Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1858-09-03

Their, wss much e1cit, mcnt at the tim
in the fishing world. IN consequence o
the enforcement OF some severe regula
tons Of the British and Nova Scotii
Governments in regard to the fishing
grounds. Mr. Webster made this sub.
jcct the theme o. his address. will
quote his eloquent and emphatic tcs.i.
, mony.
"The most important consequences involved
in this matter. pur fisheries have been the very
nurseries Of our navy, Il our Tag ships have met
and conquered tho enemy the sea, the fisheries
afe At the bottom Of Il. The fisheries we're the
seeds from which these glorious triamphs wv. .
bern IN sprung"
Mr.. Chairman, this is or should be Gov
crnment Of the people. We need no stand
ing army to keep the pcsple in awe. Weare
separated by the wide ocean from the great
Powers Of the world, and we have M ncc,s-
sity for large armies to defend US against
their sudden irruptioDs or their mur,'rrc med
itatctl attacks. The citizen soldicry Of
America ARE amply able t. defend their FIRE :
sides. But. sir, we do need navy to defend
our commerce. We are rapidly hccoming the
greatest commercial State in the wofiH.-
Our tonnage and our trade, if not n'1w.
caqual to that Of great Britain and her dcpcn-
encics, is only second to hers. M oth"r ma
tion OF the earth approaches within bow
shot Of us in commercial Importance, and, ill.,
deed, believe I may safely say, that the for
eign commerce Of all other nations, combin-
ed, would be inferior to our own. Our
sails wliten every sen; and know not how
many countless Inilliows of American proper :
ty are every hour and moincnt affNt IN tho
wide ocean, exposed to the dcprcdations n
pirates, or Of people unfriendly or uneivili.--
ed.
Sir, this Immense property, this vast pub
lie interest demands fF0tectiun at our hands.
Armies can afford It no assistance. A navy
is what We Heed i, and navy cannot be con-
stitut.d without disciplined >cs.men. Amer
ican commerce is every day grDwing, and
widening it, sphere Of operations. We have
sent expeditions to China and japan, ut great
expense. I" hack up our commercial Mgotia-
tions. We have partially succcedcd; andt
there is - prospect " still gv,..tcr Success
We have States growing up on the orposits
shores of the Pacific, and "a trade and inter-
course u vast and indefinite extent is dcs-
tined t, spring up b'twccn them and tn.
hitherto exclusive and uns'eial. but indus
iris ani wealthy. Chimes, nrsi JaIs.n-sc.-
Here is u bpunllcss field for American c,,ss..
mercial enterprise but one which peculiarly
demands the protection Of u navy. The civ
ilizat~n Of China and Japan very PECULIAR:
they understand slb. arts Of life we'll; they
have the elements Of An immensely valuable
trade in the products Of their agriculture and
! mechanical industry, but they are wholly ig-
| norant Of the European and American systelts
Of international law, and they are prone ~,
treat all iorig'ey OF ''nut4ic issrls.rians, "
as enemies. when they hopSn " fall into'
their hands.
These people must bc schulcd in the lawas
of nations. They must be made ~ respect
the zig hts Of foreigners. individual and ma
tional- The only way to compel attention
to these Essols is to send An efficient naval
force into their waters. The Asi.tic charat>-
ter is peculiar III this respect; You must first
present the argument u ofcc, Of you will
not he listened t..
lax our Efforts for the maintenance of .
home-brrd rare Of seaman. W hose patriotism may
Ike rei'.d upon in the event Of war Are
we st 1T this moment threatened with =
war. Has nos our tl;sy been insultcl repeat
edly within the Inst iR,nth2
Sir, when our intercourse r. rarHHv M
this new commerce Of the Pacific dawniny
upon III, would it not he most unwi.e for the.
Government u fan into tn. NV whey which
has been ps,p-cd, Of crippling naval rrsour--
| ces? Is this IL time to abandon . system,
which has btn .kcn,ed essential to the exist
"nce Of IL navy by every Administration. from
Washington to the present? For Mr.. Jefer-
son i~ no exception to the remark, since hs
! was opposed to the estltliS, ,mcnt Of a navy
while President, but became convinced of his
error when he saw what navy could ,lchiev.
under the administration Of his successor.-
II saw defeat succeed defeat, and disaster
follow disaster. on the land. lie SAW the
spirits of his cnuntrvm-n irnp, and their
hearts almost die within them, in view Of
these saddening events. But he saw that
hour Of national sorrow, shame, nnd dcspon
dcncy. relieved often ~ ti,lings came up
from the s'a. our navy consisted Of few
| small vessels. \ mistaken policy had ~
gardcd it us Of secondary consequence, and
| treated il :,ec,rlin.ly. That policy had pr,,-
videi only ssmsI handful of vessels for this
great emergency: ,"ri dA,btlcs. the gencrali
expectation was, that oar little fleet would
bc swept from the ocean by the invincifle
power and pr"wcss Of England. But ito.
achievements have added permanent glory
and honor {" the nation. and in the hour uf
greatest need rendered. it essential ,rvic.
Our sailors are t. be found along our ex--
tended 'e,s-cD.>t. a.ccrt;sining with unerring
certainty the precise Position, and lnying
down on the chart, every ruck. s,oal or quick
sand. They Ar" making science the ally Of
the practical affairs; and are explaining to
tho world the principles which govern the
currents OF the sea- the Winds and atorIna