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SI
'THE NIAGARA SHIP CANAL:"
AM)
"liECIFKOCJTY:"
I'AJ'ERS WJIITTEX FOR THE "BriFALO COMMKKCIAL ADVEUTISKI
Bv J. I). IFA^'KS, K.(^
TdCKTUKi; WITH TIIK
SrEECH OF irON. ISIIAEE T. HATCH
IX THE CONVENTION AT DETROIT, JULY II, 180:..
Pn!,!:,J,.e,lhi/ /^r.rlufirn rf fir U<<n'f/ ^ f Jno7. 7Jufi]>U\
I5UKFA LO :
TRINTING KorSK OF :\IATT1[EWS .t AVARREX,
OSfic^' ifthi: Jii'Jfa'u Cuminiyclal Adcndiu-.
1805.
i
THE NIAGArvA SHIP CAJ^AL SCHEME.
riu' Xi:iu:ii-:i Sliip C;ni;il srliciiic iiavino- Ixcn Lcfoi-c liic |»nl)lic
so loii-i- ;i lime, iiiid been eoiisi'lt'il'd <A' -o luncli iiti]/()i-|;iiic(' ;is
to iia\(' ('i!u-;iu'c(; llic :itt(Miti(i!i dl" tlic \;ii'i<)iis JJoards oi' Ti-.-ido
tiiroiiuliciit llic coiuili-y, iii;;iiy di' wliom ]]:i\v \r.\ssvd vc.^oliil ions in
its I'lVdi-, , ■111(1 (iru-e'd tliciu Avitli so iiiiicli oloijiiciicc upon tliciitlcii-
tioii of Conu'rcss as to si'curc tlic |»:iss;io(' of a 1»ill in (,n(. iiouso n])-
l)rol.ri;!t!ii-- s(i.0O(),(M)() for 1 1ll' constnictioii of the can;!!, llicrc caii
]»(' no inijirojiricty in disciissiiiLi' llic (|iu'stioii of iis iKTcssitv, even
})}• so iiiiiiililc an iiidi\idual as \\\v writiT of liiis ])a|K'r.
.Ml scIk'HU's lor ])ul)lic iinjirovciiiciit aii' proper for puldic discus-
sion, and untd tlif nifasiuH's have ln'coim- fxcd laws, ii is tlic part
of wisdom io draw out f;u-ts and li-airi-s l.carino- upon llic (jiusiious,
if for no otlier ]iiirpose than to r(iiio\c all doul»ts and liasioi ilirir
consli'uclion in tin- slioi'tost jios.mI.U' tiinc. if llicy arc real i)iil.lic nc-
ces.siiics. If they are only sclli>li or visionary sclicnies, the sooner
the puolic 1»ecouie ac(juaintcd v,ith the trulh, tlic Ijclter i'or all
])ai'tics.
In Ireatinu- this sul)ject I ])ro])o<e to consider tlic ovm-ral need of
another ^hip canal around the Falls o|" \ ian-ara as a ( 'oinincrcial,
Political and .Alililary neci'ssit\-.
("oninierce, like \\ater, linds its own level, and is I'euailale.j l>y
the law of supitly and <lenian<!, excipt in a few ca^^'s of speciilalive
rnovenieiits, when the ordinary laws of trjidc seem to he lost sio-]it
of for the lime hciiiu-: and then the m'Ner-failin-- laws of sii)»]ilv and
demand soon regulate the spasmodic etlbrt, and apply tJie proper
reme(lv.
('ointiicvci' lim<t l!;i\i' \\< <j;vlicr;il coiiiiiici'ci.il cent I'c, ;iii(l every
(•oimtfV li.is its own (•(iiiinierci;il eeiilre, tVolti wliicli llie j/eojile ;4'et
tlicii- {•niiiiiieici;il \;iliies, nml iiiiike llieir excliniiu'es, niid lo w liicli
tlie siifplus jH'ixlllcliolis of tlu'ir sl:i|iles ;ire sent 1 o ni;il'l<et . Tllc
luMole iift'ie I'niled Sl;iles recon'ni/e New \'()lk :is our ':!e;!t coni-
MU'ici.il ceiilre; ;inil ;ilt Ikmiu'Ii !5i)>t()n, I'liiladelplii.i, liiill iniore, New
()iie;ins, ( 'ineinn:iti, St. Lnuis and ( 'IiiciLi'o aie ci'iiti-es lor local
\a!ue>, \(t it will not It*' denied tli,;t New \'ork is the L',reat eoii-
trollinu' eenti'e of our eomineicial values ami llie place of siri|.nient
loi- our sU!'|i1ms |)rodnclions. Admit 1 inn" tills fact, and then admit
that the(li'eat West is t he chief ^•rain-|^r()ducin;:;• haslii of 1 he \\ orld,
and it iH'comes a " commercial necessity " to t raiispoiM thesurjiliis
|iro(lui'iions of the \\'esl to the East l»y the most direct, safe and
cheapest I'oule pos-ihle.
In oi'dcr !ooI)tain these desii'alile emls, several h'adin'j," men of
OswcLi'o, Di'Iroit, Milwaidcee. ("hicau;'o and other phices ha\'e uri^'cd
••The immediate con>t rncl ion ol" a ship I'aiial around the i-'alls of
Xia^'ara hy the Li'enei'al u'oNcrnmenl , as a measui'c demanded adiku
hy the inti'rests of t he ]u-o(lucers AVest and the consumers j"]ast,'"
and as a '•Mnilllai'v neci'^sity.""
Do the jieople of the I'liited States desire to liiiild (liis ca.nal of
snch projiortions as Coiiu'ress pi-o|)oses in its l)ill. mei'ely lor llie
j/urpose of Li'etl inii' iVom Lake l\rieinto I^akeOiHario to I'aciiitate
the reach ini^' of Hoston or New York l»y tliat route "/ If so, what
will he uained, nnless you run down the St. Lawrt'iico canals, ont
of the Liailf. into the ocean and alonu' the da.mierons, rocd^-hound
coast of Nova Scotia to those places V That is ahsurd, and is not
Worthy of a moment's notice. ThiM'et'oi'e, when once into Lake Oii-
tai'io, li'i'ain must be transferred at Oswei^'o, ;nid^/'/''>/// f/tu'c li comes
l)i(c!x (ii/:nii to the Ki'hi Ciiual at A///v/c/<,s'.", and reaches the same
chamud that it "would l>y way of Uutfalo without u'oiuL!,- into Lake
Ontario at all. "^riiere is no other outlet, of any amount, for !j:i'ain,
mdess the idea of a Xew \()rk <j;enlleman is ado[»t(.'d : tohuiid ;i
marine railway to take vessel and caru'o by land into New ^'oik or
J>oston I This bi'illiant idea will be a]ipreciate(l when the frt'luht is
paid on shijt and carii'o both instead of upon the caru'o only. Hero
woidd be a Li'ood openinu' Ibi' invest inu" ihe f^/nyJi's funds of those
gentlemen who propose to pay the national di'bt by subscription !
I'nless it is desirable to change onr conimei'cial ceiitic IVom Xew
York to Livei'pool, Montreal or v)utd)i'c, and to make nse ot'the St.
Lawi'ence canals for that purpose, wdiat will be ^aini'd 1»}' transfer-
ring cargoes from Lake lu'ie into Lake Ontario V Trne, th(3 caiml
Idlls ai'c l('->;, :in'l tlic ciiial siKtrtcr iVniii Osnsc '^o t li'iii tVoiii Uiiiraln ;
l»ul 1.) nlV>ri that it iiiii^t l»c i'ciiU'in!K'rc(l that oils on t!ii'vlii|i
canal aii'l iiirrca.'^i'il iVci^iit^ nii tluj lak(.s will iiiori tliaii i<i\rr llic
t\i\]\'Vr)\vv,
It is iir^rd llial v>(' must \\-a\v incrrasfil l;u-ilit ic > ; tiial tlic in-
(tfoascd proiliict idiis caiiiiot hv iiionimI wiiiidn; it. I, el us cxauiiur
tlic canal and 1 ikc facilities \\c unw Iia\c, and sec Ik.nn iiiiu-l. uku'c
wc want — comuicncinu" at. IJuD'alo:
IJullaJn harbor is capable cd' acconnuodatiinj; all tin- vessels likclv
to uolhci'c \'i>y inaiiN' vcai's. It has a capacil v for elc\ at iu'' tVoiii
vessels iiit(» canal boats, or int(. store, i.',S()S,(iiM» l)Ushels ot' ua-airi
|ier day, and a storau"e capacity of ."i.sso.DoO bushi'Is. >uji)ii),->i' canal
uaNi'^aliou to coinincut-c the Isl of May, and to close the 1st of De-
ccndici'in each }'car, we hacc |st workinu' days. A\ lien wdikcd
to the fall capacity, iliillalo alone could transfer iVoin \-cssels into
boats, or int<» stcu'c, ."< I (!,(;yj,<H)u bushels. Tiie most vwv rccei\cd
in oiu' year was in I^iIl', r)S,(;ii'.;; t-t bushels, leaxinu' a ca|iaciiy _\ (t
uuoccuoied (d' oviu" I .")S,(i(i(i,(M)0 busluds. showiii''' that onl\ alnuit
oiU'-tciith id' the capa.cit}' has ever l»t'eu used.
ConiplaiiM IS inaile ol'tlie canals of the State of Xew ^ ork ; that
they are too small to funn>!i an outlet Ibi- AVi'stcrn shipments. Let
us see how that account stands; The coi'rected reuisterof canal
l)oais now in the hamls ot" theC'ollcctor at nuH'alo, show s at the
ju'esi'ut time about r),l(;() boats. 'idie returns show, that lor the
local U'-e (d'llu' State of Xew York eh.'veii per ct'Ut. (d' the wlnde is
iHMpiircd; dcdiictiuLi:; that from the total, lea\es t,.V.c_' boats for the
throiiu'h bie^iiiess; allowiiio" tliirty days for each triji, and each boat
to make se\en tri])s durinu;' the season, we lia\e a total of ;ii.',llt
trips; allow in<4 eatdi boat to averau'c only {),0(H) bushels ol'all kinds
of Li'raiii. and there is jtroved :i ///vj/yi capacity of 1 !)l'.S(;4,<hh) busluds.
I)educt Ibr the nu)st ever slii])ped in cue sctison, 5S,(i t-_',;i 4 t bu>li(ds,
and it shows a (jraln capacity left unused of u\er J r;4,0oo,()()0
])UsIh'I> I
J)Ut it may be sai<l that it is lurfair to take all the capacit\- for
grain, lea\inu;" nothing for such freight as lumber, staves, tlour, ]U'o-
\dsiiuis, etc. Let lis see liow the year ].^()4 stands u]»on the east-
ward boiiiid thi'ough tonnage. 'Jdiese 4,50:.* l)oats, making ;]'_', 144
trips, their average tonnage being 141 tons each, give 4,5;!2,-)04 tons
cajtacity. The total through toiintige for ].SG4 was 1,!)()7,I;!0 tons,
lca\ing a lialance nnoccnpied of '_*. 025,108 tons, sliowing only about
one-third of the tonnage used. The eajKicity of the boats now run-
ning is i'ar below the average of w hat the canal can accommodate.
8
M:i!IV oi'lllr l»f>:it> ;ir!' ot'llic tA<\ siil.ll! <'!,i-'S, wliilc till' (Mil.il is ;ililc
to il(i:it :i i!incli l;ti"Li'iM' class ol' ho.ils, TIhkc hitcly l»nill ;iiii| imw
Imililiii'.r InrtlH' tliroii'jii li!i>-iiic-«s run tVoiti I'lio to l'.")!) inii>. Tlic
lio.ii l/iltl»\ cliMicil iVoiii l')iitl"ilo. .Iiiiii- l.")tli, |m;:., with T.^'iO
Itiislii'ls ol" w ii(':it ; ollicrs li;i\c clcnfcil tVoiii I Jiill'ilo I his -jiriii^' w ith
H,:;(lii l»ii-h"!s ul" coni. The lio;its |). ('. \\'(H'<1, ]]. ('. Siorck, .lohii
Ausiiii ;iiiil m;tiiy ol hci's r("^i>-t('r ■.'.''Dions cMch, ;iiiil tlic l''i';iiicis I\\'-
iiaii, 1)1" I'lira, fcLi'istci's ;!'i(i tons. It ic(|uiii's no more t iiiii' or t i-oii-
hlc ;o hici; thi'oii'i'h a hoal ot" "J")!! tons than one of ."td ions, when
t!ic loi'ks ai'c riiha!';j.'<'il to aihiiit them iiilo the h»>'!<s fcailily. Tliiis
we \\\\y laii'ly chiiin tlial the capacity of the canal I'of ihi'oii'^h Iiii--i-
n('ss(\\i'h 1 he (Mihir'i'c'l h>cks as |)1'o|m>--c.I) will he e(|ual loH.nort
l)oats of •_'■_'<» lons each. Tliesi' would nn)\ e I .il-JojKJO ions (■■.\v]\ 1 1'lp.
jiinl foi' llie ;a'a>^o!i of canal iia\i'^Mt ion conhl nntxc I'. •_'!<». coo ions.
Tlic to|;i| thi'oiin'h iMisiness of ls,;i w-jn hut a li'ille o\-er oiie-lillh of
(he canal I'acililies with t he eiilar^'cil locks. There may Ik- a few
(la\ s in 1 he I" ill of 1 he yea i'. when I he canal appears to lie o\ er-i a \e<l,
hut if any one is ahh' I o hiiihl hoals to run for those tew days -- and
lei ih'an liy i Ik' f(^r the balance of the season — no one is disposed
lo hinder him.
Then what need is there for anotiiei" sliip canal at present ? Art>
Ihe rales too lii;.>:li V 'Hie canal is opt'ii to the whole world witlioiit
ro<j;ard to irationa'ily or even color, to hnild ami lam Ju--{ as maiiy
boa.ls as they like, at just what pi'lce they like, o\er the Stall' toils:
or 1 hrei'-fourths of the boats can be bonLi'ht for less than tlicir esti-
iiialed \';due. The commercial law of.supply and demand rcLVulates
the rates ol' frei'^ht, which are soiiu'times taiimtusly low, aiid at other
times pay a lair j»rolit. The a\eraL;"e is mil as jwolifable as in alnntst
any other business wlieri' an ecpial amount of capital is at stake.
lias the Slate been uid'air iriits dt'alin'J,'-^, anil iii<-i't <i^< (< thetolh"!,
that western men should seek to avoid them and take another route?
Let us resort to tii;aires nuain, both upon tolls and IVeiu'hl, takinc^
the ai'ticle of flour and traciuLV it throu'jii t!ie \arious periods since
shipments l)e<4'au to the present time, dealing \\\\\\ the ueiieral a\'er-
an'e foi- t'ipial periods of years, for we tnust treat every u'ri'at com-
Tiiercial business upon the (in rd'/c in order to arri\-e at cori'ect de-
duclions. We fmd tiiat from ISMO to I'SWA — four years — the toll
on a barrel of tlour, from IJutfalo to Albany, was 5 1 ci'iits, and the
frei'i'ht was 44 cents; the next twelve vears the toll was :V.\ cents
and freiL!;ht was 42 cents, 40 cents ami 27 cents for periods of four
years each; the next four vears tolls were ;U cents and frei«'ht ;33
cents; the next, 25 cents tolls and 29 cents frcij^ht ; the next, 23
IS nlilc
1(1 1 1 n W
s. The
h 7.s:)0
II'.;' with
k, .li'hii
()!• 1 niii-
s, when
. Thus
^h liii>i-
t(» Ci.nuft
ich 1 1'lp.
lid lollS.
-lillh (.r
I' ;i ii'W
■r-i'i\c(],
s -- niid
lli>lK)St'<l
t ? Art-
w illiollt
;is iii;i;iy
itc \n]\> :
licit' (■>ti-
•(■i.':ul,'itc'S
I ;it other
in ;ihii(»st
:it sl;ii<.e.
the toll;-!,
■r route?
t, t-ikiiiix
ods since
■r.il :i\c'r-
•e;it coni-
ii-i'cct (le-
- the toll
;, :in(l the
."v! (H'lltS
Is of four
reio'lit 33
next, 23
cents tolls Mini 'JO cents frci^Iit ; ilic next seveil years ihc toll wa.^
I '.) cent ^ and i he iVci_;'!i| ij I cents.
l"'oi' thii'ly-!ive years uesti'rii |.,-o<Iiici ii.ii> hasc lieen inci'eaxin'.r at
:i rate ..-'Ver l»e!'ore eiinaded in ;.iiy c..iintry, and diii'in'4' that time
the toll-, havi' Iteen reduced -ixiy-thn • per cent., and the fri'iLdit
reduced forty-li\c |n'r cent, on Ihuir.
The State Andilor, .Mr. Heiiton, savs;
••Our rules (iC loll inv imt liNcj upon a >li(l!i);jr h-iiIi-. to rise aixl (';il! wiih lii.. |,ncr
<if,U<ii(l ill New \i,vU. or ilie |.ricc of \\ii,:ii mipI cnni iit Cliica^o. {'.nil':,!,,. Niw '"idik,
<'i'in I.ontioa. In ihi.- I'arl Iho uc>lei'ii i.eiliici'r iias scm iircd an imiiorlaii' ad\ aina-c.'-"
The iiierchants also coni])!ain of tiie injustice done them; let us
see how far the State is to lilanie in this matter. The a\craL;-es on
jj;ood> per 1(10 lh<. tVom A!liaii_\ to Unll'alo were as follow s. \i/. :
l"'ir>t foiii- years toll- wei-e 1'.) cents and fi-eiolit t') cents : the next
twel'se years tolls wiM'e :;:! cents ami f!'i'i'.';lit n"; cents, 1.") cents ;ind
'2*'> cents, for four years each ; next four years (oils were '_' ( cents,
freiu'ht locents; t he next , t oils ID cent-, fi'eiuht II cents; the next,
lolls 1") cents, IVclo'ht Kicenis; :\]\<\ thelast scNaai \-eai's t he a\ I'l'au'e
was t; cents lolls and O cents iVei-ht. Thii'ty-!l\'e years of unex-
ampled iiicreasi' of t he wealth and u'l'owth of our wi'slei'ii towns and
cities, ami a decrease in tolls and. IVei'jht the most I'cmarkalile ever
known in the history of the world — the i-eductions heinu' liom -I!)
cents lot; cents \n-v joolhs. on tolls, and from I A cent s tot; cents
on f!'ei^■ht. eipial to eiL;Iity-eii;'ht pi-r cent, in tolls and eiu'hty-seven
p^M- cent, on iVein'ht ; the (.'.xti'eme hi-'li price lieiiiu" pa.id ehet-rfully
when we were /xio,; the low p''ice now lieiiii:: .'i ean-e o!" complaint
Avlieii we are rich a.nd p!'os]»t'i'oiis I This wonderl'id I'educlioii in
rales is a con\inci!io' jm'ooI' that the \a-l and a.stotiishini;' /'itrr< use of
l)opulation and iiroduetion has hi'cn imu'e than anticipa.tt'(l, until the
increase(l facilities h.ive far oiitsi ri]iped the demand, lea\inL;' Iiiin-
<lreds of oui' t-anal hoats l\iiio- jdh. dui'lu"' the <>a'i'afei^ part of the
season, thai would he useless entirely w ei'e it not foi- an inerea.se ol'
husiness duriiiij; a few days in liie fall, d'hose now I'r.iiniiiL;' are
sc'ircely p.'iyino' expenses. 1^'ices iiavc lluetn;ited, and comhinations
lia\e been formed to put jirices np, and in some cases a i'ew may
ha\e suU'ered l>y Ixan;;- caught in tlu'ua.p; hut competition is the
great le\eler of prices, and sooii oNcrcoiiKs tlu'se irreunl.ai'it ies.
To gaiard against conihinations is one end to he jj-iined, hut this
shij) canal would not- gain that end. The experiment has been ti'ii'(l
for se\eral years, 'jdie Welland canal has l)e(Mi o[»en, and has been
used for the \ery same purpose; ;ind to show how perfectly com-
uieree regulates itself it is oidy necessary to make ;i comparison of
1(»
liir avt'iM'^c lor till- tr;iii^i>«»i'f;iiiMn of wlu'at ami coin iVoiii Chicane
t" Xi'W V(trk. I'<'i" tli<' yc:ir I-tH, \ia lake ami canal, \ ia IliiHaio,
it was 2. '^ , '*„"„■ cents on wheat, an<l -'"'iV^ ct-nts on corn; and via Os-
wego it was '-''^iVff •■*"1^ <"' ^vlleat, ami -;"»tV(j "" <'•"'"• Saving- in
favor of Untlalo only oiie-teiilli ol' a cent on wheal, and lonr-tenths
on coiai. N'oiicc how e\ eiil y the charu'cs ai'e halanceil in |ii'<)j>i»rtion
1(1 the w oi-k done hy eacii route. The iTnisions of the cliai"<,'es ]»y
h.'tli routes tor the aNfrau'c I'oi' the year were:
\ !A lai'HAI.O.
Lakes Frci^fiil '•' .'iS-iod on xyliout, s '.) I-1(I0 on coni.
(•:iii;il Tnils r, LM-iiio " •• 4 <\-\m •' "
Caiiul iiii.l Uivi r fJ f.T-KK) '• •' 117:i-inO" '<
\IA (iSWi'.iid.
Lakes I'lci^lil, 1"> 37-li)0 on wlicat. II 2s-l(ii) on corn.
Canal Tolls!.. ;! r-l-lni) •■ •• ' 2V '• -
Canal and liivcr '.( l.VlOlt •• •• 8 sT-KMI " ••
Thus Avhile the chai''^'es on t!ie totals v^n-re so nearly even, ihe
State loses -,"/,/ on N\lieat, and -,"„ oii corn, via O^inijo; the dil-
f'ci-ence of tolls and canal t rans])ort:;t ion lieiiiLi' l>;iid to the W'ellaml
canal, a lorei^n intiM'cst — ami to the lake shippiiiL!,", a pni'cly local in-
lerest. 'J'lie lake intci'cst, in vie \s of llic dnll snminer season, desii'cs
this shi|» caind to occupy their \ c-st'ls lonu'er on the voyau'c, takin^^' to
ihcinsehes the ditlerence in the tolls and canal rati's, — one of the
strongest reasons \\\\\ e\cry one lia\inu" any inli-ri'st in the Stati',
jiai't icniarly those ha\inn' canal stock, should u'o auainst it.
The lluctuation in jirices at tinu's does not ]iro\e any lanit in
cither route. It is an e\ il that cannot be cont rolled by State au-
thorities or l>y the canal inlere>'ls, neither is it conline(l to the canal.
Take the last four ycai's and see the Ibictuatloiis on the lakes and
ciinals : the lowest average rate IVoni Chicago to Uutlalo, in 1 Mi 1 ,
was in July, when it was .")'; conis on \\ heat, and 5} cents on corn.
The hi^'host was in October, the averai^-e for that nn)nth beini;' 1 ^jV^
cents on -wheat, and ]7| cents on corn, — making' ;i ditlerence of
about n50 per cent, between the months of July and October. On
the canal from Ibitfalo to Xew York, the avevau'e for July -was 111
cents on wheat, and IOj^q^j- cents on corn; in Xovend)er the a\era<j,'e
was 25jYd <-'*^'i'ts on wheat, and 2:? ("'y",,- cents on corn — the ditfereiice
beinir about 2'25 per cent, from the lowest to the hiu'hest :iverni>"e for
the months of July and Xovend)er, or 3 25 per cent, less Jluetuat Ion
on ike canal than on the lake for the same tune. The total averau'es
for each vear have been verv even. The avernu:e for 18G1 I'roiu
Chicago to Buffalo, was 1 1 ^y.j cents on wheat, and lOy^^g^ cents on
i:
('hi(';iL;'<>
r.iillalo,
1 \ i;i Os-
aNiiiui,' ill
ir-lciiths
Djiurt idii
corn.
a
C(vrn.
'Vcn, llic
• the (111-
Wcllaiul
• l(»cal in-
II, desires
akiiiu' 1<»
U" of till'
H' State,
■ fault in
State au-
lie canal.
likes and
in ISO I,
on corn.
.'venco of
Iter. On
was 11^
' axerau'e
litlerence
erayo tor
uetuatlon
averages
S61 from
cents on
11
c(»rit ; and in 1 Si'rJ the ascra^"'' was i ^ ^« ^.. cents less on w lieat, and ";;,
cent-; on corn; in Isii:; the a\i'ra'^<' was ;{ ceiils less on wheal, and
.", j;', „ h'-s on corn; and in 1n;| i lie aver.au'e was '.ii'',^",, cent^on whe:it,
;inil -^i",,',, cents on corn. While for the same time tin- prices a\i'r-
;iljfe(l troin IIiilKiIo to New \'ork —
III I '- il. on wlical, l."i 7.")-lii(» Oil ■(•(irii II i:;-liiii
lul>'..'. ■■ '• I,")S|.1(M| On •• i:; TiMdii
!ii isii.'i. •• '• I."i .",;i-|(iii On •• j:; .Mi-jiio
III i>i:i, •• •' is 7s-|(iii o,i •• Id .■!.->- Kill
Slio" in.;- a constant u'radiial reduction. l'j»on a o'dM Imsis isiM
was (lie i|ier I hill ever hel'ore, tin- iiioney l»ein'4' so de|)!'eci;ited in
\aliielhat the net results weri' not near as Lircat as in the other
ye;ir<. Ahoiit the same a\ erai^o are .also shown \ ia Osweuo, Thus
the roiili' has notllin^• \\li;!te\cr to do with the il net ii.al ions of ] trices,
the\' lieiiit;- ruled enlireh- li\- the law of sniinU- ;iiid demand. '\'\\r
decrc'iiiu' prices |iro\-es tli.it our lake mid canal facilities ;iih' now
t'ar ill ailsance of the demand diiriiej; the season ol" iia\i'_!'alion.
IT.
The facts f aied in mv loniier ])a)ier, forti!ie(| as ihe\- wi'i'e \t\
li^aircs, sm4'u'est, the very natural <|Ue!'y: ''117/// do we ikhmI another
ship canal tVom Lake I^rie into Lake Ontario";'" The ^Vellalld ca-
nal miu'ht he closed to our shi|i])iii^' for a short time, and that is the
only jiossihle reason that can he iii'Li'iMl as a '" conimercial necessit v "
f(n" Itiiildiiii;- another. Jiut. to su])]iose the Canadians would conimil
such a suii'id.al act, is payiiii;' a poor trilnite to those l;ir-seeiiiu' eii-
terjiri'^iiiu- men who concei\ed and executed the woi-k forthemutiia!
.'U'commodatiou of hoth countriis — they relyinu" mostly upon our
shii>pinn- for tlieir tolls. ''Self-preservation is the iirst law of Na-
ture,'" and ('anadiaiis ;ip]»reciate the maxim to ]ierlecti()n. \\ v i-an
atford to let them try the ex))eriment. IJiit let us see how it would
;>tfcct the West, siqtposiiiL!,- they wore to close it entirely. AVe ha\ c
shown that there Mill he an ahundance of ca[)acity duriiiLi- na\i^';i-
tion for all the jii'oduce niovini;- from the West to reach our com-
mercial centre without nsiug the Welland canal. Having enjoyed
the full licnetii; of its use for many rears, Osm'oijo has Ijeen olaced
ujion an even footing with ]>ulf do as an outlet for western jiroduee,
l)ut aside from the local business and the local interest, it has been
of little or no value. As a fair criterion, take the grain and tl(jar
sliijiiiii'iii > I'oi' Is,;:;, iVoiii ( 'liic.iu'o, ^lilw aiikcc Mini Ttilcdo li\' lukcs
to hulli |iI;liH'^, .■lihl lilt' rr-^illl slliiws lliiil llu'l'c W rl'i' sliijijH'il \ i;i
lliliriln, l.ii |.')JJ',l lii>l>. il.>!ii\ ;iiiil r'.r.-Ji;,;!7() lnis'u'l-; of i;i-:ii!i, ;i?i.l
\i,i < )-.\\ (H_.n, 10, Sill M-l^. Ilniir, ;iii(l s,()iM,i,'_':; I Imslids df ur.Miii ; Iti
oilier w nr(l<, rrmii /.'/'>s<> ////'< < /in//t/s ilirrc w cit ^ciiI \ i;! (j^w^m;^^,)
/ir, I /'(//i/.^ 1)/' <i/n iHi'i'iiif. iij' jlxi'i' ii /III II i III h I II |i('i' cell!, dl' L;'i':iin.
Till' >lll;ill ;illliiiiiil y\\' \\o\\v A\\\\\>vA Id ( )s\\ (^m-o ;|s com ji:i red with
>j,"i':iiii, I CI lis 11- to liii|ui;'(', W li v I his (liiriTciicc in |iri>]Miil ion V T.-ikoii
in cnnnciM ion willi iIu'IjikI :i!Ii1 i]ii:i!il y of ^I'Min icccix cd ;it ()sN\fv:o
il s;c:'4'i's|s ;i doiih! ;is |o ! lie "• coinnuTci.'d ncccssily'" of llic pro-
|to-.('i| r:in;il lo tlic \s iioir coinniniMly. ( )ul ofllic S.o',i!)/_':; i liiislicis
of ::'r,iin I'cccivcil iVoni llicsc llircc poinls, (i, •■;."! j ,;;7,s Im-hfls were
uiltMl, oill\ I , , •l.l.Ciin; Itiivlicls coi-n, ;ind ollh I-'1,"J">0 lilislids ol' ;dl
olluT kinds of uT.iin ; ^-liowiii';- (ij^-'nly ocr cciil . of I lie w Imlc lo lie
wlii'iil. .M ihv .lukcc ;ind Toledo wIii'mI, lieiii;^' the licsl for uiillinL!^
|tur|M)-.('s, i'nrni-lu'd s('\ciily per ccn!. ol'llir \\li(';il IV'.mii Ihosc tlii-t'i'
cilics.
/,'ow is il possiMe ||i;i( sliijijicrs, Ii;i\ in^' no oilier olijcct in view
(li:i!i seniliii^' ilieir u'l'idii lo one eoimiion centre, lor ;t coinnioii iii;ir-
ket , :il ('(|n;il r:il es, siionld seleei oii" |i:i rli/ulMr (|ii:dil \' (»!' one |i;irl ie-
lilar kinil of er:iiii, I o sc'id il liy one p.irl icnhii' I'onle I o v;e| intotlic
S'l.nie cli;iiinel, to yi\ to tjie -^nni" liiiii'ket lo be sold lo llic s;ii!ie men.
to I'l .iH/.c llie s;ime price :!s if if Weill hy ;i!!ol!ier port |o reacli t!i(^
s;iine desi in;i I ion V ('omnioii sense tciclies no siicli coiiimci'ci.il
l;i\\ ;is tli;it. Why then ;ire ihe shipnienls iVotii these purl icnl;ir
poinis of this par; icni.ir kind :\nd (pi;dily ^A' wIh'.mI iicide \ i;i ( )s-
we^o, while iienrly ;ill the shipmeiils id' corn, o;i!s, l»;iile\', r\(' ;ind
(diic,i'_oi r^priiiL!,' whe.'il :ire iimde \ i;i I JnH-ilo ';' ()s\\eL;'o c;in |iroiidlv
ho.'.sl of Ii;i\in;_i' the linest iloiiriiiu' mills, ;iiid in;imH;icl iires the most
it' not ihe l)es| lloiir of any cil\ in llu' world. These mills rc(pii!-('
;ilid do i^'et ihe \vv\ lie-| ipi;ilily oi" w he:it .o i^rilid. Il h;is one oC
the mo-l c\lcnsi\(' corn-sl.irch m;iiiur;icl ories in the country. It
lliis line w;iri'hoiises, hike ;ini! e.in.il vessels I'oi' 1 r;ins|(ort ;il ion lo nnd
ii'iini t Iic;i" mills ;i!id t-iclories; i| Is siirroundetl l»y :i line nnd he.-iiiti-
t'ld coiiniry; its men orinisiness ;ire men of entcrpi'isc :nid shrewd-
ness, ,ind they deseiNC success. \\\ llicir iiidoinit ;ilde pei'se\ cniiicc,
ihey liMXc so l;ir succeeded ;is to lti-ine- to their ;iid the I'm tn'ahlc
.•iclion ol'the \arioiis Hoards ol' Trade - secni'ed I he inlliiencc ol' t lu^
iS'ew \ ork (^nniinii'ri'il n mJ Sli'i jiji'i inj L'n\l^\\w rcco'jni/.ed commer-
cial paper oi'this coiit incut, .against the interests of its own <-ity and
Slate — and secured ilic passage of a hill hy one Itrandi of the gen-
eral government in Cavoi- of huildinL;" a ship canal out ol'the gcnci-al
i\' lllkfS
i|M'i| vi;i
lii'i, iiriil
r.'iiii ; iti
()-\v
i'<j-n
:f:iin.
nl Witt!
T.ik
i'W
( )n N\
V'li)
lllC 111'
hllNllcIS
Is W (M(>
(• lo ho
1 11 i 1 1 i 1 1 LT
SC I Illt'O
III \ U'W
loll iil;il"-
«' |i:irl ic-
iiil () t lie
nic iiicii.
i:icli t ii(^
iincrci:!!
ii'l i(Mil;ir
vi;i Os
r\(' ;iiii
proiiiliy
I lie iiiosi
r('(|ni!-('
s (Uic ()('
itry. It
II lo :tii<l
I lic.-iiiti-
slircwd-
\ cniiicc,
i\(ii';il)l('
:■(' of tlio
I'OIllIIUM'-
cil V ;iii(l
I lie iicti-
•it'iu'in
I'll III Is of I lie I 'ill led Stales, |(» .•iccoiiiiiiod;
Ic ;! city of;i few t Iioii'-.iikI
nihil. il;iiil s, niKicr I lu
|Hr:i ol '• w ;iiit o| racilil i
I'. • : ■"
rs, ;iiiil I lie Imi'.', i-c.-ir
()
r "• liiilil :ii-\
iicccssily, V lu'ii ill rf;ilil\ i| is oiil\ ;i Nirnl i
M II 1 1 1 1 ' ■•
IU'CC>,-I I \
w
nil liu' i;;cK ;iiicl li^iirc'' hclore us .-i:'
wlu 'I l)o| Ii poillls ol' 1 I';|||>ri'|' W
o our |);i^,| ex jifiicii
' I'*' Oil ;i ].:||- \\ II li t-icli oliifi- ;is |(
'■.'li*'^ .iii'l iiu-iliru's, il ;i|»j(c;irs llml ()^\\('^■(l, ;is all (hiiIcI {'i,y \
pill- |l|'Ol|ucl ions di' I'm. W'l'Sl
xalii^ ■ New \'ork 1- I!
cliaiiiicl. 1 1 is t lie front i
\r Mir-
" fearh our cciil re of f(Uiiiiii'rcial
-l'"l i^ out of I \\r \\:>\ ,,f ill,, ii.ii |,,.;i|
oor oil tile l>a'-k --I
O ( • o I I 1 1 ( • 1 1 o U > ( '
an
liiiiil>fr aial sliiimK-s to a iiiaikct,
oiitK'l tor <'aiiailiaii uraiii, tloiir
;iloiiu-'i.i.' of our own |iroi|iiciioiis, and to ird a /'(Hi icHlur ijihiiit,/ kA'
W Ileal iVoiii Toleilo aiul M il
w aiikee lor I heir imlls ami fact-
>l le-~, It,
(loe^ \ery w ;'ll : liiil when liiey lia\(' "'vaoiniil llieiraxe,"' eoinii! •ree
aL'.-aiii seeks its natural ehaiiiie! at S\ raeuse, aiul "oes
lie o 1 1 1
I'oiile Iroiii there, to |lu" Mime eoiimiei-ei il eeiitre, lo lim! a iiiaik
I Mil i( ma\' lie sail! 1 lial we want
o L-el out llll<i ill
e ocean willi
larmr \essels iliaii can iiass lliroii^li the WeliamI canal. Hut how
do I liese vessel.' e\ peel I o L':el into the occm without '^'oiiio- I liromdi
the M. I, aw fence canal
he same '• iiiililarN iiecessil \ '' that
woiilM elo>e tlie W ellami canal xsoiild c!o,e the St
and we ceiiainl\ cauiiol reach 1 1
le oce:ii| uille
1 w reiice canals
111' ^ ana<liai:s Ikixc
:i lllllhl to let ll^
le oiil \ lio
pi' leli 111 ca^e t hey refuse will he t Ii
leels, !.>-o o\cr!aml, ai'oiin
, I hroiejli I uhiicls, n-jan
"luariiie railway/'' take our ships on wl
short ciir\('s, o\ cr hiid^es, under canals
less of expense. If they run oil" ihe track, iie\er mind thni ; thev
only weiuii alioiit ;;.(H)(i tons — pick up the pieces and jj,- i ji
if not hiui;' had hapjieiied ; t
done " (I hill (I,
le coiiscioiisiiess will remain of
isl as
a\ mo-
/ (hinij.
Iliil let us return to reason and conniKMi sense. If the ('anadiaiis
lia\(' compleled >hi|) canals fnuii Lake ( >ntario to the ocean, of
p;i<a!y l<i chaiiu-e lIu' course of diir shipments awa\' t
ca-
rom our ■ wii
comiiierc lal cent re, and not only Iraiisfei' our carryiii!.^' trade hut (uir
commercial iransaclions fi-diii our own canals and oi
ir ow II |)i(i|ilc
to theiii^ehcs, and the only I hiiiu' want in;.-- is a lar.^'er canal from
Lake I'aie into Lake ( )iit:
I'i", sluuild w e \\\\ the American peo|
lie
to hit lid this canal ; aiil leipale I heir w aiils ; make t heir S| . Law naico
can lis valiiahle; t rnnsfer our hiisinc.ss fnun New \ <.i\\ to Montreal
or (^)iu'l)ec, aiKJ |)ay |?(i,()(H),n()() for Ihut in'h'ihfji .'' I <i>',^^ no \ wn-
kee will reckon those thiiiv's worlh paying- for. Do the peojile of
■A'lil ucl\\', I'eiincssiH
New York, .Mar\land, l'eiiiis\ |\ania, .\
e\v
Jersey, or any oUior Stale, waiil to coiit rihiile (heir nioi
lev or iiillii-
14
oiico 1<> :i scliciiic 1") liciiclit ;i fV'W localities? Or shall ^\(' let the
Caiiailiaiis Imild it tlnanscKc^, and wlicii ilonc. h't tratlic take its
own coiirsc, upon its own nici'ils, accord inij; to llic laws ot' ci)iii!ium'-
cial necessity ami of'suj>])Iy and demand?
Wiien the alti'Tation is made in the locks on the I'^iai' cinal, M'e
shall lia\(' lacilitles enough I'or many yeai's to com'" to ni(i\c ]>i'o|»-
ertv \ia liiillaht and Oswcu'o dui'inLi," the season ot" na\i'..';at i(»ii ; and
we shall u'ain nothing!,' hy addinii,- the Niagara ship canal, iiidess we
can hau' the winds, stoians and iVost, duriiiLi' the Avintei-, w Inai other
canak- and ri\(.'!'s iVeeze n]i ; or unless W(> can cont ri\'e to lia\ c il run
as a hot water canal, and ixrX vt'ssrls to vnn to and iVom it in w intt'r ;
or '_;•('< < 'oni^-ress to ]iass a hiU to protet-t it iVom such slight incon-
veniences.
III.
Asa "jMililical necessity"' tlie projxxed Niagara !'\alls c;;nal dii-
lers i)u( little IVom many otiiers. Local jtoints want loc;il im;>i'ove-
nients. Oiu'wanlsa liarhor, aimther a hride'e, anoiher ri\('i' im-
])i'o\cment, another lighthouses, and a thousand otluM" \\anis. The
aahatcaies of each rack their hrains tor arguments to lil'l the I'-^jmiu-
sihility orj)aying1or them oil" theii' own siioulders on totho'-e oi'the
geiu'rous ]iuhlic, as a "• national " or '' military nece->ity."' I'oli-
tician^^ and interested ]iarties join hands and mutually agri'e U>
lielji each othei' through. In this instance, the real fads are, that in
case tli( reciprocity treaty is ahrogated i'or a tinu', and the Cana-
dians retaliate hy closing the NWdland canal, a i'ew millei's at <)swe-
go an<l ( )giU'nsl)urgli might he com]»elle(l to get a small <|Uanlily of
wdu'at \ia ilull'alo. IKmkh' conies the (M'y ol" "• want of racilities,"
" miiilai'y iu'cessity,"\and '•'nature's highway,'"' that have heen set
up l»y certain int(.'i"ested ]»artli's in (uir own State; and llu' echo
comes hack from the West, with the athlition ot" '' e.\torti(.)n in
charges and tolls."' They want 'Mwo strings to theii' Ixnv," there-
fore they join in and s<unid the alarm from one end of the counti'V
to the other, until C'ongi-ess coiues to their aid with a hill appro})ri-
ating isi),()00,0O0. I>y what right does Congress enter the Slate of
Xew ^'ork to huild a canal which would roh tlu' Stati' of the tolls
upon the canals now in use ind belonging to the State':' J>y what
right- does it seek to transfer the husiness of the Erie canal to the
St. Lawrence canals — enlii'elv out of the United States — leaving
us to tav ourselves to ]»ay our Stale bonds given to construct our
canals? Ilavo the States, as States, lost all I'ights to pi'otect their
I
15
■ let the
take- its
■olllllU'l"-
Mial, we
,(• jil'op-
>ii ; and
ilc'ss Ave
■!i oIIkt
V it iMui
w iiik'i' ;
I iiicon-
Mial <lii-
iijii'ove-
\cr iin-
s. The
L' of tlie
' Poli-
U'l'ci' Uf
, that in
e Cana-
1 Oswe-
ait it y ol"
■ilili'es,"
)vvn set
he I't'lio
•lion in
" tliore-
country
»|>i'()jiri-
Slate of
lu" tolls
»y what
I to the
lc'a\ ino"
Mict our
■ct tluii"
m
own intt'i'ual ini|)i'ove'iiKMits fVoin sudi mcroachnicnts V li'lmilt and
used ciitircly as a "• military ncci'Sviiy,''*' thr Liovciamu'nt iniuht have
[)o\\('r to construct the canal around the {"'alls, liui i'or j»ur|M)-vcs <if
conunt'icc I d('n\' whollv and totallv, the ri'-lit ot" ('on"'i'css to Ndtc
away our State property ami ii-i\e it o\'cr into the hands of straiiLjcrs
and iMMit ra!s, or to licnelit e\clusi\ cly a lew jiersons alonij,- tlu' sjiorcs
ot" Lake < )iitario,
Tiic West need ha\'e no fears of ItciuL!.' ruine(l ])y extoHion, until
it can Use nn)re than om'-teulh of the trauslei" capacity of nuHalo.
C\)ml>inal ions have been Irit'd, not because lliereAvas so uuuh to
do, hut hecause there M'as and is so littU' to do as compared with
the powei' ami facilities to do it. No lonu" <luratiou of uni"ea<onal)le
})riccscan he maintaine(l when the supply so far ('\cee(ls t!u' dicinaiid.
Politicians ucncrally assail a successful euterpiize for a disisiou of
pi'oiits <)!• a reduction of their ea.rninus.
The Mrie canal, as a State enlerpri/e. has been a sm'ce>s; and the
"direct roule/'' \ia the St. Lawrence, is hai'jicd upon louct a reduc-
tion of tolls without e\'cn a cart' tor tin' etfccts oi- iH'sidts of ihcir jiat-
riotic ciforts to imiio\crish our State treasury, ami compel the la.\-
<i;athcrer to take the amount of our earinuus and hand it over to ihe
]_»rt)(lu.(a'rs of the AVesf , a.fter ]ia\iim' alread\' reduce<i the tolls cl^hl v-
eiu'ht per (-ent. foi- iheir henelit.
"^^Jdie remarks of our State .Vudilor on th's point, co\er tlu'ui-ouml.
Jle says :
" ANlicii. in 1SI7. New ^'ork eniiiij^cil in tlic tlicii i;iii:uilic ciift'i'iirizc of in;ikinfr a
miviji'alik' wilier coiiuiuiiiieatiuii. Lnniieeiinj;- lake iMJewiiii the llmUeii ri\ci, sIk^
could liiid no mic \<) liclp liei'. or wish tier ^ood luck. We persevered, we ci'iiii lcte(t
the oriiriiial work, and o|ieiied ihe taeiliiies tor pianlin^^ an enuiii'e at llie We-i. all of
whirh was llicn. in ISlT). u wilih'i'ness. Nay. more, we in ls,'jr> connnenecd ihewmk
of enhniicnient of tJu' Krie canal lo nn'et liie jirowini:' wants of that enijiin' v.e had
HO essenliallv aided in crealinu'. and the hand and arm that we in\ i.iiorated and
sti'enutliened are now turned upon us and stiike us do\\ n.
In (!i)ni;il<':iiiLr our works we ixu'rowed money and incurred a detit which ^vo
now owe anil must pay. Shall we lax onrsfivcs to ]iay this dchi, and make onr ca-
nals a tree hiuhway, lo l)i iielil those who will not pay any of that tax (U- liear any of
oin- iMirdt'us .' We have never soiiiihl or attempted lo levy aiul collect more toHs on
oiu- pultlic works than would enal'le us from thai soiu'ce to keep them in icj'air and
pay the interest and reiml)urse Iho i»riiuapal, as it matures, of the debt coiiliacled
for their construction."
If this is true, is it reasonable to e\j)ect us to do morey Tf the
West wants th(.' canal math' toll-free, let the uctu'ral L;-o\-ernmcnt pay
the State for its outlay, incix'.ase the capacity of the locks, kcc|i ijiciii
in repair, and lain them i'vi'v ol" loll. >'ew "i'ork will i;-<» w ith tin?
^^'est hand in hand ami shout '"amen'" as loud as it can. We want
free country, i'vec men, and free canals as much ;is the "\\'est does.
I>ul M hen ;i caiud is ;i local l)t'nefit, the o'eneral government, in jus-
ir.
lice lollu' u'lMioral jxililic lunl lo tliosc Sliilos li;i\iiii^^ no iutcM'cst
\\li;iU'VC'i" ill llic work, ;iiiil \\iiii 1 iKTclnrc <iiiLilit not lo !»(■ CilliMl
11] 11)11 1 () colli I'll )ii((' ;iii\t hill ii' t (• llu'ir coiisf niclion or sii]i|iori, should
Irl lh:it rcclioii shoiihh r ils own h);i(l ;iii<l carr}' it, as we have <loii(',
ami not seek to load us down with i'i\al lines that <!o not cnricli
tliciii, liut make us poor ii'.dccMl.
Wv iiiav ill lime iT(|uii(' a(l<rui(»nal lacilitics Lcyoinl \\liat llic in-
creased caiKicil \' ol' t he locks coiiii'ni|ilated may ui\'e us, l.iit u c can-
uol jud'^'e our increased wants ( ori'ectiy l>y ihe li'iures oi' isiil, "(;2.
'(i:! and 'li k The closiiiL!,' ot' the Mississijijii in Isir.j. and the |»re]ia-
rafioii lor war on \\\r part oi'tlu- South, suspended shijjnienls of the
surplus pi-odiict ions down theii' leuitinia.te ami nalural soiithei'n oul-
U'ts, and lurned into the nonheiai channel .dl t he t ra.de lli:;l ro!niei'ly
went down the ()liio, Cunilierland, M'ennessee, ."Mississippi and .Mis-
souri ii\'ers ;iiid their t ilhntai'ies, as well as all that was usually .-en<,
South l>y railroad. '^Phe i>aItiuiore iv Ohio railroad a\- a. s rer.<leri'd
liiis;ite lor hiisiness, The u'o\c'i'iinient occupied the lli'st ]'lace lor
the I i':insp(M'tatioii of iiuai ;iiid supplies, imd took i'laun our roiids Just
as many ears and en'_;ines as they likeil, besides occaipyiii'.'; all tlio
work -hops w here niort' coiild he 1 mi It ; thus le:i\'inn' a limiied amount
of roHiiii;' slock on liaml. Tender all these disad\ antaii'es — w lien
the entire surplus ]»rodiiciions wi're throw n unexpecteiUy upon our
canaN and I'a.ilroads foi- t ra.nspoi-tation — fc dhl not j'<ilH<> unit iJie
O'diif.^ tij' till' Misl /^^• lo/i'l (IH ii(iri</(il!(ni ift/s ()j>ij/,
"^riie II, mill Ill-Ill iiicreasi' oi' business Avas not such as ^\■ill continuo.
CoinpariiiL:," the aitiounl <»!' wheat and llotii- shipped from ijuil'.'.lo a,nd
Osweu'i) for the four yeai's oi' liie war, and we iind there wvrv sliip-
pe(l i'i-oni r>iili'alo, in ist;i and 'ill', of w IicmI and Hour. I .(j-'is,-"")!;' ^ons
and in ]>iV-\ ami '('» t we llml shipjuMl only .1 ,lw l,;!si) loiis, showjiig ;i
di'creas" iVoin Uiiil'ilo of isijim ions.
i"'ro!ii Oswt'ij^'o in INOI ami '(iii, •"■).■):;,!) 1 <; Ions, and i'oi' Isii:! and
'Gl, there w;is shij)]»ed only ;M4,()7(* tons, show in^• a decrea-;e oi"
2on,LM(> Ions. J'.utl'alo decreased about thirty per cent., Oswcii'o
about tllil•ly-ei^•llt piu' cent. 'I'he tola! decioase of tonnau'e in 1 SG4
from 1 s(;:>, was Tf'l.T-'Jl tou'^.
'^riie I'aVes of toll on the canals have lu'en the saim* I'oi" the last
three years, ami look at the decreast' of lolls recei\e(l. In Isc.;; the
receijits were s:.").");5,7of) U'ss than in IsOl'; and in iMil were auaiii
decri'ased s<i')r)l,L'-J."') less than in I 80:i — niakiiiL;' a decrease of l(»lls
in tW( years of n| ,'J(l t.Oti! . Thus far ihe decrease I'm- INC.-) is more
than double ihat of last year, and the receijits are estimated to Ite
<uil\ .about one-third of those of 1802.
Th
i) OI
w he;'.
i;iv(>r
the III
rel.
St. I.;
to u
17
IT
V :-CIlt,
Tlic I'icts sinlfd ill my ioniici- ;ii iicUs, in rcrcrriicc to tlic |)iCM'iit
liiriil l)U>iiirss on the hikes iind ciiiKil, jn'ovc cniichi^ix d y tli;i1 willi
till' ret urn of |K';i(H', slii]inu'ii1s arc rcsiiininu tl;rir<>M ;in(I n.ilunil
(•li.iniicls; ;in(l tlii.-:, InlaMi in coiiiiccl ion with the sii]i]ilv iicciKmI loi-
consiinijition ;it the Soutli, is IcnxiiiL;' lis more c-iii;!! ;iii(l r.'iilrn;!*! i;i-
cilitics tli;in V. (' (•;in in.'ii^c use of ;il ;i prolil , cxccjit ilni'iiii^- n Tew
Mct'ks in tlic 1-1 11 ol' the yc'T. llulhihi h.-is no coiit ml o\ it the winds,
and when tlicro is a (•(iniinuoiis blow nji the Inkc d' --vM'V.A d;i\s in
succession, l'oll()\\-ed by a change oi' w ind, there is sent into our har-
bor, perhaps ,1 hundred or more \ essels, ;ill wiihin a lew hour-. A
iiundri'd or more ele\ators w (»uld lie needed to di.-charuc e\ cin c.ir-
<Xn so th.al the \-essels could lca,\e the same d;iy. I^'oiir or li\c hun-
dred camd boats would Iiar<ily nuel Mich n demand, and it is unrea-
sonable to cNpi'ct I'acilit ies for such exi i';«ordirary circumslnnces. it,
would lie as reasonable to demand another canal built to ].ro\id(!
i'or accidents on the pre.-ent one. 1 as^ei't, howe\er. lliat IbiU'alo
can do as well, if not better, than any other ))ort under such cir-
cinnstaiices.
The Niagara sliip canal would be of lit tie benefit to throimli ship-
iiUMits, in yeai's w luai a Ibreiun market is supplied t'rom other sources,
as has been the ca.se Ibr the last llr.ee years. The cxjiorts li-oni llie
I'liited Slates iVom the b^f »,r Scpicudier, b^(M, to \\\v li'ih olMiaie,
ISi.i."). to (ircat Ib'itain, \\ereoiily I ,(i 1 :),ns:; bushels ot' wheat. •_''J.'')..VJO
bushels of corn, and '.)7,Slt bbls. of ll(/iir, t lie perceiitau'e beiicr oiil v
5 Ol' Hour, ii.l of wdieat, and 'J ol' coiai on what ii was in isci and
"ilJ ioi- the same period. Ocisin freiu'hts lia\cnot stood in the w;n-;
Avhea.t and corn lin\-e been taken in steamships from New ^'(»rk to
l/i\-ei-pool loi- i/(i,'/if'jti/, and three cents has been an outside liuurc
the most of the season; iloiir has beiai taken at (id to 1 od ]ier bai'-
]'el. TIn'si' limi]-es do not look fa\'orablc fbr a diri-ct rouli' \ ia the
St. Lawrence and tlie Atlantic ocean. If we had a ship canal L:i\('n
to us we could not have used it Ibr llmi purpo-e. A''/'- ^'of/r /.•.• f/ir
.-iuiporf i>j'//u's coil, iti'ij for iji-a'di kIujihii iil.-i. At ?\ew ork we liu'ct
the ships of the world and orders ibr u'rain. if any, and we there
meet the sale Ibr our own counti'y and t he b;daiice ol" t he A\orld ;
Manic \\:\ the St. Lawrence wc come out into open st'a and meet ice-
IxM-u's ;ind u'et a taste of salt water. We Iind no customers, no <!es-
tinaliMn but Liver|iool worth iiieutiimiiiu-, and that market over-
18
stocked. Tlicso fiK'fs do iiol i'oiH'sliadow the '' iiuiiHMliiitc i'()ii^li'iu'-
tioii ol'tlic Xi;l^•;ll•;i ship Ciili.ll/'
The coiistMiitly dcci-casiiiu' lolls niid iVriuliI oil lilt' Slate eaiiids;
tlic constantly iiicrea>iiiu- (•ai)acity to iiuu't the \\aiits ol" the West,
at the same tiuK; that the cost of operaliiiLi,- and keejiinLi' them in re-
pair is rapiiily inci-easinLi' ; and our doire to increase the capacity
of the locks to i:'i\i' a I'urllier capacity ol' •J()ii,(i()(),0()() hushels, shouhl
he a token of tVieudship and love hetween the Kn\pirc State and her
sisler Slates of tlu' (ireat Xorthwest. AVe will decrease the tolls
jus! as last as the liirr<i(.^(:d l)U>iness will v\ ai'rant it Ijeinn" <h'iie. If
the West iiad a thousand camds it could do no m<»re, and )>e just to
itself.
.'Sir. Jjenton savs:
/
•• ir N'cu" V<irk linld-: a lociil lui.-iliun ndvniilnu'ccms to cxlcrinr (I'adc jiitd iiilciin!"
Iriiljic. i> iliis ii crime Inr whicli slic iiui-^l or sliould lie dciinuiu'cd iiiid piniislicd '.' Jf
)iy lii'i' (in II iiiciuis iiiid (he wisdom iiiid lurcciisl ol' iicr slatcsiiicii slic \\\\< iiii|iiM\('d
lliu-c Idc.il aii\i"iiaa('-. iKil (iidy to iicr own liciH'lil. 1ml I'oi' the wclliirc ot'Iicr iiciuli-
l)ur>. sjioidd she tc dciioiniccd as cxldrlidiialc ln'causc siic says to liieiii 'ii^cllicsf
laiilnics i'nr trallic in cniiininii wiili ail tiicwoi-ld liv I'.ayiiii;- a fair and rt'asoiiai)lo
{•i)iii|.iMi^arHiii tlifrcl'or '.' ■ IT ciiiiliiiialinns c'\i>t al ('l:ica'_;n. at I'liliale. and at olliei'
jilai't's inimical to liMllic. in whirii the State lias no pari or lot. tlio ti'iidciicics ol' wliich
',\v.- lo di'ivc trade from oiii- caiiais. is ii ri!i;li(. Just and in'ojtiT for llie Stale to levy
lliesi' linrllit-ns upon licr |)i'opl('. as she must ami will do \vli('n she aliandons the lolls
on I'.i'r canals '.■' Any Li'ovcrnmciii thai impo-es imriiicns uiion all its ciii/,"ns lo hen-
elit iiidi\iduals, must soon lose pulilic coin'idencc. and will richly deserve the cou-
1 cm pt of the world. Our toll rates are not. and ha\'e not hcen. any liiiilier ihan ihev
Avere in ls.")7 on a:j.'ricn!lural jirodncts. when the tidls were paiil and were payahle in
<;'old and silver, en' an cipiivalenl. Docs the We-t complain of this'.' lias sli,. f,.lt
thi- conduct un the part of New York to he wron.u'. ojiprcssive and exorialaiU tax-
uli-m '.' ■■
'Thei't' sliould hello rivalry or jealousies lieiweeii tlie .l']ast atid the
West, for when we look at the ''City of the Straits,'' (U- the 'Miar-
(h'li ("ity of the West,""' or Milwaukee, St. Paid, or ;my other c'ly,
county or town upon i he hi-o.-.d expanse of this fair and fertile West-
eiai World, Me lind the seed from which spra.tiL-; western eiiteip'risc
.and shrewdness — vhicli has rijieiuul into jiowxa'aml unexampled
^a-eatness and prosperity — I say the ^eed w.as the '^ unixcrsai ^'an-
kee." Xew York and olhei' Nev,' ICnu'land Stall's ]»lanted tln' o'erni
ol" this oa-eat W'^t'stern iMiijiire, which soon spread its fame to the
o\'er-populite(l countries across the ocean, indueiiiij," liuiidreils of
thousands to seek homes upon its biaiad pr.airies. Now, n<» nation
on ea.rtli — no I'astern State, not e\eii Canada — can strike a lilow
au'aiiist the welfare of the West williotit sendiiiu" tlie .arrows of ;if-
Hictiou direetlv into the hearts r»f their own olfsininL' ami lamilv
friends. Therefore the l\,asteiai States and the whole world respond
a:i<l rijoice in AVestern ^a-eatness tind prosjierity. A\'e w ill ojieii
1
10
(.•aiKiIs ;
• \Vcst,
II ill IX'-
■:il);i.-ity
, should
and lier
he tolls
iHH'. If
' just to
(1 iiilcriiT
illilii'nvcd
wv nciu'li-
ii'^c lli('<e
cusniuiblo
(1 at (.llicr
i n\' which
Ic to levy
1-^ till- Inlfs
H In hcil-
■ llic coii-
iliaii ilicy
iiiviilili' ill
^ Vlu" f.'lt
iitaiU tux-
lul the
'' (;;ir-
ici' city,
(■ VVcst-
tt'iiu'lsc
\;iiii]iKm1
<;ii V;m-
IV Li'l'I'Ill
' to the
h'l'ils of
( nation
a Mow
■s of at-
l i'aiuily
l'CS|H;n(l
ill oueii
i
tlio door,-; -vvidi'i' and widof, lor its iiicroasod ju'odiu'tions, as iiist as
as it (Mil reasonably dcmaiul it; luit avi' ask the AVest, in I'eturn,
not to sliL;'Iit its old and eai'ly friends, or <j;i) st lunldini;' o\er ditli-
cnlties throuii'h Canada, down tlic St, Lawrence, out of the ( iiilf,
aromnl Xova Scotia, and aloiiLC its danu'ei'oiis coast to u'et to Uoston.
Fn short, we ask the West not to bite its own in)se oil", io s[)iie the
Xew ^^)rk State canals.
I have been thus jtarticular and leni^'tliy in reu'ard to canal navi-
U'ation, for the reason that if the Xiau'ura Ship Canal is ever bnili,
it nuist 1)0 a rival to our State canals, neither of Mhich can be nsed
in winter.
The accumulalion of freight on our raiIroa<ls dui'lnj^' a few wet-ks
in winter, avIumi all oui" Northeiai canals, Irikes and rivers ai'i' closed
with ice, lias been a cause of much complaint, and from this cause
the demand from the Wi'st has been made foi" increased facilities.
Consider the circumstances in which our ij,i"eat Xortlu'rn lines ol
railroad have been jilaced for tlie last four years of wai". The u'ov-
ernment has taken all the cars and engines it pleased, and used ail
tlu' workshoj)s wlii'ii more were to be made. It lias occipied the
lines for public l)usiness. After the u-overnnient came live stock,
next ahead of ordinary frei<;'ht. Storms and intense cold weather
set in, (lisablini^ the cars, engines and track. The scarcity of labor
left the wood uncut, so that a sup]ily of dry wood Avas iu)t to be
had. Iron Avas hin'h a.nd the jiassenu'er tratlic; Avas limited. '^Plie
inci'cased price of freight did not keep }»:ice Avith the increased
ex}>enses.
Ltist Avinter Avas one of nnnsnal length and severity. I'or Avet'ks
together the Xow York State roads could not run |)asscngei" trains
on time. Some trains with six locomotives failed to make time, or
got the nmils over the road for days after they Avere due. At one
lime it took four days and nights to p:et the mails from l^etroit to
liuHalo. One storm succeede(l anothei", until Ave had a total fall,
during the Avinter, often feet and eight inches of snoAV. There Avere
sixty locomotives disabled in as manv daA's on one division of the
road. The Xew York Central road, from the 1st of January to the
1st of^Earch, only averaged from lUiffalo and Susju'iision Jiridge, over
live stock, 280 tons ])er day; Avheii in an ordinary time, Avith their
full force, they can run a total of about 4,000 tons daily. AVhon the
snoAV Avent off, there Avas a Hood, av1u> h SAvept aAvay buildings,
bridges, culverts and embankments into one common ruin, requir-
ing Aveeks to repair the damages. Therefore, to measure the capa-
city of these railroads to move property under ordinary circtnn-
20
sliuicos, 1»y what was doiu' last Avinlcv, is inifnir and unc^ciU'Vous
towards tlicni. TluTi- ;n\' iinu- miU's and miles of i-ars, rust inn'
ujioii tiic track, waiting- to do AVcstcni Inisinuss at ruinously luw
rates.
The (Jrand 'Piunk ''oatl tVoin DeJroil t.> roiiland, that ihrew ihe
New Voi'ker^ into spasms when ithi'st opened, for fear ol' its taking
all the l)n>iness to IJi'ston, hrin^' short of rollim;- slock, aiul havinu,"
only an o\cr-stock of tloatinu" deht to |)r()cui'e more Avilh, did not
eoiiie u|i to the mark and do all that was expeeted of it; yet it did car-
ry a lar^-e amount of LiM'rpool freight from Cincinnati and Chicago
at I'idiculon^lv low I'ates, to kei'ii it awav tVom New ^'oi'k or Boston.
This was done to fa\()i' the line of steamers running to Portland,
when the ro.ad cotdd lia\o earned from -sto to -'57(1 per car more for
the same fri'lght to Xew Voik. It also la\'oi'e(l hringing local Ca-
nadian produce to oui' markets, hei-ause it paid gold or Camida
money to our lines, thus not only siiutting out our own })roductions
from our own markets, hut largely swelling the volume of tr.alHc
on (Mir own overburdened roads from (>ur border ]»orts to the l-'a.st.
The i-epeal of the Ueciproeity Treaty will give oui- westei'u jtrodut-e
dealers an inci'i-ased ca[>acity on our own roads, e(pial to that tor-
merly used by Canadian pro[)erty Avhich was sold in our mai"kets.
Formerly our own shipiiei's were shut out l)y it, and in man}' in-
stances the Can.idian ship})er realizetl a good profit in our imirket,
free of duty, while the losses were very heavy upon our own Avestern
shippers.
This combination of circumstances ran freights up very high, but
the Niagara shij) canal at that time would have furnished no relief
whatever. The AVest could, not use a 8*5,000,000 canal, with three
feet of ice in it, to cheapen railroad freight while the winter laste«l ;
antl in summer it could not nse all our canal capacity. The govern-
ment took from 1,200 to 1,500 canal boats and run them up the Po-
tomac, the James and other rivers, and into the bays all along the
coast, and they were never missed. "With tlie increase in size of our
locks as contemplated, so that a larger class of boats can i)ass in and
out readilv. New York can do all the sunnncr and fall business of
the West for many years to come. The "military necessity" is
growing beautifully less every day. The overthrow of the late gi-
gantic rebellion, and the complete success of our victorious army
and navy, have demonstrated the powder of this government; so we
should have no great fear of the Canadhins " letting loose the dogs
of war " npon us. Their ambition runs more to canals and railroads.
They care more to relieve us of the heavy burdens of commerce we
21
IK'
1, but
reljet'
tliree
isU'tl ;
Dvern-
u' Po-
ig the
of ouv
in and
iicss oi'
ty" is
ate gi-
anny
so we
c clogs
Iroads.
rcc wu
■yk
oonii»laiii so niucli about. W'v An not dcsii-e lo make war u]ion lluni.
True, our own xagabonds have !!ia<h' some raids u)ion ns from tluir
shores, l»ul no country is tree iVoni rogues and dislionoral)k' men.
Our own country furnishes a bloody ilbistration of this tiict. Can-
ada couhl no more ]»i-event tlie St. iVIbans and Detroit raids tlian we
could prevent men from going to Canada in lS'.i7^ and we know iiow
hard Ave tried to ])i-event men fVoin going there? then ! Tf our Cana-
dian fi'iends had done the sanu' witli us, and we liad got no warning
and friendly voice from their C.o\ci-nor (leneral, our fVontier cities
ami towns would now j»robab]y be in one mass of ruins. AVe do
not cliai'ge llicm with cause fbr wai", for that friendh' act. Thv\
Spent about a riillion of (h)llars in ]U'<»tceting their iVonlier — not
from UN. I)ut to prevent our own peo]»le committing depredat!<ins
upon w-, and , aid us back the money stolen at St. ^\il»ans by our
own people. ^Ve certainly have no cause of complaint for all this.
We ai'e not a nation of cowards to fear them, and they ai'c fir too
sensible to invite war with us; but sliould that unfoiiunate time
ever ai'rive, and that vast ileet of guid»oats from England spring the
trap upon the Oswego ship})ing, all " unbeknoMU to us," as feared
bvour Oswego friends, they will iind our tirst "militarv necessitv'"
will have been .'iccomplislied, and, we shall (or should be) in full pos-
session ol" tlu'ii" canal to kce]> them from using it against us. Our
frontier would be north of their canal, and we should "tight it out
Oil that line," using their canal for our " military necessity," instead
of building a7iother within range of their guns on this side of the
river.
Therefore, as a "commercial necessity" we can do without the
Niagara ship canal, and I deny M'hoUy and tot.ally the right <jf the
general government to force it upon our State against its interests
and its wishes. "Political necessity " should not so far forget the
general interests of the peo]>le as to urge such a useless work at such
a cost, merely to beiietlt a few persons, or to put business into the
liaiids of others, or to furnish a p)articular kind of wheat to n few
millers.
We like Oswego, we like its men and its tlour, m ' .) like its
bread, but we think it wants a little too much gover.;: .eiit butter.
The Xew York State canals cannot allow the West to take (piite so
much from them, merely to transfer it to the St. Lawrence canals,
or to benefit a local few Avho are likely to disappoint themselves by
trying to do all the business of the West, leaving Buffalo out in the
wet.
r'^ciruociTY
WITH TUK ni:rpisi[ xouTir A^rKincAX provtxcks.
T.
Kcciin'ocily, as u'l'iiorally uiidiTstood in comiucrcia! ti'aiisa('li(»ii»',
moans an ('»|iial cxclianu'c ot'ooniinodilics or |ir()<lucti(»ns, w lie re each
iiai'tv is iimtiiallv l)C'n(.'{itO(l, iicillicr lia\inLr an untlnc ail\ anla'^o
ovei' llic other, '^riic notice lia\ in-'- licen ^iven l»v our li'on ernnicnt
lo (ii'eat ])i'itain to terminate llie existing' au'ri'einent l»et\veen us
and tliem as regards tradt' ^^ilh the Hritisii Xoiih American Coh)-
nies, is producing a a\ onderlul amount of argument Ironi hodi >.1(K'S
ortlieline; and the most remarkaltle part of tlie argumenl iVom
l)Otli parties is, tliat hoth havel»C'en cheated by its o[K'rati»>ns. Tho
fact, however, tliat tlie iidiabitants of iho Provinces are, at hi'art, w'd-
linu" to continue the same clicat, altliouii'li tlieir arguments i.'o to show
that tliey confer a great favor upon us )»y doing so, must con\ince
any reasonable mind that tliey liave no faith in their o^vll statemeuts.
In oi'der fully to understand both sides of the ([uestion it is neces-
sary to understand in detail the woi'king of the ordinary coninier-
cial trausactions between the t^vo coimU-ies, and the reasons why
nents do not i)ro\e what they ajipear to on the sur-
C
fac(.
madian ar<xui
Therefore, I purpose to take the arguments for the treaty,
and re})ly to theui as they a])pe^ir to me to deserve, under the re-
s])ective Jieads of Ueciprocity in the Fisheries and Coal, ]Jeci]»rocity
in Ih-eadstutfs, Reciprocity in Navigation, and liecii)rocity in feeling
l^etween the parties.
RECiriiOCITY IN THE VISHEllIES.
'' The speaker then showed tlio advantage gained by tlio I'^nited States in flie fish-
ing grounds and tliat when he gave his vote against it in the Nova Scotia Legisla-
ture, he said. ' What ! Give up these rich lisheries in exchange ibr the worn-out
ones on the Southern coast ? ' He said the L'nited States had all the advantages.
ir
lie
aiKl
all
Me
ct-
pa>j
fish
/ishl
jKiy
1S:.|
trie
for
J)Ut(
oth«
23
* ' * Now it was just siicli :i lunixisitioii n^ lliis : Siippnso (wo fni'ini'is livcil
0|i|i(i^lii' lai'li (tllii'i", mill (iiic ciiiiiiH'il iiiid crdpiicd iiiilil he IkuI lakcii lln' siili>i;mi'('
(iiii III' ilii> laiiil — 111) Icrlilily Ii-I'i ; iIh- (illn-r was jii.-t u|icuiii;i- a \ irj;iii ."-"il wliicli liail
111. I hiTii cxliiiiisti'il.'' — h\vlradJ'i'oiH tlm lit p. it cf Umi. ./o.M'jih Jloirv ; xjifccli <it tin
l>t Irii'it (Jint'tiiU'iii,
CKS.
re r:\r\i
nlitit^'O
rnnii'iit
•I'C'U us
I Coli)-
lli ><i(U'S
t iVoni
The
vt, wil-
o slioW
)n\ inoe
C'llX-'lltS.
oinincr-
n\^ Avhy
tlu' suv-
Ircaty,
1- the vo-
•ipvtu'ity
II i'eelin'j;
iJ'
^ in tlio fish-
jtia Li'-iisla-
ln' wurii-out
advantages.
Till' "•\ii'L;iii soil ' just opciiiiin', in I •'•-•") 1, L'liiitloyi'd ;is riillii\\s:
Mcu' r»niiis\viclv, iii»\v.'ii"«ls (»(' r.oo lisliiiiu' Itoats; IS'<i\;i Scoli.i I'lii-
jiloycil si J Nt'^scls, r),l(;o l)i);it^, :)i», l.")t mis ;iiiil >oiiu's iuhI !>,'.»i.'7
rhiicriiii'ii ; New romullimd ('ni|ili»yi'il ]0,r)(i| Imnts, \cs>(.']s ;iiiil lisli-
iiiL;' crnt'l, ;iiiil IG,s.j7 iiu'ii, lU'MiliuiuL;' l,<i8!>, 1 s-j (niiiiti'Is cotllisli,
•l,t.;iH» tit'i'ccs s.'iliDdi), lit, .■).")(• Iilils;. hcn-iiiu', I 1(),S'2S seal skins, and
2,(j:!ii,Ni»0 o'lilloiis llsli oils — vahinl in all at >5 1,45."), ts t. In aiMition
to llic^c we lia\'o tlio iislicrii's of tlu' (inll'ot'St. Laut'cncc. Tlic
aliiiNc I'luai) lint a ])()rti(>n ot'tlii' li-licrics, wliicli wvvv a<.'li\rly jiros-
ocMiU'l (lirou years bclbi'c the treaty.
The I'liliri" i)i)|tnlali()n of tlie I*i'o\in('i's of Xowfoumlland, Xova
v^eotia, Xiw Jirnnswifk, ;in»l J'rince KdwaivTs Island, at that linic,
was only coi,!)."!. Now it is (|iiit(' cviih'nt that tliose i'l'w inhahit-
nnts dill not caf all f/iose lifih. 'I'lic; L'nited States, hi'inu' their near-
est and nio^^l natural market, had a ])0]»nlation ofnearly ;5(),t)00,()00.
ir il was 1 laie that our lisheri^'S wei'e " woiai out," where did we
ji'ct our lish from ? AVhy, Ave uot tluun IVom our colonial friends
and nei;;id)ors, as a nialli'i' of course, — and on toj) of that we u'ot
iViun iheni L'O jhm" cent, on i'\(.'ry kind of li>h, iisii oils, etc., which
the rnilcd States !j,-ot as a compensation for the productions of
tlieir tisheries comin<>"in1o our mai'ket to compete v\ ith our iishei'ies,
whii'Ii A\'erc not so much "worn out" as they would lia\e us he-
lie\ e.
The returns shoAvthat tlie yiehl of mackerel and codfish, in INIaine
and Massachusetts alone, was >*<;], ^24, 050, to say nothing aliont
all {he rest of our sea coast and our i'nmense lake lisherii's, J)id
Ave u'et Kt'ciprocii V hv heiim" allowed to send our lish to theii'mark-
cts, tree of <luty, Avheu they Avere overstocked Avith lish and could
pay us 25 ami ;U) per cent, duty and keej) u[) such a Aast army of
lishi'rmen lietbre the reciprocity treaty? They could hriii'j,' their
fish into our ]>oi'ts, and e\[)oi't them to foi'eign countries, \\ ithout
payment of duty. They entei'cd at the }tort of Boston alone, in
1851, 02,:) 12 hlils. of pickled lish, and re-exported to other coun-
tries 22,785 l.ibls., leaving 00,527 hhls. for home consumption, or
for sale in our market that paid duty. At the same time the dis-
puted fisheries AVere confined to the l>ay of Fundy, and a fcAV
other jioiiits. Our jieople had the right to fish on the West coast
24
ol' \('\vri>iiinllMii(l i<iii;illy witli tlic fislicriiicii of Kfml;iii<l .'iikI Tratict';
aiiU ,1 jiiiiil ri'jlil to fi^li \\i\]\ I>i-itish sultjccts on llif const of La-
])ra<l()f ;wnl MaLr<l:tU'ii Islam!?', lot:('tli('r wiili the liirlit to lainl !it
sitch placrs oil tliox' coasts aN were llicii iiiriiiliaMlc<1, lor the jtiir-
))osc' of ciiriiiLi; ami dryiiii; li>li. 'I'liat liuht uas of so little valiio
to our men that tlicy scMoiii a\ailc<l tlicmsclvcs of it. Wc uot the
rii;lit to i^o int<t tluii' watci's and lisli, and they ^'ot the riiuht to
ciMiic into oMi"s, ton'cthcr with a iiiarkcl free of duty for their sta-
ple artii'le of exports.
J low near we came to liaviii'4' a war o\ er these li-herits may
lie JMdui;e(l from the fact that the Fi'ench are, and lia\e been, lishinp:
alon<4 side of us hotli e\er since, and they do not liij,lit. I>ut few
kuitw that the l-'reiich have Islands ami lisherios there, 'riu- Colo-
nies could not com|K'te in the forriiin market for the sale ol" their
iish, owiii;j,to the liouiitii's paid by the I'^rench (loxernment to their
o\\ 11 li.shei'meii, amount iiiL;' to al)()Ut $!i,' \n'i' (piintal. 'I'heiefore our
market was the best an<l most accejitable. We j»aid a Itouiity also,
and unless tliev could bv soiiu' means Livt tlie dutv off, thev Moidd
fail to make iishiiiL;- as profitable to them as tlwy de»ired. 'i'liere-
fore it was an object for them to niai;'nify the niisumlcrstanding of
our limits. We chiimed to tish anywhere within liiree miles ot
tlieir coast; while tlii'V claimed] it to mean three miles outside of an
imaginary line fr(»m one headland to another. Thus their interest
was advanced by keeping' ii[t a war ow the llshing fpiestion, nntil
we were dri\en into niakinn" iieaee l.»y openinjjf our markets free for
their entire; business, for the jtriviloge of liavina; our tishernien pur-
sue tlieir calling Avithout I'ear of beini^ molested. How much we
have LTained )>v this concession mav be seen bv then- own account.
In the lirst pri/e essay on Reciprocity by Artliur Harvey, Es<p, of
the Finance Department at Quebec, we liud the following state-
ment ;
" A rofurn laid iK'foro tlio ranadiiin rrii'liaineiit lust year trivos nionio imjiorlant
int'nriniUioii en tliis score. J) sluiws tliat tlit' value of lisli taken in ti\U' waters l)y
American lislieniien. nliicli wa.s l)nt S^'JSO.OOO per uiuiiim ];revi(iusly to isT),"), rose at
once to SfnJ'i.tdl) in tlial year, and readied no less a liu'iu'c tlian Sl.'iiir),7(in in Isafi.
It llieii gnnliiiilK <ieciiiie(l tn S IK'.iHio in isfjo. Wlieii ilie relielliun cununenced,
tlie \\uv navy of tlio States ni'ccled and (il)taiiied llie service.< of many lisliing vci^sels
and tlieir crews, and the value of the Iish tukiui fell to §250,0(10 annually.
So our fishermen only got, by their own shoAving, out of Rrit-
ish waters, about 8280,000 worth of iish in 1851 ; and we gave them
over I>;1,000,000 in duties for the jiriviiege of catching ^280, 000
worth of Iish, which we had to sell at u verv much reduced rate on
account of coming into market with such an innnense cpiantity of
25
•t;mt
'•y
at
tlicir fish. Wt' llHUiLjlit MO inlu'lit, ni;iki' somctliiiii; (»iit <•(' it l»v
i,^>iii!LX ill on !i liir^cr sc;ili', ninl in |h')(» \vc mmlc our I)iti- liatil, :iinl
cnu^lil ^1, '_'()."», Too worth, uhicli mms jii'^t mIxhiI the :iiii<Miiit ol' the
duty Avc ljmm; tli 'in I'm- lliiit ycMi*. l-'iiiiliiii;' it :iii iipliill tr.-ulr, avo
" Lfnidiiiilly IMI oil'," Mini in Isiwi wo'i' ilnwn to -s 1 1 (ijKin, ;iii,l me
now down to *i'.")0,()00. \\'li:it is the ni.-illci' — li.-ivi' liu- lisli dis.-q'-
poaivd ? JiCt llic M.-inic iiuthority speak n^'ain and .-ei'. Ih' says :
'•H'wi' now liii'ii In llic lliislward \vr slmll sec lui entirely ditlereiit sr'enc. T!io
Norllieasleni (.•umiiiiiiiilics. liviii;,' under a less f^cnial snn. and ]ins>e>siiiH' n less
ferlile soil. Inok to llie sea lor u M-reai |Hii'li(i;i of tlieii' lunvest. The \aliie of llic
deep sea lisliei'ies of .Massa('lni:^<'lls. in i>('i(). wa-; no less tliaii S!)..".(l(). 1 |L' ; nl' Miuiio
and Coniiecllculovt'r!i'l,Ot»(»,tH)() eacii, and liial ol tlie Urili>li I'ro\ in(.'es!?M,(iOl),tH(()."
Tims Ml" Irivc" one State tliat lins no less tlian -sO, :!()(», ll-j woiili
of lisli, and the Pfoxinces ha\(' iiicri'ascd to o\'ev ^s, 000, 000. Onr
iisheries do vei'V wvW lof " woi'n out " ones, and il now lu-conu's
a mattei' of intefest to know wliefe the market is to he i'<" id lor
all these fish. Onr Avar deht rei|iiirc>s e\i'i'v hrancli ol" indnsir\- to
pay its ])roportion. Onr lisherinen are ta\e<l npon e\erythini;' in
eonneetion with their l»nsiness, and \\'ork prohahly as hard as onr
Provincial iVieinls ilo. If we ean I'nrnish onr own markets, wo
1)V ri<_cht should have a iair ehanee of doiiiLi' ^o. Whv slioidil onr
l*ro\ineial friends ])ay no duties or no tax, Jind yet liaM' an e<|nal
chance in our markets Avitli those that pay so largely to onr inter-
nal revenue y
AVe are not dispo mI to lie nnfa.ir, or to do onr Tr(i\:ncial freinds
anv ininstice ; l»nt when thev sav " thev o'ave ns all t he adxaiitaiic,''
as Mr. Howe claims, and then in the same hi'eath coni]»l;iin lli;it
onr war deprived them of the market of "-ten millions of people
in the Sontheni States as a benefit to the rrovinces,'' mc have a
right to sni)pose that the trade of the liO, 0(10,000 of Northern peo-
ple was Avorth something. Hear him :
'' Ap:aiii, when Iho civil war br(»ke ont. one-lialfllio sealioard of tlie rni!e(l Plates
was l)loc'kaded. and all flio advantages oftlie Keci]irocity Treaty, so I'ar as the con-
siini]ition of tlie ten millions of ]ien|ile in the Sontliern States was a Iteiielji to llm
Provinces, were withdrawn. Assununji: that the treaty rnns owr ten years, it will
lie yvvn that lor the whole of that jieriod the jieoide of this country have enjoyed nil
the henelits for which they stipulated, while the iJritish Americans for one year of
the ten, have derived no henotit at all. and for four entire A'<'ars have lost tlie con-
sumption of one-third of the people with whom. l)y the treaty, they were entUled to
trade. Keci\untzin,!^ the ])oIilical necessities of the jioriod. ]!ritisli snhjecis hav(3
made no complaints of this exclusion, liul it ought to be borne in uiind, now that
tlie wliole suliject is about to be revised."
We have " enjoyed all the benefits for Avhich they stipitlated,"
Avliicli by their own account, was to catch ><2.jO,000 Avorth of tisli
2()
in tlicir wnlcrs in return tor :i iVcc market I'oi- tlieir ^8,000,000
wiiriii; l)ut. our war sliut, out 1<),000,(M)() of our ])i'o]ile from buy-
in<j,' from llicnil lleco^ni/.inu' the political necessities (»f tlu' jieriod.
Jiritish sultjects lia\e made no coinjilainls! This is certainly vei'\'
kind.
W'liy not claim tiieir riti'ht V Did ^\•e a.uiH'e thei'e should he no
war ? It" we did — and there had heen none — the jnice of lish
WoUli
I I
ta\i' lieen a.l)out ^
iier nun. Ire
lut there was a war-
and while thev nH)desllv hint tiiat thev lost I 0,(M)(), ()()() of custom-
crs, they maintain a masterly siieiu-e ahout u'ett inii' -^lo ]>ei" hun-
dred for their tish in c()nse(|uence of' the war. "^Fhis came out. of
the -JOjxiojxio of customers at the Xortli, Avilhout say nu' anythinij;
wha1e\er of the ])rice Li,'ot indirectly from the South, at Halifax,
to run the hlockade of tlu' southern jioi'ls, without jiayin<;' oiii' cent
to sustain the war on eiilu'r side. At the same time thousands of
our li^hermen had ''lMU'kle(l on their armor," and were fi!4'htin!>;
to sustain the li'ovei'nment, leaving' our J'l'ovincial neighbors to en-
joy tlu' full benelit (if oui' markets. " Xo complaints " under sn^^li
circumstanct's ! How mau'naninious this ^\'as in \iew of the olten
repeateil assiM'tion for years, that the I'nited States h-d "all the
ad\antan'e" in the IJccinrocit v Treatv. Considerinti" carefully the
CO]
erij
A\ il
til
IS
m;
u-
TIIE COAL TliADE.
\o\:i Scotia and Xew ]>runswick have some of the best coal
mines in the world, and from their [iroximity to Hoston, Portland,
and our othei" seaport towns, they can sui»ply those markets, and
pay a duty, cheaper than coal can 1)0 li'ot from Pennsyhania or
Ohio. In 1S5I they paid :^) per cent, duty upon coal cominu; to
our markets. The duty beinii,' taken ofl' did not beneiit the con-
sumer, becnriso tliese points Mi're de]tendent upon them for sup])li(,'S.
A\'ith the ;>0 per cent, dutv their coal mines yielded only 100,000
tons, wdnle in ISOo, t]u\y brouu'ht to tlu' surface -t29,.351 tons, and
in 1 SC 1 al)out 5riO,000 tons, nearly all of whiJi came to our market
and was sold duty free.
We have in Pennsylvania mines of coal which yielded in 18(50,
11,800,574 tons of Antliracite, and 2,()GO,000 tons of r>itununous
!
27
coal. This c'oal-intcrust iiuw iiavs a heavy lax to the treneral <j:o\-
eniiiieiit, Avliile Xova Seotia coal competes willi it in our market
Avilhoiit payment of ta\ or liiily. "]'>nt in retnni,'' say onr Cana-
dian IViemls, " vse e.xjiort from Oliio ami JVnnsylvania laru'e (pian-
titiis of coal to Canada, tlms the Ifefiprocity is fair." Let ns see.
Canada has lu) coal of any kind, consequently the greater ])ai't of
I'pper Canada, Ijclng so far from Nova St-otia or New Jirunswick,
is dejiendent upon Ohio ami IVnnsyhania for supplies for gX'U-
eral (•onsuni])tion, while Ave do not dejiend upon Canada for a
mar]>:et. Hence any duty chargetl upon our coal would not ailect
n- at all, l)ut Avouhl come out of the eonsunier. Ther^'fore m e do
no; care how much duty Canada puts n])on our coal, so loni;- as
they [»ay it themsehes, and it deducts m)thinti,' from our ju'ice.
Before the reciproeiU' ti'eatv the dutv was oidv 2^' per cent on
GUI' coal going into Canada. This Avas to cheajien the coal to them,
"while we ren.it oO i)er cent, on Nov in Scotia coal and 2/ay it our-
sclris to tiiem.
Of this trade Ave got from Nova Scotia in 1803, alumt 300,000
to)is, gi\ing them aliont ^-JIO,!)!)!) duties. AW' sent to Canada in
the same year 10;),r)l7 ions. They re-e.xjioi'ted 82,200 tons, leav-
ing oidy 21,311 tons for coiisumi)tion in Canada, at the market
value — -no more — m.) less. AVe Avould have got the srone ])rice had
the Canada duty l»een 20 per cent, instead of being tree. That is
another "-advantage" A\hich they gave us, for Avliich they make no
complaint, on account of the Avar.
TUB WOOL TnADE—lIVK STOCK, d'c.
Before the treaty Ave imported from the l*ro\inces to llie Ignited
States i!5lOO,000 Avortli of avooI ])er amium. In isi;;} the amount
had risen to ^074,000, all of Avhich canu' in tree of dutv to he sold
alongside of our AFichigan, Ohio, and New Yoi-k State avooIs ; our
farnu'rs paying heavy taxes nj)on theii- j)rodnctions, Canadians {lay-
ing notliing, but enjoying the best }trices oui- m.arket ailorded.
^\'(' iriipoi'tcil live ivniinals worlli $"2..']l)0.7iir)
Ami exported 1o tbc ex lent of .O'Jd.s;;.')
(iivinjf llio rrovinccs aliulant'o on animals of $l,Sii;),!)(;t
AVhich came here free of duty to com]K'te Avith our OAvn, the
latter paving lieaAA' taxes, Avhile thev paid none.
We took fVom tlicni meats valued at $ 25(i.r)27
And sent them meats the same year (ISC;!) 1.2;iS.<)23
Balance hi our favor § 982.;i!)6
28
r>nt the same roniarks liold ^-ood in tliis cn^o ns with llic ooiil.
Oui" ]irice is not 2;ovc'riKMl 1 y llie duly ])Ul u]»iiii it in Canada, be-
cause Avc liuvo a mai'ket Aviilioul i'leni, and CNcn liad tlicre bct'ii a
modcralc duly in Canada, it Avould nf>i iia\e made ;uiy dilU'rcneoto
118 ciiiicr ill till' jn-icc paid ns, or tho (Hianli'y sold llii'in. They arc
consumers without a su])])ly, iienc-e must ])a}' tlie cost — duty or no
duly. Tliese staples ai'e not like tlie coal ol" Xova 8cotia, sent to
]>oston consumers; Asliile we have a sui)ply, tlie tVeiglit from Xova
tSeolia to JJoston njton tlieirs is so hnv iliat liu' jiroducei' can jiay a duty
and then ('i)m]iete. AVIn'ii ilie diuy was reiiiove<i, it went into the
hands of tlu' producer, wliirh is not tlie case with the meats taken
iroin us. 'idiey cerlaiidy did not buy it to tlie exclusion oi' their
own productions, Imt beeanse tiieir timber disti'icts requii'cd it for
consumption, ;ind their own supply was not equal to their wants.
Thau'efbi'e tiiey iiad eithei" to l)uy from us or not have it, and the
fact oi" iis being duty free chea})ened it just so mucli to llie con-
sumer wiiliout abiding one cent to our ])riee. The duty on mess
pork entering C;inada before the treaty was only ]2-.j per ce)it.
tarn
to p(
the «
and
mad(
treat
and
pai"
no
tinu
up :
be Co
■wav(
sons
niori
on at
w.) '
prii
IT.
THE Lr.UBEn IXTEltEST.
The hnnbering interest is also a very important one to deal witli
in view of Reciprocity. That entire busi;iess comes diicctly in
conl.ict wiih our own ])eo])le, engaged in the same trade, in a \i'ry
different Avay from what it did in years befoi-e the w.'ir. Tlien botli
enjoyed (he same righis and privileges in our markets. AVe gave
the ib-itish Provinces 20 jier cent, (bity off their lnnd)er, timber,
shingles, wood, staves and sliingle-holts, for the privilege of send-
ing our articles of the same kind into their market. That is, we
were allowed to send our lumber, shingles, etc., away from a good
market (which they were ]»aying- ns a tax of 20 per cent, to reach)
to tlieir country that was already over-stocked; and if we sold at
all, it \vould be at about 50 ])er cent, less than we could get in our
own market.
This is another jirivilege Ave got Avhen the Reciprocity Treaty
gave the United States "all the advantage." In ]sr);;, the yi'ar be-
fore the treaty, we received, from Canada alone, lumber valiUM] at
82, .'38;], 18-4, Custom House valuation, Avhich paid ^570, OMG 80 into
our Treasury, in order to compete with our lumber, Avhich to a eer-
20
coal.
I, 1)0-
tain extent rop:ulnte(l the price. Tlie Canadian nianufacliircrs hail
to })!'()(hu'c il lor that nuich less, in C'ana<la, to cnahle tlu'in lo pay
the (lutv, and as it canu' here and paid the dutv hctorc (he I real v,
and as our consumers paid no more for it than they did al'ici- it was
made tree by the treaty, it follows as a matter of course ih-it the
treaty adniittinp; it free took just that much out ol" our Ti'ensury,
and )»ut it into the hands of the Canadian maniifacturers.
I'lie axei-age })rice per thousand feet of Canadian lundicv, that
paid duty in 1853, was ^0; :n 1 85 t, sn Vo ; in 1855, -when il j)aid
no duty, ii^lO oO ; in isoii, ^in 75; in 1857, 811 50; after which
tin)e the ]»i'ice aL>:ain fell oif to $7 75, and then "worked Liradu;dly
up a^-ain to an averat^'c of 81O in IsO:]. Thus it will hi' seen tliat
before th.e treaty Caiiadinn bnnber cost us less than it did after-
4.'
wards, ])rovin!j; that the ]>rodncers in tliis ease "were tiie only per-
sons l)eneiited. AVe did not even inere;!se the (piantily I'eeeived
more than the natural Increase of li!isiness. In 185;!, the piiee was,
ouan averaii'e, 8'-> per M., ai'.d the total value iX'ceivedthiit vi-n- was
82,08:}, 1 SI, on which "we received 'JO per cent. duty. In |sr, i i!ie
price averaii'cd -^O 50, and the total anioinit recei\ed Ironi ihe same
source was only -82,005,870. Tliat paid no duty. The pi'ice Avas
fifty cents ])er ]\r. more than in 185:?, yet the value "w;!s >-;)17,:514
less than when they paid the 20 per cent. Therefore we uaineil
nothhttj in price and nothhig in qiaodity more than we vouhl have
(jot had the dutii been voKthiued.
The conclusion nmst certaiidy be that our treasury is short just
tlic amount of the duty. Takiuii' the returns of e\"}»orts fi-om Can-
ada alone to the United States, by their own showinu', the \;!lae of
lumber from 1854 to ISO:) iiu-lusive (ten years of free trade) was
$;M,528,51;3. The duty on this v/- dd have been 'SO,:5()5,7o-J CO,
which went into their hands as another "slice" of "all the ad-
vantau'e-" l>ut when we come to take in the lumberinu' int( rest of
Now JJrunswick, coming as it doe; into direct com[ietition wiihour
own in .^Faine, the value to them is verv laru'elv inci'oaseil. Ju'lbro
the war, and during tlio continuation of the treatv, we lo-t oidv
the duty ; but let us see how we now staiul. Let us su]>posc two
persons to be equally situated, the one on the JMaine si(h' ol' the
river St. Croix, the other uj)on the Xew IJrunswick side, 1 !i own-
ing an ecpial amount of })ine lands, and both contemj)li'ting luiilding
a mill to cut lumber for the I>oston nnirket. The Maine man ]iays
a war-tax upon his land and timber; he then pays a "war-lax upon
his axes, saws, chains, carts, cattle and horses ; his mill is made up
of machinery, every particle of it paying a wai*-tax ; his transporta-
30
ii<»n. sales suid nrcoiiiit-sali's ])ay a diix'ct Avar-tax ; every ]ia]if'r and
(lociniieiii i::ive stain]is allaclM'd, and it' lie lias in llie end iiia<!e any-
tliiii'4'. Ills income lax nuisl l>e added !•» all llie rest. ]le brlnu's his
lund>ei' into our o^\■n ina.i'ket, and uets no more than the Xew
nniiisu ick man, Avho pays iiothinLi', exeept the lax on his sales and
the slaiiijis on the )M]tt'rs iHM|uiri'<l to transfer the |>V(t]K'i'ty. Should
Ave coiiiinui' to admit Iund>er free from the I'rovinees, Avhilo tlic
same class of industry Asithin oui- own lines is so hea\ily taxed to
iiu-el oiu' re(|uirements, the effect Avould he to remove our lumher-
meii o\('i* the hordev, to de]K)j»ulate our oAvn lumher di^li'icts, and
to enrich and huild u]t the lumher interest Ix'yond our liiu's. \\'e
cannot he just to oui'sehcs, and continue to admit this inferi'st to
enjoy tl v- full heneiit of our markets ^.vithout |>ayinn' its ]iro])er
share of thc^ tax our own ])eo]ile jiay ior the same market. AVe
mu^l mil discriminate aiiainst our own industry in I'a.vor of a I'or-
eiu'ii interest.
liECirUOCITY IX niiEADSTUFFS.
In Ills Detroit speech, heretofore (juoted from, 3[i'. Tlowe said :
'• < 111 llic (itlicr linnd, llie Canadians Hocinij tlio '^vcaf sfajdos of Hie Tnilcd States
iVccI^ adiiiilU'il iii((» every jiarl nl ihc IJritisli eiiii>ire, naUirally claiuied that their
breail'^hitr^ ;^liuuld jias.s with e(iual IVceilum into the United »Siale ."
This arii'ument is used as a sxood reason for ndmittino; Canadian
lireadstuffs into our market free of duty. Let ns see hoAv it hears
upon our interests. (ire;it Britain is and Avas over-|)Oj)ulate<l, and
did not produce a sutiicient sii])]>ly of food. Consequently she Avas
an importer of V)readslutl's ; and any am »unt ()f duty A\hi(di she
collected from iier own ]ieojile av!1s a direct ttix upon tlieii" food,
and increased the ]U'ice to them just that much, Avithout increasing
or iliminishino,- the }n"ice paid to other countries from ^vheiice they
got their supi)lies.
The failure of the potatoe cro]> caused a famine in Ireland in ] 847 ;
1)ut it was not a famiiu' for Avnnt of food, ior the Avarehouses in
Li\t'rpool were groaning under the enormous Aveight o1" jn'ovisions
in store. The famine Avas for money or means to huy tlie food
Avitli. The famine produced such an excitement in jiricesthat tliou-
sands u]ion thousands avIio could have purchased at ordinary ])rices
Avere unahle to buy enough to keep starvation from tlieii' doors.
There was ])lenty of food, Imt those avIio starved, or suffered, liad
no nionev to buy it. The conse(iuencc Avas that liundreds of
ibousal
the \vi|
])arre
were
ruinii
stance!
iUct tl[
buy <1
croj)
death I
fore :
cfil t'
Avay ^
nomii
In
onl y
tbey
ada.
came
of th
no nv
that -
I'onti
pleb
cond
prod
milli
Our
tow
a be
Can
fn-st
ran
lis
nes
31
.'111(1
!■ ;iiiy-
U's liis
Xow
^ ;iii(T
lioiild
(■ the
1 to
nlior-
, iiik]
^^'e
St to
1"< »))('!•
I ibr-
tliousnnds of barrels of flour, sent from Xew Tork to Llver|iO(il in
tlie wiiilei- and spriiii*" of 1SI7, and which cost from >^9 lo ^\-2 ]icr
Itarrrl in Xew "^'oi'k, were piled u[» in Livei'pool, and ^nui'cd, ,ind
were sold in June and July, netting only 15 shillings ]icf liarrel,
ruining thou.-^ands iii)on botli sides of the Allantic Such ciirum-
stanccs, and close observation of the food (piestion, ]»ro\'ed the
fact that a large jiroportion of their inhabilants were in)t able to
buy <lear food in an ordinary time : and tlu,' failure of one siu'do
eroj) liuc the j»otatoe, brought sipialid ])overty, misery, diseas',' and
death to thousands upon thousands of ihcir own pt'oplc. 'fhere-
fore anything luiving a tendency to chea[)eu food was a diri'd lu-n-
clit to the i»eo[)le of (Jreat Uritain ; and consecpiently their best
Avay was to throw open their [loi'ts and adiuit bi'eadstiitfs at a mere
nominal dutv.
In (b)ing tiiis they did not single out tiie United States as the
onlv eounlrv fi-om wliieh they would receive bi'eatlstulfs free ; but
tliey ()pened the same privileges to the entii'e A\orld. iiu'ludiiig ( 'an-
ada. AVe u'ot no advantages over any other country. Our iiroduct!
eame into competition, in the Liyerpool market, with the produce
of the Avholi! Avorld. "When that (h'niand wassupj»lied they \\ anted
no more, and the law of <leinand and sup]»ly regulated t!ie price, u
that we got no more and no less than a\c' would have got hail I hey
continued tlu' duty U[>on all alike. They benefite<l tlieii' own peo-
ple l)y reducing the })riee to them, while we Avere left in the s.ime
condition as before. On the other hand, the United Stales A\a^ ;i
prodiU'ing country. The surplus ]u-oductions were coimteil by
millions upon millions of bushels of breadstuifs seeking a n!a;l;et.
Our centres of ])usiness — New York, Ijoston and other cities luid
towns— furnishing superior advantages for shi])ping, and sometimes
:i better market than otlier foreign ])oints, remlered it desii-able f()r
Canadians to semi a certain class of ])i'oduce to our market-^. ^Vt
first it canu- in bond to be re-expm-ted should a foreign market war-
rant it ; otherwise to })ay duty if sold for consum})tion. This grvc
us th(! eari'ying trade, storage, commissions, etc., tqxm their busi-
ness ; but it did not compel us to iind a market in our own country
for their breadstuffs in addition to our own surplus. If tlu> naxiga-
tioii of the St. Lawrence Avas of such an untold advantage to us,
why did they not use it themselves to get to Europe where the
duty was free to them, instead of sending" to our ])orts in bond?
Simply IjccaiisG they, like ourselves, wanted the choice of mai'kets;
and when they chose our market we got 20 i)er cent, duty in our
treasury to assist in paying our expenses.
32
Lot US SCO how wo slooil upon tliis class of triide in 1851, before
the triiity, at only lour points ofcntry from Canada:
]!iitr;ilo. ]!Uu-k Itock. 0.<nPi,'o. WliitolKill. Tula).
Furs and skins, H)S,, ll.hsr, ..'.. i,oil ]'.'.'J-J7
LiiiiiImt. ffct, in,2()()..l-:>7 12,303,!).'.7 7-l,20!>.12rj 2 l.OOd.lL'.") 120,s:);!.s!i7
Sliiii'^lcs. M Kil.OOO 370 ("..(il:") 1,;)2!) I72.!)2l
VV.Mil. U.S.... !t:..(i(Ml 111. 2(1!) 'I.S.T) 211. Out
Flour. 1. 1. Is i:).:}ii2 950 .'{J.'i.D.T' 7..")8D 371.773
"\V!!(;,t. l.iisli l.'id.ilCO 2.475 f.s.l,2S() f<37.715
Oals. I.iisji., 12.21I() 111.2!ll 243.(IS1 3(;(;.(171
IVasiiii.lIJr'iius, bu. .... .... (M.>OG 21.132 8(1,028
If it was true that the Provinoes only sent the ahove to onr j»orts
for re-exportation to forei_<;'n markets, nnd that tlicir own St. Law-
rence I'oiiteis the best and only le^'itimale route forlbreii;'n l)usinrss,
then tlii'V certaiidy did not siiow nmch wisdom in sending; it this
way. 1)111 h't us see how much they sent via (Quebec, the same
year. The total exjtorts of Canada for 1851, were as folh)ws :
Ti' (.'rent IJritnin (via St. Lau-rcuce tind United States in ljond).$G.-135.38,S
T(i liK' I'Miled States, 4.it3!).3i)0
To Ih'ilisli .Vniericau Ciilouiehi l,(i(;().."i 14
To uilior couiili'ieti, 82('),t)8.S
$13,2t;2,37(i
Let us separate the exports via Quebec, and see how much of the
exports oi'breadstnffs went lliat vv.ay. The total ex})ort from (Que-
bec in ls,")l was 6l-,67l,04S. Deduct the value of deals, timber,
masts, '^pars and staves, x;?, 700,084, and we fmd that the 1)alance
for all tlie other exports from (Quebec was only -'5874,004.
This shows the natural result of the teiidencv of trade totlie near-
est and In'st market, even with a twenty ]ier cent, duty hanging
over it. Whv, then, do the Canadians bnv in our market a certain
class of wheat, corn, and otlier grain? IJecause ]\[ontreal, Wil-
liamsburg, Cornwall, J\[aitland, and other points along the St. Law-
rence ]'iver, have tine extensive Houring mills, without a sn])ply of
wheat to keep them running. The particular class of wheat raised
in I'lipei- Canada -will bring a l>etter price in our nnirket than cer-
tain kinds of Western wheat. Canadian vessels, going to 3Iilwan-
kee and Chicago "w ith Canada lumber, can take our wheat l)ack;
these mills can grind it and send the Hour suitable for our market
back to us, ami sell the balance for export or for home consumption.
Secretary Chase's last report on foreign and domestic connnerce,
shows that
" All the exports of wheat and floui- into Canada are from jjoinls west of Enflalo, and
all the imports from there are at Ilnlt'alo and i)ort< east of there on our frontier. The
railroad lines terminating at Butfulo, Niagara Falls and Vermont, carry large quan-
tities (I
from ill
in tran>
wheat, I
Thi
no doi
on A\
reven
lose 1
cnou'.
33
, and
T!io
iian-
titics of (lour, mucli of it made vi CwKdhi from irhiat nf tin' {'nHi'iJ Slates imiii'vlnl
from thr II ji}i(r la'.e perls, * * * (lie trado, Uien'ri/rc. bcin^^ one df coiivoiiiciico
in transit, ra(lu.'r llian ono between pruilucinjj and consuuiing nuu'ket.s, so I'ar as
wheat and lluiir are concerned.''
Thus our p;raiii siip]>orts tlioir mills to some extent, ami AvotiM,
no (lould, continue to do so in case a motleratc duty was placed u[)-
on Aslieat '^n l)oth sides of the line; and while wo should get some
revenue out (jf their jtroduee coming into our market, we should
lose niithing on the price of ours, as the <[uanti(y sent there is not
enough to change the market value at New York or ]>oston oi'that
gr.'idc of Avheat.
Our exports «)f coi'n, hides, tallow, etc., to Canada, are merely to
1111 a demand for wlTn-h they do not ])rovide themselves. 'J'he (juan-
tities of all these exports are small in pro])ortion to the great amount
raised liere. AVe have a market of our own, and are not, iherel'ore,
de})endent upon them I'oi- one. C<»nse([uently, it would make hut
little, if any, diiterence to us how miu-h duly they put upon those
articles, as it would come out of themsehes, without lessening our
sales or prices to any extent. Thus, while our ]>eo[tle would hehen-
ctited by collecting a moderate revemic upon their hreadstutfs, mq.
shouhl lose nothing l>y their paying their own government just as
much duty on our hreadslulfs as they think they can afford. Hut
if the treaty raised the ju-ice of agricultural productions in Canada,
it was because our mai'ket was geiuM-ally better than their own ;
hence we could not have l)een much benelited by sending from a
good market to a })oor one.
Mr. Young, of Gait, C. W., says:
'• The advanta^-es of Reciprocity to tliis Province are so oi)vious that they need
not be dwelt upon. As a country largely devoted to agriculture, a free and" re;uly
market was our great necessity, and tliat Reciprocity gavc! us. Tlie immediate ellect
of the measure was to enhance the i)rice of farm produce, of all kinds of .sU)ik. of
dairy pi'oiluce, wool, lumber, and many other articles of exportation. Willi im])i'oved
prices, farm property, and to some extent other classes of real estate, became more
valuable. In short, the prosperity of Canachi during tho past ten years has been
largely dependent upon this enlightened measure."
If this is true (and who can doubt it?) wo enhanced the ])rico of
farm jiroduco, wool, lumber ;ind many other articles of exportation.
"Why not give the balance of the truth and say just how much their
productions were cidianced in value ? It ivasjust the amount of tlii
duty loldch vac gave q//', thus tran>\f'errinfj the money from the trea-
sury of theUnlted States into the i^ochets of the Canadian far)ners
and producers. Xew York being the centre of vahies for this con-
tinent, regulates the price of breadstulfs ; and no matter \,]\o buys
from the Canadians, or to what country it goes, tiie price is based
u
t)
upon the New York ni.irkcl, less the oxjiciise of |»l;i('iiii;' it in lliat
iii;ii'ki'(. Our iiiiii'lsct Iic'iiil;' ;il\\;iys oversi ocki'il with our own pro-
<liiclions, it- IoIIdws that hy aihnittiiijjj Canadian pi'odiico iVcc we
contract to liiid a market l'<»r them in addition to our own surphis
productions. Of coui'se lliis a<lvanci's the |(rice ol' their proil net ions,
and decreases that ot" our (twn, whih' we L;-et no ad\antaii,'e in the
l^^iM'Tish market, o\er anv other count r\-.
IkUssia, Prussia, 1^'ranci' and Ku'ypt can compete w itii us in their
market, A\hik' none hut the ]»ro\iuces ai'e aUowed to cnnipete with
our o\\ n productions in our marine!. '^^I'he \a!ue oC tlieii' eniii'e pro-
duclioiis is raised to the stan(hird \ ahie of our own, "whether it cdnies
hert', li'oes to any othi'r count I'y, or is ust-d for liouu' consumjtt ion.
'I'lie price; of I'N'ci'y husliel of !.;'raiu raised, S( 'd, usi'd, or even sown,
is tlie same as our own ; and the price of out o , "ii is reduced /pist in
[U'oportion as the total ipiantities of hotli countries combined j»ro-
duce a. surplus dependt'ut upon a forei jj,u niarkt-t i'or consumption.
]'' tJK' choice of markets was worth twenty jter cvut. kefore the
ti'calv, it certaiidvis worth that now. We i-an liardlv estimate the
auKMUit lost l»y us lhrouL;'h tlu' reducti(;n ot" jiriees eouse<|uent ujiou
Canadian com|)etilion in our markets. If we continue the same
ti'eaty, under [)resent circumstauci's, we sliali oiler a premium to
oui' fai'nu'rs to leave this country and u'o to Canada to escaite our
war taxes, while we still ,i;'i\e him tiie full henefit of our market,
'^rhe same state of thinn's would send foreign emiin'ratiou into Can-
ada, instead of the Fai' West. A\'e cannot allow this and ke just to
oui'selves. If, u])on the contrary, tlie Canadian farmer were com-
}>elled to j)ay a duty upon liis hreadstulfs seeking a market in our
country, and a tax u})on goods })urchased liere, uo matter from
whence they came, Canada would soou be dopoi)ulated to our bene-
fit. Canada could not continue prosperous under such a state of
tilings. We cannot be just to ourselves and continue the liecijtro-
citv treaty as it is. They cannot reduce the duty ui)ou o-oods o-oinii'
into Canada from any country. Tlieir public debts recpiire addi-
tional revenue over the amount iiOAV collected. If they reduce the
duty they would be driveu to a, direct tax to meet the cui-reut ex-
])enses of governnu'ut and the interest on tlieir bonds for public
improyemeut.
THE BALANCE OF TnADE.
AVe are told that the balance of trade is in fayor of the United
States.
Mr, Young, of Gait, C. W., says:
;it
'' Tlii> tninsactlons botwocn Canada ami the L'nitod Status Uuilng the existence of
the treaty may bo thus balanced :
DI TIAIILK GOODS.
Canada Itou^'ht from the United States, $Sl.o:)t.OI t
United Stall's from Canada. I1.;JI2,81!»
Uxcetis of dutiiible goods hold by I' nited States. $71,711,223
riu'K (iooi)s.
United Stales bou.u-'it from Canada $l-in.lM.niO
Canada IViiin United Stutcs ll.'!.r).')0..172
E.vcess of free goods sold by Canada, $20,.')fin,r).3.*?
Balance at,'ainst Canada in !»J year.s, .... ii;'l.">,l"7,l),'57
This is one of the ;irgiiTnctits uscmI to show th;it wc have " m11 tlie
.i(lvaiit;iii"o." Witliout any fiirtlKT ex])hiiiati()ii it would set'iii lair
and just. ]»ut let lis dissect one year's l)usiiiess l)ef^)r(' tlie ti'eaty,
and see how that stands. T.akiiiu^ 1S.51, and they return .-is loHows,
vi/: ])ulial)le c;oods imported into (\anada from the United Stales,
87,971,:>S() ; Freedoods, 81 ,147,r!S8 — ntakin^-the total imports into
Canada, -i^O,! 1 S,70S. The exports from the United States for that
year were 84,020,084, leaving .-m ap]>arent balance in favor of the
United States, of 84,1 SO, list. IJut if we turn to page 427 of "An-
drews"' i-ejtort," Ave funl that the following are the countries im}>orted
from :
Great Britain, 87,358,988; United States, 81,081,372; r>ritish
North iVmerican Colonies, 8252,292; otlier countries, 8484,512.
The merchants of Upper Canada, at that time, Avere either com-
pelled to import their spring goods via the St. LaAvrence, dni'ing the
autumn of the ])receding year, or else to get them in bond through
the United States. When these goods arrive at the port of cntr\^
in Canada, they arc entered as imported from the United Sttites,
AA'hen no one in the United States has ever seen a single article con-
tained In the Avhole cargo. AVe have oidy carried the goods, Avhile
they Avere the i)roductions of Great Britain. Of the entire amount
of manufactured goods made In the United States, that we can sell
to Canada to advantage, boots and shoes form one of the largest
items. That trade, for 1851, Avas only 842,592.
The total amount of goods entering Canada from the Ignited
States from 1859 to 1803 inclusive (live years), as seen by ^fr. Chase's
report, on page 92, Avas 836,000,800; and in order to see hoAV much
of tliat trade belonged to the United States, turn to page 105 of the
same report and it Avill be found ;
For l.s.-.O, It was ^■».isr..r)l(;
•• im;i).- •• .'{..vjs.iii
>• lW(i|." '• .M.jdl.iili:
" isc.'j. " •• 2,;)!i(;.!i;:(i
•• i.'.ii;;, •' " i,r>i(),«()2— ^'liV.'M.'^ooj
Huliuicc! oifiivvlja trmh' throwjh the Uidled SUdes,.. $2().6.")7,i*^M)
Tlioro scciMs to 1)0 soiiio (list'n'i).'\noic's in tlio accoinils as seen by
tuniinu" 1<> paj^e 1(»;! of tlu' same vciiort. The " value of iiujiorts
into t'aiiada passinLi; tlir<^U!4li tlie Vniled States in bond," is j;iveii
at $24,958,200 for the same period.
The Canadians, in their ojffcial returns of FiiEi3 (JOOds, aiti i'ui<j
Cdnmlafnna tlta Unih'd IStntc^.Wn 1801, '02 and \u> (see i>aL;-e 07),
liJive an item of !ii<S,() 1.5,1 84 of nj)ecie and huUlon. The e.i'j/ort o£
" speeie and bull'on" is generally to eover balanees (((jdiiist iho
jounti'V exjiorting it.
]Jut let us see another item ol' thi' way in Avhieh tlie balanee of trade
is in oxr fat'or, as they elaini, and see how the S(niie <trtlehs com-
pare in pi'i<;e A\hen imported into tlie United States from tlu m and
Avhen exported to them (see l)age 80 for imports, anil page 'Jo for
exports) for 186;).
IMPOUTS FItO.M Till'; rUOVI.VCKS. EXrOIlTS ro TIIK IMIOVIXC'KS.
Coal is oiitci'cil at an uvorai^c of, I'cr ton, ^^2 (!;■> At an avora^c of !?.") .'JO
Dried Fish " " per 101) ll)s.. 2 !>0 '• " " '^ 4 ()()
Fi-^li oil " " i;i'r unl.. 58 '• " " S!l^
Wool •• '• jicr 11)., ;{!) " " '' .1(1
Meats '■ '• per 1<I0 U.S., 4 (17 " " " (1 72
Flour '■ '• per Itbl., 2 03 " " <' o S2
Our coal is estimated fxitwice {\\<^ price oi' theirs ', our fish at sixty
per c^iit. hit/her than theirs. The grades of Caniidian Hour sent into
our nuirket are generally their ba^t grades, usually eouipeting with
our best grades of Avhite Avhe.at flour, while what we send to Can-
ada is of our ^)oo;'er grades. Yet our roou ri.ouu stands upon re-
cord at FOiiTY-FivE per cent, liiijher value than their LeM grades.
This figuring shows that Ave "calculate'' their im^yortsixvcnotyvovXh
so uiuch as our exports of the same articles. But while Ave arc doing
this they " calculate " the " balanee of trade " in our favor upon, these
diiferences hi vcdue put upon the same articles. To uiake it u\orc
plain, Ave import from Nova Scotia lOOlbs dry fish free of duty;
they are entered at our custom-house in Portland at s;2 00 cents ;
"wc semi the same bundle offish o)i to il/o«<;'c«/,Avliich they enter there
free of duty at 1^4 60 ; avc have only transferred the sa^ne bundle of
fsh, and got a " balance of trade " in our favor of sixty per cent, of
the original amount that the same bundle offish Avas entered for at our
37
cnstom-liousc in l'orll:unl, wlicii jxM-liMps tli.-it was nil that we lia<l
to do with it, «)ur export valiu' Ix'iiii;; sixty |K>r cent, more lliaii the
itnpoH value oi'the sanu' article uoiiii;" from one provim-e t»> another
over their line of railway thr<»ut;h »>nr country. If we inij)(»rt at
tjohl value and expoi't at ninuufi/ value, it is an easy way of ij;ettini»'
tiufures to show a favoralde result, when the facts niav show a de-
ci(U'(l loss. Suppose they buy tea, coffee, sui^ar, dye stuffs, silks.
laeos, crape shawls, oi- any other o-oods of foreign growth or manu-
facture, in our markets, it contrihutes nothiuL? Avhatevei- to the in-
dustry of this country. MMuMuerchant Avho sells may have nnule a
profit ; but they liave not conti'ihutcd a day's Avork, or one farthing"
beyond the sale and carryimj^ of the goods to the Canada line.
Jbit let us see Avliat Ave got from them the same vear. A\'e find
that they exi)orted to the Tnited States:
Aslu's. $ (;.").!)02
Ijiiiihor, 7(l(i.()2S
Sliinjflos, '_'(1.7.'i2
Cuttle I KMTi;
1 [orscs, 1 s.").s I s
AV0..I,
Flour $i,lSl.|s|
JJiii'lcy and Ifyc T;").')!)!;
] Jeans and I'eas tLASS
Oals ];;,"..7ll,->
liulter and K^;i;s, TCOT.'
liieniiniorated, 1 .7(».").(li;i
ll.siMi
^Vlleat, I'Jl.KJO
Total, $l.il2!),(i.si
Thus, instead of having a large b.alance in our favor, we had from
them the very tirticles that avc raise and that give em])loyment and
strength to our country, mostly larm jn-o<bictions, and lund)er Aal-
ned at 84,920,084 ; Avhile they had from us, as above, ^l,081,."i7-'.
Ualanco against us, fii<;J,847,7Ji' ; and a\ hen Ave deduct such tirticles
as tea, coifee, dye stuffs, silks, laces, fort'ign goods, and stigar in
bond, the above btdance against us Avill be largely incretised.
If AVG separate the other years' trade in the same manner we sliall
arrive at a simihir i-esult. We do not now have even the carryiug
trade to any extent, for the Orand Trunk Iftulway takes the largest
proj)ortion of it from l*ortland to ^Montreal, and from there through
Canada; even the goods for the Hudson ]Jay Company go that way.
III.
liECrPRodTY IX XA VTGATIOX.
The origin of the Keciprocity Treaty is claimed by tlic Canadians
to have been "the desire of tlic Mew England Sttites for a settle-
ment of the fishery dispute, of the Western States to obtain the
38
rlLi'lit lo n:ivi,L;;ite tlii' St. Liiwri'iici' ninl tlu' (':iii;i<li;ni cmiimIs, tin*
iiiixiety of Caii.ula lor iVce t'litniiicc lor liiT ii;itiir;il i»ro(liU'l.s into
AinericMU markets, ami tin- advantam-s aiiticipatiMl by many iVom
closer coinnicreial intercourse, at last Itroiiylit about u chanye. 'I'lie
Iti'fijirocity Treaty was the result.'"
The lisliery <iuestioM beini; disjxised of in my former papers, mc
now come to the riuht to navi^'ate the St. Law renee and thi' (.'ana-
<lian canals, in which we u'ot " all the advantage" ajjjain. We ha<l
till' riyht to naviijate the \\'elland and all the (jllier ('.anadian c;inals
before the treaty — that is, by ]>ayin<;" tolls. Since the treaty we
liave, !i i)art of the time, ]>aid the iidl amount <»f tolls for mei-ely
]»assinu: throui^h the ^Vclland canal to Oswei^o, Kingston or 'J'oron-
to, Avhile Canadian vessels could pass into lake ]Michi<^an, run to our
poiMs, and take cargoes of grain to Ivingston or Toronto. The Ca-
nadians refund to their vessels ninety j)ei' cent, of their tolls, and
while they enjoyetl the full benefit of going to various ])orts on lake
^Michigan, to carry oui* ])rodiu'tions, wi' could not take them to the
>anie j)orts in .Vmerican vessels without ]>aying full toll. l*eci}»ro-
cit\' in that was ninetv per cent, in faNor of their \essels au'ainst our
own. In the year 1850, four years l)efore the treaty, ^Vnu-rican shi|)-
]iing ]>aid forty per cent, more tolls to the Welland canal than their
own shi])ping paitl. They run through the canal 2,902 vessels, and
we run only 1,700.
The free navigation of the St. Lawrence, to get out into t],o ocean,
was the great ])ri/e Ave were grasping at. The " Great Northwest "
were clamorous for that great "nature's highway " to foreign mar-
kets. We got that as a great favor in the Iteci})rocity Treaty, and
I will now endeavor to ascertain how much "we were benefited bv
it. If we turn to Secretary Chase's re})ort, page 100, we Avill iiiid
that for seven years there Avas cleared at lake ports of the United
States, to foreign couTitries other than Canada, 44 vessels, equal to
15,001 tons capacity, and that the entries for six years Averc ,'?2 ves-
sels of 11,201 tons. Let us examine into the great beneiit of the
gr.'int to Americans to navigate the St. LaAvrence.
The total tonnage in and out for scA'en years Avouhl not exceed
1 wo days' shipment from Buifalo eastAvard, and that little Avas not
on American account, four of these entrances and clearances being
Xtn-wegian vessels. Xearlv all the others Avere vessels belonging
to and running as the " Cinmingluim, ShaAV tfc Co.'s line," and even
if they Avcro registered as American, Averc OAvned in Liver])ool and
run entirely on Liverpool account. Patrick Tregent's A'essels ran a
fcAv trips. One of these Avas the "John G. Deshler," Avhich rescued
Tr
no
?5
tlio ])MSS('nu;('rs fVoni tlio wri'ck oftlK' stcjuusliip Xorlli Utilaiii. Mf.
Trt'LCi'itt I'lM's 111 Liv»'r|i<M)1, ;m<l nms his vi-ssi'ls I'litln-ly <»ii Mnj^li^h
:if(iomit. So, iiist('M<l nftlic Ivt'ciin-ocitv Trcrity l>oiiiL' (>t':iiiv scrvu-e
to us, by .i;r:mtiiii^ llu' IVcc ii;iviLr:it"u»ii of tlir St. Lawrciici', it lins
Ljivon KiiuilishnK'i) ji clmtici! to nm Kii'-lisli ncsscIh into otir o\\ ii u:i-
tors, and tako iVc'ii;lit iVom our <*\\u slii]ti»iiig, and carry it down the
St. Lawrt'iico for their own iKMioHt.
yiv. Chaso says:
'• III till' last flsciil year (IRti.'J) but ii sini,'U' vo«s(>l elciircd and cnton'il, an tl it can.
tlicivruri'. scai'ci'iy li(> iiccfssary to iiiaki'a ilisiincl ami inrcisc accoiiiil ufit asdfa |M'r-
iiiaiiciit Irado. This |inu'tical iit'Kl<'L't ot'tlu! St. liawiviicc rlvrr as an oiillct lij west-
t'ln proiliioo of llio L'liitfd Slates, under the ciroiinistaiKjes (•initi-oHiiii;' that I'laite for
the la<t lour or live years, is iiarlicnlarly siiiiiilicant. and deei-^ivi! as to the cliMiniels
this trade prelers. Not only the treaty of Kecipi'ocity. Imt the careful and invilin;^
leifislation of Canada in re;.Mril to tolls and tonna;j;e duties, haveiiniletl to remove all
(distacles to the free einployineiit of this route for the exports of lireadstiitfs and pro-
visions Iroin the \Vest«>rn Stati's. (Ireat li(t|n'S were eiitertaine<l in Canada td' the
coniineire that woiilil hi; thus dev(doped. hut Ihi' uullal r/Zor/.s I'f the lira ynn rinm ///s
h'lri' jii'iind nflilllr itTffi hi. iijiiii'hui 'i cIi'IiukI pnJ'iVdhlc lo llidl iiuoli: iiiinfllir ((iLm,
the cUKdls ami rdilrudils of tin' t'nildl ^■^(^^s."
They inaiU' an t'xtra cirort, l)y the re'iii(i\al of tlu' tolls, to iiidiicL'
■wostcrn produce to go that way, and the lion. \V. 1*. llowland says
of that elfort:
" First amon;^ tlii'se ciroiinistanoes maybe stated llie ^n-oatly increased inodiic-
tinn of cereals in the Western States. * " * That in pr(i|)ortion to tiiat iiicreiise
ami to tiie wliol(! volume of ajxricnltural jirodiice moved IVom lakes lOrie tiiid Midii-
jitiii to tidewater, ir.(! Imrc not (ilituhn.il so Inrijc a (nijlc, aince the rtinvcul of the lolls,
as loe obtained prior to tlie (nlnjition i>j tliat jivHc;/,"
After eiiioviiiii' the i)ri\ilt"4e of " o•i^■iIl<>• something i'or nothing''
for ton yetirs, -wo are tt>ld, "• Tf tlie expectations of the Americans
have not Iteen realized, tliev must have hcen nnreasonahle. It Avas
not expected that this direct trade sliould at once assmne colossal
proportions." Let unreasonable Americans be patient and continue
the Kecii)rocity Treaty. Sup})0se Canadian shijis have had all the
advantages in going into American waters and bringing awav Anierl-
can procbu'.e; and supposing that the Anu'rican people have been seven
years doini; two davs' business via "the oidv reliable direct route "
of whicb they have heard so much and realized so little — naturt-'s
liighway is o[)en to them yet, and Canadians are Avilling to be ]ta-
tient, and let others enjoy the same blessing a little while longer,
provided they don't interfere with the other blessings which have
been conferred u])on them duriuir the last ten vears. Why throw
away all the advantages when Canadians are willing that Americans
should have them? Hope seldom told a uiore flattering tale
than on this subject.
40
Let US ;isk some " unronsoiialile " tjiu'stions, and toll some truths
in rex'ard to tills ureat route wliieli has been liehl ui) so attraetivelv
hef'ore us. It' the St. Lawrt'iu-e route is wortli si) uiueh for our ]>ro-
iluce to uet out to the oei-an, wliy dou'l Canadians use it tliemselves,
and take their ]»roduee to tliat free Kuulish market that they ehiim
Avas made tor our Itenelit, instea<l oi" st'udiuii: owr to Oswego and
down our dirtv eanal (o New Vork, |ia\inLi' tolls to ns ^ The rea-
sous are jtlain and uundstakahle. 'llii'V, liki' ourselves, Avant and
musi lia\(.' a ehoii-e of markets on this coutinenl ; and that choice
nn'sf he made in favor of our Aincricioi citirx. A\'e all km,)\v that
llicre are 1)Ut few vessels en;j,aj;'ed in tradin;;' \\\) the St, ].a\vrence,
aud they are shutout l)y ice until ttn) late for the sprintjf trade;
hence they come in ballast, to take timhcr and sla\'es back, and do
not look tor much else. They arri\i' iu lU'cts in oi'der to be ready
as soou as the ice will peianit, to u'ct their rctni'n car^'oes. AVheu
they leave a^'aiu there is no certainty (»!' fuuliiiL:; a vessel just sidted
tor what is to be carritnl ; there is an uncertainty and doidit about
ihe business. Durinu' the suunncr months tVciL;ht is not furnished
in \ cry lai'u'e quantities. AVheu it lea\es CMiicau'o lor Xew Yoi'k,
it has the bent'tit of the r>ntl;do, ^Vlbauy ami Troy marj-wcts, and on
arri\al at New Vork has the benelit of the markets ot' the Avhole
"world, with shii)S ready to take it at onci'. Our fall shi|iments may
LTo into store aud l)e sold anv time durinu' th(> winter, while at Que-
l»ec, if they missed u,'etlini;- out iu the fall, they woidd yo into store
for lu'arly seven months.
The straits of ])elle Isle ar(> closed with ice about seven nu)ulhs out
oftwelvi', ami are not safe duriuLj,' the sunnner mouths, oAvin^ to the
stroiiij: current which sets through them, and the lack of harbors,
'i'he outlet A'ia the Vi\\\\\ around Cape IJace, is not much better.
Those jterpetual fou's which hanu' oN'er the ]>anks, aud liover near
the southei-n and eastern portions ol' the coast of Ni.'wfoundland,
are supposed to be caused by the tro] ileal watei's, which are swe])t
onward ])V the (Julf Stream, and miuLiled w ith the icy waters cai'ried
down b> the inllueuce of the norther! v and westei'lv wimls irom the
l*olar Seas. This meetiuL:; takes place ou the (Jrand Jbmk. The
dilfereiici' iu the temj-erature of the opposing currents, and in their
accompaining atmosphere, ])roduces both evaporation and comlen-
sation, aud lience the coniiuual f>_u. We renu'udier the ill-fated
steamer .Vretio, Avhich was rini down by a l''rt'uch siii]) iu a ion-. "We
also reiiu'nd)er the loss of eij^lit or Xcn steamers out of one liiu' ; and
we km>w, too, that "we can oidy reach one market ot" any value to
irs bv that route. For the last three or Ibur years that has l>eeu
41
worse lliaii our own. Pcrlin]>s some of onr AN'ostern friends expect
to .'i\ i)i<l Jjiilliilo ;ui(l Oswego and u'el to lioslon and New York by
that roiile. Let tlieni try the experiment, l-'rom l>u1falu to Bos-
ton via tlie river St. Lawrence and the Ocean, is ;i,:^(i() miU's, and
to New \i)\-k .'KDTl miles, a^-ainst 41)5 mik's iVom KulValo to New
York via canal and river.
'We siiall riMjuire sometliinu" besi(h's the tViH' naviu'ation of the St.
J^awrence, m hieh _^■i^■es us the iiri\ ileo-e ot" uoin;:: ;?,470 miles out of
our way to u'ct to New York. AVhat nuM-ehant in C'hieau-o is jire-
pareil {o ;^'i\i' an order for u'oods to come l)ack on tlu' same \essel
whicii lakes his txrain over this i-i^ute? J)o we want to send iVoni
Uulfalo to Liver])Ool, 3,2 l;5 miles, to lind an uncertain market, or
send 4!).") miles to lind a certain market and meet the ordeis ol' the
entire world? We think it Avill not recpiire ten years more to de-
nionsti-ate the utter wortlilessness of that routeto us as an outlet for
our surjtlus ]>roductions. For those seekinii' a p/caf^tn-e trip in sum-
mer, the sctiuM-y of the Tliousand Islands and the lka}»ids ot'the St.
Lawrence form one of the most deliu'litful ami ])ictures<pu' trijis in
tlve world. The traveler that has not enjoyed this trij) has lost a
treat not to be found anvwhere else in the world.
TllK COASriXa TJ!A])E.
The IFon. Josepli Howe said in the Detroit C^)nvention:
*• A sliip tVom Maine or ^[i^ss;lcllusot(f^, or from any S(iit(> in (lie I'liioii, may imt
only visit und unlade at tli<> i»ort to wliicli she lias Ihhmi cleared. Imt siie may uo iVdni
]iort to ))or(. anil I'rom rrovlnco to rrovince. until slielias (•ircuninavi^atcd the ulolie.
the discretion of her owners liein,;;" the only liniit to tiie extent of h<'r transacliiais.
Tho «i-overiiinent of the fiiiled States <j,ives to liiilisii sulijeels no iKirliriiiaiion in
their coasting' tiade. Whether they lin<l a market or not. they must lu'eak iiuiU and
poll at any jiort they enter. With her fifty colonies spread ovi'r the face of the lilolio.
your >liii> nwnt rs parliciiialo in the same privileges as our own. ^"our vessels arc
perniilleil to "iin to Halifax, from Halifax to St. Jolin. from St. John to lirilisii Co-
lumbia, iuid ruim liritish ('olumhia to England. Scothind, or In'land. Tliey are al-
lowed to go coasling round tlie JJrilish llinpire until l!;ey id!, lint you dn not give
us the privilege of coasting anywhere from one end of your Atlantic coast to the
other. And thus it is that 1 say to my tViend IVoiii Maine thai in granling this pri\i-
lege, with iioliiing in return, Great Uritain gives you a pretty large slice."'
Here is tinother pretty larije slice with " nothinix in return." "NVe
should be ashamed of ourselves and apolon'i/.e to our iVieiids for
takino; so much *•' for nothing ;" but before doing so I would like
to know when tin uVmereian ^■essel could loa<l in Chicago and g(^ to
Toronto and discharge a part of her cargo, then go on to ]\ings-
ton and discharge the balance withotit having cle;ire<l from Toronto
to an American port, and then cletiring from tin American }»ort for
42
Kui!.';ston aGjain ; or why tlio stcuinors rnnniiiG; from OgdonsLurg
to I^loiitiH'Ml ill fouiicH-tioii villi tlic .\iiK'ric:iu line iiiust iK't-essarily
1)0 IJritish vcssols, and why all ])ass(.'n!4C'rs have to change boats,
while ;i Jii'itish steamer ma\' he run from Toronto to Osweu'o. from
()sweL;;o to KiiiLj^ston, Ivinu'ston to Clayton, C'layton to ])roek\illo,
J>rock\ille to Ogsdensburuh, and from Ogdenshurgh to Montreal,
calling at every port, as soon as she gets into British waters? If
we load an American vessel at Chicago for Liverpool, we must not
break bulk or discharge any ])art of that cargo at another ]>ritish
])ort. If we have any such right, my education has bi-eii neglected
on that point. In ISOO the C'ana<lian Legislatiu'e ])assed an act
throwing o])en the harljor and district of Gaspe JJasin, as a free
port, without ])ayment of duties. This also eiid)raced an extended
line of coast, with the islands of .Vnticosti and the Magdalen islands.
The object Mas to furnish the small number of inhabitants on that
larf/o area of territory with the means of subsistence, and to induce
others to go there. J>ut no inducenunits have succeeded in <loing much
good, as that district is not caj>able of nnu'h development. They
at the same time, o})eiu'd the free ])ort at Sault Ste ]Marie, em-
bracing the Avhole Canadian coast of Lake Suj)erior and Lake Hu-
ron, extending over 400 miles of lake coast, and the adjacent islands
included. L'^nder the same circumstances they can no doubt get
permission to coast upon any of our harveii or dtsobde c'v<iMs as
long as t/iei/ like.
A British owner of an Anu'rican shij> may load in Liverjtool and
go ])eddling all over our Anu'rican lakes, into every town and city,
and if he can get his vessel intt) the ^Lississippi, he may go on ped-
dling British goods (if the duty is paid) to New Orleans and along
the coast back to Ilalifix without any interruption. We can no
doubt do the same in their waters umler tlie same circumstances.
Reciprocity in coasting is about an even thing.
rxECiriiociTY IX feeling.
Commercial intercourse gcTierally produces a " reciprocity of
feeling," and where those commei'cial ti'ansactions are materially
advantageous to both ])arties, both are satislie/1 to continue to trade
with and respect each other. The I*rovinces are, by their geo-
graphical position, material producers for this market to some ex-
tent. Our markets must of necessity be tlieir markets for a larue
share of their surplus productions; but frcnu the present m-cessi-
ties of both countries we cannot continue a system of free trade,
o
:0
unless Ave resort to measures more ol>jeotional)le. We eaiiiiot be
just to our own people nnd admit foreign productions iree into our
market, while we are com})elled to tax tlie same class of industry
in the case of our own peoj)le. Canada cannot reduce the duty
upon our hoots and shoes, manufactured cotton, satii\ets, ma-
chinery, shovels, spades, hoes, pianos, hooks and such other goods
as we manufacture and want a market for, without reducing their
customs revenue below their actual wants. On the other hand, it*
Canadians ]>ay a duty upon tlieir productions and ui)on all the
goods, wares and merchandise consumed, it brings their net resiUts
down to so low an average that thev cannot do iustice to th.em-
selves and nav both wavs out of their earnings.
To overcome tiiese ditliculties and continue our commercial rela-
tions, and do justice to both parties, will soon be the talk of states-
men from both sides of the line. They have some very clever, able,
far-seeing men, and from our ]»ast ten years' ex})erience, we have
reasons tor thinking they are <piite as good, if not better, at a bar-
gain than Ave are. If avc should get some advantages for the next
ten years, Ave Avill be no more than even on l{eci})rocity. Oui- ne-
cessities compel us to be iirm and get sucli terms as shall at least
put our own people on a par with them. AVe nmst not be exact-
iuir, and charge them Avith svmpatliA' Avith the South during our
terrible Avar. We are all liable to express a preference for a ]»ros-
perous cause, although a bad one ; Avhile Ave are (piite as I'eady to
repudiate any connection Avith the same cause Avheii it fails. AVo
may all be classed as friends of a i|iaying cause, Avhich we would
scorn A\hen it ceased to pay. AV'hile we must not hai'bor any nn-
generous or liard feelings for supposed Avrongs, or ibr sympathy
Avith our "Southern brethren," we must not allow oiirselves to be
over-generous, and be Hattered into terms by their ])rofession of
love and sympathy. I mention this, as Ave have been charged Avith
enticing their young men aAvay from their homes to light our battles.
Mr. Howe said, in his speech at the Detroit Convention :
" We also have a cliarp:o atrainst you. You liavo attracted our yoiuiir uici! across
tl>e border to li>;lit your l)attles. Wliere you cau liud one man iu ilie Soiitln'rn army
I'rom llii' liritish J'lovincc.-^. you will lind lilly in the Norll.crn army I. loo. liave
PuU'ered somewhat in tliis war. 1 have a son who has served in the Twciilv-Third
Ohio, and parlieipated in many a heavy engajiement. And wiien he shewed to mo
the cerlilicate of his commaiidinj^' otlieers, Ihat lie had eondueled himscdl' wilhbra-
very and lidelily, it was some compensation for many anxious hours." (The audience
here rose UunuUuously, and gase three cheers,)
I have no doubt but that this young man did his duty nobly, and
is an honor to his countrv and fimilv. J Jut our gratitude should
be measured by the motive that brought lam into our army. Ho
u
Ikis ;i must loval fot'lliiix i'oi' tln' llai;- of /(/'s country, for Mr. Jlowc
says: "Sir, the vi'ry l>oy I lia\e s|H)kc'ii ol" would rallier l>iow las
brains out than liaul down the honored Ihig of his counti-y."'
A noble sentinii'Ut, ^^■hieh should actuate every true .American.
J3ut why did lie leave his own country and take the chances of o-o^,.
tini;" his "• brains blown out " to sustain our ibig ? If lu' entered
our ser\ire Avhen the first u'un sounde(l to arms, and came into the
ranks as a ]»rivate at ^13 per nn>nth, as thousands ol' our own
brave and true men did, thi'U I sav A\e owe him a dtd)t of u'i'atitude
A\hlch we can never fully repay. Ibit it' he waited, ;;s many others
did, until some thousand oi" more dollars were ollered t'or subst itutcs,
and with his money in one ])ocket and the other tilled "with letters
from inlluential friends to our inlluential nu'u, to u'et him an ap-
pointment as an officer over our own brave men who entered as
])ri\ates, ami was made an officer, and drcAV larue pay from us
for n'overninn" our men, then the gratitude should l)e from him to
our government for liis a}>})ointment, and to his God for s])aring
liis lil'e in battle.
The Provinces furnished about 40,000 names iipon our nnister rolls
during the ]-ebellion. INFany ])erislicd in battle, some were honor-
ably discharged after doing their duty creditably to thcmstdves and
nobly foi- U.S. It should be a ]>leasing duty to honor those brave
nien, and to sympathize with the friemls of the iiillen. There are
sonu' s]K'eial cases whieh re([uire mentioning in connection "with
this subject : Thirty-nine nanu'S a])pear ui)on our muster rolls as
substitutes for drafted nuui, which I ])resunu.! cost us about jS^.'!9,000.
Six nn)iitlis belbre the war closed only two Avere left to tell the
story, and those two Avent before a magisti'ate at Clifton, in Can-
ada, to si'ttle their difficulties about the ])lunder, ami there told
their stoi'v. One swore he liail enlisted twenty-six times, ami tlie
other thirteen times ; and out of the whole thirty-nine names on
our nuister rolls only tiro went into a tight. That tight Avas in
Canada over the spoils ! Our symjtathies are not very great to-
"wards those two, magnilied into thirty-nine. Not one soul of them
o\er did duty in our army. Thev minht have been two of our own
scoundrels, seeking shelter in neutral Canada. From one family
of highly res])ectable ])eople in Canada are entered four names upon
our muster rolls. Only one is now to be found, and he is doinjx
duty for ihe State at Auburn, as a deserter — the other three being
the same one magnilied into four.
Thus, while we should harbor no ill feelings towards those who
are our real friends in Canada — and I know we have thousands of
45
w
thciii — we cannot forget that a few of the 40,000 nnnies on our
[irniv list deserve more roi)e tlian u'ratitmle at our hands, Our
synipatliies shouUl not cover tlie whole nund)er of nanjes, without
any regard to the motives and greenbacks that hel[)ed to make \i\)
that iiumher. \\'hen our sympathies ai'e wrought u}>on hy the
palrlolie (U-eds of those -40,000 self-sacrifieing 7ia)/ies to get ]{eei-
])r(M'ily in trade., we must be all()\\ed some " rec^iprocity in feel-
ing" to <luubt the full nund)er entitled to credit on trade account,
after being paid in full at the time. We cannot recip-ocate the
feeling thai we u'ot "all the advantages" out of them.
AVe should ileal with the (pu'stions of tradi' in a fair, hoiu)rabie
way, that a\ ill benetit both sides. They claim that we have the
balance of trade ; if so, they camu)t complain if 1)oth put on s:.y
20 per cent, upon all the articles that are enumerated in the })res-
cnt lJeci])rocity treaty, leaving the fisheries, navigation and other
matters to remain just as tliey arc. The 20 per cent, would no
doulit i)rotect our industry and keep it nu)ving forward, while it
would Ijc only about the i>roportion we pay for our necessities
iXrowina: out of the waf and the cost of collection. Our relations
will continue just tne same as at pi'csent, and if our trade is so
evenly ])alanced, then the treasuries of both will be replenished.
In going over the entire subject carefully we must arrive at the
following conclusions, viz. :
T, The present treaty nnist close, and no new one can be formed
that will not tax imports as much as our own peo}>le i)ay for en-
joying the same markets for tlie same class of [)roductions. Keci-
l»rocily will atlmit of our productions being taxed the same amount
when sold in their market.
II. Our rights gained in the fisheries arc a poor compensation
for their iish, coal, gypsum, lumber, grind stones, granite and other
conunodities, entering our markets free of duty.
III. While we admit some advantages to some of our lumber-
men in running the St. John's river in New .Brunswick, we con-
tend that we have enjoyed no benefit whatever from the free navi-
gation of the St. Lawrence, for our shii)i)ing doing a through
business to foreign ports. If there has been any benelit at all, it
has accrued to JJritish subjects entirely. IVrhaps there ha\ e been
twenty-five Americans who have been benelited by the Quebec
market for staves and tindjer.
IV. AVe derived no benefit from the use of the AVclIand Canal
that we did not have before the treaty, and that we paid for a jtart of
the time Avith a discrimination of 90 per cent, against our own vessils.
4G
V. ^Vo can sec no c'<|uiv;ilc'ut for tlic lVc<' iiaviii'atioii liy tlu'ir
vessi'ls of Lake .MichiLjan, wliicli llicy can use and do on- busi-
ness iVoni oui' ou n ]>or1s to our own |iorls on I.akc Ontario, Ity
t'learini;- their Ncssi'ls from (Miicai^o to ]*ort Colborne ; consiu-niuL;"
to some (:]\v at I'oi'f Dalliouise, an<l sen<linLi; tVeii^'lits o\-ei- llie W'el-
land Ilailroa<l, tuenty-eiixlit miles, anollier Ili-itish Ncssel taking' the
same freitj'ht witli bill ot'ladiu'j; from there to Osweiro. That is an-
Other '' atlvantaii'e " we (b) not ^et i'rom them.
Fimdly : Our comuu'reial relations must b(> continued, or " ri'ci-
jn-ocity in feelini;- " will (b'cline. AVe desiiH' a fair t I'eaty, base(l
u[M)n ])rini'ii)les ot" tact ami Justice 1o both ]»arties, and T can see no
bettt'r way (/i<Oi to led re ilte jircsent t renin hi aU its, he<ii'Ui<if<, hut
(((/reehtii upon a ^niifann toritf in hotJi count nes upo)) (ill ortielefi
nientio/ied in it <(k free (jouiln : or in case of the confedei'alion of
the liritisli North American Colonies into one (lo\ernment. tlien
arrann'cnu'nts mi<i,ht be entered into between tliem aiul the (io\ern-
ment of tlie United States to lune o)u> unifonn tariff iipon all for-
ci<jn (joodx, and one system of interiud rerenne., so that neitlier
party could smuiruK' iroods to the otlier to anv advnntaue. Then
abollxJi (ill Custom House Off'ccs on, both sides of our e^etended fron-
tier^ itml Ixivc trade and navigedioji free and imohstrveted bi'lween
the United States a>a.l t/ie Confederated Colonies ef JiritisJi Xorth
Anwriea. The t'xpeuses of both countries Avonid be materially re-
duced. Their treasury/ ii-ould be replenisJied^ furnisliiny; them tiio
means to exti'ud their |)ublic improvements, — and our manufac-
tured ejoods would compete upon an equal looting" witli their own,
as an eejuivaleid for their j^i'odurtiems Jiaving tJie lieneft of tJie marJx'-
ets ef the United States, and secure to both that freedom of trade
and navif/ation so essential for the mutual beneft and prosj)erit)/ of
both coufdries. Thus Avhile tlie two governments would be se]»a-
rate like our State Governments, trade and co)nmcrcc voiibl l-now
no dijf'erencebctu^een thetwo. That is all the "annexation " they Avant
with us at ])resent, and we certaiidy have territory enough noM'.not
to desire any more. Uniform tarijf on foreign importff, uniform
sf/stem of i/iternal revenue, uniform security of the rights of j>rop-
crtg, uniform si/stem of veigJds and measures, u'ifhfree trade and
)iavigation, might cover all our difficulties and finite us as one peo-
ple! bri)ajing together in. harmong and good feeling, tlie fags
of two nations, the most eidightened and 2iou'erfd on earth,
i?do one interest, and that one interest icordd be mutual p)rotection,
and " reace and good will towards men."
RECIPROCITY.
Sl'KI^'ir OK irOX. ISKAEL T. ITATCIT, OF lU'FFALO,
JX THE COMMKIWIAL COXVKXTIOX. Jl'LTlU iso:,.
Iv(H'ii)i-o('al trade with the Canadas and oilier Xorlh jVincricaii
Uritisli Provinces has received tlie sanction of the leading statesmen
of all t'oi'nier political ])arties in this conntry.
The lerritor}' of the ]*rovinces is extended on a houndary indented
with our own across the continent. Climate, soil and the cost of
lahor, the main elements of value in cereal j)r<)ductions, are nearly
alike in both conntries. Tiiese similitndes no doubt suLi^ested the
idea of I'eciprocal trade and commerce, and the discussion, lej^isla-
tion and di])loniacy of the country linally i;;ne it a })ractical a])i»li-
cation in the adoi)tion of the so-called ]ieci])rocity Treaty. The
])rincii>le of the treaty itself was to permit tlie interchant>e of ])ro-
ducts between the countries free of duty; ami e([nivalent benetits
were expected to follow to each. It was a formal movement in
substantial free trade. The l)elief entertained by an .\merican Con-
gress that its s})irit and its substance had been disregarded by the
leading JJritish Provinces, no doubt led to its abrogation by the last
Conu'ress, and the refusal to authorize anv neii'otiations for its re-
newal. The tfeaty ex})ires in a few months under the notice given
by the President for its termination, and our connnercial intercourse
with Hritish rrovinces, so far as the IJeciprocity Treaty aifected or
changed it, is again open for discussion ami legislation or diplomacy.
A brief reference to the history of our commercial relations with
the Xorth American J>rilish l*rovinees, and a review of the leading-
features of the statistics of trade with them for the last eight years,
furnish the oidv safe "uides to conclusions which should govern the
48
action of tliis Coin cntioii. Tliooxnininntioii will dist'losc L^ricvanccs,
if iiiiy exist, and nuitual explanations, nia<U' in a fraternal spirit, may
lead to llic ri'nioval of the cause, and the restoration of those tree
commercial relations (so soon to terminate) ni>on a nu)re endui'ing
basis.
The commerce between the Unite<l States and the Uritisli 1 Prov-
inces, I'cviewed from the centi'al point njjon the chain of our most
niauiiiticent inland seas where this Convention now sits, now rcM-als
to us the anomalous sjiectacle of two boi'dcr nations with an array
of custom-houses extendiuL;' alon^: their whole conterminous fi'on-
tiers, sustaine«l at an expense to this (iovei'umcMit heretofore exceed-
iuL!; the revenue they collect, Avhose })rinci])al occupation is to enter
an<l i"e'4ister the free pi'oducts of Canada on their way to our free
markets; while on the o])posite shore, often separated from us oidy
by a bridge, a ferry, or a boundary line, is found an e(|U;ill\- ex-
tended cordon of imperial customs' buildinii's, collecting lai'ge rev-
enues on our taxed ])ro(bu'ts, as a tribute which the uidriendly
legislation of Provincial Parliaments has exacted from us in ex-
change for the connnercial freedom we ha\'e granted to the Camnbis.
These exactions have been justilied on the ground that no special
provision ao-ainst them was inserted in the treatv, althouii'h its
avowed object Avas to carry out the [)rinci]»le of Peciprocity, and
" esneciallv to regulate the commerce and navigation between Her
]N[ajesty's possessions in North .Vmerica and the P^nited States in
such^a maimer as to render the same reciprocally l)enetieial and sat-
isfactory."
Otlicial Canadian reports show that in 'l8o9 the amount of duties
collected by the Canadas on imports from the Ignited States Avas in
in 1850, -<?1,825,135; in 18G0, !c?l,Vr)0,928, and in 1801, .<^1,584.802.
During these three years the whole A'alue of property iin])orted into
this country from the Canadas, upon Avhich duty Avas levied, Avas
only, in 1859, ^434,532; in 1860, $358,240; and in 1801, $227,859.
The average amount of duty annnally le\ied and collected on these
im])orts, in these three years, Avould probably not exceed $75,000.
The average annual A'alue of property entering Canada, from the
United States, in the eight years preceding 1803, upon Avhicli duties
have been imposed, is $8,401,481, Avhile Canadian goods entering
the United States during the same period only \mi(\ duty on an
annual average value of $407,238.
It Avill thus be seen that dutA^ is paid on goods of the United
States entering Canada to the average annual excess in v:duc, over
those of Canada entering tliis country, of $7,934,241.
40
Tlie value of free o'oods ini|iortt'<l into C'anadn, from tlic United
States, foi- tlie last ein'ht years, has licen !?7.'{,2ir),(i2;{. "^riie e.\])()rt
of free !i;oo(ls from the Canadas into the United States for the same
period has been '1>1 15,5 t8,ss(). The result has been the exoneration
from <luty of ijoods imported from Canada to the value of ""' 4 '_»,M. '?:!,-
257 more than the value of the f?oo<ls imported from the I'nitcil
States into Canada in the (.•iti.ht vi'ars which ha\'<' bei'U rclrrrcd to.
On closer examination it will be seen that a larLi,e pi'opoition of
tlu' duty payinij^ articles imj)orteil from Canada consist of commo-
dities not produced in that country. In 1 S58, the dutiable imjtorta-
tions from Canada were only •^;U;3,95:), of which iron, hardwai'e
and salt (articles not produced in Canada for ex]»ortation, in any
appreciable (piantities) alone furnished ^19^,595. Of the remaimh'r,
a considei'able portion was also of foreign oi'igin. ^Vs the same
reas(ining applies also to other years, the followins:; tabular state-
ment for the term of four years, ending June oO, 1850, is added :
185(1. IS.")!. Ls.jS. IS.')!).
Total luiiount of dutv-pavinf!; articles im-
IKtrU'd into the U.S. from CiUUKlu,.... $(;i0.;j75 $(;!»!. 007 S.'il.'i.D."-.'! ^aOt.OfiO
Iron, lianlware and salt, 5(1.'!,;)!).") ,");il,0U l'j:},.V.»j ;m1),.V)5
Amount <if Canadian and oilier goods
cliar^^cd with duties in tlH! U. S $130,:JSO $ltiU,OSC. ^12(i,.'J5S $155,411
This statement demonstrates tliat during these years we have
not collected annually duties on much more than 8100,000 in v.alue
of merchandise actually })roduced in Canada ; which, contributing
an average duty of 20 per cent. i)roduces only 825,000 towards de-
fravin;:!" the inmicnse yetirly exi)ense incident to our cu^ton\-liouse
system, along a frontier of inland coast 0,000 miles in extent.
The Canadian duties have been increased from time to time since
the adoption of the lveci[)rocity Treaty ; and during the live years
commencing in 1855 and ending in 1850, duties were exacted on
the declai'cd value of chief articles of consumption, as exhil)ited in
the following table :
AUTin-KS. 1855. 1S58. 1857. 1858. 1S59.
Molasses IC 11 11 18 30 percent.
Su^-ar. relined, 32 28 25 2(;^ 40 " "■
Su^ar, other 27J 20 17i 21 oO " "
IJoots and shoes, 12| 1-li 20" 21 25 " "
Harness 124 17" 20 21 25 " "
Cotton Goods ]2i VAh 15 15 20 •' ''
Iron C;oods ]2i 1^ 15 1(5 20 " "
Silk Goods 12| Ul 15 17 20 " "
Wool goods, 12| 14 15 IS 20 '' "
Almost every year a new tarilT has been enacted in Canada, each
10
inflicting liiglicr duties upon the cliicf productions of Anu'ricnn
l;il)(»r.
Tiic liu-iil' of 1S59 was avowedly liased upon an exclusive policy.
It was supported on this j^round aliivc by ministerial orujans of the
press, hy pi'titions in its favor, and hy nienil)ers of the C'olonial
l*ai'Iianient. -After seeurinijj our free market for all Canadian pi'O-
tluctions, its advocates artj;ued that it Avas tlie interest of the Cana-
dians to become ind('pen<lent of all other countries, and to employ
their own ships and tlieir own })eoi)lc ; thus, to emi)loy their own
laui^uage, " keepint^' in the country all that is now i)aid to tlic
United States."
No justilication for the annual increase in these rates can l>e fomnl
in the assertion that the then jtrescnt rates did not exceed our own.
AVlu'u the ti'caty Avas ratified, our tariff exceeded theirs, and the
considei'ation u'iven to them "was not an e(]uality of tariffs, hut an
interchang'e of the })roduce of both countries and certain ])rivile_u"es
in navin'ation. A liberal policv towards our manufacturers -was
•^ J. »
promised and luid been before adopted; and thus the commerce and
navisjjation of the two countries, it "was expecte<l, Avould be jdaced
on " terms reci|>rocallv beneficial and satisfactorv.'' Justice to our
people demanded that future Canadian le<^islation should conform
to the letter and s]>irit of the treaty.
Certainly the s]»irit of the treaty has not been thus observed, and
the increase of Canadian duties has not only affected our trade ami
commerce iniuriouslv, but the manner in which they were levied
has increased the burden, and now o})erates as a system of differen-
tial duties against us.
Canada now endeavors to deprive us of all the benefits of recip-
rocal trade by levying duties on the value of goods at the ])lace of
purchase. The peo})le of Western Canada were accustomed to buy
their Avines, spirits, groceries, and East and West Imlia i)roduce,
besides many other commodities, at New York, Boston or .Mon-
treal. The former system atlmitted American cities to comi)etition
— the duties having been specific and levied on the Aveight, measure,
or number of articles Avherever they Avere jmrehased. Thus no
greater duty Avas charged on imports, via Boston or Ncav York
to Toronto or Hamilton, than via the St. LaAvrence to ^Montreal.
The ])resent system forces the pcojile of Canada to discontinue their
business connections Avith our merchants, and buy from the jMon-
treal and Quel)cc importer. Thus the productions of China, I^razil,
or Cul)a, if brought to Canada via the St. LaAvrence, pay duty on
their value in the country of their origin ; but if purchased in our
^
T)!
Atlantic cities, must pay duly on that value increased l»y interest,
Irei^lit <)\('i' the ocean, and tlie various other e.\|»enses and char«;'es
of tht' insui'cr, sliij)|)er and nieicliant. This is not oidy le,i;ishition
au'ainst our carriers, but ajjrainst all our mercantile interests. The
"•iniM'i'ase of dutv" has l>ccn cai'ct'ullv estimated to he L'o per cent,
on M-nods imported into the TiiiU'd States and thence into Canada,
in excess of the duties levied u[)on g'oods carried via 3Ionti-eal. Tiie
distances from Chdja to Toronto, via the St. Lawrence, (a river
closed half the year) is about thi-ee times as oreat as throuu,h the
Unite(l States. Thus Canada vaiidy strives to conijuer the laws ol'
arithmetic, climate and sj^con-raphy.
"^riie connnittee appointed by the Canadian TA'L;islative Assembly
in iSoT), unhesitatinjjfly atlirni in their vejioi't (p. ;]), " tliat the St.
Lawi'ence canals were constructed at .'i lar2;o ])ublic expenditure,
Ibr the pur|)ose of drawinn" the trade of the Western States to the
]>orts ot' ^Montreal and (^U(d)ec,"
The j)e()ple of the United States ai'e entitled under the treaty to
use till' ri\-er St. Ijawreiict' and the canals in Canada, as the "jiieans
of coniniunicating between the n'reat lakes and the .\tlantic ocean,
subject only to the same tolls ami other assessments as now are, or
may hei-eafter be exacted of her ^lajesty's subjects." (See Article
4 of Treaty).
IJut as we arc the chief carriers tlirouii;!! the Welland canal of
wheat, Hour and coi-n — almost the oidv lreii>;ht of our vessels bv
this route — a discrimination against us is made l)y inn)0sin^ ihe
same tolls on these artick's on their passage through the canal, (a
■work '2S miles in lenii'th and forming the only means of communi-
cation tor lake vessels l)etween the ui)per and lower lakes), as if
they passed through the Canadian canals. Yet Ave carry 25 tons i-
on the Welland canal lor every single ton avc carry on the others.
If the cargo is not delivered to an American port, but delivered
to a Canadian port, the ship}>er u[)on the presentation of an ofli-
cial certilicate of the latter fact to the custom-house officer at
Tort Colborne, receives ;i draw-back of 90 per cent, upon the tolls
l»aid upon his cargo.
Exports of American goods to Canada show ii marked decline
during these eight years, falling from 86,V90,.3.33 in l.'^.")4, and
$8,750,000 in 1855, to 81,500,397 in 1802, and 81,408,113 in 1803.
It is thus demonstrated that tlie Canadian supi)ly of foreign goods
is no longer purchased in the importing cities of the United
States, as before the treaty. The statistics of bonded goods enter-
ing Canada cunlirni this proof, and establish the fact that the
-i
52
forcii^n sMpnUcs of llu' coldiiii'S lU'i' |>riii('ii>:illy imsscd ilnun.^li
rorthnd.
Altlioiii;li no (lutit's !iV(>\vt'(lly discritniiiMtiii^: :u"c' 1('\ icd on Ainci'-
ioan i:;oo(ls, tlic infhuMK'o of tlic |»rovinci;il tarilf iirodiiccs the sanio
t.'rt'cft, for tilt' nmiiiif;K'tiii'('s most rcjulily .'Kloptcd liy (^in.'wla must
1)(! like our own. 'I'lic dimatt', price of materials, interest on mo-
ney, watjjes of laltor, and various causes, determining the kind and
iirices of manufacitures o.i lioth sides of the fi'ontii'r art^ nearly iden-
tical, when no legislation intei'venes to arrest or alter the laws of
trade.
If thi'si' views in vdation to the injurious effects caused 1>\ the
charges in levyiuij^ duties u)>on our trade and commerce needoil
conlirmation, it can l»e found in the arLTunu'iits and expectations of
the authors of those chanu'es.
.Mr. (ialt, linance minister of Canada, in his re])ort of .March 1,
18G(», at page JiU, states as i'ollows :
•> By cxft'ndiiij]: llio ad i-(ihirn» priiicij)lo to all hnpf>rti\tinn« and tlu'ic'iy oiu'dui'-
apiiifi: and (U'volopiiij!; tlie direct trade iM'twccn Canada and all t'orci;,'!! oounlrii's by
sea. and so I'lir licnt'lilini!; tlic sliijii/nnj iiihrcsts nf <Jniit ^)ritiii)i -an ulijcct wliicli is
])iutly obtained throngii l\w duties bein;,' talvcn upon tlio value in the maikel wlicro
last bou^lit — liie levy ofspecitic duties lor several years bad completely diverted the
trade of Canada in teas, suj^'ars, etc.. to tlu' American markets, (our Atlantic cities),
and bad destroye({ a very valuable trade which formerly existed IVom the St. Law-
rence to the lower province's and West Indies. It '.vas believed that the cnnipetilion
of our canals and railroad systems, (via Portlai'd). lojrether with the improvements
in the navij^ation of the Lower St. Lawi'enee, juslilied tluf belief that the supply of
Canadian wants miyht be once more nnuU' by sea, and the benefits of this commerce
obtained for our own merchants and foi'warders. t'nder this conviction it \\as de-
termined l)y the jfovernment to ai)ply the priaciplos of ad valorem duties."
At page 38 ho adds :
'•Any duty which has been ])laced on Enjrlish {^oods is quite ind<'mnitied by tlio
decreased costs at which our canals, railways, and steamshijis eiuiblc them vow to lie
deliveied throughout the jjrovince, an<l that d' the (piestion were one of coiujielilion
with Canadian manufacturers (ho Knglish exporter is cpiite as well off as before,
while as compared with the American his position is greatly improved."
The history of the increase of taxation on American nuinufac-
tures will disclose the fact — (as is asserted by the organs of the
government) — that the increase was made necessary by Caiui-
dian expenditure in carrying out their system of internal iiii}»rove-
ments. Tint a large amount has been thus expended is sliowu by
the following quotation from tlic Ivcport of the Select Committee
appointed in 1858, by the Legislative Assembly of Canada, to in-
(piire into the course of trade between the different Atlantic ports
in America and Great Britain, etc., (p. 3) :
" The public debt of Canada has increased from year to year to about fifty millions
of dollars, twenty-live millions of which have been created since L^o.'i, princi])ally in
the construction of railways yielding no income." (See public accounts, l.siJT, p. 223).
'
she
add
the
bee
53
u'j:\\
■■(
]Mr. (fiilt, iti fi ivport issiu'd l»y liini in Enirl.iiKl in support of a
Canadian ministci-ial sflu'inc, admits tlu' insutlicit'ncy of the coni-
nicrcc of Canada to support Iut pultlic wcuks, and <-'Xj)r('ssly states
tliat, whilst possi'ssiiiix llic most niaLCniticcnt canals in the \\oiId,
she is " without any trade to support thcin, except her own," and
athlinuf that the canals of Canada have I'ailed to divei't trade from
the channels it had alreadv formed; a system of railroads had also
been constructed for the pm-pose of competiniLj with American in-
terests. (See rep(M-t i-ntilled "Canada, ]M!> to I8r»l», hy lion. A.
T. Calt, Finance Minister of Canada, iHO(i). lie tlieiM.rot'e»'ds to
state that, after deducting a sinkinj^ fund for tin '^^ ,nptloii ot
the imperial guarantee*! loan, the direct public del»; ■ " e I'rovince
amomits to l's,8H4,(;72, or !?t:{,()()l,S12 ; addinir, that of this sum,
di'bts incurred in conse<|uence of the canals and (Hlter works con-
nected with the navii^ation of the St. Lawrence, an<l railway a<l-
vances, iurnish £S,.s01,f()0, leavin<;f only i'2'-!,272, or ^1()7,7'.>0, as
the total direct debt of Canada made for any other purposes.
These larjjje Canadian expenditures in the construction of railroads
and ship canals, were not made for their local ti'atlic, as will be seen
from ministerial statements, btit to compete ^\ ith our carry iuij: sys-
tems in the transportation of property from the West to theseaboaid.
To (dos(^ these canals to our vessels Avould not only l)e :m act ol
lolly on the part of Canada, but would be contrary to the objects
of their ( cation. The State of New York mi^ht Avith more wis-
dom eb)se tlie Erie canal aufainst the connnercx' of the \Veslern
Stales. 'J'hat canal passes throu'^li the central j)ortion of a State
j)ossessing mucli larirer ]>opulation than Canada, and fr<^m thence
derives immense local ti'alHc for its sui»port, while tlu' canals of
Canada arc lateral and depend almost entirely upon the conunerce
of the Ignited States.
Oi' nearly all the articles named in the treaty a surjtlus is com-
mon to botii countries ; aiul \vv have an abundant supply and a sur-
l)lus for export of every article named in it.
Canada has no crop so cheap and }>roHtable for various manufac-
turing and other pur})Oscs as the corn bought from us, which was
admitted free before the treaty. AViieat, the stajde cro}) and chief
ex})ort of Canada, Avas also admitted free before the treaty for the
benefit of Canadian millers and shi})owners.
For other grains, barley, rye, oats, animals, etc., we furnished for
Canada the only market worthy of mention.
The Western States liad from an early day looked upon the free
navigation of the St. Lawrence as afibrding a natural and cheap
outlet for their products ; and believed that benefits arising from
")-!
tlu' coiiccssioii o[' tilis ii;iiiMn;il ]»ri\ ili'L;"t', m<»m](I incri' tlinii conntiT-
h.ilniicc niiv im'idt'iital iniiii'ii's lo oIIut iiilcrcsts.
Sir II. !.. Uiilwrr, :i loniu'i- !>rili^li Miiii'^tiT lo tliis couiilrv, -aWov
vvr^s'iw'j; oil our ;it t ciil ion the s]iirit r\ iiiri'(l \>y (':iii:i(l:i towai'ds our
inauut'act urcrs, aii'l |troiuisiii<.'; on lu'liall' ot' llic ("auail'an (!o\(M'n-
incnl to caiTv a lilu'val jiolicy out still I'uimIum', ju't'scnltMl t!u' tVcr
na\ iuatio;! «.!" tlic St. l,a\\ rcuci', \\ itli tin- :ulioininu' canals, as tlu'
con^iilri'ation to Ik' ]>ai(l I>y that I'rovinci' lor tho \'yvc intiM'chanu'<'
ol' all natural pi'otlui't ions A\ilh us, .ami tor the na\i>4ati(Ui o\' \.:\\<o
!Mi('hi'j,an. 'Phi' proNisions ot" the 1 {I'l-ipr* rit y Tri'aty we're compi'i'-
hi'usixt', and included ;i satisjactory s.ilntion ol" tlu' |>er|ih'\it ies
then cKisiino- in r' :ard to all the eonipi.'i'cia! ri'Iations hetwi'cu this
count ry and the I'i'on inces.
Olhcial ri'poi'ts t'roiu oui' torei^'u and domestic coiunuM'ce i;'i\('s us
tlie nuinhei" o[' clearances tVoni Western jiori, to loreiL''n [lorts lor
the last eii^'ht years. It, and the uuniln'r ot" em ranci-s ■;•_'. In 1 SCi;!
only one vessel cleai'ed ami enti'iH'd, so tliat tlu' concession ol" the
free na\ ii^'.it ion ot" the St. Law rence practically has proved not wor-
thy ol" consider;; ' ion. Thi' co-operatiu';' t'll'orts ot" the t wo l!."o\ eiai-
ments havi' been unawailinn' in making it .an outw.ard channel to the
o(H'an in j)ret"erence to the canals, lakes and railroatls ol' the I'nited
Siati's.
To contrast the pi'iviU'U'es, the Kniteil St.ates had hoped toii,'ain in
e\ch;in!4"e Tor the Tree na\iuation ol" L.ike ^lichii^'an the I'ree navi^■;l-
tion of tlu' St. Lawrence: wilh \]\v substantial athantai^'es dc!'l\t'd
t'rom our concession in this particulai', it is only nect'ssary to state
tlie shi|iinents from one ]>orl, on Lake MichiL-jan, ("hicauD, to i.'an;i-
dian jhuMs in I Sii-J.
Tlu' shipments from ('hica>j,'o for isil:,' to Canadian ports wore:
Flour, I •-'(), .Ml hari'els; w heat, ;!,0!)S, !•_' I hushels : c(U-n, tl,(K)."),(i('.l
bushels; oat s, 1 ST, ■_'.')•_' bushels: rye, L'()0,(;.Mt l)nsliels; barley, 7 I ,'•» I ',1
bushels, I'cachin^ in estimated .amount about one cpi.'irter of the
total expoi'l (if these commodities toCan.ada from Lake 31ichiu'an.
The aid of fort'ii;-ii and ri\;d lines of trans|(oi-t;ition, enleriuL;-
within oui- tt'rritory, no doubt li.as cheapeiu'd freii^hls, I)iil it A\ell
may be (pu'stioned wiietlier tlu' loss to (uir carriers has inured to
the ,ad\antage of the Anierii-an producer. The \alue of the crop at-
home is actually established in its ultim.ate luarki't, and the addeil
supply (U'ri\('d from Canadian jiroduction must most matei'ially de-
crease pi"ices.
Our intercourse with Canada has been ch.arai'teri/.ed upon our
part by an amount of liberality and forbearance thai is rarely ex-
hibiti'd l>v one neighbor in ti' nation to another.
i)t)
Iter
It was I'liactc'd l)y C'diiuTc^s. Mai'cli ;!, isiT, that "iKt L';tMHls ■~lial!
1)1' iiii|Hnic(l tVoiii (iiir |K»rt ill tlic rnilnl States to aiidtlirr |Mirl »•!'
tlu' I'liitrd States, In a \ essel lK'l(iii_uin_u' w lidlly or in part to a sul»-
ject ot" a t'oreiu'ii powiT,"'
\\'Iiilsl tlu" I'liitnl States has lu'ohihited t he t raiis|iortaiioii in for-
eiun \essi'ls iVom one .\uierieaii poiM to another, it lias iieianilled
Canadian railroads It) 1 r;ins|i()i't ]iro|)eity iVoni oiu' AiiU'iiean port
to another across their territory. allhoni;h tiiis nioije ol' t ransjn sta-
tion is in inanifest ri\alry with t he laiterini-t', la'mr and eapital ol'
our eit i/.eiis.
All oilier means ot' transportation in the slriin'^ie (o eonii-i"! (he
inland carrying tratU' ol" oiir eonntry, are ol' minor eharacler eoiii-
pareil with tlu' Li,iuantie elVorts ol" the ( irand 'I'ruiilx. 1 {ail road, owned
hy IJrilish capitalists. This ro.id is oiu' ol" t he mx'atest works of
modern enterprise, h'ew e(|iial it in inaunil iide or im|)oi'taiice. It
iH'aches rrom ;in .Vnierican port on the .\llaiitie ocean through sub-
sidized Aiiu'rican raili'onds, to tlu' \ I'ry centre of the ^rain u'row iiiL;'
reu'ions in the \ alleys ol' our lakes and trilnitary I'ixeis ; and is (o-
daw and n|)on our soil, the most powerful conipt'titor w ith all oiir \ ari-
oiis ( arryin;;' systems for the siipreni.acy oxer our inland conimerce.
'I'he recent moNeiiieiit in (ire:it lirilain !o aid in w idenin>4 •"•'id
dci'pi'ninL;' the ( 'anadian canals, I'oi- the j:assan'e of slii|)s of tlu' lai'u'esl
burden to our inland seas, and tlu' re\i\ai of (he |)roiec( of an inler-
coloni.d I'ailroad, cannot lia\e esca|ied the atteiitiun of our people,
ai'd are di'ser\ iiiii,' of liie u'l'av I'st consideration. In iS.iS, said .Mr.
Ivot'htick in I'arliainciit :
"'riit' pn'sciit sl;i((> III' llic N'mlli Anirricaii <'(inliiii'iil was i\ iiiiiltcr d' i^rcit iiilcr-
csl In l']ii!:.!.ni(l. 'I'lic smulu'i'ii and nmsi iii)|i(iri:iMl iioiiinii l)cliiii^«-<l In ilic I niii'il
Slates (if Aiiii'i-ica. wliicli rail iip In w lieic llicv iin-t liic tlniiiiiiidii ol Mimiaiul, w iiicli
slrclclii'il rmiii llii' Allaiilii- Id iIic i'acilic. Ilim'lainl ikism'ssimI 1Iii> larger pari u|' lln'
fiiii!iiiciil, which |irnci'('(li'il iiorihw aid iiiilil il rfachi'ij, ii|kiii ils wi'stcrii I'loiilifr, lia-
tci riliiiy lichMi^iiiLT ti) liiis-ia. We hcicinlurt' had plaiitril cdldiiics in liic Muiilicrn
«livisinii ihal he liiul iiaiiicd. We had |iiaiil('d Ihirlccii fnioiiic^ in ilial (•(Hiiilry ;
lliiisc I'lil'iiiit's iiad (Icidaii'd llicir iiidcpt'iult'iicc. and liad ^iiicc iiicii'aM'd lo (hi- iiiim-
licr III' lliiily-livc or liiirly-si\ IVcc Slaics. \\ C had rrcalcd a pnwcr iIhtc w Ifu ii. if
SDIlielliiil;;- WCl't' llul <liini' liv I'limiaild. as a. (■(HllllcilMiisc In llic I ' llilcd ."^latcs t)|
,\nn'iiia. il wniild nvt'ishaddw imi only liiinlaiid, liul ilu' cailli. lie in'licvcd Ihal.
ill llic Nniihi'in pari t>l' Ihc ( 'iinliiiciil.. \\f had Ihe nicaiis of I'^lalili.-iiiiiu llie I'oiiiilrr-
jioiM- w liicli ill' soiiulil."
" Takiii'a' lilt' \Vi'>lt'in side uf l,ai\i' Sn|ifriiir to Ihc KticivV Moinilains. Ijn'v Udiild
oiil llic iifw fiihiiiy w liii'li Ihc K'i^iil I Iniioraiiic Sfcrt'laiy fur Ihc ( 'ninnies pmpn^i'd
t,(» >'sial)lisli, ami he ht'licvcd plans had Ix'cii laid hi'lni'f liu^ Ki;j;li( llniinralilc l!arniifl
I'nr I'li'i'viiii;' a railwiiy I'umplt'lcly armss ihc ( "niiliiii'iil, so ihal a iliic'l fiMiiiiiiiiiica-
tinii Wiiiild he cdaltlislii'il liclwi'i'ii i;ii;;!aiid and N'aiirniivcr's l-laiid, hy \va\ nf
Halifax."
This w as a m.aunilicent scheme.
" 'I'lic accninplishnitMit of siirh a si'licnic would iiiiilc lliii^laiid willi X'aiicniivcr's
Island, with ("liina. ami lln-y wniild lie fiiahli'd widely In exii'iid lln- cIn ili/alinii id
i'ln^l.ind. W'lit'ii hi' rcfcrii'd In llit- ri\ ili/.ilinii of I'iiiLjIaml, he wished il in he eniii-
|iai('d willi Ihc civili/alioii of .\ineiit'a. ami he woultl hnldly as.sert Ihal the ci\ ilizii-
tion of iJii'laiid was !;it'a(er lliaii that of .Vinerica."
56
The Colonial Socrotavv, Sir E. !>. Lvtton, in the same cldjato ad-
(led, that this ]>roj('c't would be " an essential arch, as it were, to
that n-reat viaduct 1)V which we ho])e one day to connect the harbors
of Vancouver with the Gviif of St. Lawrence." These ambitious
views have, in late years, been expressed from time to time by l>rit-
ish statesmen, and certainly are not I'eferred to here to awaken any
traditional ])reju(lices, but to call attention to the fact that there is
an attempt to give them a practical application upon this continent,
recently shadowed forth in the negotiations of the 15ritisli North
American Provinces Avith (4reat ]5ritain.
The })ast history of Great l>ritain leaves no room to doubt, as to
the attem]>ted consummation of any scheme for the extension of her
im]>erial sway; for no })ower in the earth or on the earth, material,
physical or elemental, has ever arrested the march of her en'jire
around the globe. She se(d<s to grasp in the North the great com-
mercial prize of the age: supremacy over the inland connii'U'ce of
the North American continent. This gigantic rivalry is Avorthy of
imperial and)ition, for our artificial and water lines of transportation
now almost extend into the centre of this continent, and so(>ii must
be connected by railroads with the Pacific. Over these transit lines
are now passing the industrial and agricultural Avealtli of the West
to the seaboard, and Americai; and European emigration fi'om the
dense pojudation of the East towards the Pacific. They lie, too,
between these i)arallels of latitude in Avhich the human race is ever
moving in its exodus from the East to the West.
The extraordinary commercial stru<2:<>le now o-oinfr on betAVcen
ourselves and our colonial neighbors, must end in colossal consoli-
dation of American capital and enterprise, in some degree equalling
theirs, or the field must be abandoned to a foreign rival.
The whole modern system of Canadian-British internal improA"e-
ments oi'iginated in the freedom coiu'eded to the trade and commerce
Itet ween the two countries by the adoi)tion of the Peciprocit} Treaty.
Without such concessions British cajiital never Avould have found
investments in such immense Avorks, nor could those Avorks to-day
find anything like adeiiuate support, exce])t n]»on the basis of our
bonded system, and the liberal exercise of oiHcial authority under
the act of 1700, and the Avarehousing act of 1854, (and certainly un-
der the most liberal construction of the act of 1700), permitting tho
transit of foreigi^ and domestic goods lirst through our territory,
then through Canada, and .after >vards to their ultimate destination
in this country. The law of 1790 Avas enacted at a time Avhen its
framers could not have foreseen any such apj)lication of its authority
as to permit the productions of American origin to be taken from
ar[.
to
fl(
57
ad-
to
ors
)US
rit-
iny
is
lit,
•til
/I'
)!(
one st'ction of llio Ignited States tliroiiii-li a iorciuii coiiiitrv, 1»\' I'ur-
ei.un means, to another section of the United States, (hit y fret-.
Xo wise or even national jjoliey ]iernii such foi'eiyn rivalry. I'he
argument seeking to sustain it Avould iin« its ])aralh'l in an attempt
to defend the course v.hich throuuh the nast vears has driven our
ships from the seas and surrendered into alien hands tlii'ee-<inartei's
i)f that foreign trade, once so much the ohject of our national pride.
The trade of the United States with other North Amei'lcaii lirit-
ish Ui'ovinces than Canada, is upon more favorable terms, but in
amount is of minor imj)ortance compared with the trade of the lat-
ter. Our exports to those other i)rovinees are madi' uj) of wheat,
flour, Indian corn, coi'u meal and rye. The fisheries of the coast
provinces furnish a natural market for our provisions and breadstuifs,
which can never be su]>i)lied so chea[>ly from Canada as tln' Uniteil
States. ^lost of those articles, if not all, are necessitit's of jiiovin-
cial consumption, and many of them were admitted (as they were
into Canada) free from duty b.'fore the adoption of the IJeciitroeity
Treaty.
The imports of these sniallcr provinces to tlie I'nited States, are
maiidy made up of coal, lumber ami tisli. The coal conies directly
in com})Ctition in our market with the }>ro(lucts of the coal mines
of Pennsylvania and ^[aryland; and the lumber, with the lumber of
INlaine, ^Michigan ami New York. The })roduct of the mine must
become, on both sides, a ra})idly increasing class of our exchanges.
Ilitiierto the balance has been much in our favor. Extensive regions,
rich in mineral wcaltli, exist in Canada West; but her geological
formations are destitute of coal, and, as the forests are cleared away,
an incalculable amoimt of fuel from the limitless coal flelds on the
south side of lake; Erie will l)c required in her northei'n clinuite.
The coal of Ohio, Northern Virginia, and Pennsylvani,',, su[)j lies
advantageously the means of smelting the ores of Canada ^V est. It
will iM ver l)e politic, nor Avill it scarcely be jiossible, [or the go\erM-
mcnt of Canada again to tax this indis])ensable nece.-sjivy of life; and
if "he treaty expires, Canada would yet be compelled to buy it froni
us in increasing (piantities. Its abundance in our territory, and its
absence in the geological formatioris of Canada West, exhibit in the
greatest degree, a luitural adaptation to the system of reciprocal
benefits.
The average annual value of imports from these provinces, i>aying
duty for the eight. years during the operation of the Keciprocity
Treaty, M'as !i;210,l72, while for the five years preceding, the average
annual value ])aying duty was S!«l, 75 1,000.
Upon the fishery question, New England authority must be re-
58
i;":ir(kMl as most rcliaLlo. Tlic Hon. ]\[r. ^fon'ill, INI. C, iVoin one of tlie
Xew KMu'land Siatus, and amoii-j; the al)lust of lier pubru; iiu-ii, says,
••To 'i'o liiK'k to tlic treaty of ls|s, as tlio worst possibilily tliat iniL;lii liajiiicn.
would siil>jrcl Aiiicricaii lislicniieii tu llio iiicoiivcniriu'o ol' kcciiiiiir oil' ilircc iiiariiio
lii -'s iVoiu shores to wliich tliat treaty </i\on us no ])."ivile.nes, leadiiiif to occasional
(lis|)iitcs. and niiulit prove an injury t) tiie niackarel (islieries ; hut these evils are not
wiioiiy iiisimnouiital)le lUid by no means oltiie \vei,i;lit of the j;-eneral consideralions
exacted of lis as ei|ni\ah'nls. These would lie tlie piojier siiliiects for treaties, and
wouiil lie reailjiistel in some sul)se<[uent convi'iilioii. Jt is no l(jnj;('r doiililful that
onr lisliernn'ii hise more by tlu' free admission of lis!i fr in the provinces than they
>rain from the privilej!;e of tishinir inside of the lineof llu'ee miles from certain sliores.
When tile catch is siiort tliey maiie iiolliiui^. and wlieii abundant llio jiliil from pio-
vincial compeiitioa steps in lietw<'en them and all le.^itimate prulit-i. JU'sides, near-
shore lishermen lose their hardiiu'ss ami become iillers. 1'hus our jieople. rt'innviied
for their iiptitude and success in securing * the wealth of the seas,' behold their vm-
pire passing to the hands of strangers."'
Jii prc'se'iititiL^ this siimniary of the results of eoiniiicreial inter-
course with the JJfitisli North ^Vinerii-aii Proviiiees, the exiiibit of
iiiiiioi- details lias been omitted. Tlie onlv ohiei- h;is heeii to Lriiio'
before the jieojiK' of neio'hbofiiiii" eotmlries, tlie j-^i'cise st.-ile of our
]);ist and present commercial relations to each other and exhibit
fairly, thonu'Ii brietlv, the advant.-iu'es and disadvantaires resultiii<>' to
eat'h, under the treaty :iml laws -which now _!.>'o\'eni their intercourse.
The proximity ;ind natural adaptation of the United States and the
IJrilish Xorth .Vmerican J*ro\inces to ijive and receive reciprocal
l)enefits, easily and without humiliation conferred by iieiohbors on
etich other, liave lono- been i-eco<ji;ni/,ed by American and IJritv ii
statesmtmshij). Gre.'it Britain has expressed no otlicial desire for
the pi'olonu'ation of the so-called l{ecij)rocily Tretity.
The committee on commerce made a "very el.-iborate re])ort in our
House of Kepresenlatives on the Reciprocity Treaty, (T'ebruary 5,
1802,) wherein the\' :irii'ued thtit the o'rave faults already develoned
in the treaty should be ren)edied by :i u'reater extension of the same
system, even to the extent of the (icrmaii ZolUcrein.
It woidd seem from the Canadian rei)ly, that too much reciprocity
was regarded as a " dauii'erous thi.
'g'-
Our oilers Avere ;iltoii'ether
too lii)eral, :ind .A[r. (xalt, in a report upon the action of tlic commit-
tee of our House of Kepresentalives u[»on the l{eci])rocity Treaty,
made to the Governor General in ISiiii, disposes of the proposition
as ibllows :
'* The luidersigmnl can have no hesitation in stating to your Excellency that, in
his opinion, the project of an American Zollverein, to wliich the British I'lovinces
should become parties, is one wholly inconsistent with the maintenance ol' their eou-
ueclion with (Jreat liritain, and also opposed on its own merits to the interest of the
jjcople of these I'rovinces."'
Notwithstandino; stu-h objeclioii to a freer, or too free an inter-
course with us, a treaty no doubt mio'ht be made so comprehensive
in all its details that neither i)arty cotdd be mistaken as to its re-
sults, t)r be caj)able of evading cither its sjiirit or substance; or, our
future intercourse mio'ht be left to reciprocil leo-islation, to l)e
ch:in<>'ed from time to time as the varviim' interests deiiendent on our
internatiomd relations might demand, <n" the violation of reciprocal
obligations by eitiier party might require.
i
tl
le
ivs.
iiiiiu
' not
tions
iuid
tliiit
Dl'I'S.
pro-
icar-
vuvd
oni-
tor-
t of
our
il)it
?to
rse.
iO
tl
X'Ul
on
for
our
me
ity
licr
lit-
ion
:. in
on-
the
er-
ive
re-
)ur
ur