Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1858-12-31
FROM WASHINGTON CITY.

formation in this connection. which, trust to he
able, in due time, tolay before You. But it may
not be amiSs. OH the present occasion, to rccur
To some of the prominent objections to the
treaty, which suggest themselves 10 the dis
passionate enquirer Its ratification was hailed
in this country, and by certain leading jour,
nails in England not so much on account OF
the benefits it was supposed it would entail
upon the parties 10 be affected By its opera
ton. Al for the reason that it involved recoS-
milton Of the principle Of free trade and was
indicative Of bold and enlightened policy OF
progress. Experience has taught us, however,
that, while, as we may safely say, we have de-
rived no advantage whatever from its action,
for the reason that such Of our wants as Cana
da may supply can, at no greater expense TO
the consumer, be relieved at home, this move
ment in connection with that country Is not to be
extended, at least for some time to come, 70 our
commercial relations with other powers. In
deed, il is matter Of rational doubt, whether the
policy Of tariff for revenue will ever be aban-
doned BY this Government and that offrec trade
and direct taxation substituted in ts stead
Meanwhile, under this system, from fifteen to
twenty millions Of dollars ($l5, 100000 during
tholast year worth ofmerchandise, importedinto
the North, annually, is relieved from impostS
the legitimate result Of which is to increase
| the burdens Of the South and OF such other
| portions Of the country Us are in nowise, either
directly or indirectly interested in or benefited
, by it, Viewed in another light, this treaty is
deeterious to the interests Of those who, 1t is
assumed, derive so many advantages from ts
! operation Both lands and labor are cheaper
! in Canada than even in our Western States;
! and, rs q consequence, our great grain markets.
| on the lakes, arc flooded with their produce.
from two to three millions of dollars worth of
! flour and breadstuffS alone were imported, un-
der the Reciprocity Treaty, free Of duty, last
year, which they can afford to sell at much
lower rate than can our own producers, who
arc, am assured by gentlemen from the West,
compelled to pay, in some cases from 50 81 TO
f, IS a day per man for binding wheat. for in
stance, and who are thus deprived Of that due
remuneration for their time, labor and capital
employed, which they have right to expect.
! The consumers. OH the other hand, are not be-
neftted since this produce finds its way into
/ the hands of spectators, who are, of course,
interested in keeping up its price, and who do
it.
These, and many other reasons, not to be
mentioned now, must concur TO remove this
legislation from our books.
The annual statements of commerce and ma
vigation, Just issued from the press, contain a
very gratifying exhibit OF the commerce Of
Richmond, for the last year, showing marked
increase in the expectations, as compared with
those of the year preceding and that too, at a
period of great depression in trade, when our
commercial transactions in other quarters were
experiencing severe and startling contraction
The principal articles exported were
/ Tobacco, leaf S4,07a, 500
Wheat -four. 2,lG5.Sll
The aggregate Of exports was, 6,3i6,3!9
I The imports, on the other hand, have suffer
! cd some decrease. and consist principally Of
Coffee from the Brazils altogcthcr,) 365. GA
Sugar, 1929
| The aggregate Of imports was, $4,000
| Upon the WHOLE however, you have reason
to congratulate yourselves upon the stability
and enterprising spirit Of your merchants, who
are really doing great deal to render your city
place Of commercial Importance.
In accordance with the recommendation Of
the Secretary Of the Interior, all appropriation
will be made at this session Of Congress for
the purpose OF taking the next census. 1t is
to be hoped that it will be expended judtcious-
ly, and not in the compilation Of work so
valuelcss and trashy rs that which commendS
itself to us under the high-sounding title ri the
Seventh Census of the United States
The bill providing for the creation Of the
rank Of Admiral in our navy will pass immc-
| diately upon tho reaSsembling Of Congress,
and the President, as has been reported, will
seize the occasion to do what he deems but an
act Of simple justice TO that gallant Captain,
old Iron-sides, by filling the vacancy with his
name But very much question the proprie-
ty Of bestowing mere empty titles Gas in this
case) upon any Of our citizens, however dis
tingushed for great personal qualities Intends
to destroy the stern simplicity Of the Republic,
and to create privileged class. who will enjoy
honors and emoluments, without rendering pro-
| portionatc service
Senior Mata, the agent of Jaurez Government,
has come prepared to mako a treaty with the
Executive upon any basis that will not compre-
bend either the cessioa Of territory or the sa-
tisfaction, By payments. in money, Of any re-
Carnations on the part Of our citizens. lie
has been we'll and handsomely received by the
President, who, it is surmised, though We arc
unable to discover the existence Of any great
reasons for the supposition, will recognise the
Government which accreditS him. In that
case if treaty is made in accordance with the
objects for which Mata is here, We shall have an
opportunity Of testing the Monroe doctrine, whe-
Their it is rotten plank in a platform upon which
all of our politicians, Democratic, do not stand.
The Jaurez party, in Mexico, seems disposed to
cultivate liberal and enlightened policy, i'll the
initiation Of which the first measure must and
will be the destruction Of the extraordinary
and obnoxious influence which the Church. by
means of its great revenues, has exerted, both
on the Government and upon the minds OF the
people; rendering the one impotent often by
its monopoly of some of the great sources Of re-
venue and by forcing them to borrow at the
expense of conceding great privileges; and the
other, in accordance with the principle it has
ever observed for continuing itself in power,
the subjects of most debasing ignorance, by
depriving them Of all chance Of education. OF
much of these revenues, which are unjustly
held, it will be deprived, and they will be con.
verified into school fund for the education OF
tho masses, upon the plan observed in our own
common school system. Vive Jaurcx, then.
A curious instance Of longevity in ships is
found in the case Of the Maria" Of New Bed
ford, still in existence and employed in the
whale fisheries which was the first to unfurl
the stars and stripes in the Thames, after the
Revolution.
There is now upon exhibition at the store Of
one of our prominent book firms, painting BY
Herring, OF a village blacksmith shooting a
horse in tho representation Of which nature is
certainly most beautifully portrayed. Connois.
seurs have pronounced it a superior work Of
art and the artist is thought by some to rival
Rosa Bonheur The picture, We believe, be-
longs to tho Cosmopolitan Art Association,
which intends presenting fac simic cnsrayings
of it to the subscribers to their "Art Journal. "
Persons in your city would do well, therefore,
to subscribe to this magazine and thus obtain
an engraving, alone worth the price Of subscriR
ton, while they would also be afording that
encouragement to art which it is the peculiar
object Of the association to furnish.
OBSERVER