The Republican journal., 1870-03-31
DECLINE OF AMERICAN COMMERCE.
TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE ON THE subject.
The following is the message of the President L
alive to the decline of American commerce.

TIE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE ON THE SUBJECT
The following is the message of the President re-
latiNe to the decline of American commerce
MESSAGE.
In the executive message of December 6, 1869, to
Congress. the importance of taking steps 10 revive
our decaying merchant marine WAS urged and Il
special message promised ut Il future day during
the present session, recommending more specll-
calv plans to accomplish this result. Now that the
committee of the House of Representatives entrust-
ed with the labor of ascertanng the cause of the
decline Of American commerce has completed IFS
work and submitted report to the legislative
branch of the government, | deem this Il tit time
to execute that promise. The very able, calm and
exhaustive report of the committee points out the
grave wrongs which have produced the decline in
our commerce. 1t is national humiliation that
we are now compelled to pay from twenty to thirty
millions of dollars annually, exclusive OF passage
money which we should share with ether nations.
to foreigners for doing the work which should be
done by American owned and American manned
vessels This is direct drain upon the resources
of the country of just so much money equal to
casting it into the sea, so far as the nation is con-
cemet. nation OF the vast and eVer-lncreiS!n@
interior resources OF the United states. extending
as it does from to the other OF the great oceans
of the world, with an industrious. intelligent and
energetic population, must one day possess full
share of the commerce of these oceans, no matter
at what cost. Delay will only increase the cost
and enhance the difficulty of attaining this result
therefore put in an earnest plea for early action
in this matter ill a way to secure an increase OF
American commerce. The advanced period of the
wear, and the fact that no contract for shp-budng
will probably be entered into until the question IS
settled by Congress, and the further fact that if
there should he much delay all large vessels con-
racted for this year will fail of completion before
the winter sets in and will therefore be carried over
another year, induce me to request your early con-
sidcration of this subject. regard it OF such grave
importance, affecting every interest OF the country
to 50 great an extent, that any method which will
gain the end will secure rich national blessing.
The building of ships and the navigation of them.
and the utilizing of the vast capital at home-this
business employs thousands of workmcn in con-
Struction and manning; it creates home market
for the products of the farm and the shop; it dim
iniShes the balances of trade against us precisely 10
the extent Of the freights and passage money paid
to American vessels. and gives us supremacy up
on the seas Of inesmable value in the case of tor
egn war. Our navy at the commencement OF the
late war consisted of less than one hundred vessels
of about 10000 tons, and force of about 5000
men. We drew from the merchant marine, which
had cost the government nothing, but which had
been a source of national wealth, six hundred yes
sells exceeding one million tons, and about 10000
men, to aid in the suppression of the rebellion.
This statement demonstrates the value OF the mer
chant marine as means OF national defence in time
of war The committee on the reduction of 4Amcri-
can tonnage, after ascertanng the cause Of its de-
cline submit two bills which, if adopted, they be-
lievc. will restore the nation its maritime power.
There report shows with great mnueness the act
ua and comparative American tonnage at the
time of its greatest prosperity its actual and COM
parative decline since. together with the causes,
and exhibits other statistics of material interest in
reference to the subject AS the report is before
Congress | will not recapulate any of its stats
ties. but refer only to the method recommended
by the committee to give back to us our lost com
merce. AS a general rule. it can be adopted
believe :: direct money subsidy less liable to abuse
than indirect aid given to the same enterprise. In
this case, however, my opinion is that subsidies,
while they may be given to specific lines of steam
ers or other vessels, should not be exclusively
adopted, but additional to subs dizing very desir-
able lines of ocean traffic, general assistance should
! be given in an effective way, and therefore com
mend to your favorable consideration the two bills
proposed by the committee and referred TO in
| this message. L. :. GRANT.
| Washington, March % 1870.