The evening Argus. [volume] (Rock Island, Ill.) 1861-1871, 1870-12-06

opShCo ny Aotufc AOl thC VI 7AA
nations. In 1850 the Paraguay was made
free by treaty, and in Dec. '66 the Emperor
of Brazil by al imperial decree declared
the Amazon tc be open to all the frontier
of Brazil to the merchant ships Of all ma
tions. The greatest living British author
ity On this subject, while assaiiipg the alb
stract right of the British to claim it says
it seems difficult to deny that Great Brit
ain may ground her refusal upon strict law
but it is equally difficult to deny, first,
that in SO doing she exercises hsrshly
an extreme and hard law, Secondly, that
her conduct with respect to the nsviga.
ton OF the St. Lawrence is in glazing and
and discreditable inconsistehce with her
conduct with respect to the navigation Of
the Mississippi. On the ground that she
possessed small domain in which the
Mississippi took its course. she insisted
on the right to navigate the entire volume
of its water. On the ground that she posses
e. both banks of the st. Lawrence where
it disburses itself into the sea, che claims
to the use and the right Of navigation,
though about ons-half Of the waters of
Lakes Ontario, Erie. Huron. Superior, and
the whole of Lake Michigan,
from which the river hows are the
property of the United State. The whole
nation il Interested in securing through
transportation from tho agricultural
States Of the West to the Atlantic sea-
board. To the citizens of those States it
secures Q greater return for their labor; to
the inhabitants of the scs-board it offers
cheaper food to the nation, an increase IN
the annual supplies of wealth. 1t is
hoped that the government Of
Great Britain will see the jus
tice Of abandoning the narrow and in
consistent claims to which her Canadian
provinces have urged her adhesion.
REVIVAL OF COMMERCE.
Our depressed commerce Is . subject to
which l called your special attention at the
last session. suggested that We will, in
the future. have to look more to the coun
tries south of the United States, and to
China and Japan for its revival. Our repre-
sentatives to all these governments,
have exerted their influence to encourage
trade between the United States and
the countries to which they are
accredited. Yet the fact exists that
the carrying il done almost entirely
in foreign bottoms, and while this state
Of Affairs exists We cannot control our due
share Of the commerce Of the world
That between the Pacific and China and
Japan il about all the carrying trade now
conducted with American vessels. would
recommend . liberal policy towards that
line Of American steamers, one that will
insure its success, and even increased use.
On the cost Of building iron vessels, the
only ones that can compete with foreign
ships in the carrying trade, is SO much
greater in the United States than IN for
elgn countries, that without some assist
snce from this Government, they cannot
be successfully built, there will be sew
erl propositions laid before Congress in
the course of the present session, looking
to remedy for this evil-then, if it should
be 1t some cost to the national treasury,
l hope such encouragement will be given
as will secure American shipping on the
high seas and American ship building at
home.
STATE DEPARTMENT BUILDING
The condition of the archives at the De-
psrtment of State calls for the early action
of Congress. The building now rented by
that department is a fraii structure, at an
inconvenient distance from the Executive
mansion, and from the other departments.
1t 10 i'll adapted to the purpose FOR which
it is used, has not capacity to accommo-
date the archives, and 10 not FIRE proof
Its remote situation, its slender construc-
tion, absence Of . supply Of water in the
neighborhood, leaves but little hope Of
safety for either the building or the con
tents in case Of the accident Of FIRE. It's
destruction would involve the loss CT the
roll containing the original acts and reso-
lutions Of Congress, Of the historical rec
ords of the Revolution, Of the confGdera-
tion, Of the whole series Of diplomatic and
consular archives eince the adoption Of
the Contribution. Of the many other valua.
BILE records and papers left within that
department., when it was the principal
depository Of the Government archives.
l recommend an appropriation
fos the construction CT build
ing for the Department Of State.
rRANsFKR OF BURKAuA
recommend to your consideration the
propriety Of transferring to the Depart
ment Of the Interior, to which they seem
more appropriately TO belong, sll powers
and duties in relation 80 the territories
which the Department Of State is now
charged by law or usage, and from the In
terror Department to the War Depart
ment the Pension Bureau, go far as it reg
ulstes the payment Of soldiers pensions.
Iwould further recommend that the
payment of naval pensions be transferred
to one Of the bureaus ofthe Navy Depart
mept.
kXPEHsE EsrnAYkA
The estimates for the expenses Of the
Government for the fiscal year'are e1e2,-
AS, 400 less than for the current one, but
exceed the appropriations for the present
year for the same items, esS7, 112,75o.
In this estimate, however, 10 included
2.2s8, $50 for public works heretofore
begun. under Congressional provisions, Of
which only % much 10 asksd, for Con-
gress may choose to give. The sppropris-
ton for the aams work for the present e.
cal year vas tll. sS4. oloos.
The average valee Of gold. -
compared with national ssyrsncy,
for the whole Of The year 1850 vss about
ia, and for slevea months Of 1870 the
ans relative value has bseR about A15
The approach TO . specie basis y very
gsatdying, but the fs0s sAn1ot b deaisd
hat the Instability Of he value Of oar
currency 10 PrJudisial to eur prosperity
and tends 70 keep Up prices 70 he dstri-
neat OF trade. The sviis Of deprecated
and 6Sct0Atiag currency Are % greet that
.ov. when tbs premium On gold has fall
En- % much. Il would seem that the time
he's arrived when. By vss and prudent
legislation, Congrsss should look 10 . pol
icy which would pla0s car currency ut
par With gold 81 no distant dsy.
nsvRsus nR1onn
fhs TAX collected from people hAs been re-
ducsd more than eighty million dollars
per annum. By stesdissa in ons present
course, there u NO reason Why in . few
shors jean the national tax- pthsser may
n0s disappear from the doos Of the citizen
almost enSiyely. With thu rsvanue damn