Mr. MORRILL. Mr. Chairman, the present bill concerning the trade with the British North American Provinces has become necessary in consequence of the termination of the reciprocity treaty, which takes place on the 17th of the present month. The treaty was an ill omenedJ one from the start, having been 1st extorted from us by the armed raid upon our fishermen, in 1862, made by the combined armaments of the Provinces, and led on by the imperial Government; and, 2nd, won from us by the delusion that favors would beget fra ternity. We are too old to be again deluded, and, being quite able to withstand a bite, we shall be unlikely to ield to a growl. For 11 long years the U.S., overflowing with generosity, have granted to these Provinces what their own mother country has long since weaned them from, that is to say, privileges not granted to others. Henceforth we shall treat them as friends, unless they entitle themselves to be treated as favorites or rovoke that treatment awarded to enemies. y the present bill we grant certain privileges provided ample equivalents are obtained. In the main, however, increased revenue has been our object. This House, after this recent unfortunate experience, will not, at least during the present generation, relinquish its constitutional prerogative to originate all revenue bills. To the extent of our trade with the Provinces our legitimate prerogative has been curtailed and denied. If such commercial treaties were to be tolerated it is easy to be seen that the might in due time embrace all countries with whom we have commercial relations, and thus the properfunctions of the House in regard to imposts and taxation would be usurped and superseded. If it is important that we do not transcend our just power, it is equally important that we do not abdicate and surrender that which we are reieininently called upon not only to exercise iut to guard. That this treaty arrangement was not to our advantage we not only have the testimon of the fishermenof maiue; the lumbermen of NewYork, Pennsylvania, Michigan, and Maine; the wool growers of Ohio, Illinois, Pennsylvania, NewYork, and Vermont; the grain growers of all the western States, and the manufacturers whose business with the Canadas has so notably decreased, but even the provincial otiicials tacitly confess to the prosperous gale they have enjoyed by the tender O terms less 3 onerous to us. if not less lucrative to them, lthan those of the treaty. They feel that they can alloid to treat us better. i Though we have ascertained in our recent struggle with the late sluveliolding aristoc, racy, far more powerful than any other on the l globe, that the governments of the world do not love us nor Our Republic, it is as foreign to American ideas to base legislative action F upon hatred as upon fear. We are simply look ling after the interest and honor of our own i people, and propose that they shall not be made unhappy by the contrast of their condition with that of their neighbors in respect to taxation or markets. I am aware that some very good people, enjoying possibly a present tra c which may be in danger of being shorn of its profits, look omine usly and shake their heads, saying, “ Are you not afraid that our seamen such turbulent, reckless sca dogs will disregard the 3 mile shore line and involve us at last in a war with England?” Well, they may, but this story has “ an ancient and fish like smell, ” and we may as well not bag it too closely. It is true thatif England desires a conflict with us a retext may be easily obtained through collisions among eager and exasperated fishermen touching her absurd headland interpolation, but there is no lack of heroic pretexts elsewhere, and whenever the conflict comes, whatever the alleged provocation may be, or by whomsoever precipitated. no one knows better than England herself that the Provinces will be gone forever, "hook and line, hob and sinker.” Not that we desire this, butato escape the blowa, they would run nearer to us. But the terms oifered in this bill in relation to the fisheries do not invite a reulse. On the contrary it is believed, especially from the frank and friendly exchange of views between the ComWays&Means and the ministers representing the Provinces, who were recently here, that they will be readily accepted by most if not all of the Provinces certainly by those most interested in the trade. lfthere is any doubt on this point it is really whether the terms of this bill are not too in different toward our own fishermen. The public believes, and so believe the people of the Provinces, that a mutuality in the right to their shore fisheries is of great value, and hence we have had to concede some equivalent, though conscious that the right acquired, or rather restored, is vastly overrated. The rates of duty which the ComWays&Means have proposed in this bill are such as it is believed will afford revenue, and will not inany case prove prohibitory. In other words, we expect to take as much of their lumber, coal, and barley as heretofore; but before a sale can be allowed alongside of American products, the privilege must be bought with a price equal at east to our taxes, and often much greater. Even with these terms, a commission sent to China or Peru will disclose no other market so valuable. When we abandoned all duties on lumber underthe treaty, the effect was not to reduce the price in American markets, but the value of umber increased in the Provinces. Reversing our action, it is notim possible that our revenue may be increased without much additional cost to the consumer. Lumber being an article of universal necessity and incapable of any increase in quantity, only moderate duties have been proposed. At the present time we seek rather to diminish than to multiply objects oftaxation; and while lumber during g the war mighteasily have contributed a liberal revenue, it is not now proposed to levy an internal duties upon it; there ore we have on y offered a scale of moderate duties. It is sound polic to make building materials cheap. Wood as a uilding material is used to some extent by all, and exclusively used by men of moderate means, and the lower qualities for fencing purposes areindispensable to land own ers. the reasons for exempting it from the burdens of taxation appear to be ample. Ar ticles that were embraced in the reciprocity many have for the most part been treated in all tnriffs for the last ten years with neglect, pnd the present bill is theretprethe more need ul. That part of the bill which gives up the bounty hitherto mid to our fishermen may be looked upon with 1 more distrust than anything elseproposed. The pittance was small, not much more than the duty aid by them on the salt used in caring their fish, and yet the determi nation in some quarters to regard this as a NewEngland question, and not a national one, has constrained even NewEngland men to reu diate the measure obnoxwus because it has been misrepresented and to sever at once all guardianship of the Government over our school for seamen a school which I do not hesitate to say has been and is today of as much importance to the glories of our Navy as the Naval School at Annapolis, and yet one which has been maintained at comparatively: very small expense. Here 5,000 sea men, it has been computed, are annually introduced to the mysteries and the perils of sailor life. France, eager to maintain her place as a naval Power, does not solegislate; but in spite of her remoteness from the little remnant of her ancient North American possessions, nurses and maintains a large fleet of fishermen by the most liberal bounties. Upon the surrender of the bounty there would be no decency in charging these men 18 cents for every 100 pounds of salt used by them in curing fish, and this it is proposed to remit. Whether remitted or not the fisherman can have free salt with little inconvenience by call ingat provincial ports. Provincial men have complained of the bounty, but having free salt themselves, they cannot complain that our fishermen are placed upon an equality. Hereafter our seamen. uiilooked after, must be entirely self educated and self reliant.May we never have reason to reproach ourselves that we have ignored and deserted a class whose vocation is one of continuous toil and danger, who furnish more widows and orphans than any other class of equal numbers, and whose conspicuous bravery, whciicver their count demands a sacrifice, challcnges the pride an affection of every true born American! such articles as the ComWays&Means have proposed to place in the free list only 4 in number are those which they wonl most likely deem it wise to place there at any time unless the exigencies of the Treasury imeriously demanded larger supplies. this proposed to admit bitumine us coal from the British Provinces, in consideration of certain privileges to be extended to the U.S., at 50 cents perton, while from all other places under existing laws it will be charged $1 25 perton. The present internal duty of 6 cents perton and the 2 and a half%. on the gross receipts of railroads for freight, amounting on the average to at least twice as much more. it may be hoped will at an early day be removed. 11with free coal from the Provinces, while that from out our own mines has been taxed, our miners could live at all, the change which frees them from a home tax and imposes a duty of even 50 cents perton on provincial coal, must be hailed with favor. Coal is a raw material, and for every ton of iron made at least 3 tons of bitumine us or 2 ofanthracite coal are consumed. It is the motive power of railroads and steamboats, as well as of manufacturing establishments. We tax iron and all other manufactures when produced and sold, and we tax railroads and steam boats on their business. Can we not afford to have our coal free? It is, too, an article of Universal consumption, requii ed in our rigorous climate in large quantities liy those unable to clothe themselves in heavy and abundant woolcns or thick and costly furs; by the poor as well as the rich. There are hardly more reasons foratax on coal than upon firewood. In addition to this, our own coal fields are unsurpassed in extent and quality by any in the world. But our export to the Cauadas of coal from Ohio, Virginia, and Pennsylvania bids fair to equal in amount all that we bring from the Prov inces; the value of our exports in 1864 being $555, 332, and that of our imports $883, 805. So that under any circumstances, here is one article which approaches the idea of reciprocity, and " aninterchange effects economy in long lines of freight, relieving ourselves, aswell as others, from positive loss. When the reciprocity treaty was made a low tariff prevailed in Canada, and England, only 8 years previously, had adopted the doctrine of free trade. Great expectations were held out by the negotiator, Lord Elgin, feeding the not unwillin hopes of our people, of an increased demon for American manufactures; but suddenly the Canadas adopted the principles of protection and largely increased their tarion manufactures. The imperial Government did not veto these acts, an these great expectations were nipped in the bud. The U.S., never expecting to find in the Provinces a market for the productions of its agriculture, nor of its mines, forests, or fisheries, at once found their manufactures also practically excluded. But now, making no compact, we yet tender a law conceding certain privileges. If this shall not be met by a corresponding liberality, sufficiently indicated in the conditions embodied in the bill, we have the right, and it will be our duty, to change the terms of the present bill for such as will be most advantageous to us, regardless of the interests of others. The bill proposes to grant the free use of Lake Michigan as well as the Sault Ste. Marie canal to British subjects if the use of the StLawrence and the Welland and other canals shall be continued to us in return. The tolls we ay form much the largest share of the tolls of the Welland canal, find its use, though much more frequent, is hardly much more important to us than is the StMaries to them. “he StLawrence has been very little used by us, and the right to navigate Lake Michigan appears to be a very large equivalent. It has often been supposed that the traffic carried on over the Canadian railroads, transporting merchandise in bond for Americans, and the same with regard to the railroads of the U.S and British merchandise intended for the Provinces, was conducted under the provisions of the reciprocity treaty, but that is not the fact; all this has been done for 20 ears at least under Treasury regulations. It has been deemed far better that it should rest upon positive law, and, therefore, the system has been incorporated into this bill. This will insure the accommodations we now have for travel and freights to and from the West. however useful to us this outlet may be, a ship canal around the falls on the American side at Buf falo is needed, and also from the StLawrence to Lake Champlain and thence to the Hudson. When this line of improvements shall be completed, and so far as my vote is concerned I am ready at all times to give them my support, a cheap water communication will have been secured that will be commensurate with the wants of the future commerce of the West, however great that may be. I think it will be conceded that the bill is not only necessary, but one of importance; and if so, it is very desirable that it should pass in order that notice may reach all points prior to the 1.7thinstant.