Perrysburg journal. (Perrysburg, Wood Co., O. [Ohio]) 186?-1965, 1870-12-09


language of the convention, was emphatlcally re
| jected by the American Commissioner, and there
upon was abandoned by the British Plenipotentia
flies, and article one, as II stands In the convention
was substituted. IT. however, Il be said that thi,
claim is founded on provincial colonial statutes
and not upon the convention, this government car
| not but regard them as unfrendly, and IN
contrayention of the spirit, IL not of the
letter OF the treaty, for the faithful execution o
which Tue imperial government is alone response
bic. Anticipating that an attempt may possibly be
| made by the Canadian authorities In the coming
season to repeat their uuneighbory act toward our
fshermcn' | recommend you to confer upon the
Executive the power to suspend, by proclamation,
the operation of the laws authorizing the transit OF
goods, wares and merchandise in bond, across
the territory OF the united States to Canada;
and further, should such an extreme measure be-
come necessary. to suspend the operation OF any
law whereby the vessels of the Dominion OF
Canada are permitted to enter the waters of the
United States.
NAVIGATION OF THE ST. IAwRESoR.
Ike unlriendly disposition has. been
manifested on the part OF Canada in the
maintenance of claim of right TO exclude the
citizens OF the United States from navigation
OF the 81; Lawrence. This river constitutes nat
ural outlet to the ocean for eight States with an
aggregate population ofseventeen million six hun
dred thous nd inhabitants, and with an aggregate
tonnage of 6i1 1851 tons, upon the waters which
discharge into it. The foreign commerce of their
ports on these waters Is open to British compe-
ltlOn ana 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 ves-
sells on the transatlantic voyages having au access
to our lake ports, which would be denied to
American vessels on similar voyages. To state
such proposition Is to refute its JUS
John Quincy Adams, Mr.. Mr. Nttin Clay unohes. les.
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 aud other rivers to all
nations, showed the Judgment OF European jurists
and statesmen, that the inhabitants OF country
"A paN Nftfall ri Inxn n
natural right to enjoy the navigation of that river
10 ana into the sea- even though passing through
the territory OF another power This right does not
exclude the coequal right of the sovereign posses
sing the territory through which the river debouches
iuto the sea- to make such regulations relative to
the policy of the navigation as NAV be reasonably
necessary. But those regulations should he 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 mu-
tual agreement. The United States are ready to
make any reasonable arrangement as TO the nav
igation OF the St Lawrence which may he suggested
by Great Britain. If the claim made by Mr.. Clay was
just when the population Of the States bordering
the shores OF the lakes was only 3,4000O0, II 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 he contended
have been frequently and by various nations rec
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 1t il first navigable into the
sea. BY the convention between Spain and Portugal,
concluded, in 1895 the navigation OF the Dourse
throughout its whole extent was made free for the
subjects OF both crowns. In 1858 the Argentine
Confederation, by treaty, threw open the free nav
igation 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 1858 Bolivia, by
treaty, declared 1t regarded the rivers Amazon and
La Plata, in accordance with fixed principles of
national law, as highways or channels opened by
nature for the commerce Of all nations.
In 1889 the Paraguay was made free by treaty,
and in December. 1866 the Emperor of Brazil. by
imperial decree declared the Amazon to he open
to the frontier of Brazil to the merchant ships Of
all nations.
The greatest living British authority on this sub
lect, while asserting the abstract right of the Brit
sh claim, says il seems difficult to deny that Great
ritain may ground her refusal upon strict law.
But i IL equally difficult to deny, first that in so
doing she exercises harshly an extreme and hard
law; second, that her conduct with respect TO the
navigation OF the ST. Lawrence Is in glaring and
discreditalle Inconsistency with her conduct with
respect to the navigation of the Mssi-5Dpt on the
tee te ssPp ths T took is rse snas sne Insisted oil 6e
right to navigate the entire volume of Its waters on
the ground that she possesses both banks OF the ST.
Lawrence where it disembouches itself into the sea-
She denies to the United States the right OF nayiga
ton, though about one half the waters of Lakes
Ontario Erie, Huron and Superior and the whole
of Lake Michigan. through which the river flows,
are the properly Of the United States.
The whole nation Is interested in securing cheap
from the agricultural States OF the
West to the Atlantic seaboara To the citizens of
those States il secures q greater return for their
labor To the inhabitants OF the seaboard it offers
cheaper food; TO the nation an increase in the an
nual surplus of wealth. II is hoped that the Gov
crnment of Great Britain will zee the justice OF
abandoning the narrow and inconsistent claim to
which her Canadian provinces have urged her ad-
herence.
Our depressed commerce is a subject to which
called your special attention at the last
sion and suggested that we will in the future have
to look more to the countries south OF us, ana 10
China and Japan, for its revival.
Our representatives to all these Governments have
exerted their influence to encourage trade betWeen
the United States and the countries TO which they
are accredited but the fact exists that the carrying
Is done almost entirely in foreign bottoms; ana
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 l would recommend liberal
policy toward that line of American steamers; one
that will insure 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 in the United States than
In foreign countries that, without some assistance
from the Government they cannot be successfully
built here There will be several propositions laid
before Congress IN the course OF the present ses-
sion looking to remedy for this evil Even II II
should he at some cost to the National treasury,
hope such announcement will be given as Will Sc,
cure American shipping on the high seas, ana
American ship-building at home.
BuILDING FoR DEPARTMENT % OF STATE ,,o
Department of State calls for the early
action of Congress. The building now rented
by that Department Is frau @ structure net n at
tive Mansion and from the other Departments 10
is III adapted to the purposes for which II Is used
has not capacity TO accommodate the archives, and
is not fire proof Its remote situation, its slender
construction, and the absence of supply of water
in the neghborhood, leaves but little hope OF safe
ty for either building or its contents in case of the
NJ Ire destruction
the loss OF the rolls containing the original acts
and resolutions Of Congress, OF the historic records
of the revolution OF the confederation of the whole
series 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 tho principal depository OF
the Government archives. recommend an appro-
pration for the construction OF building Tor the
Department Of State.
DEPARTMENT POWERS AND DUTIES.
recommend to your reconsideration the pro
priety Of transferring 10 the Department OF the
Interior, 10 which they seem more appropriately to
belong all powers and duties In relation TO the ter
ritoTes with which the Department OF the state is
now charged by law or usage; and from the IN
terror Department TO the War Department, the
Pension Bureau, 90 far as it regulates the payment
Of soldiers pensions. would further recommend
that the payment of naval pensions be transferred
to one of the bureaus of the Navy Department
GOVERNMENT EXPENSES.
The estimates for the expenses of the Government
for the fiscal year S1S2 AGO less than for the
current one, but exceed the appropriations for the
this estimate, however is included S22 S,21e3l foT
public works heretofore begun under Congressional
permission and of which only so much Is asked as
Congress may choose to give The appropriation
for the same work for the present fiscal year was
sll 1854, ,51S0S. er#
7 b.. CURRENCY, GOLD AND TAXES. 80
The average value of gold as compared win
national currency for the whole of the year 1865
was 1874, and for eleven months OF 1870 the same
relative value has been about 115. The approach
to specie basis Is very gratifying, but the iact
cannot be denied that instability Of the value OF oul
currency Il predieial TO our prosperity, ana tend'
TO keep up prices to the detriment of trade. The
evils of deprecated and huctuating currency are
20 great that, now, when the premium ON gold ha'
fallen so much II would seem that the time has ar
rived when by wise and prudent legislation Con
gress shOnld look 10 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 $50 900, 600 per annum. BY steadness II
present course, there Is no reason why In few
short years the national tax-gatherer may not dis
appear from the door Of the citizen almost en-
| tirely. ..... f--# ..r.
1 with the revenue stamp dispensed by postmaster
10 every community, tax upon liquors OF al sort
and tobacco In all its forms, and by a wise adjust
ment Of the tariff, which will put duty only upol
those articles which could dispense with, know
as luXuries, and on those which VIC use moro OF THAI
| we produce, revenue enough may be raised after
few years Of peace and consequent reduction Of in
/ debtedness, TO fulhl all our obligations; ana
/ - l.. 4 4 .k.. an a