, 1870-07-23
AMERICAN COMMERCE,
Letter froxn Fs.~ecr~snTy Seward TO
the Hon. james =. NcgIeJ, OF I'cnn-
AYlvuNln.

-fA WV @hsk*4 G1~@VVFWAN3f 0EN AEA 10
the Hon. Jntncs =. NcgIeJ, OF E'cnn-
Aysvnnin.
WASHINGTON, July 10.
iIe following e1ttAct is from letter Ad~
dressed to Hon. James S. Neglcyt Represent
tive in Congress from the 1wenty-seeoad
Congressional district Of pennsytyauia
AUnuRS, July i, 1870.
10 see how tho United States have lost the con-
trol and profits Of their foreign commerce.
While We have been engaged in civil war
that taxed al our energies and resources, and
furced us to anticipate The contributions nf
poeierity 10 save the national life, other COM
tne1cial States whose good fortune it has been
to remain 1t peace have taken advantage Of
the discovery that sailing vessels are bein;
displaced by steamships, and that wooded YES
sela are giriDg place to iron ones.
Not merely France and Great Britain, but
sv-ry ether European State, Is in a condition
tc build 1T once iron steamships cheaper than
We can with our impcsfcctly developed mines
and forests and unlnstructed and costly l,bor.
1aiL fa1 u the admission is, it must be made,
that this misfortune which 60 deeply Affects
cur national pride must continue until NO
rl:a!l be a:le, with or without the direct inter-
veutioa OF the government, to build iron
.testnshite as cheaply as they nov are built in
Europe.
Your speech, ~ well as all the reports you
baye submitted to me, show that this national
power OF building IRON steamships as cheAp1y
~ European ones cannot be obtaiped nov
without an actual and effective intervention
Ly Congress. When We come to ask this in.
tervcntion We encounter difficulty which an
abundant experience ought to have taught us
10 torcsec. Ali Congresses, and al the con-
stitucncics agree In the abstract proposition
that the uations1 navigation interest must be
restored and re-estat flslcd; but the several
sectional Or pa1ty interests represented in Con.
Grcss insist that the cost OF sacrifice necessary
10 bcincurned shallssbc cast upon some othcl
interest The puhllc-land interest Insists thai
the burden shall be deyolved upon the com.
HeTcis1 interest or the manufacturing inter.
CIT, and fer that reason would prefer sub
-idles from the National Treasury. The inter
nal la1paytrs and the merchants would cast thi
burden on tho manufacturing and mining in.
scrcsts, and the mining ard manufacturing
luterests. struggling against foreign compe
tltion, refuse to aBsume it,
The object in ylcH. IN ms Judgment, is snf
Gclently important to justify its attainmen
through compromise Of tho several conflict
irg interests, or even ut tho cost of any on,
Of them. Those interests seem to be disiu
clincd to 10 patriotic d compromise at thi
moment, and each one OF them seems stronl
enough to protect itself BY defeating th
policy proposed at its own expense.
It vaa just in tlis way that tho building o
Pacific Railroad. which every one, from til,
beginning, admitted wta necessary. w1a pre-
vented and delayed eighteen long years, unit
paramount military necesslty compelte,
Congress to authorize it 10 be built, not, in
deed, iu the wisest way. but in the only wa.
found practicable at the tinao.
hIhe national mind does not sleep any nor,
than tho NATIONAL necessities wear out The
national mind will find out its want of ma
tionA1 navigation and will compel its restora
ti0n through Congress,
But nith duo Difference to those vho now al
in the Legislative hslls, think that the re
sponeibilay will be derolved not upon them bu
upon future Congress, or at least upon TIL
Congress at future session. To speak plain
", the popular mind in new elections will bt
susceptible to considerations Of uationa1 inter
est. Developments, and agGrandizement. Wha
is wanted TO fix and establish the patriotic ant
wise convictions at which you have arrived il
tic national mind7
In the election at which the present Con
gress was chosen, it knew only the rights, an
| felt only the passions and pretudicea wlic
were brought into activity BY the rebellion
Slowly as it may seem to you that the natio1z
! Judgment discloses itself III it's popular form
| 1t il always in advance OF Congress. Twent
years since. In Accordance will the Hentimeu
OF the American people, proposed to Cor
1 grees to admit Now Mexico rs FREQ State int
fhc American Union. tits only nov that Cor
[
that what was thcn proposed is wise au
right How much agitation has not tho prt
ject coat7
Como down, then, Mr. Negloy, from you
seat in tho House Of Representatives, alnon
;he people. Show them that their goye1 umeu
IL wrong IN maintaining hopeless mud unwo
thy Grudges against foreign nations in reiu,
ing to obtain and accept in peace.ble III,
upon just terms, the extension OF thoi1 con
metce and tho extension Of the national ju-i
diction throughout the American contiusn
the Tree acceptance Of immigration withot
fear or apprehension from Europe and frol
Akia, With all the labor and skill, not to spea
Of the Yealth which il may bling. Show thel
tlat I nation that understands its own cap
city and its OWN noble principles OF Auma,
ity. u Just as able, and will find
for foreign., commerce as it is to bui
this, my dear Sir, and take uy word for it th
you will before long lave Congress th.t vi
not higE}e about measures Indispensable to Il
maintenance OF tie national prosperity, digt
tF, and honor.
Wishing you abundant SUCCESS in foljowit
the policy in which We both ngree on the lii
which you hare chosen and arc go gallant
pursuing, l shall sag nothing Of what 1 q
il proper to reserve myself for activity in Il
line hayo indicated, ii ,sou shall be unsu
cesslni in your efforts Mas. not hope ;
each other on tho subjcctS I an. my dc
sir, yory faithfully your friend and ooelie
servant, W1L1AH II. SEWARD.
i