Year: 1870




merce.


The vital question, after all, with us, In
connection with the European war, Is what
is to become Of our commerce ON the seas
while Europe is engaged In deadly struggle
on the Continent. II is evident that the carry
Ing trade on the ocean must be done by some
neutral Power. What Power, with any ca
pacity-even a suppositious oapaciiy-to un-
dertake this thing will remain neutral, except
ourselves and Great Britain? In the case Of
England 1t Is just possible that she may be
compelled to abandon her neutrality aud re-
linquish her opportunity to make vast profit
ont of the carrying trade and the misfortune
Of her neighbors, as she did In sneaklng
fashion during our war: She will, Of course,
a. usual. have to be kicked and cuffed into
taking o position on either side before she
gives up the splendid chance Of absorbing
the carrying trade. But she may, as she has
often done before. take tho kicking for tho
sake Of the profit. Unfortunately for us, and
to the eternal shame OF tho late corrupt and
contemplate Congress and its predecessors
during tho war, England has no rival This
country has but few paltry ships to send ont
under the American flag. aud not u solitary
steamship where we ought to have matcdless
merchant navy. Tho splendid iron steam
vessels Of the North German lines, which might
be able to carry our Gag at the peak If Congress
had not shirked its duty, are lying locked
up In foreign ports or In our own because we
deny them the protection Of our flag. We
have thousands OF bushels of breadstu6s.
millions of bushels OF corn aud oats--lnva-
luable in the camps Of the contending armies
ready to transport to Europe. We have arms
and ammunition of tho newest contrivance and
a thousand things which will be sorely needed
in Europe as the war progresses. to say
nothing of the transportation Of necessaries
from one country to another. which only can
be carried under neutral flag. But our
merchant marine is reduced by stupid Congress
sional legislation to a mere fragment Of its
original strength. Therefore We cannot take
the goldea opportunity offered at this moment.
We must let the mastery Of the seas, In CON-
mercial sense, pass again Into the hands Of
England, and we may be assured that she will
deem no sacrifice too great to retain that COM
merclal supremacy by which alone she lives.


President Grant was wise enough to COM
prehend this question, and he was patriotic
enough to urge upon Congress the necessity Of
so amending the laws as to give some protec-
tion aud some siimulant to American COM
merce. One would suppose that snch an
earnest appeal, even Ia the last hours Of
Congress, would have touched some chord of
patriotism in a body Of men who bave heen
prating about that virtue all the time that jobs
were on hand. But the President spoke to
stones What cared they for American com-
merce or anything else, excep. the little par
tisan and personal games they bad to play3
How much they can mako can they got
ro elected for another term to have another
heal at the spoils? These arc the questions
which mako the sum Of patriotism" with
these follows.


We thiuk, under all the circumstances. that
The country has n right to ask President Grant
to call Congress together again and take This
matter into consideration. They may not
assemble; but, by issuing the call, the Presi
dent will have perfected the duty he SO uobly
began.