The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-12

La The event OF hosties with Great Britain, France
or RUSSIA WIN our immense frontier, and hostile
savages IN our midst from which policy has nearly
relieved every other State in the Union but California and
Texas, and without naval defence, what would
be our fate Who could estimate the ruin and desoa-
uon which would ensue from isolated and disloint-
ed position But such road the bill contemplaies
and such an increase in the army would be proper for
war footing, and the cooperation of that standing army
Iof Two millions oi freemen--the militia OF the Union
wbich costs the government not shilling, we should
stand prepared al the shortest warning, defend
soil and repe any aggressor. But without it, if
oceanic communication should be effected, pursuant
The explorations now going by American, British and
French officers, the guns of powerful naval anagon-
Woold command that point and intercept passage.
Inc Island OF Cuba, which controls both outlets OF the
u OF Mexico, unless becomes part OF territory,
as appears 10 be It's natural destiny, would, in the hands
OF an enemy, intercept transit to the Pacific, and be
a point from which could be inflicted upon the whole
country the deepest wounds.
Let us consider the diversified and growing interests Of
our constituents who hong every avenue of human in
dustry, and then Judge OF this measure
/ CohlMERClAL point OF view. Tke earth in its fer.
llliiy IN every variety OF soil and climate, yields it's
treasures under the steady and thrifty management of
agrcuturiss pouring forth hundreds of millions OF its
annual surplus over wants Our manufactures.
ed with the products OF all the useful and elegant arts,
are improving usder the inventive genius and
OF our people, to which there is no precedent in any
age.
| Look at Europe in her high state of refinement and
wonderful advance IN the arts OF life and the efforts
she has made to secure the best markets OF the world
Let il be remembered that always an enrich.
tlaI III led Inc DaOns OF
rope TO the establishment OF colonies in the western and
eastern hemispheres, by which they secured an
immense monopoly OF trade.
Agriculture, manufactures, commerce, and navlga-
ton, said Mr. Jefferson, are the four pillars OF our
prosperity"
The trainers OF the constitution saw the ineficiency OF
lhe articles OF confederation in this respect and that
doubedy was OF the primary that led 10 the
adoption OF our present form of government which con-
fers upon Congress the power " to regulate commerce
with foreign nations, and among the several States and
with the Indian tribes" No delegation of authority was
more indispensable 10 our prosperity and greatness
From amonstary paralysis in which we were left at the
close oil the revolutionary war, the nation in vigor
and wealth. and The whole lace OF our relations intern
and ioreign, underwent an extraordinary change.
Atorcble and elegant writer upon public law has said,
the end OF the law OF nations Is the happiness and per-
fecton OF mankind that hey ought TO cultivate free
Intercourse for commercial purposes order TO supply
each others wants, and promote each others posperi-
Iy;' that the variety OF climates and productions on
the surface OF the globe, and the facility of communi-
eating by means OF rivers, lakes, and the ocean, invite to
and extremely conducive TO national amy, industry, and
happness y and that % The wants of civilized
life can only be supplied BY mutual exchange between
tons OF the productions OF each"
In the infancy OF our national existence struggled
against every infringement OF our right TO traverse the
ocean unobslruced the property of man, and
resisted any Interference with the lawful pursuits OF
meTce
The OF the French revolution brought into
conflict with the principal beiligerents In vndcatng
our dignity We suspended commercial intercourse with
the European powers and closed the ports OF the Union,
by the embargo law in 1907 For continued aggessons.
we engaged IN a second time with England, and
rallied the whole energies OF the government in defence
OF the honor OF our flag and It's absolute immunity The
great statesmen who have been successlvely charged
with the management oil our foreign relations have
tearlessiy maintained and defended maritime rights.
As candidates Tor full share OF the trade OF the
world, We have demanded participation, and we have
participated IN settling the principles OF public laws,
which, according 10 our construction, looks 10 an
lagement and enanchlsement OF commercial intercourse
and the freest competition
/ he i'm sci thF al fhe yauifl ~
their power in the East Indies, TO exclude all Europe
from participation in the trade oil ASIA OF which for
century they held tho entire monopoly, pronounced
by Vate," as 10 violation OF the laws Of nations, aud
just cause for war" Our own government met and re-
buked in 1921, the pretensions OF Russia in setting up
claim the 5st degree OF north latitude the north.
west coast OF America, and with il correlauve preten.
sion 10 "prohbii foreign vessels from approaching the
northwest coast OF Amensa belonging 10 Russia, within
the distance Of al least one hundred Italian miles" This
claim was further coupled with The preenslon, tha, as the
Russian possessions the Pacific also embraced
the opposite side Of Asia and the islands adjacent from
Behring'S straits 10 the 45h degree oil latitude that gov
eminent might feel authorized TO exercise upon this
The right OF sovereignty, and especially that OF en-
tirey nerdetng the entrance ol ioegners"t Mr. John
@ Adams then Secretary OF State, in bis OF the
Goth OF March, 1922, informed the Russian envoy that
"from the period OF the existence OF the United States
independent, nation, their vessels have freely naygated
those seas" and that the right 10 navigate them e part
OF that Independence " and not only so, bot, advancing
beyond that position, Mr. Adams informed him that the
right of The citizens OF the United States hold
with the aboriginal natives OF the northwest coast
OF America, without the territorial jurisdiction Of other
nations, in arms and munitions OF war, Is clear
and indspuiabe as that Of navigating the seas"
/ The diplomacy OF our government from the beginning
has steadily asserted and maintained claim that
high position which bold a maritime power.
The right OF search. with all IFS odous coneatives is
virtually ended far The United States concerned
Great Britain has received decisive notice OF the fixed de-
termination Of our government on this point MIR Web
sier when Secretary OF State IN his correspondence
with Lord Ashburton IN 1912, denounced Il as practice
"founded principles which did not recognise, and
is invariably attended by consequences unjust, in.
furious, OF such formidable magnitude, cannot be sub
mitted TO !" that "the distinguished person TO whose
hands first inused the seals Of" State Depart
ment declared that "the simplest rule will be that the
vessel being American, shall be the evidence that the
seamen board such " that City years experience,
and other considerations, bad "fuy convinced this gov
erRmen that is not only the simplest and best but the
only rule which be adopted and observed consistent
y with the rights and honor OF the United States, and
the safety Of their citizens; that rule announces there
FORE what will hereafter be the principle maintained by
this government" In every regularly documented
American merchant vessel the who navigate il will
find their protection in the flag which is over them
Such Is the proud position we now hold as CONNER.
lcal people, seeking markets throughout the world, and
attaining supremacy in this respect from the abundance
and value OF commodities and the cheapness with
which we are willing to supply them, BY our shorter and
more direct means OF communication
During the wars OF Napoleon England exerted all the
powers of her empire TO strike the most formidable blows
against that system Of the French ruler which shut her
out from the markets Of the continent. We have no
such enemy the field 10 intercept pathway 10
mercia greatness and power We want the Pacific raul
way as a great inland communication, essential 10
prosperity The States, by their energies and CAPT
sl have constructed more than $4,000 miles OF railroad