The Cecil Whig. [volume] (Elkton, Md.) 1841-current, 1879-02-08


done without speaking ont. | wouldn T."
Il forgot to ask You. Mr.. Fish, what
you think OF the next Presidential cleo
ton
You mean the Republican nomination /?
If the convention were held to-day, Gen.
Grant would be nominated. There are
nearly two years yet to come before the
convention, and many changes may happen.
| can say TO you,' said tine Secretary,
that General Grant does not want to run
again. lie has no connection with the
movement among the people in his favor"
MR.. FISH As \ FREE TRADER.
The conversation touched upon the tariff
and free trade, recurring To Mr.. Fish's
statement that in his early life New York
was Wing city. "Mg. Fish, isn't it
rather remarkable that in 4 city of i'm
porting merchants, the Free Trade cause,
So long represented by the late William
Cullen Bryant, should have made 50 little
Roadway -
No. lie didn't make much headway,"
said Mr.. Fish; THAT is true, think the
reason was that our merchants, while they
imported from Europe, We're also Interested
IN the domestic manufactures of New
England. Many of them. too. were New
England men who came aud settled here.
and continued To be Pru;cctionists. not
outstanding their apparent interest as im.
rorters.
When in Congress, generally voted
with the Prot.ctionsts. as | thought that
there were some manufactures we wanted
to establish here, SO as to be iudcueudeut
IN case oil war But as soon rs they laid
these war taxes on importations, no fur-
Their protection was required. Indeed,
most of the manufacturers are hammered
10y the incidental protection they get
through our revenue needs am now in
favor Of no more protection than the reve-
nue. imposts bring
Is there not some weakness or organic
sluggishness in Republic, when it ap-
proaches question like the tariff so
slowly ''
will tell you my idea. All our tariff
systems have been mere log rollings The
understanding was, You tickle me and I'll
tickle you. In Jackson's time. and long
alter, the issue was the currency AL
though | have been in the Administration
tor eight years, and something of a politi-
clan all my life. | don't pretend to under
stand the present tariff IL is abominable.
According To my reading and information,
there are only about dozen articles in
the British tariff, and we have some thou
sands
The Secretary smiled, and in a moment
said: " am al importer myself IN a GER
tain way. When | was in France | found
that some certain things, like sweetmeats,
confectionery, etc, were great deal bet
ter than ours, aud got in the habit of
ssuding ont periodically for such articles
To be exported TO me. While | was Secre-
tary of State, and had To entertain good
deal. | found all the more necessity for il.
| notice that, when get my packages up
to the present day, there comes, about
month afterward, another bill for what they
call liquidation. | don't pretend to know
what it means. Some time ago my little
invoice came in, aud nearly twelve months
aiterward got liquidation bill of - dol
lars. think that means something to this
eifsct: As matter OF convenience to YOU,
they pass your goods through on the pay
rnent of the duty in bulk, aud then, on cor.
fheir II
ance in a bill. But they certainly ought to
be quicker about it than twelve months"
CALEB CUSHING.
Did you liad the Iars cairro teai,sshing a
useful auxiliary when you were Secretary ~
Highly SO. His information was extern
sive, his experience great, and he was a
cheerful worker for the Government.
'Supposing ho had been confirmed as
thief Justice, would he have been dis,in-
guished in that place ~
lie would have made a capital Chief
Justice. There would no; have been one
element of the partisan about him, and he
would have been pure judge. ! think
hat the public underes,imated him. Ii
was said that he had no convictions.
know that he had convictions ard very
strong ones. He believed in Government.
as do. Mr.. Gushing believed that this
was 4 Government where the majority
ruled, and that having expressed its will,
any person was bound tn labor in the Gov
no matter what his party. lfyou
keep that IN mind, you can see the consist.
ency OF cushing's life. 10 the public. now.
ever, he appeared to b. jumping about from
party to party, and generally in order to
lake place. Yet, however employed by the
Government, the work was well done. Be-
ing sent to China by John Tyler. he made
that splendid treaty, the first made by that
Government with a Christian power"
The Secretary hesitated here after ques-
lion aud then said that To the hes, of his
belief, Cushings was the first treaty China
nad with 4 Christian power He added
that man who could 90 into a vast closed
empire like that, aud conclude such treaty,
was no common person.
" Next" said Mr.. Fish, las Attorney
General for Frank Pierce. Gushing deliv-
cred some of the ablest opinions ever given.
They have been celebrated since rs models
Of law and OF statement. lie also served
under President Johnson IN Colombia. and
made treaty there which The Senate has
never taken up. His services At the Geneva
Convention and at Madrid were up to the
standard of his previous work"
SHIP CANAL.
The Secretary asked if his visitor had
ever taken the trouble to read treaty that
he Mr.. Fish proposed upon the subject of
a ship canal at the Isthmus of Panama.
He explained that this treaty was not only
FOR Il canal or any other kind of transporta-
lion, but for belt of territory to be wholly
neutral for a hundred miles on other side,
and also the neutrality Of both oceans for
one bundled miles from the ends of the
canal Each nation which accepted these