The Portland daily press., 1868-08-06

Line meeting broke up at late hour with
cheers for the Republican candidate, for the
speaker, and for the Grant Club.
The International Commercial Cen
ventiOn.
SECOND DAYS PROCEEDINGS.
On motion of Mr.. H. P. Deane, of Portland,
Hon. Erastus Brooks of New York was invit-
ed to address the Convention. Mr.. Brooks de-
clared that the energy of Great Britain in the
great interest of shipping should mortify every
American. While over fifty steamships ply
between New York and European ports, not q
single one flies the American flag. We need
system of tariff laws, which shall do away
with this state of things, and which shall place
American shipping on a firmer basis. The
American Congress in a spirit Of retaliation
during the late civil war, repealed the Reel.
procity Treaty. very bad movement for the
prosperity of the country, and the speaker hop
ed the day would soon come, when this treaty
would be revived, or a better one made He
hoped that the presence of armed vessels upon
the lakes would soon be done away, and that
the appearance of antagonism between the
United States and Canada would soon disap-
pear. We are the youngest nation in the world
and, to speak the truth, the proudest nation in
the world. We shall learn wisdom as we grow
old. A disciple of Confucius asked his master
"Is there a word which indicates the proper
conduct Of men towards men?" and the philos-
opher answered, "yes, reciprocity; men should
do to others, as they wish others to do to them"
a principle incorporated into the Christian
philosophy five hundred years afterwards.
We have much to learn from the Oldest nations
of the earth. The Chinese nation has now an
embassy in this country to establish reciprocal
commercial relations with us; let us meet
them and all other nations in the same spirit.
We, should learn economy of administration
from China, which with ten times the popula-
ton of this nation, administers its government
cheaper than the United States. The inland
commerce of a country is more important to
its prosperity than its foreign commerce The
commerce which floats over the great lakes is
four times as important as that which goes to
Europe. Government should lend its assis-
tan"n tn rnil-nads and onnols az much as to
build lighthouse in the harbor of Portland.
There is room enough in this county, for the
existence of all interests, and there need be no
jealousies between the States or communities.
Imagination cannot take in the capabilities of
the United States, in their resources and pro-
auctions. Let all the railroads possible be
built. He hailed the day when the whole coun-
try should be traversed by them. They can
not be built too fast, for the country will keep
pace with them, and furnish them business
enough Railroads are the most important in
terest of the country. The country demands
and who look only to material and business
prosperity.
1t was an able speech, and we regret that no
more of our citizens were present to hear it.
Mr.. Pringle of Michigan from the committee on
Reciprocity then made the following report
The Committee to which was referred the
subject OF the reciprocal commercial relations
which ought to exist between the United States
and the Dominion of Canada and the other
Provinces respectfully report that the time al
lotted does not permit full consideration of
the subject. A few hours will not suffice to
collect the necessary statistics or to examine
every bearing of the different policies which
have been tried by the two countries. General
considerations can only be thought of and then
cannot be discussed at length.
The valley of the st. Lawrence including
the Great Lakes lies in the general d.
rection which the commerce not only of this
entire valley and of the maritime provinces,
but of the valley of the upper Mississippi nat
urally takes. The people who inhabit all this
region for the most part speak the same Ian
guage, their institutions are mostly similar,
the natural productions, whether of the field or
of the forest, except as affected by climate are
alike, and the boundary is an invisible line
which must be often crossed by the track of
commerce. The advantage of reciprocal inter-
course is obvious for the reason that the area
for commercial enterprise and the markets for
manufactured goods and agricultural produce
tions are enlarged. The political relations are
different, but the prevalent system of law and
the general character of the legislation is the
same. The financial burden of the two coun-
tries in proportion to their resources are pro-
badly not very different. Neither power has
any reason to be jealous of the other, and it
would seem that unrestricted commercial inter-
course would conduce to the general benefit.
Labor, whether skilled or unskilled, receives
about equivalent rewards, and whatever differ
ence there may be in this respect is likely to be
rapidly adjusted by reason Of the easy transit of
those who perform the labor from one country
to the other. Ten years of reciprocity have been
tried-from 1856 to l865-and the sum of i'm
ports and exports was much more than doubled.
The treaty was abolished, and the commercial
intercourse is shrinking to its old proportions,
Why not then renew the rule of leciprocitys
Some of the objections urged may be briefly
considered That growing out of the de-
preciated currency of the United States is be-
lieved to be but temporary. The hope is uni
versa in the States that this lingering result of
protracted war will speedily disappear and
then our commerce will revive, industry will
be organized and all disturbing questions will
be amicably settled. A more real difficulty
might perhaps arise in adjusting excise and i'm
post duties 30 as substantially to correspond in
the two countries. This would be necessary To
prevent the feeling which would arise on one
side or the other if manufactures were attracted
to cross the boundary line by the cheaper cos,
of living or of new materials in order nv
returning the goods the better to compete in
the markets of their own country. The prea,
reduction of American taxation, by which ex-
cises are hereafter to be levied almost entirely
upon spirituous liquors, tobacco and a few
other articles not of indispensable necessity
and the probability that imposts upon man,
imported articles can be reduced 20 to 80 pel
cent, lead to the conclusion that there need bt
AO pcimnHeut ulueTence II the two
governments will in good faith attempt to settl,
the details upon the basis of equality.
The objection coming from agricultural dis.
tricts that the competition of grain growers will
be ruinous to American farmers, does not seen
to be well founded, for the reason that IN,
prices of wheat and other grain in Europear
markets to which both sides of the St. Law
renee have equal access, govern the prices OF
this Continent. This objection, as applied +,
the raising of cattle is even more untenable i
made in the United States, for the reason tina
the difference in climate is in favor of thu
American produce. The objection, comm,
from producers of lumber in the States is one i,
which the great body of the American peopl,
will not sympathise. The American supply i
not so large as to make it a leading interes
or to be entitled to ask of the government
| policy which shall have the effect of diminish
ing it more rapidly than the law of supply an,
demand would naturally do.
| The objection coming, or supposed to com
from Canada, growing out of the mistake
supposition that the treaty was abolished upo
the idea that the commercial interests of m
Provinces would thereby be compelled to favo
annexation, requires the explicit declaration