Oxford Democrat. [volume] (Paris, Me.) 1833-1933, 1870-12-16
NUMBER 4S.

our lake ports, which would be denied 10
American vessels in similar voyages. To
state such u proposition is To rclutc lis
Justice.
During the administration of Mr.. John
@ Adams Mr.. Clay unquostiOnably de-
monstratcd the natural right of the cili-
zrns Of the United States 10 the nayig;l-
ton ol ibis river, claiming that the act of
the Congress of Vienna, in opening the
Rhine AMI other rivers 10 all nations,
showed lhc judgment of Eur pcan iu-
riSls and statesmen that the inhabitayts of
that country, through which Il navigablc
river passes, have natural right To enjoy
the navigation ulllat river 10 and into the
sea, even though passing through the Ter.
ritorv OF another power. fh9 right does
not exclude the to-cqnll right OF the Sow
creign possessing Tho territory through
which the river debouc,!lS into The SCI to
make such regulations relative 10 the po.
lice OF the navigation, as may bc reason
ably necessary. But these regulations
should be framed in a liberal spirit OF COM
". and should not impose needless bur
denS upon the commerce which has the
right of transit. II has been found in
Practice more advantageous 10 arrange
these regulation, by mutual agreement,
and the United State, are ready to make
any reasonable arrangement as 10 the POI
lice of the -. Lawrence. which may be
suggested hy G;rd Britain. II the claim
made b., CLAW wt~ i when The popult-
ton ol The States bordering on the Lakes
was Only 3.f0),C0l. il now derives great
er !orcr and equity from the increased
population, wealth, production and tom
nag, of jlir States on the Canaditn from
tier. since Mr. Clay advanced his argu-
mcnt ia behalf OF our right, the principle
tor which he contended has been frequent
w, and by various nations, recognized by
law and treaty, and has been extended %
several other rivers.
BIZ the treaty concluded at Mayence, in
1891. the Rhine was declared free from
the poinrwhcrc. IL !, fr.t navlgabic 10
the sea By the convention between
SpIil aud Puifugtl. concluded IN 1888,
the na,i = ttion oi The DpurO throughout
it. whole extent WAS made free for the
subjects oi both crowns. In 1888 the
Argentine Confederation by treaty threw
open the free NAV igation Of the Paraguay
and Uruguay to the merchant vessels OF
all nations. In 1886 the Crimcan war
closed by treaty which provided for
the free navigation of the Danube. In
1858 Bolivia by treaty declared that il re-
gmdrd ;he rivers Amazon and la Plata,
in accordance with fixed principles OF ma
iionaI law, as highways or channels open
cd by nature for The commerce ol NIL na-
liouS IN .Sj9, the Paraguay va, made
free us treaty. AMI in December, 1866,
the Emperor % Bszil by Imperial de-
cree dr,.i .itrrd t'. Amazon To- be open %
the frontier vi Brazil 10 the merchant
shil- of all nations. The greatest living
British authority on this subject, while a.
sculing 90 the abstract right OF the British
claims. ~Jh>:
I -ccuri difficult to deny that Great
Britain may ground the refusal upon
strict law. hul il !, equally difficult 10 Icny
first, that in 80 doing she exercises harshly
an extreme and hard law ;>ecoHdl, that
ercondurr with respect to the nav iguior
OF the S. Laurence /, IN Siaring and dis
crcdiablc inconsistency with her conduct
with respect 10 the navigation OF the Miss
i,sippi. on the ground that She possessed
u small don ain in which the Mississippi
took it, rise She insisted on the right To
navigate the entire volume OF is waters
ON .hc ground that she possesses both
banks OF The St. Lawrence where il dis
cmbogucs into the sea. She denies 20 the
United States The right OF navigation
through about one half of the waters Of
the lakes Ontario, Erie, Huron and Super
ipr and the whole ot Lake Michigan,
through which the river flows, a;e the
property of the United States. The whole
nation i interested in securing cheap
transportation from the agricultural States
ul the west to the Atlantic serbOard. To
the citizens of those States II secures
greater return foI their labor. To tho
inhabitants OF the scabolld il affords
cheaper food. To the nation m increase
in the annual surplus of wealth. II IS
hoped that the government of Great
Britain will see the justice oi abandoning
the narrow and inconsistent claims 10
which her Canadian provinces have urged
her adherence.
OUR RUINED CoMMERCE-THE PRESIDENT
Non 50 CONFIDENT ABOUT "NATURALIZ-
INC SHIPS.
1ll ttlilt>>cN t'ltUiltlft - II Siabi'tl W
which called your special attention at
the last session, and suggested that we
VIII in the future have Ia .oGk more To the
countries south of Us aud tu China and .Il-
pan for its revival Our representatives
10 all these governments have cNcrtcd
their influence to encourage trade be-
wcen the United States and tho countries
10 which they are accredited, bat the lact
exists that the carrying Is done almost en-.
lircly in foreign bottoms, and while this
state Of affairs exists we cannot control
our due share of the commerce OF the
world That between the Pacific states
and China and Japan is about all the car
wing trade now conducted i'm American
vessels would recomm nd liberal
policy toward that line of American
steamers, ono that will insure its success
and even increased usefulness. The cost
OF building iron vessels, the only ones that
can compete with foreign ships in the
carving trade, is so much greater in the
Unitod States than in foreign countries
that without some assistance from the
government they cannot De successfully
built here There will be several prop.
oSitions laid before Congress in the course
of the present session looking to remedy
for this evil Even lift should be at some
cost to the national treasury, hope such
encouragement will be given as VIII SEQ
urc American shipping on the high seas,
md American ship building al home.
wAxrRD-A NEW BUILDING
The condition of The archives at the De-
pa1lmrnt OF State calls for the early ac-
lion ol Congress The building now
rented by that department is a irail struct'
urc. at an inconveuent distance from the
Executive mansion and from the other de.
uarlments. II is ilI'adapled to the pur-