New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-07-31
Ex-Secretary seward on the Decline Of
American Commerce.

Ex-Secretary Seward has written the fol
! lowing letter to Hon. James S. Negley
member OF Congress from Pennsylvania:
| AUBURN, July 8, 1870.
MY DEAR SIR-It is easy enough to see
| how the United States have lost the control
| and profits of their foreign commerce
While we have been engaged in a civil war
that taxed all our energies and resources.
and forced Us to anticipate the contrbll-
| tons of pOsterity to save the national life,
other commercial States, whose good for
tune it has been to remain al. peace, have
taken advantage of the discovery that sail
ing vessels are being displaced by steam
ships, and that wooden vessels are giving
place to iron ones.
Not merely France and Great Britain, but
every other European state is in condition
to build at once iron steamships cheaper
than we can with our imperfectly developed
mines and forests, and uninstructed and
costly labor. Painful as the admission is. it
must be made, that this misfortune which
so deeply affects our national pride. must
continue until we shall be able. with or
without the direct intervention Of the GOV
eminent, to build iron steamships as cheaply
as they now are built in Europe.
Your speech, as well as all the reports you
have submitted to he, show that this ma
tiOnal power of building iron steamships as
cheaply as European ones can not be OBJ
tanned now without an actual and effective
intervention by Congress When we come
to ask the intervention, we encounter diff
ticulty which an abundant experience ought
to have taught lis to foresee. All Congresses
and all the constituencies agree in the alb
stract proposition that the national naviga-
ton interest must be restored and re-estab-
llshed: but the several sectional or party
interests represented in Congress insist that
the cost OF sacrifice necessary to be incurred
shall be cast upon some other interest The
public-land interest insists that the burden
shall be devolved upon the commercial in
terest or the manufacturing interest, and for
that reason would prefer subsidies from the
national treasury. The internal tax PAYERS
and the merchants would cast the burden
on the manufacturing and mining interests,
and the mining and manufacturing inter
ests. struggling against foreign competitions
refuse to assume it.
The object in view, in my Judgment. is
sufficiently important to justify its attain
ments through compromise OF the several
conflicting interests. or even at the cost of
any one OF them. Those interests seem to
be disinclined to so patriotic a compromise
at this moment, and each one of them seems
strong enough to protect itself by defeating
the policy proposed at its own expense 1t
was just in this way that the building of n
Praclflc Railroad, which every one. from the
beginning admitted was necessary. was pre-
vented and delayed eighteen long wears. I'M
til paramount military necessity compelled
Congress to authorize it to be built. not, in
deed, in the wisest way, but in the only way
found practicable at the time. The national
mind does not sleep any more than the ma
tlOnal necessities wear out. The national
mind will find out its want of a national
navigation, and will compel its restoration
through Congress.
But with all due Difference to those who
now sit in the legislative halls, think that
the responsibility will be devOlved. not upon
them, but upon a future Congress, or at
least upon this Congress at a future session.
To speak plainly, the popular mind in new
elections will be susceptible to considera-
tons OF national interest, developments and |
What is wanted to fix
and establish the patriotic and wise con- |
victions at which you have arrived in the |
national mind
In the election at which the present Con |
5ress was chosen, it knew only the rights |
md felt only the passions and preiudices |
which were brought into activity by the |
'ebelliOn Slowly as it NAV seem to Won |
hat the national Judgment discloses itself |
II its popular form, it is always in advance
II Congress. Twenty years since, in ac-
;Ordance with the sentiment of the Ameri-
AN people, proposed to Congress to admit
New Mexico as free State into the Amer
AN Union. 1t is only now that Congress
Gems about to reach the conclusion that |
What was then proposed is wise and
light. How, much agitation has not the
project cost!
Come down, then, Mr.. Negley, from your
eat in the House of Representatives
mong the people. Show them that their
government is wrong in maintaining hone
ess and unworthy grudges against foreipn
atiOns IN refusing to obtain and accept in a
eacetul way, upon just terms, the extern
ION OF their commerce and the extension of
he national jurisdiction throughout the
american continent, the free acceptance of
without fear or apprehension
rom Europe and from Asia, with ali tbc
,bOr and skill, not to speak of the wealth
vhich it may bring. Show them that a ma
on which understands its own caDacitv
nd it's own noble principles of humanity is
LIST as able, and will find it just as wise. TO
uild its own steamships for foreign com.
lerce as it is to build its own railroads for
omestic traffic Do this, my dear sir. and
AXE my word for it that you will before
ing have Congress that will not higgle
bout measures indispensable to the main
snance OF the national prosperity, dignity
nd honor
wishing you abundant success in follow
g the policy in which we both agree on |
re e hne which you have chosen, and are SO
i 4 pursuing, shall say nothing of | J
MAJ 1 am now writing to you. At the
'me me- time l think it proper to reserve ;
yseH y Tor activity in the line l have indi- ;
sted II you shall be unsuccessful in your
lorts. May not hope we may have an
'portuni1ty of comforting with each other ,
] the subject!
l am, my, dear sir, very faithfully your :
lend and 0bedient servant. !
WILLIAM H. SEWARD :