The Eaton Democrat. (Eaton, Ohio) 1875-1903, 1878-12-26
Message from the President.

The following self-explanatory message
has been received by the Senate from Presi-
dent Hayes:
g To the Senate of the United States:
tin answer to a resolution of the Senate
of the 9th inst, requesting the transmission
to the Senate of any information which may
have been received by the Departments con-
corning postal and commercial intercourse
between the United States and South Ameri-
can countries, together with any recommen-
dations desirable to be submitted of the
measures to be adopted for facilitating and
improving such intercourse, 1 transmit
herewith reports from the Secretary of State
and Postmaster General, with accompanying
papers
TIE external commerce of the United
States has Tor many years been the subject
Of solicitude, because of the outward drain
of precious metals it has caused. For fully
twenty years previous to 1877, the ship
ment of gold was constant and heavy-so
heavy during the entire period of the
suspension of specie payments as to pre-
clude the hope of resumption safely during
its continuance. In 1876, however, vigor-
GUS efforts were made by enterprising
citizens of the country, and have since been
continued, to extend our general commerce
with foreign lands, especially in manufac-
tured articles, and these efforts nave been
| attended with very marked success. The
importation of manufactured goods was
| at the same time reduced in an equal de.
| gree, and the result has been al. ~extraor-
binary reversal of the conditions so long
| prevailing, and the complete cessation of
the outward drain of gold. The official
| statement of values represented in foreign
| commerce will show the unprecedented
| magnitude to which the movement has at
| tanned, and protection thus secured to pub
| lie interests at a time when commercial
| security has become indispensable. The
| agencies through which this change has been
effected must be maintained and strength
ened if the future is to be made secure.
A return to excessive imports or to a mate
| rial decline in the export trade would render
possible a return to the former condition of
adverse balances, with an inevitable out.
ward dSain of gold as a necessary cpnse.
quence. Every element of aid to the intro.
duction of the products of our soil and man.
ufactures into new markets should be made
available. At present such is the favor
with which many of the products of the
Uni'ed Safes are held, that they obtain
renumerative distribution, Notwithstanding
the positive differences of cost resulting
from our defective shipping, and imperfec'
ton of our arrangements in every respect
in comparison with tho e of our com
p~etitors for conducting trade with foreign
markets. If We have equal commercial
facilities, we need not fear competition
anywhere. The laws have now directed
resumption of financial equality with othel
Nations, and nave ordered a return to {
basis of coin values. 1t is of the creates
Importance that the commercial con
dition now fortunately attained shall
be made permanent, and that on
rapidly increasing export trad
shall not be allowed to suffer for want Of
the ordinary means of comm unication witt
other countries.
"The accompanying reports contain
valuable and instructive summary Of in