New-York daily tribune., 1858-02-16
r,oe,i;-x The Reciprocity Trosty wi.A Goat

II "a unexceptonsbly printed en- immaculate paper
aud profoundly dedicated to TIE Hon. Aaron Vena-
bic Brown. Postmaster General OF the United
States. II is work which somebody very ev-
Gently pays for, aud if this little ceremony ia not
performed by some OF our steamships lines, all We
can say is the proptietors are not the men se take
them for. The preface Of the work discloses its
purpOie. The writer naively observes that he is
thoroughly satisfied that wise, liberal. and ex-
tended steam mail system can meyer be attained
"oth.Iwise than through the direct pecunIsry
agency aud support of the Genera! Government. y
With this clue aud explanation needs 10 ghost to
tell us what the book ia written for. 1t is simpiy
one Of the various wedges for prytg of the lid OF
| Uncle Sans mOI ey. chest. 1t is gogue On the
| Treasury. We are tempted st this point to in
duge in few observatious on the subject Of
stealing, but We will forbear and 30 at once to the
consideration Of the eIIediency OF maintaining
pauperlires ofsteamships BY Government patronage
We are thankful that our countrynen generally
are not oafers and vsgabOnds who aim ~ live BY
plundering the public. The rank which the Amer
lean people hold before the world ss Gil enterprls
| ing thrifty and ndOmtsble race, has not been at
tanned by mean arts and dishonest habits, but has
been gallantly won in contest with the elements,
and iD manly competition with the world. The
| American man is the man of all men who has
| achieved his own elevation. His character, his
success, his standing, are his own. He has made
| himself by relying on himself Thusfa far, ne has
| bad neither wet nor dry nursing from tbe Govern
ment Most especially is this true Of US as com
mercal nation. We shall deeply lament the es-
tabshmeut of any National policy which will alter
! this condition Of things. We do not wish to sec
| Government come in with its unwelcOme and su-
perHuous touch to what is already well enough.
We iced not say that We are ready to have the
Government do its duty in protecting infant
branches of industry that need its fostering care,
But We wish to see no interest set up in perpetuity
az nufsliDg of legislation. We are for the educa
ton Of our labor in all the arts Of industry, and
their establishment among our people side by side
with our agricultural production But, once fairly
and firmly established let them shift for themselves.
So in regard to our commercial marine: let it have
help while it needs and where it needs it, but when
it has Outgrown the necessity of aid, let it alone
In view Of the rapid development Of our shipping
interest, and its present commanding position, We
presume it will not be questioned that it is now
sbundantly able to shift for itself. The idea OF
sustaining the business of steambOatng the high
seas by means of annual grants to certain compa-
MES, or individuals finds no basis whatever in the
system of protection TO domestic industry. Pro
lection is general, and covers all. and affords aid to
all alike. A tariff to encourage manufactures is
made for every citizen who chooses to avail him-
self of its advantages The Navigation law which
excludes foreign ships from embarking in the coast
ing trade, is for the beneftof every American ship.
owner and cvery American vessel that floats. But
q law which grants onnual of money to cer-
tain specified steamship companies. running on
specified lines of trade and commerce, instead of
encouraging, absolutely dscourages every other
ship and every other company running vessels on
the same line. Such aid gives advantage to the
ship or ships receiving it, those that do not
ceye it, in the precise proportion that the bonus
paid bears to the gross earnings of regular cOm-
merce. In this, way monopoly is created In be-
half of the ships receiving the subsidy. An Odous
discrimination is thus established, operating as a
perpetual encouragement to legitimate competition
The general principles which we have stated
being so impregnable and sufficient to cover the
case, it seems hardly worth while TO go further in
search of special objections to meet the special con-
siderations adduced in favor OF the scheme OF pau
perizng our steam marine. These considerations
are mainly addressed TO the spread.eagle aide OF
the national character. We are pathetically told
by every fellow who wants bonus for running
steamboat that, if the Government does not pay it,
all the steamboating and all macarryng on the
high seas will be done by Great Britain and we
shall then lose our only chance of commercial
greatness This, we believe, is the substance OF all
that is said on the begging side of this question.
Now, what we have first to say in reply is, that
we object in toto to this Government taking any
European nation whstever ss a model for its ac.
ton. Our geographical position is peculiar, and
our political situation is equally 80. We have our
own form of government, our own political theory
our own special work to do as people. We rep
resent the idea of self-goyernment Everything
that this country has yet done worthy of special
record in history has been in the development of
this idea. 1t is the atmosphere Of perfect freedom
that has vtalized the American mass; and our mar
itimc character is preeminently the outgrowth of
untrsmmeled enterprise and the sentiment OF per-
sonal liberty in the citizen.
England and the Old World are differently cir.
cumstanced The colonial system of England re-
quiies great many and extensive official cenuec-
tions by a vast steam marine. In view of her colo
pa policy, it is easy to find ample reason for her
enormous expenditure in both these relations. But
because England must have ships of war and mail
steamers running all the globe is it any reason