New Orleans Republican. [volume] (New Orleans, La) 1867-1878, 1870-03-27
DEOLINE o. AMFRICAN COM
MEROE. M


Messago Of the President.
The following is the message of the Presi-
dent to Congress, in relation to the decline
of American commerce:
To the Senate and House Of Representatives:
In the Executive message OF December 6.
1869. to Congress, the Importance of taking
steps to revive our decreasing merchant ma
rine was urged, and q special message prom
ised at future day during the present SEES
sion. recommending more specifically plans
to accomplish this result. Now that the
committee of the House of Representatives,
intrusted with the labor OF ascertaining tho
cause of the decline OF American commerce,
has completed its work. and submitted re-
port to the Legislative branch of the govern
ment deem this q fitting time to execute
that promise.
The very able. calm, and exhaustive re-
port of the committee points out the great
wrongs which have produced decline IN our
commerce. It is q national humiliation that
we are now compelled to pay from twenty
to thirty millions dollars annually, exclu-
sive of passage money, which we should
share with other nations, to foreigners for
doing what should be done by American
owned and American manned vessels. This
IN direct drain upon the resources OF the
country of just so much money, equal 70
casting it into the sea 80 far as the nation
is concerned. A nation Of the vast and ever
increasing interior resources of the United
States. extending as it does from one to the
other of the great oceans of the world, with
| an industrious, intelligent, and energetic
population, must one day possess its fuii
| share of the commerce OF these oceans, NO
matter what it's cost.
Delav will only increase this cost and en-
hance the difficulty of attaining the result.
| 7 therefore put in an earnest plea Tor
esrly action in this matter in way to
| secure an increase Of American commerce.
| The advanced period of the year and the
| fact that no contract for ship building VIII
| probably be entered into until this question
ia settled by Congress, and the further fact
| that if there should be much delay all the
large vessels contracted for this year will
| fail of completion before winter sets in. and
will therefore be carried over another year,
| induces me to request your early consider
alton of this subject.
affecting every interest of the country to 60
great an extent, that any method which Will
gain the end will secure rich national bless.
ing, This business employs thousands OF
workmen in their construction and man
ming. It creates home market for pro-
ducts of the farm and chop. 1t diminishea
the balance of trade against the United
States. precisely to the extent of freights
and passage money paid to American ves-
sells. and gives the United States superior.
ty upon the seas of inestimable value In
case of foreign war. Our navy. at the com.
mencement of the late war, consisted o.
less than 100 vessels, OF about loo, 600 tons
and a force of about 5000 men. We drew
from the merchant marine, which had cost
the government nothing, but which had
been source Of national wealth, 500 vee
sells, exceeding 100000 tons, and about
20 900 men, to aid in the suppression OF the
rebellion. This statement demonstrates the
value of the merchant marine as means o1
national defense in time of war. The COM
mittee on the cause of the reduction Of
American tonnage, after tracing the cause
of it's decline, submit two bills.
Their report shows with great minutenese
the actual and comparative American ton
mage at the time of it's greatest prosperity,
. actual and comparative decline since, tege-
ther with the causes, and exhibits other sta
tistics of material interest in reference to
the subject.
AS the report is before Congress will moi
. recapitulate any of its statistics, but refer
only to methods recommended by the CON-
mittee to give back to the United States oul
, lost commerce. AS a general rule. 1t can b<
adopted. l believe that direct subsidy v
less liable to abuse than an indirect grant Il
the same enterprise. In this case, however
nv opinion is that subsidies, while they maj
! be given to specific lines of steamers OF
= other vessels, should not be exclusively
! adopted, but, in addition to subsidies Il
every desirable line of ocean traffic in gene
= raj. assistance should be given in an effectfv'
way; and therefore I recommend to yo0
favorable consideration the two bills pre-
a pared by the committee and referred to II
this message.
(oigned) U. 8. GRANT.
Executive Mansion, March %, 1870.
L