The Plymouth Democrat. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1869-1941, 1870-12-08

Gated, with her cargo This proposition, which
| Identical with the construction now put upon tn
| language OF the convention, was emphatically re
| jected by the American Commissioner, and there
upon was abandoned by the British PlenpOtenta
was substituted. If, however it be said that thi
claim is founded on provincial or colonial statutes
and not upon the convention, this government cal
not but regard them unfriendly, and il
letter OF the treaty, for the faithful execution O
which the imperial government is alone response
made by the Canadian authorities in the coming
season to repeat their unneighhorly acis toward ou
fishermen, | recommend you TO confer upon The
Executive the power to suspend by proclamation
the operation Of the laws authorizing the transit
/ goods, wares and merchandise in bond, acrOs,
| the territory of the United States to Canada
come necessary. to suspend the operation Of any
| law whereby the vessels Of the Dominion Of
Canada are permitted to enter the waters of thc
| United States.
NAVIGATION OF THE ST. LAWRENCE.
like unfriendly disposition has been
manifested on the part Of Canada in the
maintenance of a claim of right to exclude the
citizens of the United States from navigation
Of the st. Lawrence. This river constitutes nat
dral outlet to the ocean for eight States, with an
aggregate population ofseyeIteen million six hun
dred thous nd inhabitants, and with an gregate
tonnage of 6s1, 1851 tors, upon the waters which
discharge into IT, The foreign commerce of their
ports on these waters is open to British compe-
titon and the major part of ii is done in British
bottoms III the American seamen be excluded
from this natural avenue to the ocean, the monop-
oily OF the direct commerce of the lake ports with
the Atlantic would be in foreign hands, their YES
seis on the TRANSATLANTIC voyages having an access
10 our lake ports, which would be denied to
American vessels on similar voyages. To state
such proposition is to refute its JUS
tice. During the administration of Mr.
John Quincy Adams, Mr.. Clay unques-
tionably demonstrated the natural right of the
citizens of the United States to the navigation Of
the river claiming that the act of the Congress of
Vienna in opening the Rhine and other rivers TO all
nations showed the judgment of European jurists
aud statesmen, that the Inhabitants of a country
through which navigable river passes have q
natural right to enjoy the navigation of that river
TO and into the sea, even though passing through
the territory of another power This right does not
sing the territory through which the river debouches
into the sea, to make such regulations relative to
the policy of the navigation as may be reasonably
necessary. But those regulations should be framed
in liberal spirit OF comfy, and should impose no
needless burdens upon the commerce which has the
right of transit. Ii has been found in practice more
advantageous to arrange these regulations by
tual agreement. The United States ready to
make any reasonable arrangement az TO the nav
igation of the St Lawrence which may be suggested
by Great Britain. Ii the claim made by Mr.. Clay was
just when the population Of the States bordering
the shores of the lakes only 600. il now
derives greater force and equity from the increased
population, wealth. production and tonnage OF the
States on the Canadian frontier.
Since Mr.. Clay advanced his argument in behalf
of our right the principles for which cOntended
ognized by law or by treaty and have been extended
TO several other great rivers BY the treaty conclud
ed at Mayence in 1881 the Rhine was declared free
from the point where it is fret navicable into the
sea. BY the convention between Spain and Portugal
concluded, in 1885 the navigation Of the Dourse
throughout its whole extent was made free for the
subjects Of both crowns. In 1853 the Argentine
Confederation, by treaty threw open the free
lgation of the Parana and Uruguay to the merchant
vessels of all nations. In 1856 the Crimean war
was closed by treaty which provided for the free
navigation OF the Danube. In 1853 Bolivia, by
treaty declared it regarded the rivers Amazon and
La Plata. in accordance with fixed principles of
national law, "a highways or channel. opened by
nature for the commerce Of all nations.
In 1859 the Paraguay was made free by treaty,
and in December 1896, the Emperor of Brazil by
imperial decree, declared the Amazon to be open
TO the frontier Of Brazil to the merchant ships of
all nations.
The greatest living British authority on this sub
ject while asserting the abstract right OF the Brit
ish claim says it difficult TO deny that Great
Britain may ground her refusal upon strict law
But ii is equally difficult 10 deny, first, that in
doing she exercises harshly extreme and hard
law; second. that her conduct with respect TO the
avissation of the ST. Lawrence is in glazing and
discredtable Inconsistency with her conduct with
respect to the navigation of the Mississippi the
ground that she possesses small DOMAIN IN winch
the Mississippi took its rise. She insisted on the
right to navigate the entire volume of its waters on
the ground that she possesses both banks OF the st.
Lawrence where il disembouches itself into the
She denies TO the United States the right of nayga
ton, thougs about one half the waters of Lakes
Of Lake Michigan, through which the river flows,
are the property of the United States.
The whole nation is interested In securing cheap
from the agricultural States OF the
West to the Atlantic seaboard. To the citiZeH of
hose States 1t secures a greater return for their
abor. To the inhabitants of the seaboard it offers
cheaper food; to the nation an increase in the an
lual surplus of wealth. 1t is hoped that the Gov
arHment of Great Britain will the justice of
ABANDONING the narrow and inconsistent claim TO
which her Canadian provinces have urged her ad-
ference.
OCEAN NAVIGATION.
Our depressed commerce is sub ect to which
called your special attention at the last ses
ion. and suggested that will in the future have
o look more TO the countries south OF US, and to
china and Japan, for it's revival.
Our representatives to all these Governments have
xerted their influence to encourage trade between
he United States and the countries to which they
ire accreded but the fact exists that the carrying
$ done almost entirely in foreign bottoms; and
While this state of affairs exists cannot control
Dur due share of the commerce OF the world. That
'etween the Pacific States and China and Japan Is
bout all the carrying trade conducted in
american vessels. | would recommend a liberal
'oicy toward that line OF American steamers; one
hat will insure its success and even increased use
illness.
The cost OF building iron vessels, the only ones
hat compete with foreign ships in the carrying
raGe is so much greater in the United States than
n foreign countries that. without some assistance
rom the Government, they cannot be successfully
ult here. There will be several propositions laid
cfore Congress in the course OF the present SEES
ion looking TO remedy for this evil. Even If it
hould he AZ some cost to the National Treasury, |
opc such encouragement will be given as will Sc
ure American shipping on the high seas, and
american bodybuilding at home.
BUILDING FOE DEPARTMENT STATE.
The condition of the archives at the
Department of State calls for the early
ction OF Congress. The building now rented
y that Department is frail structure at best
md at an fnconvenient distance from the ExecL-
i've Mansion and from the other Departments. Ii
i'll adapted to the purposes for which it is need.
las not capacity to accommodate the arcnivss, ana
ard the absence of supply OK water
N the neighborhood leaves but little hope of safe
y for either building its contents in of the
accident Of fire. Its destruction would involve
he loss Of the rolls containing the original acts
Ind resolutions Of Congress. of the historic records
IF the revolution Of the confederation of the whole
eres of diplomatic and consular archives since the
adoption OF the Constitution, and of the many
other valuable records and papers left with that de-
partment when it was the principal depository OF
2riaton for the construction OF building for the
Department of State.
DEPARTMENT POWERS AND DUTIES.
recommend 10 your reconsideration the pro-
prictv of transferring to the Department OF the
Interior, TO which they more appropriately to
belong, all powers and duties in relation TO the ter
ritores with which the Department of the State is
now charged by law or USAGE; aud from the In
terror Department TO the War Department, the
Pension Bureau, 40 far a. it regulates the payment
of roldier.' pensions. | would further recommend
that the payment OF naval pensions be transferred
to one of the bureaus OF the Navy Department.
GOVERNMENT HxPENsEs.
The estimates for the expenses of the Government
for the fiscal year sig S45 les. than for the
current one. but exceed the appropriations for the
present year for the same items, ,g12, 756 In
this estimate however is included s2s 27S 81 for
public works heretofore begun under Cong res.ional
permission. and OF which only SO much is asked as
congress may choose to give. The appropriation
Tor tlr same work for the present fiscal year was
Eli ,9e4, J1S.0S
CURRENCY GOLD AND TAXES
The average yalue OF gold compared with
national currency for the whole of the year 1869
" az IA, and for eleven months OF 1870 the same
relative value has been about lis. The approach
10 specie basis is very gratifying, but the fact
cannot he denied that instability of the value of
currency is prejudicia to prosperity, and tends
10 Keep up prices to the detriment OF trade. The
evils of deprecated and nuctuating currency are
20 great that. now, when the premium on gold has
ALLEN so much, IL would seem that the time has ar
rived when by wise and prudent legislation Con-
tre.s should look to policy which would place
our currency at par with gold at no distant day.
The tax collected from the people has been reduced
more than $50, 600 900 per annum BY steadiness In