Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1865-01-12
CONGEe lISSEONAH..
WASHINGTON, Jan. IL.
SENATE.


Petitions for an increase of pay of army
officers were presented by Messrs. Wilson,
Trumbull and Harris, and were referred to
| the Military committee.
Mr.. Doolittle presented memorial from
the Chamber of Commerce of Milwaukee on
the subject of canal navigation around the
falls of Niagara. Referred to the commit
tee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. Clarke presented a petition OF citizens
of Virginia asking that territorial govern
ment be substituted for their present State
government Referred to tile committee on
Territories.
Mr.. Foster, from the committee on Pen
sions, reported bill providing that no per-
son shall be allowed to draw pension who
is OH the payroll of the Invalid Corps.
| Passed.
Mr.. Wilson, from the Military committee,
reported Il bill to authorize the appointment
of Second Assistant Secretary of War;
Passed.
[NoTE.-It provides for the appointment,
from officers now connected with the War
Department, for a term of one year, of Il
| person to be Second Assistant Secretary of
War, at a salary of So 600 per year, his du-
ties to be prescribed by the Secretary of
War;
Mr.. Grimes called up the House bill to
advance line officers of the navy fifty num-
| DcTS Ill Ttllh IOI SICCldl SCTNlCC. IdSSpu.
Mr.. Van Wrinkle called up the bill to re-
imburse the Adams Express company for
losses sustained by the sinking of a steamer
at New Orleans, having on board safe on
tanning Government treasury notes. After
some discussion, it was referred to the COM
mittee on Claims.
The resolution to repeal the Reciprocity
treaty was then taken up.
Mr.. Hale was sorry the Senate contcm-
plated the repeal of the treaty. He regard
ed it as a step in the wrong direction. The
treaty had been productive of good to both
parties, and to repeal it could effect no
good. If the object in repeating it was to
benefit our commercial and financial inter
est, he would not object to it; but it had
come from the committee on Foreign Rela-
tions, and no report had been made as to
why action should be taken. 1t had been
said that the treaty operated all one way.
The reasons assigned by those who urged
its abrOgation were vague and unsatsfac-
tory. He (Mr. Hale) had an interest in the
commercial prospects of the country, and
he had taken the trouble to look at the oper-
alton of the treaty i'm the gross. Some special
pleader might make out case against a
particular point, but its general operation
had been unquestionably beneficial. Mr..
Hale read statement from letter of the
Secretary of the Treasury, to show that un-
der the operations of the treaty the exports
to Canada had been increased in few
years from $6,000000 to $25,000000. Both
free goods and duty-paying goods had in
, creased. He had been told that Canada
had altered her rates to make it burden
some to American commerce. The rates
had not risen more than two per cent, and
in the last year they had decreased. In
1861 they were 10 per cent, only half per
cent larger than 1855. The statement that
there had been unfair advantages taken in
the way of duties was therefore mistake.
In 1858 exports to Canada were $I000,000;
in 1854, $l5,000,000; in 1856, $22,000,000; in
1863, S2S.000,000. Imports had increased
from $490,000 to $20,000,000.
Mr.. Hale was sorry the Senate was about
to act so soon upon this matter. The
Chamber of Commerce of New York had
taken the matter under consideration, and
would soon report. He understood the
Chamber of Commerce of Chicago was ad-
, verse to the repeal of the treaty. He
thought we ought not to strike blow at
commerce when we needed the sinew of
war so much. In conclusion Mr.. Hale said
the abrogation of the treaty would be re-
garded in Canada and in England as retail
alton for wrongs which the people of the
United States rightly imagined they had
sustained. But he was sure the people of
Canada were willing now to do anything
they could to repair wrongs that have been
committed lately, and to prevent their
repetition. He believed it would
strengthen the rebels and weaken
the Union cause to repeal the treaty.
Suppose it true that the repeal of the
tMAty would impoverish Canada, he
did not believe it would be wise to do So.
We ought to wish our neighbors rich and
prosperous and enterprising, able to buy
from us and help our commerce. In re-
ducing them to povery we would injurc
ourselves; but he had no hope of prevent
ing the passage of the resolution. This was
time when men took counsel of their pas
sions rather than of the welfare of the
country. The treaty had been wise and
salutary, and under it commerce had grown
+ up and improved. Until some gentleman
could point out some great injury that had
been done, he hoped the Senate would
pause. He hoped the merchants Of New
York would have an opportunity to be
heard from on the subject. 900
, Mr.. Sumner said the Reciprocity treaty
,, has beautiful name. 1t suggests at once
, equality, exchange, security; and it is be-
cause it was supposed to advance these ideas
practically, that this treaty was originally
accepted by the people of the United States.
II, however, it shall appear that while Or
; ganizing exchange, it torgets equality and
} | equity in any essential respect, then must a
: modification be made in conformity with
r Just principles. mean to be brief, but l
0 hope, though brief to make the proper con-
clusion apparent. The treaty may be seen
under four different heads: 1tconcerns the
Q fisheries, the navigation of the st. Lawrence
!. the commerce between the United States
r and the British provinces, and therevenue
of the United States. The fisheries
{ have been source of contest through oul
: history. Even from the beginning and fol
: several years previous to the Reciprocity
8 treaty, they had been the occasion of mu.
9 tual irritation, verging at times in positive
i. outbreak. The treaty was followed by en-
l'vi etIniR .ssIta nod ca