Ellsworth American. [volume] (Ellsworth, Me.) 1855-current, 1879-07-03
@isfsllansons. &
Letter from Senator Blaine.

Senator Blaine having been invited by .
number OF the leading business men Of
New York 10 xddres. them on the subject
OF our Commerce, replied as follows;
WASHINGTON, ID. c., June Il, 1872.
Messrs. WILLIAM L. DopGg, A. A. Low.
JAMES NJ. BRowS. II. Is. CLAYLIN. HENRY
HILTON. b. q. ARNOLD. =. Il. THURsgR,
MosEs TAYLOR, JOHN A. STEWART, Ner
Iork City:
am honored BY your letter lnvi,in2 me
70 address "the business men OF the city OF
New York % the Decay OF American Com
merce and the Means for promoting Its Re-
vival." The great importance OF the sub
Jec, and the high character Of those who
desire It's discussion, combine 10 render
your Invitation most Impressive and vel
come. II Is with no small regret. therefore.
that feel compelled to decline u. Public
engagements have detained me here until
summer heats have made it inconvenient
for me 10 deliver An address-iutolerable
Tor you to hear one. / sm sure you will
not wish further elaboration Of an excuse
at once SO pertinent aod 20 conclusive.
But you will bear with ne while l ad-
vert, as briefly - may be. 10 the importan,
and engrossing subject which suggested
your letter. No man denies that the c11yy-
Ing trade OF the United States has suffered
. grea, decline; that IL gives no sign Of im-
provemens or revival, and that serious And
permanent loss Is thereby ..ssicted upon
our country. On there points thus stated
there IL substantial unaRtmIty Of belief
among our people; but when We 90 one
step further and attempt 10 state the cause
OF the decline We dnd . wide divergence Of
views; and when By secosd step we pro-
ceed 70 Discus the remedy We encounter
differences 50 pronounced and 20 violent
a. 70 involve anger and Acrimony. With
no disposition TO wraugie over the subject
or to arrsign any mans theory In . hostile
spirit, shall submit my own views on the
depression; what produced Ii; and what
will relieve IL.
In 1857, aftsr . commercial struggle that
began when We separated from the wOther
cosntry, We stood nearly II not quite equal
TO Great Britain 10 ocean tonnage. In that
year our entire foreign trade. export and
impofs. amounted 70 of3e .000. 900. spd Of
this total. $4,000, 900 was carried IN
A0sStcao bottoms. sod only e5lS, ,Ooo. 600
In the ships Of sH other countries. This
proportion vas not materially changed un-
I'll 1861. when the country Vas suddenly
precipitated into = war whose magnitude
no wsn cosld measure. Thou followed \
series Of events beyond the control Of any
power, the effect Of which WAS utterly dis
sstroas 10 the Aneflcan carrying trade.
Nearly seventy thousand seamen were
withdraw from the merchant service and
enlisted in the Navy, TO mainsain the ex-
te0ded block sds that stretched from Della.
ware Bay 70 the mouth Of the Rio Grand.
More than Q million tons OF American ship
ping were withdrawn from the peaceful
pursuits Of commerce 70 take part In the
blockade and 70 supply the transportation
needed for the maintenance OF the vast
armies that We called to the defense Of the
Union. The gap thus made BY the with
drawal OF American ships and American
was rapidly filled by the slertnsss and the
enterprise Of England. and just 10 proper
ton 70 our decline In the carrying trade
the activity in British ship-yards was re-
doubled. Added 70 the direct loss just
noted came an indirect one even more hurt
ful TO us. Eight hundred thousand tons ol
American shipping, to escape destruction
At the hands OF hostile cruisers 1ying the
confederate ensign but built 10 British
yards a0d manned by British sailors, can.
ceiied their American registry and sailed
under the flags Of other nations, and when
voeu out their place was supplies BY for
eigp bsik ships.
Az the civil war progressed. and the
causes just usoed we're producing their in
| creasnRly baneful eject on our CONNER
eiaI Interests, ansther fact was developed
which proved most adverse 70 -. PrioI
| 10 that period ocean steamships had Do
| beso formidable - freight csrriess. Tbt
marine engine was too heavy; absoSbet
too much space; consumed too much coal
| Tha sfeamers we're unrivaled for transport
ing passengers and for freight having lasE'
value 70 small space; bat they kad pot -
entered the general carrying trade for -
hsssy, and belky articles OF commerce
.Rut iust st this time The scfow Wes geees
] elIv subssituted for the paadls, and th'