New Orleans Republican., 1877-05-16

this morning Senator Eaton confirmed the
correctness of his reported remarks by
reiterating them, and said further:
81 regard it as the duty of every true
American statesman to so adjust the navi-
cation laws of this country that in the
event of general war in Europe we may
place the commercial marine of the United
States within twelve months time in the
condition it was in in 1860. So deeply
impressed with sense of this duty was l,
| that more than month ago l wrote to
Secretary John Sherman urging it upon
his notice. l had never met President
Hayes, but the relations between Senator
Sherman and myself had been very cor
dial On the Senate floor, and therefore
felt more at liberty to address him upon
the subject, and have every reason to
believe that my communication was
brought to the notice of the Cabinet
had made up my mind then that war
between Russia and Turkey was newt
able, and further that if it was once started
it would lead to general war in Europe.
Every event since then, and especially the
present aspect Of affairs, goes to sustain
the correctness of my prediction; and in
this belief urged the performance of the
duty of calling an extra session. There
was the most cogent, and left no room for
doubt as to expediency. made the sug-
gestion, however, not because thought
| had any night to advise the officers of the
government, but because firmly believed
that the result would prove the wisdom of
calling an extra session on the first day of
May, so that the national legislature might
be in position to take advantage of the
opportunity to retrieve our losses, partic-
ularly those of the commercial marine"
After referring in detail to the manner
in which our merchant raarine trade has
| fallen off and been transferred to foreign
bottoms, Senator Eaton continued:
| II consider the administration culpable
for not having called the extra session of
Congress on May /, and my two para
mount reasons for SO believing are, that
the army will suffer on account of the
exhausted appropriations for their sup
port; and last, but not least, that in the
present condition of European affairs,
| viewed in connection with our own, Con-
gress ought to be in session, prepared to
meet with promptness any emergency,
and every one must plainly see that emer-
gencies will arise"
Referring to the subject of amending
the navigation laws, Senator Eaton says:
''The proposition to repeal the naviga-
ton laws would doubtless, and quite nat
urally, meet with opposition from the
ship-building interest of the country, my
own State and the other New England
States included, but it would be proven
in the end that such opposition was un-
wise in the greater degree. because the
general interests of the country and not
one particular interest must govern; or, 1
may say, any particular desire bound up
in any particular inte rest. Therefore, by
adopting this course, repeating the navi-
CATION laws, allowing American registers
of foreign bottoms in the event of gen.
eral foreign war, the commercial marine
of this country would not only regain its
former standing, but become the carrier
for the whole world. 1t would allow of
the purchase of foreign vessels te be put
Immediately into the trade under the
American flag, and any one who has given
the subject proper thought, it seems to
me, must be convinced that such vessels
can be purchased abroad cheaper than
they can be built at home; or, in Other
words, a five hundred thousand dollar
ship can be bought for from 100000 tc
$500, ,00O."
Senator Eaton also reviewed the causes
| ludl nave leu ~ INC btdt5uhlAOA "a DuSA
ness, and referred to the probable effec
on tire various industries of the country
that the recuperation of the marine mer
chant service would have, as follows:
'All the industries of the country
would very soon feel the benefit of such {
course, and the first of all would be tht
| grain producer. 1t may be objected tina
the price of living would be increased
/ and temporarily this view might be cor
rect; for instance, barrel Of -four nigh
cost SO more than formerly, but in tn
3 end, with the prosperity of the producer
would be the return of the general tnan
cial prosperity, and all of the interests @
| the country would be favored.
3 Referring again to the postponement Q
} the extra session, and its possible evil
: Senator Eaton added:
r cit is the greatest of our national eI
Q rors that Congress is not now in session
: Every emergency, present and prospect
: i've, demands it, and culpability attaehe
u to its neglect. It is unstatesmanhke
: allow the interposition of any motive t
j prevent it. l have been slow to beliey
! that President Hayes did not take int
Il consideration the contingencies preser
y and the emergencies sure to arise, and {
l. least that one above all others whic
/ would have placed the commercial mi
d rine of the United States on a footil
If not only to enable us to retrieve what "
!. have have lost, but places us at the yer
n front rank of such business enterprises.
It In closing his remarks the Senator r
d ferred to the position be occupied in rel
10 ton to the Electoral Commission, sayin
il ''In giving my views of the error
le postponing the extra session, l am as col
10 scientious and as much in earnest as
e was when the spti'ct II tAa appointmel
y Of an Electoral Commission was und
l. consideration. ought TO say this. hoy
ever, that as Christian statesmen MOI
J. would desire general European w
10 merely for the sake of beneftting IL
d United States, but in the event of such
re war occurring, it will be ine1fably stup
d if this country does not improve the O
u portunity to retrieve its lost trade, al
of the neglect to call, and the postponemeI
n of the extra session of Congress will pro-
le the surest means of defeating this objeC
II besides embarrassing some OF the depar
ir ments of the government and the bus
l. ness interests Of the country at large to
is most lamentable degree. p-Nelo Yoi
,e Graphic.