Friedrich Schiller, Translated by Rev. A. J. W. Morrison, M.A. - "The History of the Thirty Years' War"

William Day Simonds - "Starr King in California"

Ben Jonson - "Sejanus: His Fall"

Arthur Christopher Benson - "The Altar Fire"

State of the Union Addresses of Rutherford B. Hayes

R >> Rutherford B. Hayes >> State of the Union Addresses of Rutherford B. Hayes




The efforts of the Department of State to enlarge the trade and commerce of
the United States, through the active agency of consular officers and
through the dissemination of information obtained from them, have been
unrelaxed. The interest in these efforts, as developed in our commercial
communities, and the value of the information secured by this means to the
trade and manufactures of the country were recognized by Congress at its
last session, and provision was made for the more frequent publication of
consular and other reports by the Department of State. The first issue of
this publication has now been prepared, and subsequent issues may regularly
be expected. The importance and interest attached to the reports of
consular officers are witnessed by the general demand for them by all
classes of merchants and manufacturers engaged in our foreign trade. It is
believed that the system of such publications is deserving of the approval
of Congress, and that the necessary appropriations for its continuance and
enlargement will commend itself to your consideration.

The prosperous energies of our domestic industries and their immense
production of the subjects of foreign commerce invite, and even require, an
active development of the wishes and interests of our people in that
direction. Especially important is it that our commercial relations with
the Atlantic and Pacific coasts of South America, with the West Indies and
the Gulf of Mexico, should be direct, and not through the circuit of
European systems, and should be carried on in our own bottoms. The full
appreciation of the opportunities which our front on the Pacific Ocean
gives to commerce with Japan, China, and the East Indies, with Australia
and the island groups which lie along these routes of navigation, should
inspire equal efforts to appropriate to our own shipping and to administer
by our own capital a due proportion of this trade. Whatever modifications
of our regulations of trade and navigation may be necessary or useful to
meet and direct these impulses to the enlargement of our exchanges and of
our carrying trade I am sure the wisdom of Congress will be ready to
supply. One initial measure, however, seems to me so dearly useful and
efficient that I venture to press it upon your earnest attention. It seems
to be very evident that the provision of regular steam postal communication
by aid from government has been the forerunner of the commercial
predominance of Great Britain on all these coasts and seas, a greater share
in whose trade is now the desire and the intent of our people. It is also
manifest that the efforts of other European nations to contend with Great
Britain for a share of this commerce have been successful in proportion
with their adoption of regular steam postal communication with the markets
whose trade they sought. Mexico and the States of South America are anxious
to receive such postal communication with this country and to aid in their
development. Similar cooperation may be looked for in due time from the
Eastern nations and from Australia. It is difficult to see how the lead in
this movement can be expected from private interests. In respect of foreign
commerce quite as much as in internal trade postal communication seems
necessarily a matter of common and public administration, and thus
pertaining to Government. I respectfully recommend to your prompt attention
such just and efficient measures as may conduce to the development of our
foreign commercial exchanges and the building up of our carrying trade.

In this connection I desire also to suggest the very great service which
might be expected in enlarging and facilitating our commerce on the Pacific
Ocean were a transmarine cable laid from San Francisco to the Sandwich
Islands, and thence to Japan at the north and Australia at the south. The
great influence of such means of communication on these routes of
navigation in developing and securing the due share of our Pacific Coast in
the commerce of the world needs no illustration or enforcement. It may be
that such an enterprise, useful, and in the end profitable, as it would
prove to private investment, may need to be accelerated by prudent
legislation by Congress in its aid, and I submit the matter to your careful
consideration.

An additional and not unimportant, although secondary, reason for fostering
and enlarging the Navy may be found in the unquestionable service to the
expansion of our commerce which would be rendered by the frequent
circulation of naval ships in the seas and ports of all quarters of the
globe. Ships of the proper construction and equipment to be of the greatest
efficiency in case of maritime war might be made constant and active agents
in time of peace in the advancement and protection of our foreign trade and
in the nurture and discipline of young seamen, who would naturally in some
numbers mix with and improve the crews of our merchant ships. Our merchants
at home and abroad recognize the value to foreign commerce of an active
movement of our naval vessels, and the intelligence and patriotic zeal of
our naval officers in promoting every interest of their countrymen is a
just subject of national pride.

The condition of the financial affairs of the Government, as shown by the
report of the Secretary of the Treasury, is very satisfactory. It is
believed that the present financial situation of the United States, whether
considered with respect to trade, currency, credit, growing wealth, or the
extent and variety of our resources, is more favorable than that of any
other country of our time, and has never been surpassed by that of any
country at any period of its history. All our industries are thriving; the
rate of interest is low; new railroads are being constructed; a vast
immigration is increasing our population, capital, and labor; new
enterprises in great number are in progress, and our commercial relations
with other countries are improving.

The ordinary revenues from all sources for the fiscal year ended June 30,
1880, were--

From customs - $186,522,064.60

From internal revenue - 124,009,373.92

From sales of public lands - 1,016,506.60

From tax on circulation and deposits of national banks - 7,014,971.44

From repayment of interest by Pacific Railway companies - 1,707,367.18

From sinking fund for Pacific Railway companies - 786,621.22

From customs fees, fines, penalties, etc - 1,148,800.16

From fees-consular, letters patent, and lands - 2,337,029.00

From proceeds of sales of Government property - 282,616.50

From profits on coinage, etc - 2,792,186.78

From revenues of the District of Columbia - 1,809,469.70

From miscellaneous sources - 4,099,603.88 -

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