The Portland daily press., 1870-06-01

WASHINGTON, D. G., May q, 1870

WASHINGTON, d. c., May 81, 1870.
WESTERN sEcTIoNALIsM vs. THE REVIVAL
OF DIR SHIPPING INTERESTS.
One would suppose that in the wofu spec
tacle exhibited by the South, that this coun
try had learned through bitter experience the
terrible evils of sectionalism in a continental
country like ours. But the proceedings OF
the present session of Congress, especially the
debate over the measures and report of the
select committee on the Decline of American
Tonnage, shows conclusively the existence of
even lower and narrower species of sec
tionalism than that which animated the oil
garchy of the South. The leaders of that
fight had at least like Satan, the splendid in
science of desiring to 1ule in He'll rather
than serve in Heaven. They intended to
have an empire of their own, and probably
when separated, would not have been troub-
led about our progress. But the sectiopaism
OF the West is restrictive and obtrusive-in
that it seeks to "crib, cabin and confiLe" all
Others, without any special effort to build it.
self up. Possessed with a confident inso-
lence as to the future of the great Mississippi
Basin, their present temper Is that of "Dog
in the Manger." To listen to both the pub
lie and private talk of representative Western
men, one might suppose them to have been
like Gen. Butler, devoted and close students
OF chinese history and polity. One of the
prominent statesmen and sages of that curl
Gus peopie,who lived in the eleventh century.
mas lett an elaborate treatise, the doctrines OF
winch comprise the political economy tba,
has hitherto guided the administration of
emma. One series of maxims is devoted to
proving the folly and lnwisdom of all outside
commerce; of its tending to create luxurv
and extravaganza and of the value of a ma
ton being isoated and seIfdependent. There
are expressions in it indicating that at even
mat early day there was persistent effort
among neighboring peoples to create, foster
and preserve commercial relations with the
chinese. Gen. Logan especially seems to
pe lmbued with the political philosophy of
Tie Chinese states man. lie has made him.
sen the mouthpiece of the capital-moyinp
si'a'ioh-a discussion utterly and wholly
sec.ioiiai IN character. In regard to commerce
he IL even more absurdy narrow. denouncino
personally all the propositions subm;,toa &c
robberies of his constituency for Tho saoe.
OF the New England ship builders. and NH
licly arguing against anything short Of ahro
eating our navigation laws and transferring
all our carrying trade to English-built ships,
He would make an excellent mandarin, only
not SO logical, for his brother of the pietail
would forbid his countrymen going abroad as
those of any other country coming there
The coasting trade comes in for consid-
cradle amount of gratuitous abuse and sar-
casm, and there is but little conception of its
great utility as a nursery for seamen. 1t
never enters the minds of such gentlemen as
General Logan that it would take but COM
parativey short time-a few months of active
service at most-to create Major Generals and
Brigadiers as competent as Logan sufficient to
form full-sized army division. But to make
one such coasting-master as you raise on the
New England coast-men who know every
inlet, harbor, river, headland, light, shoal and
enamel from Passamaquoddy Bay to the Rio
orahoe-requires lifetime of experience and
years OF continuous and perilous exertion.
~. discussion aside, there has truly been
oAn''''eu wonderful amount of Ignorance,
AM SUI more astonishing deoree of hilton
sectional Keeling. On these fael;ncs a., d..
ish interests in New York. pn;,i,a7 '.:,, ~
Free Trade League, and aided by the sinh
scrbed-Ior funds of the English and scotch
shipbuiIders and steamship companies have
played most effectualy.
ENGLISH SHIP-OWNERS
nave had their agents here all the time. One
Vi tnem' Captain John Goldman, who mas
querades as an american ship-master," while