Essex County herald. [volume] (Guildhall, Vt.) 1873-1964, 1873-12-13
me coNraAcnoS OF nae cuRREScr.


During the last four Years the currency has
q Der cent certificates cOmpOunO-lnteresl
notes and 7.3O bonds outstanding on tne an oi
March, 1869, an OF which TOOK tue place OF Ie-
gnLtendcrs I'm the bank reserves 70 tne eAteht
~ sixtv.fbree nniIIion OF dollars. During the
same period there has been much larger com
paTatiye contraction OF the eurISncy' rue
population of the country hsS ~ so ,I -
ed. More than twenty-five tu0usauu hlles oi
railroad have been built, requiring the acuYe
use OF capital to operate them. MilllOhs OF
acres Of land have been opeDeu W a st'
requiring capital to move inS Sayo"d al nrece
uiactories have multiplied Deyonu an prece
dent in the same period OF timeiequlrlhg cap
ital weekly for the payment OF WasTs anu i i ioI
the purchase of material; auu PtooloiS wy
largest OF all comparative cOntractions arises
from the oranizing OF free labor IN the SOUTH
Now every idbOrer there receives MS wages,
and for want of savings banks Vho par ~
OF such wages is carried III 'T Tboo "
boarded until required for use. Ihese sugges-
lions are thrown out for your G ,hsiueFatlon
without any recommendation that lucy shali
be adopted literally, but hoping mat tue Dest
method may be arrived at 10 securS suon
an elasticity of the currency as VIII keep
employed all the industries OF Tue country
and prevent such an imitation as VIII put on
indefinitely the resumption OF sPeSie pay s
ments an object so devOutly 10 De Wlsneu LOT
by all, aud by none more earnestly than Dy
the class of people most interested, those
who earn their bread by the sweat OF their
brow.
The decisions of Congress on this subject
will have the hearty support oil the EAecu-
tive.
sHp-BUMDING.
In previous messages have called attention
to the decline IN American shlp-Dulldlng, and
recommended such legislation as would secure
to us our proportion of the carrying trade.
Stimulated by high rates ana abundance
of freight, the progress for the last
year in ship-bulding has been very
E0tlsfaptOFV There has been In
crease of about three per cent. III the amount
transported in American vessels over the
amount Of last year. With the reduced cost
of material which has taken place. 1t may req
sOnably be hoped that this progress VIII be
maintained and even increased. However, as
we pay about eighty million dollars per annum
TO foreign vessels for the transportation OF our
surplus products to market, thus increasing
the balance of trade against us to TINS amount,
the subject is one worthy of your serious con-
sideration.
CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.
"Cheap transpoItauJn IS subject that
has attracted the attention. Of both producers
and consumers for the past few years and has
contributed to, If 1t has not been the direct
cause of tie recent panic and strngencY. AS
Congress at It's last session appointed special
committee 10 Investigate thls whole subject
during the vacation and report at this session,
have nothing TO recommend untl ther re-
port is read.
THE CANALS.
There Is one work, however, OF a national
character, IN which the greater portion of the
East and the West, the North and the South,
are equally interested, to which will invite
your attention. The State of New York has q
canal connecting Lake Erie with the tide
water on the Hudson River. The State of
limos has a similar work connecting Lake
Michigan with navigahie water on the Illinois
River, thus making water communication in
land between the East and the West and
South, These great artificial water courses
are the property of the States through which
they pass, and pay toll to those States.
Would 1t not be wise craftsmanship to pledge
these States that II they will open these canals
for the passage of large vessels, the general
government VIII look after and keep IN navl-
gable condition the great public highways
with which they connect, to wit, the over
slaugh on the Hudson, the Saint Claire fats
and the Illinois and Mississippi rivers.
This would be a national work, one of great
value to the producers of the west and south
in giving them cheap transportation for their
produce TO the seabOard and a market, and to
the consumers IN the east in giving them
cheaper food, particularly of those articles of
food which DO not find foreign market, and
the prices of which, therefore, are not regula-
ted by foreign demand.
The advantages of such a work are too OBJ
vious for argument, Isubmt the subject to
you, therefore, without further comment.
EXPLORATION OF THE AMAZON.
and carrying trade, have heretofore called
attention TO the states south of us offering
field where much might be accomplished. To
further this object ] suggest that a small APP
pr0pllatl0n be made. accompanied VITA
authority for the Secretary of the Navy to fit
out II naval vessel to ascend the Amazon River
TO the mouth of the Madeira, thence to ex.
oa and to report to Congs az is ne esU
SESSION, or as soon as practicable, the Access
sllllty of the country by water, Its resources,
aud the population SO reached.
Such an exploration Will cost but little; it
can do no harm, and may result in establish
ing trade of value to both nations
lU further connection with the Treasury De-
partment, would recommend a revision and
cOdltcation of the tariff laws, and the opening
OF more MINIS Tor coming money, WITH author.
lty to coin for such nations as may apply.
THE WAR DEPARTMENT.
The attention of Congress is invited to the
recommendations contained in tho report of
the Secretary of War, herewith accompanying.
The apparent great cost of supporting the
army IS fully explained in the report and l
hope Will receive your attention. While in
wiling your general attention to all the recon-
mGndattOns mado by the Secretary of War;
there are two which would especially invite
you to COnsIdeT-tirst, the Importance of pre-
parng for war In time of peace by providing
proper armament for our sea coast defenCes
A proper armament is of vastly more Impor
lance than fOrtlttrat1Ons. The latter can be
supplied very speedily for temporary purposes
when needed; the former cannot.
The second is the necessity OF rGopenIng
'rOmOtlOn III the staft corps of the army.
Particularly is tnls necessity felt In the medi
cal pay and ordnance departments. At this
time 1t is necessary to employ contract sur
geons to supply the necessary medical attend
ance required by the army. With the present
lorce OF the pay department 1t is now difficult
TO make the payments to troops provided for
by law. Long delays in payments are produc-
tive OF assertions and other decentralization,
aud the law prohibits the payment of troops
by other Than regular army paYmasters.
There are now sixteen vacancies III tho Ord
nance Department. thus leaving that branch
of the service without sufficient officers to
conduct the business OF the different arSenals
ON large scale, If ever required.
TIE NAVY DEPARTMENT.
During the past year our Navy has been de-
pletCd by the sale of some vessels no longer
lit for naval service and by the condem IA Ji0n
of others not yet disposed of. This. however,
mas been more than compensated for by the
repair of six OF the old wooden ships and by
the building of eight new soOps of war au-
lhOrlzed by the last Congress.
The building of the latter mas occurred at
1Onbly fortunate time. They arc about being
completed at time when they may possibly
he much needed, aud the work upon them has
not only given direct employment to thou
sands of men, but has no doubt been the means
IF keeping open establishments for other WORK
At IA time Of great financial distress.
Slnce the commencement OF the last month,
however, the distressing occurrences which
nave taken place In the waters OF the Carib.
bean Sea, almost on our very seabOard, while
they illustrate most iorcibly the necessity al
ways existing that patton situated like ours
should maintain in state of possible eflicien-
ey a navy adequate to Its resi- onsIbilties. has
1t the same time demanded that all the etfec.
tive force we really have shall be put in imme-
70 - I'll I.tr
been aud is now being done promptly and eft.
ecuvey, and am assured that all the avail
bile ships, and every authorized man Of the
American navy will be ready for whatever ac-
lion is required for the safety OF our cltIzens
lr the maintenance Of our honor.
This of course will require the expenditure