The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1870-12-05

through the territories OF another power This
right does not exclude the eoequal right OF the
The river debouches into the sea to make such
regulations relative TO the police of the navigation
as may be reasonably necessary; but those rcgula-
lions should be framed in liberal spirit OF comfy
aud should not impose needless burdens upon the
commerce which has the right of sit. 1t has
been found in practice more advantageous TO ar
range these regulations by mutual agreement Tne
United States are ready to make any reas )nable
arrangement as to the police of the Sc. Lawrence,
which may be suggested by Great Britain. III the
claim made by Mr. Clay was just when the popula-
ton OF states bordering on the lakes was only
100000, it now derives greater force aud equity
from the increased population, wealth, production
frontier Since Mr. Clay advanced his ar.
gunlent in behalf of our right. the principle
1or which he cOntended has been frequently and
by various nations, recognized by law or by treaty
and has been extended 60 several other great
rivers. By the treaty concluded at Mayence, in
1881, the river was declared free from the point
where il is first Davigabe into the sea. BY the
convention between spain and Portugal, Goa.
cluded in 1885, the navigation Of the Dauro
throughout its whole extent was made free foo
the subjects Of both crowns.
In 1853 the Argentine Confederation by treaty,
threw open the free navigation of the Pdrana aut
Uruguay TO the merchant vessels of all nations.
In 1856 the Crnean war was closed by a treaty,
which provided Tor the Tree navigation OF the
Danube. In 1858 Bolivia, by treaty declared that
II regarded the rivers Amazon aud IN Plata, in
accordance with fixed principles of national law,
as highways or channels, opened by nature for the
commerce OF all nations. In 1859 the Paraguay wa
made free by treaty. and in December, 1856, th
Emperor Of Brazil, by Imperial decree, declared
10 the merchant ships of all nations The greatest
living British authority on this subject, while us
seTIing the abstract right of the British claim
says 1T seems difficult to deny that Great Britain
may ground her refusal upou strict law. but it is
she exercises harshly an extreme and hard law
secondly, that her conduct with respect to tn
navigation OF the ST. Lawrence is in glarlng and
discreditable inconsistency with her conduct with
respect TO the navigation OF the Mississippi On the
ground that she possessed a small domain in which
the Mississippi took its rise, she Insisted on the
right to navigate the entire volume of its waters;
Oh the ground that she possesses both banks of the
81. Lawrence where it disembogues itself into the
sea, she denies to the United States the right of
navigation through about one; half OF the waters
OF Lakes Ontario Erie, Hudson and SUPERIOR
and the whole of Lake Michigan, through which
the river flows, are the property of the United
The whole nation is interested in securing cheap
transportation from the agricultural States OF the
West to the Atlantic seabOard. TO the citizens OF
those States 1t secures greater return for their
labor. To the Inhabitants OF the seaboard it af-
fords cheaper food: to the nation an increase in
The annual surplus OF wealth 1t is to be hoped that
the GoVernment OF Great Britain will see the
claim to which her Canadian Provinces have
urged her adherence. Our depressed commerce
is a subject TO which | called your special atten-
ti0n NJ 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
eXerted their influence to encourage trade be-
tween the United States and the countries to
which they are accredited.
But the fact exists that the carrying Is done al
most entirely in foreign bottoms, and while thS
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 American steamers. one that will insure it's
success and even increased usefulness. The cost
of building iron vessels, the only ones that C III
compete with foreign ships in the carrying trade,
is SO much greater IN the United States than in
foreign countries that without some assist
ames Fo tG ht they eannot be
propositions laid before Congress in the course OF
Ihe present session looking TO remedy for this
tonal Treasury 1 hope such encouragement will
be given as VIII secure American shipping on the
The CONDITION Of the archives at the Departments
of State calls for the early action of C0ngtess.
The building now rented by that department is
frail structure, at an incOnvenent distance from
the Executive Mansion, and from the other de
partments 1t is illadapted to purposes for WHICH
IL 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 neigh.
borhOOd leaves but little hope of safety for either
the building or its contents in case of the accident
OF a fire. Its destruction would involve the loss
of the rolls containing the original acts and reso-
luions Of Congress OF the historic records Of the
revolution. ana OF the confederation of the whole
series Of diplomatic and consular archives since
The adoption OF the Constitution, and OF the many
department when Il was the principal depository
Of the governmental archives. recommend an
appropriation for the construction OF building
for the Department of State L recommend 10
your consideration the propriety OF transferring
ihe Department of the Interior, to which they seem
more appropriately belong all powers and duties
IN relation TO the territories with which the De-
partment OF State is now charged by law or usa &c.
and from the Interior Department TO the War De-
parlment, the Pension Bureau, so far rs iG regu
lates the payment of soldiers pensions, would
further recommend that the payment OF naval
pensions be transferred 20 one OF the bureaus of
the Navy Department. The estimates for the eX-
penses OF the government for the next fiscal Year
are SlS,4 3i6Ol less than for the current one bus
exceed the appropriations Tor the present year foF
the same items sS,97l.l275j. In this estimate,
however, Is included S22,3lS,27SST for public works
heretofore begun under Congressional pro-
visions, and OF which only so much is asked us
Congress may choose 10 give. The appropriation
for the same works for the present fiscal year was
81, 1884 5lSO8. The average value OF gold as com
pared with national currency for the whole OF the
year 1869 was about l34. and for eleven months of
1870 the same relative value has been about us.
The approach TO a specie basis is very gratifying
but the fact cannot be denied that the instability
oil the value Of our currency Is preJudical To our
prosperity, and tends TO Keep up prices To the
detriment of trade The evils of depreclate /
and fiuctuating currency are 50 great that nov,
so anuch. it would seem that the time has
arrived when by wise and prudent legislation
Congress should look to policy which must place
our currency at par with gold at no distant day.
The tax collected from tine people has been re
duced more than sS0,0O00JU per annum By
steadiness in our present course there Is reason
why in few short years, the national tax gathereI
may not disappear from the door OF the citizen
almost entirely with the. revenue stamps dis
bursed by pOstmaSters in every community, tax
upon liquors Of all sorts and tobacco IN all it-
forms, and by wise adjustment OF the tariff
which VIII put duty only upon those ar
tcles which could dispense with, known
as luXurleS, and or those Which we more
of than produce. Revenue enough may be raised
after four years OF peace and consequent reduc.
tiOn OF Indebtedness, 10 fulilll our Obligations.
further reduction OF expenses, in addition 20 u re
duction of interest account, may be relied on IL
make this practicable. Revenue reform, If il
means this has my hearty support III 10 implies a
collection of all the income for the SUPPORT OF the