| Show I SAMUEL J TILPTSN r i J j I 1 i i 03heSa 00 of Oramiuercy Park a H a1jl i4olll f e i j t a EOME VIrAL NATIONAL TOPICS J National Uefe i esai d of I Dbe Subject v An abler Doctrine r tIle Monroe I Eloquent Paper If I t g yOUR UNCLE SA1IHY f n The Grand Old Man Talks Like a Statesman i t Is E erytliiusr to Him p i Bis Gauntry 4 I i j Hisw YORK December tYr Samuel P i U J Tijden has sent the following letter ton to-n Eon J G Carlisle j GREi STOKE Y OSIERS N Y l1 L December 1st 1835 F r rlSfr Carlts i i As public opinion points to you as Speaker of the House of 11 presenta I fives I desire to submit a suggestion as to one of the public objects for which an appropriation ought to be provided I and liberal in considering the state and j I I I management of public rcvenies Tile i 1 subject involves questions whether r 1 we shall extmguh the surplus I sur-plus by reducing the revenue j I I or whether vc shall apply the surplus to payments on the public debt or whether we shall seize the oc I i asion provide for our sea coast defenses de-fenses which have been long neglected i I J am of the opinion that the latter is a F i paramount necessity which ought tot to-t precede the reduction of revenue and f I t ought also to precede an excessive f jl rapidity in the payment of the public I debt The property exposed to destruction J i I des-truction in twelve seaportsPortland I Portsmouth Boston Ixew York Phil I i ndelphia Baltimore Charleston Savannah I f j Sa-vannah New Orleans Galyeston and i San Franci co cannot be less an I J value than live thousand millions I r of dollsr To this must be adds d j r ti the vast amount of property dependent i for its tiae on these seaports Nor does t i this statement afford a true measure of J I i the damage which might be caused to 1 3 the property and business of the country I j coun-try by a failure to protest these seaports I sea-ports from hostile naval attacks They 4 1 are centres not only of foreign commerce I 4I com-merce but of most of the international I t trade and exchanges of domestic productions 1 I b f l ductions To this rule of things c II i i I i i w 3 the machinery of transportation J 4 lot i khe < whole country lit Si become f u be-come adapted The intrruption i id of the car its of traffic the occupation I JJ of one or jre of our principal seaports by a foreign enemy or the destruction I i of them by bombardment or holding 1 i over them the menace of destruction for I R the purpose o exacting contributions f or ransom would inflict upon property I t If and business of the county an inquiry i which can neither be foreseen nor measured meas-ured The elaborate and costly fortifications I 1 forti-fications which were constructed with the greatest engineering still are now i i t i practically useless TJ ey are not capable I f r f f of resisting the attacks of modern artillery I artil-lery A still greater defect exists in our coast defenses The range of the II I best modern artillery Las le come so extended that our present fortifications designed to protect pro-tect the harbor pf New York where i 1 twothirds of the import trade and more M fen onehalf of the export trade of L tbewhole United States is carried on are too near to the great populations of x New York Jersey City and Brooklyn to be of any value as a protection Toro a P To-ro ide effectual defenses would be the work of years it would takemuch time to construct permanent fortifications r The small provision of the best modern J guns would take several years Neither of these works can be extemporized in presence of emergent danger A million t mil-lion soldiers with the best equipments on the heights surrounding the harbor of Jew York in our present state ef preparation would be powerless to resist i re-sist a small squadron of war steamers l This state of things is discreditable discredit-able to our foresight and prudence t pru-dence The best guarantee against 1 aggression the best assurance that pur diplomacy will he successful and pacific and our rights and honor be respected t by other natous is in their knowing that we are in a situation to vindicate our reputation and interests While wa may afford to be deficient in means = of offense we cannot afiord to be de l if fenceless The notoriety of the fact I that we have neglected the ordinary I precautions of defence invites want of t J consideration in our diplomacy injustice injus-tice arrogance and insult at the hands A t of foreign nations It Is now more than sixty years since I we announced to the world that we l I shdtjd resist any attempts from whatever r what-ever quarter they might come to make any new colonization on any part of the American continent contin-ent i that while we should respect the statu < ro we should protect the people r r I peo-ple of different nations inhabiting this i continent from every attempt to subject sub-ject them to the dominion of any foreign for-eign power or to interefere with their un is urbetl exercise of the rights of r SaKisftverriiueut This announcement kfs ormally made by President Monroe Mon-roe after consultation with Madison and Jefferson It was formulated by John Quincy Adams Our government has fairly adhered to the Monroe M Mon-roe doctrine and even as late as 60 warned Xapoleon III out of Mexico It is impossible to foresee in the indecent scramble of European powers for the acquisition of colonies how soon an occasion may t arise for our putting in practice theM the-M onroe doctrine It is clear that there l ought to be some relation between our f assertion of that doctrine and our preparation pre-paration to maintain it got intended to recommend any attempt to rival the great European powers in the creation 1 of a powerful navy The changes rhiehTaave rapidly occurred by the diminution di-minution of the relative resisting rower of defensive armor of iron clads and by increased efficiency of modern artillery ar-tillery which on the whole has gained in competition suggest that we should not at present enter largely into the creation of armored rebels In the question that beset this suluect until they shall have reached a t I solution we can content ourselves with adding but sparingly to our navy but what we do add should be the very Oegfc that science and experience cant can-t indicate The Presidential view is reinforced + ii re-inforced by the consideration that the annual charge of maintaining war vessels bears an important onto on-to the original cost of constructing permanent fortifications and in mo viding a1 ample supply of the best modern artillery The annual cost of maintenance is inconsiderable Nearly the whole expenditure is in the original outlay of construction If we do not make the expenditure necessary to provde for our sea coast defense when we have a surplus and have ro need to levy new taxeswe cerainly 111 make those expenditures when we have no large surplus in the Treasury To leave our vast interests defenseless in order to re luce the cost of whisky to its consumers would be a solecism The present time is peculiarly favorable for providing for this great national necessity neces-sity too long neglected Not only does the surplus in the Treasury supply the meansto meet this great public want without laying new burdens on the people peo-ple but the work can now be done at much lower coat than has ever before i lejn posai I Defensive works would consist almost entirely of steel and iron TLese materials can now be had at unprecedently low prices The vast ipply of machinery of labor called into existence by the great vicissitudes of the steel and iron industries offers itself to our service 1e should have the satisfaction of knowing that while wa were availing ourselves of supplies Ti Lh would ordinarily be unattainable we were setting in motion important I industi and giving em oment to labor in a period of depression Yith I tIe encouragement of the guarantee of work perhaps Eby givfrnment itself furnishing the plant the inventive genius of our people would be applied to the creation of new menus ajid iru proved machinery and PstabhsLmenls would spring into existenre capable of supplyin all of our ratio uil wanes and rendering us compVely independent of ail other countries in resDect to the means of national defense I endeavored lo impies the < e ideas upon Mr Randal the last time I had I life of him pleasure secingliiw J With my highest regards to Mr Carlisle and your tlf I remain x Verv truly yours Signed S J TILDE WASHINGTON December 5 Speaker Carlisle when asked for an expression of opinion rega ding Mr Tildens letter let-ter said I have not jet received it although it may be with my mail at the capital Any suggestions made by Mr Tiideu concerning public = matters are entitled to the most respectful consideration consid-eration and when it is received I shall give it careful attention |
