The Somerset press. [volume] (Somerset, Ohio) 1873-1977, 1882-05-11
A Very "Liberal" Proposition.

The following which will be fully ap-
preciated by all Greenbachers, is by
special correspondent of the american
Sentry:
To the Honorable, the Senate and the House of
Representatives OF the United States, ill Con-
gresS assembled:
Your petitioners, q corporate body of private
citizens, well and fayorably known to many
members of your honorable body, respectfully
represent that, in view of the fact that this
Republic of fifty millions OF people, with an
ocean frontage of four thousand miles, is SO
deficient in naval strength that the whole
South Pacific squadron can neither effectively
fight, nor successfully run from either of two
armOred ships of war now owned by Chilli our
neighbor on this continent, or any one of many
armored ships constructed by several OF the
European powers, and that our great seaboard
cities could be laid in ashes within fifteen days
of the declaration of war, on american Nnay
worthy of the present position and probable
greatness of the United States is necessity !:
And your petitioners most humbly request
| that they, your petitioners, be permitted, by
your honorable body, to furnish and equip, at
their own cost, aud on the terms hereinafter
| set forth, one hundred armored ships of war,
of the first class, to cost not less in the agg E.
| gate than three hundred and sixty millions of
! dollars, and on the terms and conditions fol-
| lowing, to-wit:
Your petitioners, whose pecuniary response
blity for a much larger sum can be satisfac-
torily established if your honorable body
would examine into their unencumbered as
| sets, will, at their own cost, furnish to the
Navy Department, or to any prescribed officer
of the United States ten of said ships OF war
which, with their armament and ready for
/ sea, shall have cost three millions six hun
dred thousand dollars each, or total OF
thirty-six millions of dollars for this one
| tenth of the proposed navy And your petit
| tioners suggest that, for the use of these ten
| ships, the United States shall pay the said
petitioners, their successors or assigns, very
small annual rent quarterly; in fact, nomi-
nal sum of ten millions eight hundred thou
sand dollars per annum or three per cent. on
| the proposed cost of the whole navy of one
| hundred ships of war.
The remaining ninety ships of war, not
necessarily of the same pattern, but equally
effective for every practical purpose Of
peace or war, are to be built by the United
States at cost of three hundred and twenty
four millions. of dollars, and furnished tC
YOUR petitioners, who Will thereupOn pay tt
the United States Tor the use thereof, fol
twenty years, the sum of three millions two
hundred and folty thousand dollars in eacf
and every Year of the said term, and take pos
session OF the said ships, hosting their pri
vate signals. g1l-
And on the requisition of the Cnited State
or the people thereof, your petitioners, whit
desire to consult only the interests of the Ma
ton, will obiigate themselves, their success
ors and assigns, to lease the said ninety ship
of war, or aug Of them not laid up in ordinary
to the UnitedsStates, at such rates per anuuu
as peril may justify, or the United States maj
be induced to. pay. And out OF these profit
your petitioners will pay business taxes.
The petitioners will demand the privilege
however, of throwing any part of said navy
SO furnished by the United States to them
!. out of commission, and into commission; tha
! is, the right to enlarge or diminish the navy
as may seem most for the pecuniary advaI
tage of your patriotic and heavily taxed peti
tioners. And in consideration of this valua
BILE, but very reasonable, privilege, and of tn
! ! premises, and that the United States abstain
ing from building ships for itself, shall pay it
said rent of three per cent. on three hundre
/. and sixty millions yedT IN ddgdnce DiHiOM ~
bate, and Arrays III gold, your petitioners vii
assume the entire naval defense of the Nation
/. or any other sovereign power of the Constitr
tion, ercet that Of issuing money, which, unde
another agreement, now belongs to your pet
: tioners, and has been successfully exercise
T by them, for twenty years past. on sDildr b,
e More liberal terms than these, on which tiey now
out of purest patriotism, propose to excrcis
: the sovereign power, ordered on Congress b
the Constitution, over the navy of the Unite
:. States. ---G hr
Your petitioners believe that it is entire
unconstitutional for the United States
:; build ships of war for itself, but clearly con
, petent for it to build such ships, to be lease
= to your petitioners at one per cent. Cn the
d cost.
e And for references as to the respons bilit
q and financial standing of your petitioners, al
:, their ability to carry out the onerouS contrac
which, from no selfish motives, they solic
l. permission to assume, they would respectful
: refer your honorable body to john sherman
Co, and to the First National Bank of Il
n City of New York.
IL And your petitioners. as in daty bound, wi
y most humbly ever pay.
: Here follow the signature of the Presiden
;, and Directors of twenty-one hundred Nation
u Banks, with their corporate steals.