Lamoille newsdealer. [volume] (Hyde Park, Vt.) 1860-1877, 1870-12-14

Great Britain. -
If the claim made by Clay was just,
when the population of the States border
ing on the shores of the lakes was only
about 100000, it now derives greater
force and equity from the increased bop.
ulation, wealth, production and tonnage
Of the States on the Canadian frontiers.
Since MIR. Clay advanced his argument in
behalf of our right, the principle for
which he contended has been frequently,
and by various nations, recognized by law
and b. treaty, and has been extended to
several other great rivers.
By the treaty concluded at Mayence in
1881, the Rhine was declared free from
the point where it is first navigable to the
sea. By the convention between Spain
and Portugal, concluded in 1885, the
navigation Of the Duro throughout its
whole extent was made free for the
subjects of both crowns. In 1858, the
Argentine Confederation, by treaty, open
ed the free navigation of the Paraguay
and Uruguay, to the merchant vessels of
all nations. In 1856, the Crimean was
closed by u treaty which provided for the
free navigation of the Danube. In 1858.
Bolivia, by treaty, declared that it re-
garded the rivers Amazon and La Plata,
in accordance with fixed principles of ma
tiona law, as highways, or channels open.
ed by nature for the commerce of all ma
tions. In 1859, the Paraguay was made
free by treaty, and in December, 1866,
the Emperor of Brazil, by imperial de-
cree, declared the Amazon to be open to
the frontier of Brazil to the merchant
ships of all pations. The greatest living
British authority on this subject, while
asserting to the abstract right ofthe Brit
tiSh claims, says: ut seems difficult to
deny that Great Britain may ground the
refusal upon strict law, but it is equally
difficult to deny the first, thai in so doing
she exercises harshly an extreme and
hard law; secondly, that her conduct with
respect to the navigation of the St. Law
renee Is in gIaring and discreditable In
consistency 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 rise. She
insisted on the right to navigate the en-
tire volume of its waters on the ground
that she possessed both banks Of the St.
Lawrence where it discmbouges into the
sea- She denies to the United States the
? RIGHT Of navigation through about one.half
of the waters Of the lakes Ontario, Erie,
Huron and Superior and the whole of the
lake Michigan through which the river
flows, are the property of the United
States. The whole nation is interested
In securing cheap transportation from the
agricultural States of the West to the At
lantic seaboard. To the citizens of those
States it secures greater return for their
labor. To the inhabitants of the seaboard
it affords cheaper food; to the nation an
increase in the anual surplus of wealth.
1t is hoped that the Government of Great
Britain will see the justice of abandoning
the narrow aud inconsistent claim to which
her Canadian provinces have urged her
adherence.
THE DEPRESSION OF AMERICAN COMMERCE.
Our depressed commerce is subject to
which l called your special attention at
the last session, and suggested that we
will in the future have to look more to the
countries south of us and to China and
Japan, for its revival. Our representa-
tives to all these governments have exert
ed their influence to encourage trade be-
tween the U S. and the countries to which
they are accredited, but the fact exists
that the carrying is 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 States and China and
Japan is about all the carrying trade now
conducted in American vessels. would
recommend liberal policy toward that
line Of Americrn steamers, one that will
ipsurc its success and even increased use
fulness.
The cost Of building iron vessels, the
only ones that can compete with foreign
ships in the carrying trade, is so much
greater iu the U. s. than in foreign coun-
tries, that without solhe assistance from
the Government they cahnot be success
fully bnilt here. na
There will be several propositions laid
before Congress in the course of the pres
: ent session, looking to remedy for this
evil, even if il should be at some cost to-
the national treasury. aanaa aqe eaat
/ hope such encouragement will be CIV
en- as will secure American shipping on
|, the high seas, and American shipbuilding
at home. in9Iq M 1iab .e9