Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1870-06-02

OF the l. lorlda. degree OF fear and
dlsmay spread through business cir
cles which can in no degree be meas
ured by the actual loss to our com
merce from the captures by these
cruisers.
What was done At the time for this
interest when beginning to suffer in
that way, to suffer by direct acts OF
the enemy with whom we were con
tending? Could Congress do anything
to hcl p this: 1t may be that it could
not; at NIL events it did not Mean
while, ,ir. as result ot the war and
as result Of the sympathy which
Great Britain showed for the South
the extreme protective feeling took
rapid strides in this country. All our
industrial interests except ship-build-
IN and commerce came to the doors
Of Congress and clamorcd tor increas-
ed protection. Mems minds were
then in condition to Weld about all
that wa asked when an appeal was
made against the competition OF Eng
land.
svlnpathizcd at tnat time with
this feeling: Congress acted upon it.
" hat was the result: Every leading
industry of the country had increase q
protection. Cur iron forces and
mauutl tories hlosSomei ont into in
creased prosperity. Our railroads bad
their lines Of trade filled to overflow
ing The banks in the hands Of mon
eyed men have coined money T. an
extent that had never bccn known i'll
tho history Of finance before. But
while these interests were thus bcin
helped and sustained bv the Govern
nont, the dominant party cnaciing
and the mnroity not cxpoStulating
sou cannot lay Your finger on any
ar.~ of lngrc,~ by which help ha-
hecn afforded n American -hip-buill-
ng or American commerce. Nav. -ir,
more than thi- thcr, ha~ been moth
iu- dpnr from thc div when tile war
ended and wc settled back into peace
ni the encouragement otpcacctul in
-iu~tric- year after vear ha+ GONE
~ ami THU attention wv mem, minds
hI- been more and more brought L.
material interests. bringing cut, a- |
hrnc L w!lI, m,rc Iul more NJ tAat
hiud oi practical stltc-mau,hip TINT
j. to-day found in the British llnu-,
NJ Commons. bnc interest existed ii
'hi~ nation which WI lctt unnutircd
hor the last ten wears there ha, tec,
NJ action KAN iAc American Congress
rc." -nizin- thc Importance NJ .Ancri
cau Ship building and American cuul-
mclre. AND that Of itself ought &
draw ever. man'- mind with fixed at-
tcutirn IL rhi- subject. 1t j. disgrace.
tul thlt 1t i 50, that an interest il
whirh onr national pride a wcll a
uur prosperity Il lc.itimatcly intc-c~t-
ed should have thu. been given thc
go-by.
Nov, ,hc Committee on thc Dtcliu,
NJ American Tonnage ha, lah,rcd
faithfully during the months Of the last
recess anal ha, reported Till, here
wh,cA il believe, will afford reasonable
help. | have not time 10 discuss in
dc:aI. the provisions OF those bills.
Wua', in brief, they propose to DIP i
% taNe or practically the duties from
-hil-balldl. Z materials. is il done.
believe. IN every other country to afford
hell .n the way Of bountics. anl to
giyv subsidies In certain In anccs.
Tn, j. in brief the practical effect Of
the bills. l. /, Government aii. of
course. IL is protection pure and sim
plr | presume that the bills do not
suit everybody. There are things
about them that do not suit me |
would he clad to have the tonnage tax,
ia which men III my district are in
tcrc-;ed. on small vessels of little value
taken of. | hope and expect the Com
mittce Of WAYS and Means will see
that mat j. done, as | know that they
have bill prepared to that effect. But
because of that do not choose to an
tagOuize this bill. which has broader
and more national interest. besides
b.ing Of real interest to my own imme-
;iiate constituents.
Now. what do gentlemen propose: !:
1t is said by some that this bill will
not accomplish its purpose, and there
fore they cannot vote for it. Does any
gentleman making this objection, with
the exception of the gentleman from
Massachusetts. propose anything in its
stead: Have not the arguments that
have been adduced here and that |
have so imperfectly stated, showing
the condition of affairs, settled affirm
atiyely in the minds of this House that
something should be done. And may
we not trust something to the ability
and faithfulness of the men upon this
committee who report the results Of
their deliberations. Let us make the
experiment in some direction.
But there are not few gentlemen
who 90 further in bolder opposition to
this bill and find remedy in the in
PRODUCTION, by purchase, Of foreign
vessels. Open our navigation, they
say, to the competition Of the world in
furnishing ships. Let our capital be
aggregated let it be invested in vessels
built abroad and brought here. Now,
sir. | have something to say upon this
subject, for l am interested in it, as
the district which have the honor to
represent is interested in it. That dis
trict embraces the entire eastern half
of the sea-board of Maine. 1t formerly
huilt Saiiinor vasSals Of eyey size and