The Portland daily press., 1870-05-09


sides Is the establishment of a new principle
in legislation. Let US see how this Is. There
has been granted the, western States and t.
corporations, for the development and improve
ment of internal commerce within these States
more than one hundred and sixty million
acres of the public domain, the common prop
ertv of the nation, and at the minimum price
of 81 rs per acre, IA total in value of lands O
$2OO.OOO,OOO, and in cash or bonds, $64, 900 900
making grand total of 1924 900, paid di
rectly from the common property and the
common treasure OF the country for develop
ing the internal commerce of the West. In
addition to this, OF the appropriations for river
and harbOr improvements of the $l2,OO0,O OC
in 1866, 1867, 1868, and 1860, 100000 went
to improve the rivers and harbors Of the West
and 100000 to sea coast Improvements. Has
not the government been bounteous in its
bounties and lavish in its liberaiity to the IN,
terror commercial interests OF the country
rejoice, sir, that it has been thus liberal IN
its subsidies to the internal commerce OF the
great West, and rejoice, too, that the votes
Of the Atlantic sea-board States are to be found
recorded in almost one uubroken affirmative
for all these liberal grants. l rejoice that my
ewn State, occupying the eastern extreme oil
the country, although retarded in growth and
prosperity by the drain of its population to the
western States, has, nevertheless, whether
represented BY Wings, by Democrats, or by
Republicans, voted Tor all these liberal meas
ures. And know full well that the only
reason why the largehearted and generous
West has not reciprocated this liberality of the
East is for want OF opportunity and not of dis
position. Now, Sir, can it be contended by
any one that bounties paid to railroads located
in certain States, the direct benefit of which
T.. b. 4 :,,l
vantages of which are largely local, are more
than those paid for building up the foreign
commerce Of the country? If these railroads
extended to all parts of the country and were
free to all, as the ocean extends to all parts OF
the world and is free to all, then the Govern
ment aid to interior railways would in its ma
tionality more nearly approximate to that
granted to external or ocean commerce.
Sir, on great national question like that
under consideration, a question rising far
above any mere local considerations, rising
might almost say even above national con-
sderations, and embracing within It's scope
the interests of mankind, should feel that
degraded the subject were I to appeal to any
narrow sectional prejudices or interests for
support. What is for the interest OF any one
section of the country is tor the interest of
est OF the whole country is tor the interest OF
world, because all the privileges. all the ad
vantages, all the blessings which we enjoy
are open and free to all who will come and
par.ake OF them.
But IicannOt forbear calling attention to the
probabilities that the South and West are to
be more directly benefited by the reconstruct
cd American merchant marine, which is to
perform lis part in the new commercial era
which 10 now dawning upon the world, than
either tho North or the East.
Let us glance briefly at some Of the great
facts connected with the commercial revolu-
ton now going on in the world. The open
ing of the Suez canal, the construction of
which was so long resisted by the sagacious
statesmen OF England, and so wisely aided by
the spacious statesman who presides over
the destinies of France, has been opened to
commerce and has become an assured sue
cess. The trade of the Indies, which former
ly flowed through the Mediterranean, stud
ding 1t with popuous and wealthy cities and
making it the empire of commerce, and which
was diverted by the discovery of the passage
via the Cape OF Good Hope has returned, and
now flows with increased and increasing vol
ume through its ancient channel. This
change of the great current of trade from
the East 10 the West has lett Great Britain
off its line and is destined to work as great a
in the ocean commerce of the
commerce of the world as did the discovery
Of the passage via the Cape of Good Hope. 1t
will turn the curl nts OF trade OF southern
Europe which now run toward the English
channel to the Mediterranean ports, whence
1t will now east to the Indies and west to the
United States.
8 Great Britain has become the warehouse of
the world by drawing to herself the products
of all countries, and either in their crude or
in an elaborated form redistributing them.
But she cannot long divert trade fifteen de-
grees of latitude north out of its natural
course. The trade of one hundred and
eighty millions people in Europe will now nat
urally seek an outlet through the Mediterra-
neal. The ocean routes to the north of Eu-
rope are occupied. 1t would be unwise to
try to wrest them from those in possession
while more favorable and unoccupied routes
invite our attention. We ere on the direct
east to west. A vessel passing from the Med
iterraneah to the Atlantic has scarcely TO-
change her course point to strike New
York. Between the thirtieth and forty.sec-
Ond parallels of north latitude are embraced
the ports of st. Augustine, Savannah, Charles
ton, Beaufort, Wilmington, Baltimore, Phila-
delphia, and New York, and On the opposite
side of the Atlantic the entrance to the Medi-
terranean, now the great highway of the
commerce of the world, while the passage to
the Continent by this route is in the pleasant
taking in the Azores on the voyage.
Cadiz is as near as Liverpool to New York. |
It is our policy to strike for this direct trade
with the continent of Europe and with
India, divert it from Great Britain and bring
It to u1selves. We thus tap the trade of
Spain, of France, of Italy, Of Austria, of
southern Germany, of Turkey, and of south
ern Russia, as well as that of all the ports OF
northern Africa, from Morocco to Suez; and
all this trade comes to us south Of the forty
second parallel of north latitude. The whole
travel to and from the United States as far
east as New York, and to and from the CONT
nent of Europe and much Of that to and from
Great Britain, would soon follow this route in
preference to encountering the dangers and
discomforts of the more northern passage.
The present lines of foreign steamers will I'M
doubtedly continue to carry the trade and