Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1861-03-05

into one people. without interfering at all with
the form of Government, or the political insti
tutions, or the domestic policy of any one of the
parties TO the commercial union.
The advantages to our own country of such
q union OF all countries embraced within North
America, must be obvious to every one. It
would restore and preserve amity and good faith
between the people of all the countries who
become parties to IT, II would eradicate all
the jealousies and hostilities which have been
eDgendered by lawless fillibustering expedi-
ti0ns, and put an end to all outrages of that
kind In the future. It would extend our com.
merce, navigation, and carrying trade, while it
would open up new aud extensive markets for
our manufacturers and agricultural products.
lt would impart stability, permanence, and uni-
formity to our commercial system. II would
afford more efficient, certain, and valuable pro-
lection to American industry than all the pro.
tective tariffs that Congress can devise.
While It would be beneficial to all the indus.
trial and material interests Of the United
States, 1t requires no argument to prove that it
would be equally advantageous to all other
countries who should become parties to such
commercial arrangements. Each would furnish
a market for the productions of the other, and
be mutually benefited by the reciprocal ex-
change. And above all, it would furnish
bond Of perpetual peace and alliance among all
the American countries, and make us one peo-
pie for all purposes of national defense, when
either might be upjustly assailed by any Eu-
ropean power.
lt is matter worthy Of serious consideration,
whether the American commercial Union, In
addition to the tariff duties, should not be au-
thorized to take cognizance of O lighthouse
system, copyrights for books, patents for inven
tions, postal regulations, telegraphs, and q uni
form system Of weights and measures, coinage,
and such other regulations an may from time
to time be found necessary TO the freedom and
convenience Of the commercial and social In
tercourse, without disturbing the domestic poll.
cy or political institutions of the countries COM
posing the Union.
do not propose that We should initiate pol.
10y that would annex any of these countries to
the United States. | do not propose that our
policy should interfere, in the slightest degree,
with the forms Of government, with the polit.
cal interests, or with the domestic policy OF any
OF the States or countries within North Ameri-
cat but that we should make a CONNER.
cial arrangement with them, by which we
would derive all the advantages of COM
mercial union, without being encountered
with the embarrassments, the irritations,
and divisions growing out of adverse and
conflicting domestic policies and political insti-
tutions. Sir, the difficulties we have had
growing out Of this slavery question, and the
continual annexation OF countries adjoining us to
the American Union, ought to warn us Of the
dangers of trying to extend the same sort Of
Domestic policy, the same system of political
institutions, over countries and people who are
not homogeneous With ourselves; but If we can
secure the advantages Of free trade, of unre--
stricted commercial and social intercourse-if
we can bo one country for the purpose of com
merce and navigation and postal arrangements,
telegraphic and social intercourse--we will de-
rive oil the advantages, without incurring the
disadvantages that might grow out Of q politica,
union.
IL Is also worthy Of consideration, whether
such commercial union may not facilitate
peaceful and satisfactory solution of all our diff.
fcultes with the seeding States.
y am throwing out these suggestions merely
Tor the purpose of inviting the attention of the
Senate and OF the country TO them; not with
any expectation that they will be adopted at the
present session OF Congress. / think, If we
could postpone this tariff until the next session,
and in the meantime devote ourselves to the
investigation Of the affairs of the entire Ameri-
can continent as they now exist, We might ma
ture some plan by which free States and slave
States will live In harmony together, by which
our neighbors upon the north, owing allegiance
to the British crown, may have common in
terest and common sympathy with US in all Of
our commercial interests, without disturbing
their political institutions; an arrangement BY
which We may avail ourselves of the markets
for nine million people in Mexico; markets for
our manufacturers, markets for our aeri
cultural productions, without being incum-
bered with the political government of the
countryi system which would be beneficial
to all parties engaged In It without impair.
ing the sovereignty, the independence and the
Integrity Of the territories of any one of the
countries that should become parties to ia,
In my opinion, such system would combine
the advantages of political community
without drawing after it those irritating
subjects that are now disturbing this
country, and in imminent danger Of plunging us
into civil war, revolution and final separation.
II the peace Of this country is to be preserved,
II We can avoid the spilling Of blood among our
neighbors, give time to reflect upon the present
state Of things, and study the causes which have
brought the country to this distraction. I have
hope We may mature system of commercial
union that will cover the whole American con-
tiuent; make US one people in interest, in COM
merce, and one people for national defense when
either of us are assalled; yet several people
with reference to our domestic and our political
institutions.
My object, sir, 10 accomplished. It was
simply TO throw out the suggestion; to invite
attention to ii; and to ask the Senate to pause
before IL adopts a system OF revenue that will
inhame the passions of those States that are
now discontented and dissatisfied, and see if
there Ia not open 10 us a path of peace nv which
bloodshed shall be avoided, and the peace of the
country preserved, the Union maintained in its
entire integrity, and commercial system that
will make US one country on the whole Ameri-
can continent for all Its advantages, without
bringing in those disturbing elements that are
now threatening TO dissolve the Union that our
fathers made for us. o . tt.l. sJl