The Union and journal. [volume] (Biddeford, Me.) 1858-1882, 1864-01-08

or the lands purchased by this State of the,
Commonwealth Of Massachusetts, IN 1888, and
TO which L was Influenced among other causes
by the prosperity of our lumbermen mt that Pc
( Rod, until the present year, only the most In
significant quantities have been sold, the stag.
nation In the demsnd forbidding the offering Of
public lands for sale. Il 10 true that ct tho
present moment, under tho influence OF . dis.
turbed currency, and probably tho closing OF
the lumber ports Of the South, our citizens co.
gagged in bringing the forests to market are en-
the subsistence Of the cause, which peace viii
bring, must return the former depression.
What Il true Of the lumbermsn Il likewise
true to large extent, Of the agricultural inter-
ssts Of our country. There u no article pro
Idueed from our farms, that J. not met In our
own markets by similar articles from Canada,
New Brunswick, Nora Scotia and other British
provinces, reaching those markets under advan.
The United States. The schedule Of articles
made rcciprocslly free by this treaty contains
very many which can be produced and are pro.
duced by our own citizens equal to any POSI-
BILE demand, OF the best quality. and at most
reasonable prices. Tho soil and climate Of tho
United States and o. the provinces with. which
and their productions Homogeneous. This
treaty In terms gives Us another market, but In
point OF fact Il Is an utter delusion. The whole
advantage OF the treaty is with our provincial
neighbors. II grants to them that ever con.
suming demand Of British commercial policy, q
market for their surplus products Of field and
forest, giving us In turn access to their markets,
which our people can never seek, fur the reason
that they are at all times gorged to repletion
BY the Provincials themselves. II Is not neces-
sary In this connection to enter into any dis.
cussion upon the merits Of free trade. or to com.
plain Of colonial legislation impairing some Of
the anticipated advantages OF the, treaty. For
us as nation the dream Of free trade Is ended.
Engaged rs We are In the prosecution Of war
anciers and statesmen are perplexed to provide
meansof supplying the national treasury, and
sustaining the national credit. The tax gnther-
er Is met ut every door, but there Is not loyal
man to whom he IL m unwelconie visitor, for
loyalty greets II not only rs duty but pleas
ure to contribute Of its substaucet to the nations
need In It's time OF trial Tho range Of dutiablc
articles has been 30 enlarged as to embrace
some coming almost within the category Of the
necessaries OF life, consumed alike upon the ia
bles of the rich and poor, and upon which for o
generation the tax. gnthcrcr had not laid his
finger. While our own people are 30 taxed, and
bearing this all so cheerfully. without whis.
per Of complaint, because demanded by the ne
cessities ofthe country. is tnot unjust that CIT
| liens Vi IOreiSu stutes, VINO cOntrlUut6 not
penny to the support ofour Government, should
be admitted 70 m equal participation Of COM
mercial privileges with our own citizens, and TO
their serious INJURY
The terms OF the treaty, providing for It's alb
rogation after ten years, clearly indicates that
II was regarded as IN experiment. As such IL
has been 30 sufficiently tested by the people OF
Maine, that large majority desire neither its
continuance nor repetition. In one point II
has most signally failed, and that Is In winning
for the United States the goodwill Of her terri
torial neighbors; and the government, In ter.
minating this treaty, Is relieved Of oil embsr-
rasment on that account.
commend this subject TO your considera-
tion, and that you take such action In the prem.
ises as, upon an examination OF the same. you
may believe the interests Of your constituents
demand.
COAST AND FRONTIER pEFESCEs.
Upon the call OF this State by the resolves OF
tho Legislature, touching tho defenceless con-
and the urgent solicitations Of my predecessor,
the United States, In addition to largo cxpsn.
ditu-es upon the permanent Notifications In tho
harbor Of Portland, at tho mouth Of the Ken.
nebec river, and tho narrows Of the Penobscot,
has constructed earthworks ut Rockland, Bel
fast and PASSPORT, ut each Of which places two
batteries Of Ave guns each have been mounted,
while both ut Castiue anil Machiasport single
battery Of FIVE guns has been supplied. These
earthworks are, indeed, but temporary defen-
ces. though II Is believed that properly manned
they would afford sufficient protection against
any nero piraticsl cruisers, for when sufficient
~ enlarged, they have proved very formids-
bic, as means Of defense, against imposing
squsdrons. H.s t".. ~. 40
There are other points on the coast calling
for densiyo presausions, which the government
10 A. r..t al Q,.ta ~-tl
having already indicated It's purpose TO do
whatever may DO needed to render the towns
on the seaboaryl secure from surprise by attacks
from the ocean.
In relation to the north. eastern frontier, the
only means suggested for It's defence 10 the con.
struction Of railroad, connecting II with our
interior lines OF communication, by which m
army, with It's munitions and supplies, can DO
rapidly concentrated on It's line, or ut It's ter.
minus. As yet nothing has been accomplished
towards securing the national aid for this great
object. Thus far the railways Of Maine have
been the results Of private enterprise, aided in
some instances by the credit Of certain munici-
palites. They have received no old whatever
from the National Government, by land grants,
nor even by the rcfunding or remission Of du-
ties upon railroad iron Except, perhaps, In q
single instance). both Of which have been large.
ly enjoyed by other States. sieu
In happier days, and rs means OF Develop
ment, the State, forbidden to use It's credit for
the purpo se, made, on certain conditions, q
grant Of the public lands to the Aroostook
Railroad Co. The conditions not having been
compiled with, the grant lapscd. II was then
and Is now apparent, that the construction Of
q railroad, whether for defence or development.
to the eastern or northeastern frontier Of Ito
State, within D reasonable time, can only be nc.
complished by a combination of private enter
prise and Government mid, State or Nationnl.-
That, under the circumstances, Name Is fairly
entitled to call on the Government Of the Uni.
ted States to aid In so important work Oh de-
fence. the defence itself being national obli-
CATION, Is very clear. ..
The towns upon the St. Croix are liable to Is
olation and capture, by land attack, In tho
event VI rupture with Great Britain, for hck
Of speedy communication with the more dense
ly populated portions OF the State While tho
erecting detences nc PASSPORT, the citizens Of
that section have interested themselves In en-.
deavoring to secure connection between the
railroads On that river and ON the Penobscot /;
and although II Is but n common turnpike that
Is proposed by them, 1t will reduce very much
the time. which Is now the measure OF distance.
from the one point to the otbcr. As n purely
defensive mea-uvc, In the absence of % better,
our fellow citizens in that portion Of the State
are justly entitled to your favorable considera-
ton.
The very recent alarm on our eastern border,
excited by rumors that raid was being organ.
lied Ia the neighboring Province OF New Druns-
wick, under rebel auspices, for tho purpose OF
devastating our cities and towns, 10 an imputa.
tion Of ineficienoy IN the police Of that prov
inee, SO gross as to be Incompatible with good
faith. As such, should profoundly regret It's
verifcation. The incident, however. emphasi-
A. ths nronr;etv ~ ssta hjsbtov M an ma rlv ..,