Eastern times. [volume] (Bath, Me.) 1846-1857, 1852-12-16

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amplest assurances that The objects of the
United States are such and such only as |
have indicated, and that the expedition is
friendly and peaceful. Notwithstanding the
jealousy with which the governments of east
ern ASIA regard all overtures from foreigners,
am not without hopes of a beneficial result
OF the expedition. Should it be crowned
with success. the advantages will not be con-
hned to the United States, bur, as in the case
o. ChIna, will he equally enjoyed by all the
other maratime powers. / have much satis-
factlon IN stating that in all the steps prepa-
raloTy to this expedition the government OF
The United States has been materially aided
by the good offices of the King OF the Neither
lands, the only European power having any
commercial relations with Japan.
| In passing from the survey of our foreign
relations, invite the attention of Congress
10 The condition OF that department of the
Governmen mt to which this branch of lhe pub
lie business is entrusted. Our intercourse
with foreign powers has of late years greatly
increased, both IN consequence of our own
growth and The introduction of many new
States INTO the family'of nations. In this
way the Department of State has become
overburdened. IL has, by the recent estab-
lislment OF the Department of the Interior,
been relieved of some portion of the dones-
tic business. If the residue of the business
oil that KIND, such as the distribution of Con-
gressional documents, the keeping, publish
| ing and distributing OF the laws of the Unit
ed States, the execution of the copyright
law, the subject of repreves and pardons,
and some other subjects relating 10 inferior
administration, should be transferred from
| The Department OF State, il would unques-
ilonabiy be for The benefit of the public ser
vice. would also suggest that the buidl-
| ing appropriated TO the State Department is
not hre-prOof; that there is rea son to think
there are defects in its construction, and
that the archives of the Government i'm cbarpe
OF the Department, with The precious collec-
tons OF lhe manuscript papers of Washing
ton, Jefferson, Hamilton. Madison, and Mon
roe, are exposed to destruction by fire. A
similar remark may be ade of The build
| ings appropriated 10 the War and Navy De-
| partments.
The condition of the Treasury is exhibited
in the annual report from that Department
! The cash receipts into the Treasury for the
| fiscal year ending The 30th June last, exclu-
sive of trust funds We're $49, ,72S 1856 SO, and
the expenditures for The same period, like.
wise exclusive of trust funds, were S46 ,OO7,.
896 20; of which $9,455el5 SO. was on ac.
count of the principal aud interest of the
public debt, including the last instanenr of
the indemnify to Mexico, under the treaty
of Guadalupe Hdalgo, leaving a balance of
$l4, ,622, 136 81 in the Treasury on the first
day Of July last. Since this latter period.
further purchases of the principal Of the pub
Iic dehr have been made to the extent of S2,-
456, ,547 49, and the surplus in the Treasury
will continue TO be applied to that Object,
whenever the STOCK can be procured within
the limits, as 10 price, authorized by law.
| The value of foreign merchandize import
ed during the last fiscal year was $207 ,240,-
| 1O1; and the value of domestic productions
| axrnrIrd was $40 .s61.9I besides eI7.-
2O4O2 OF foreign merchandise exported !;
making the aggregate OF the entire exports
$l67 065 937 exclusive of the above there
was exported $42, ,507 ,2S5 in specie; and
| imported from foreign ports S. 1862 643.
| In my first annual message 10 Congress
called your attention 10 what seemed TO me
some defects i'll the present tariff, and re-
commended such notifications as in my
Judgment were best adapted to remedy its
evils and promote the prosperity of the coun-
try. Nothing has since occurred to change
my views OH thus important question.
|
tanned in my former message, in favor of
discriminating, protective duties, l deem il
my duty to call your attention TO one or Two
other considerations affecting this SUBJECT
The first is. the effect of large nporlatlons
of foreign goods upon our currency. Most
OF the gold of California, as fast as it is com
ed, finds lis way directly TO Europe in pay.
ment for goods purchased. In the second
place, as our manufacturing establishments
are broken down by competition with for.
eigners, the capital invested in them is lost
thousands of honest and industrious ciIiZens
are thrown Outof employment, and the farm
er TO that extent is deprived of home mar
ket for The sale OF his surplus produce. In
The third place, the destruction of our man.
uiactures, leaves the foreigner without com
petiIiOn IN our market, and be consequen t ly
raises the price of the u-ticle sent here foi
sale, as is now seen in the increased cost o.
iron imported from England. The prosper
ity and wealth Of every nation must depend
upon its productive industry. The farmer is
stimulated 10 exerlion by finding n read,
market for his surplus products, and benefit.
ed by being able 10 exchange them. withou
loss OF time or expense of transportation, to
the manufactures which his com ort or con.
venience requires. This is always done Il
the best advantage where a portion Of The
community in which he lives is engaged ir
other pursuits. But most manufactures re.
quIre an amount of capIial and a practica
skill which caanot he commanded, Hnles
they be protected for a time from ruinou,
competition from abroad. Hence the neces-
sl;y of laying those duties upon imported
goods which the Constitution authorizes fol
revenue, in such manner as to protect ant
encourage the labor of our own cllizens. =
Duties however should not he fixed ut a rate
81 high as TO exclude the foreign arlicle, bu
should be SO graduated az to enable The do
mesTIc manufacturer fairly to compete with
the foreigner IN our own markets, and by
this competition TO reduce the prize Of tht
manufactured article 10 the consumer to iht
lowest rate at which j, can be pIOcuced.--
TINS policy would place the mechanic b,
the side OF the farmer, create mutual inter
change Of their respective commodities. and
country, aud render us Independent of for
eigu nations for the supplies required by th
habits or necessities OF the people.
Another question, wholly independent o
protection, presents itself, and that is, wbeIh
er the duties levied should be upon the value
of The article at the place OF shipment, o
where it is practicable, specific duty, grad
ua,ed according TO quantity, as asceralnet
by weight or measure. All our duties ar
at present ad ualorena. A certain per centag'
is levied on the price of the goods at th'
port OF shipment in a foreign country
Most commercial nations have found it in
,1f mn