Raftsman's journal. [volume] (Clearfield, Pa.) 1854-1948, 1870-12-14

clude the co-eQual rlght OF the sovereign
possessing the territory through which the
river debouches into the sea to make such
regulations relative to the police of the nav
igatlon as may be reasonably necessary; but
those regulations should be framed in LTD
eral spirit of comfy, and should not impose
needless burdens upon the commerce which
has the right of transit 1t has been found
in practice more advantageous to arrange
these regulations by mutual agreement.
The United States are ready to make any
reasonable arrangement as to the police of
the St Lawrence which may be suggested
bv Great Britain If the claim made by
Mr.. Clay was just when the population of
the States bordering on the shores of the
lakes was only 3, 400, 600, it now derives
greater force and equity from the increased
population, wealth. production and tunnage
OF the States on the Canadian frontier.
Stree Mr. Clay advanced his argument in
behalf of our right, the principle for which
he contended has been frequently and by va
rious nations recognized by law or by treaty,
and has been extended to several other great
rivers. Bv the treaty concluded at Mayence
IN 1881, the Rhine was declared free from
the point where 1t is first naviga ble into the
sea. BY the Convention between Spain and
Portugal, concluded in 1885, the navigation
of the Douto, throughout its whole extent,
was made free for the subjects of both crowns.
In 1858. the Argentine Confederation, Iy
treaty. threw open the free navigation Of
the Parma and Uruguay to the merchant
vessels of all nations. In 1856, the Crime
an war was closed by treaty which prOvi-
ded for the free navigation Of the Danube.
In 1888, Bolivia, by treaty, declared that it
regarded the rivers Amazon and La Plata.
in accordance with fixed principles OF ma
tional law, as highways, or channeis opened
by nature for the commerce of all nations.
In 1859, the Paraguay was made free by
treaty and in December, 1866, the Empe
ror OF Brazil, by imperial decree, declared
the Amazon to be open to the frontier OF
Brazil 10 the merchant ships OF ali nations.
The greatest living British authority on
this subject, while asserting the abstract
right of the British claim. says: 1T seems
difficult to deny that Great Britain may
ground her refusal upon strict law, but it
is equally difficult to deny-frst. that in Sd
doing she exercises har,hy al extreme aud
hard law; and, secondly, that her conduct
with respect to the uavieatian OF the St.
Lawrence is IN glaring and dIscredIable in
consistency with respect TO the navigation o!
the Mississippi. On the ground that she
possessed q small domain III which the Mis-
sissippi took its rise, she insisted on the right
On the ground that she possesses both banks
OF the 81. Lawrence where it djsemh0gnes
itself into the sea, she denies 10 the United
States the right of navigation, though about
one half Of the waters OF Lakes Ontario,
Erie, Huron, and Superior, and the whole
OF Lake Michigan, through which The river
flows, are the property OF the United States.
The whole nation Is interested in secUr n 2
cheap transportation from the agricultural
states OF the West to the Atlantic seaboard.
To the citizens of those States, it secures 4
greater return for their labor; to the inhab
itants Of the seahoard, it affords cheaper
food ; to the nation. an increase in the an
uual surplus of wcaltf. 1t is hoped that
the government Of Great Britain will see
the Justice Of abandoning the narrow and in
consistent claim to which her Canadian prov
nces have urged her adherence.
COMMERCE OF THE UNITED STATES.
Our depressed commerce is subject TO
which | called your special attention at the
last session, and suggested that we will In
the future have TO look more to the coun-
tries south of US and to Chiua and Japan
for its renewal. Our own representatives.
to all those Governments have exerted their
influence to encourage trade between the u
nitcd States and the countries to which they
are accredited. But the fact exists that the
carrying is almost entirely done in foreign
bottoms and while this state of affairs exists
we cannot control our due share of the com
merce of the world That between the Pa
cifc States and China and Japan Is about all
the carrying trade now conducted In Amerl-
can vessels | would recommend a liberal
policy toward that line of American steam
ers-one that will insure It's success, and even
an increased usefulness. The cost OF build
ing iron vcssels-the only ones that can com
pete with foreign ships in the carrying trade
is so much greater in the United States
than in foreign countries, that, without some
assistance from the Government, they can
not be successfully built here. Herewith
will be several propositions laid before Con
gress in the course of the present session,
looking to Il remedy for this evil, even if it
should be at some cost to the national treas
ury. | hope such encouragement will be
given as will insure American shipping on
the high seas and American ship building
at home.
THE GOVERNMENT ARCHIVES DEPARTMENT
OF THE INTERIOR.
The condition OF the archives of the De
partment of State calls for the early action
of Congress, The building now rented by
that Department Is a fraIl structure, at an
inconyenent distance from tie Executive
mansion and from the other departments 1t
is i'll adapted to the purpose for which it is
used, has not capacity 10 accommodate the
archives, and is not fire proof. Its remote
situation, its slender construction, and the
absence of supply of water in the neigh
borhood, leave but little hope of safety for
either the building or its contents in case Of
the accident of fire Its destruction would
involve the loss Of the rolls containing the
original acts and resolutions of Congress, OF
the historic records of the Revolution and
OF the Confederation, of the whole series OF
diplomatic aud consular archiyes since the
adoption of the Constitution, and of the
many other valuable records and papers left
with that Department when it was the prin-
cipal depository of the Governmental arch
ives. / recommend an appropriation for
the construction of building for the De
partment of State.
| recommend TO your reconsideration the
propriety of referring to the Department OF
the Interior, to which they seem more APP
propriately to belong. all powers and duties
in relation to the Territories with which the
Department of State is now charged by law
or usage, and from the Interior Department
10 the War Department the Pension Bureau,
So far as it regulates the payment Of soldiers,
pensions. | would further recommend that
the raymant of naval pensiOus be tran ;ter-