The Portland daily press., 1870-07-23
sPEECIroF HON. JOHN LYNCH.


In the House OF Representatives ON the
18th inst, Mr.. Schencl, for the minority of
the Committee of Ways and Means reported
the following bill authorizing for a limited
time the registration of foreign built iron yes
sells:
Whereas, war in Europe, which NAV greatly
affect the commerce and shipping interests Of
the United States, appears impending, There
fore,
BE it enacted, &c, That from and after the
date of proclamation by the President of the
United States recognizing the existence of
war between the empire of France and the
kingdom of Prussia, or other of the great ma
tional powers of Europe, the act entitled "An
act concerning the registering and recording
of ships or vessels" approved December 81,
1902, and all acts and parts Of acts supplement-
ary thereto or ameDdatory thereof, be suspend
cd for elk months, so far as to admit foreign
built iron steamers, of not less than two thou
sand tons burden, suited for ocean navigation,
and belonging wholly to citizen or citizens
of the United States, to be registered as if
built within the United States; and the same
shan thereupon be entitled TO the benefits
granted by any law of the United States, ex.
cepting the right to be employed in the coast
ing trade of the United States.
Mr.. Lynch-Mr. Speaker, the ship-owners
and ship builders of the country were crush
ed out during the rebellion, and during the
last four years they have been knocking at
the doors of Congress asking Tor relief; ask
ins to be placed on the same footing that for
eign ship-owners and ship builders are placed;
asking the same protection that is accorded to
other American interests and industries.
This has been refused them. And now, here,
on the last day of the session, instead of Civ
ing them the relief they have asked at our
hands. and that the country has demanded
ebp,,lH ha uiua,, To fbap, xpa hava
tion brought in here, in the exciting hours of
an expiring session by the Committee OF
Ways and Means, which, if it were not for
the prestige given it by the chairman of that
committee and the peculiar circumstances
surrounding it, would not receive five votes in
this House.
Now sir, what is this proposition thus sub
mitted to us, and which we are now asked to
pass upon? Not measure to relieve Ameri-
can commerce and American shipping, but to
increase the burdens upon which these inter-
ests are now staggering, to increase still fur
ther the discrimination against American
ship-owners and ship-builders. 1t says to the
American shp-owner, you shall pay from
forty to sixty per cent. duty upon all material
used in constructing your vessels, while ves-
sells built by foreign mechanics, by foreign
ship-builers, shall come in free of all duty.
The avowed object of this extraordinary
measure is to increase our merchant marine
by drawing from that of tother nations whose
flag during the anticipated European struggle
would afford less protection than our own.
But, sir should the resolution pass, the re-
suit would be not to increase real American
tonnage 10 any considerable extent, but rath-
er to place an immense amount OF foreign
tonnage under nominal American ownership,
in a position to enjoy all the benefits and ad-
vantages of our flag during European war,
while the real ownership of this tonnage
would not be changed. This shipping thus
brought in would compete with that really
owned by American citizens, depriving it OF
all the advantages which ought to insure it
under such circumstances.
Having suffered all the disadvantages result
ing from our own war,it is proposed now that
all the advantages to be derived from war in
Europe shall be denied them, but shall be
given to the foreign ship-builder and ship
owner. This would, indeed, be the crowning
act OF fully and injustice. The gentleman
from Iowa Mr.. Allison says all our ship
yards would be active in case of a European
war, and the liberty to purchase ships under
this bill would not affect them unfavorably.
What folly to anticipate such results. How
could single American ship be built under
policy that obliges the American builder to
pay duty of from forty TO sixty per cent.
upon hi, material, while ship all built
built, too, in foreign country with cheap la
Dor, is allowed to come in free of duty? Pass
this bill, and you close every ship yard and
every marine engine-shop in the country, and
proclaim to the American mechanic that you
prefer that our labor shall be done in Europe,
and are willing 10 pay premium ior having
it done there, rather than on our own shores
by our own mechanics. The Committee OF
Ways and Means have heretofore provided
for protecting many branches OF American
industry, think to an unreasonable extent.
Free traders are generally in favor of inciden-
tai protection to our own citizens, but this
proposition of the minority of the committee
oppresses this most important national inter-
est by deliberate and positive discrimina-
tion of from forty to sixty per cent. IN favor Of
the foreign competing interests.
Why this discrimination against American
mechanics, against the men who built our ma
val and merchant marine, and whose skill and
genius have placed us in the very foremost
rank of maritime nations?
Why is there is no provision in this resolu-
| ton allowing the material for ships to come
| in on as favorable terms as the ship all finish
| ed may come in at? Why, when every ship
now sailing under the American flag is built
| of material which has paid from forty to sixty
per cent. duty, is the cheap foreign built and
| foreign-owned ship to be admitted free OF all
duty? Are we legislating for foreign or Amer
Ican interests?
Sir, the policy of excluding foregn-built
ships from American registry, which we are
asked thus hastily TO repeal, is as old as the
Government itself, having been established at
its very foundation. 1t is the policy under
which we attained our greatest commercial
prosperity; and the times when we derived
the greatest advantages from it, the very har-
vest time of American ocean commerce, has
been when the great Powers of Europe have
been at war with each other. Now is the
golden opportunity. Give us now free mate
rial; give encouragement and protection to
our navigation interests, and every ship-yard
| in the country will resound with the music
| of prosperous industry, and we shall regain all
we have lost. But, sir, pass the resolution
submitted by the chairman of the Committee
| of Ways and Means, and the finishing stroke
| will be given to American ship-bullding and
American shipping. Never was such prop.
ositiOn as that now under consideration sub
mitted under such circumstances to any legis-
lative body, and if it shoald pass the Ameri-
can Congress the people ought to drive those
who pass it from their seats here; and they
| will do so.
How THE EMANCIPATION OF THE Rus
SIAN SERFs WAS DEVISED AND EXECUTED