ent consume of the
products of Great Britain more than twice the quantity they take of
the products of the United States, and that they sell to us only
three-fifths of the amount they sell to Great Britain.

The Secretary of State appends to this report the tables on which these
statements are founded. That their commerce with the United States is
not large may be partially explained by the fact that these States have
been subject to many successive revolutions since the failure of the
congress of Panama. These revolutions not only exhaust their resources
and burden them with debt, but they check emigration, prevent the flow
of foreign capital into the country, and stop the enterprise which needs
a stable government for its development.

These suggestions are, however, applicable to the British commerce as
well as to our own, and they do not explain why we, with the natural
advantages in our favor, fall so far behind. The Isthmus of Panama is
the common point where the commerce of the western coasts of Mexico and
South America meets. When it arrives there, why should it seek Liverpool
and London rather than New York?

The political causes which have operated to divert this commerce from us
the Secretary of State has endeavored to explain. A favorable time has
now come for removing them--for laying the foundation of an American
policy which shall bind in closer union the American Republics. Let
them understand that the United States do not covet their territories;
that our only desire is to see them peaceful, with free and stable
governments, increasing in wealth and population, and developing in the
lines in which their own traditions, customs, habits, laws, and modes
of thought will naturally take them. Let them feel that, as in 1826,
so now, this Government is ready to aid them to the full extent of its
constitutional power in any steps which they may take for their better
protection against anarchy. Let them be convinced that the United States
is prepared, in good faith and without ulterior purposes, to join them
in the development of a peaceful American commercial policy that may in
time include this continent and the West Indian Islands. Let this be
comprehended, and there will be no political reason why we may not
"secure to the United States that proportionate share of the trade of
this continent to which their close relations of geographical contiguity
and political friendship with all the States of America ju