven millions two hundred and forty thousand
one hundred and one dollars (ss501 ,24O, lSl ;
and the value of domestic produ ctiOns exported
was one hundred and forty-nine millions eight
hundred and sixty-One thousand nine hundred !
and eleven dollars, (Sl49 06l ,9ll ) besides sew
enteen millions two hundred and four thousand
and twenty-six dollars (Sl7, ,2O4 026) OF foreign
merchandise exported; making the aggregate
of the entire exports Que hundred and sixty
en- millions sixty FIVE thousand nine hundred and
thirtyseven dollars, (:pl67, ,O65, ,937 } exclusive
of the above there was exported forty-two mill
ions five hundred and seven thousand two hum |
dred and eighty five dollars (h42, 5O1, ,265) III |
specie; and imported from foreign ports five
millions two hundred and siXty-twO thousand
six hundred and forty-three dollars, 5,2O2,-
642.
Ia my first annual message to Congress 1 cal.
led your attention to what seemed TO me some
defects in the present tariff, and recommended
such notifications as in my judgment were best
adapted 10 remedy its evils and promote the
prosperity Of the country. Nothing has since
occurred to change my views on this important
question.
Without repeating the arguments contained in
nv former message, in favor Of discriminating
y
attention to one two other considerations aft
ecting this subject. The first is, the effect Of
large importations of foreign goods upon our
Most of the gold of California, as
fast as il is coined, finds its way directly to Eu-
rope in payment for goods purchased In the
second place, as our manufacturing establish
ments broken down by competition with
foreigners. the capital invested III them is lost,
thousand of honest and Industrious citizens are
thrown out of employment and the farmer to
that extent is deprived OF a home market for the
sale of his surplus produce. In the third place,
the destruction of our manufactures leaves the
foreigner without competition IN our market,
and lie consequently raises the price OF the arti-
Gle sent here FOR saie as is now seen III the m
creased cost Of iron imported from England
The prosperity and wealth of every nation must
depend upon its productive industry. The far
mer is stimulated to exertion by finding ready
market for his surplus products, and benefited
by being able to exchange them, without loss OF
time or expense OF transportation, for the man.
ufactures which his comfort or convenience re
quires This is always done to the best advan-
Iage where portion Of the community IN which ;
be lives is engaged IL other pursuits. But most
require amount of capital and
a practical skill which cannot be commanded,
unless they be protected for a time from ruin I
ons competition from abroad. Hence the neccs-
sity of laying those duties upon imported goods
which the Constitution authorizes for revenue,
N such manner to protect and encourage j
the labor Of our own citizens. Duties however
should not be fixed at rate so high as to eX-
;lude the foreign article, but should be So grad
lated rs to enable the domestic manufacturer
'airly 10 compete with the foreigner in our own
markets, and by this competition TO reduce the
price of the manufactured article TO the consul
ner TO the lowest rate ct which ii can be pro-