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Inter-American Trade in the Early 1870s— A State Department Survey*

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  11 December 2015

David M. Pletcher
David M. Pletcher*
Affiliation:
Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana
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Extract

A hundred years ago the United States had one of the worst depressions in its history. The disastrous drop in wages, prices, and output threw the mid-1870s into deep gloom and made the Centennial celebrations of 1876 seem to many persons no more than a bad joke. In subsequent years no one found a permanent cure for depressions, but during the late 1870s and 1880s a conviction developed that the Federal government must do more to aid American foreign trade. Thereafter the State Department cooperated increasingly with American business to expand the nation’s influence abroad.

Type
Research Article
Information
The Americas , Volume 33 , Issue 4 , April 1977 , pp. 593 - 612
Copyright
Copyright © Academy of American Franciscan History 1977

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Footnotes

*

Professor of history, Indiana University. The author is indebted to the National Archives, Washington, D. C, for a fellowship which made possible much of the research for this article. Many Archives personnel gave liberally of time and advice, especially Mr. Albert H. Leisinger, Jr.

References

1 United States, 41st Congress, 2nd Session, Congressional Globe, pt. 6, p. 5316.

2 Apparently the Senate never put the canal treaty to a vote, but Colombia had signed it so reluctantly that it would probably never have gone into effect anyway. Taylor Parks, E., Colombia and the United States, 1765–1934 (Durham, North Carolina, 1935), pp. 347–50 Google Scholar. Nevins, Allan, Hamilton Fish, the Inner History of the Grant Administration (New York, 1936), pp. 913–14.Google Scholar For brief summaries of the Dominican and Cuban questions and Grant’s relations with Congress in the spring of 1870 see lbid., Chaps. IX-XV, passim. On reactions to the Franco-Prussian War see Chap. XVII. The developing argument with Britain over the “Alabama” claims doubtless also encouraged a sense of rivalry over Latin America.

3 Fenton was unable to diminish Grant’s support of Conkling. He joined the Liberal Republicans in 1872, was defeated for reelection in 1874, and returned to private life. Johnson, Allen and Malone, Dumas, eds., Dictionary of American Biography (22 vols.: New York, 1928–1944), III, 326 27 Google Scholar. For the quoted phrase see Richardson, James D., ed., A Compilation of the Messages and Papers of the Presidents 1789–1897 (10 vols.: Washington, 1896–1899), VII, 33.Google Scholar

4 Fish’s report of July 14, 1870, with accompanying tables, is reprinted in several places, of which the most accessible are United States, Department of State, Foreign Relations, 1870 (title varies; Washington, 1862–), pp. 254–61, and Richardson, Messages and Papers, VII, 70–79. Fish ended rather lamely with the statement that lack of funds prevented him from processing the statistics. He did not mention that he intended to seek further information.

5 William Schuchardt to Hamilton Fish, April 12, 1869, October 15, 1870. Nos. 17, 43. United States, Department of State, Despatches from United States Consuls, Piedras Negras, I. Record Group 59. National Archives, Washington, D. C. (Hereafter cited as Consular Despatches.) S. T. Trowbridge to William Hunter, Veracruz, October 3, 1870. No. 70. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 274–75. John A. Sutter to Hunter, September 21, 1870. No. 57. Consular Despatches, Acapulco, VI. George Williamson to Fish, San Salvador, October 16, 1873. No. 46. United States, Department of State, Despatches from United States Ministers to Central America, IV. Record Group 59. National Archives, Washington, D. C. (Hereafter cited as Despatches with appropriate country.) A. Morrell to Department of State, October 10, 1870. No. 3 Consular Despatches, San José, III. Stephen A. Hurlbut to Fish, Bogotá, October 31, 1870. No. 39. Despatches, Colombia, XXVIII. J. P. Root to Fish, Santiago, December 8 [6], 1870. No. 3. United States, Department of State, Report on the Commercial Relations of the United States with Foreign Relations for the Year Ending September 30, 1810 (title varies; Washington, 1856–1914), pp. 7–8. (Hereafter cited as Commercial Relations with years covered.) C. S. Rand to Fish, La Paz, September 30, 1870. No. 14. Foreign Relations, 1810, pp. 268–71. James B. Bond to Secretary of State, Para, November 3, 1870. No. 27. lbid., pp. 291–93. Report of Dexter E. Clapp, Buenos Aires, September 30, 1872. Commercial Relations, 1871–72, p. 21.

6 Julius Skilton to Fish, November 26, 1870. No. 19. Consular Despatches, Mexico City, XIII. Thomas H. Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, November 4, 1870. No. 311. Foreign Relations, 1810, p. 296. Sutter to Hunter, September 21, 1870. No. 57. Consular Despatches, Acapulco, VI. On Chihuahua and Sonora see Commercial Relations, 1870–71, pp. 897, 904.

7 Sutter to Hunter, September 21, 1870. No. 57. Consular Despatches, Acapulco, VI. Trowbridge to Hunter, Veracruz, October 3, 1870. No. 70. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 275–76. Schuchardt to Fish, October 15, 1870. No. 43. Consular Despatches, Piedras Negras, I. Martin Regul Pilon to Nelson, Aguascalientes, October 7, 1870. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 290–91.

8 Charles N. Riotte to Fish, León, January 7, 1871. No. 65. Despatches, Nicaragua, XI. R. C. Kirk to Fish, Buenos Aires, October 30, 1870. No. 70. Despatches, Argentina, XVIII.

9 Riotte to Fish, León, December 21, 1870. No. 63. Commercial Relations, 1869–70, p. 22. Hurlbut to Fish, Bogotá, October 31, 1870. No. 39. Despatches, Colombia, XXVIII. Several American business establishments had appeared in La Paz, Bolivia, largely through the influence of the American railroad promoter Henry Meiggs. Rand to Secretary of State, La Paz, September 30, 1870. No. 14. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 271–73.

10 Hurlbut to Fish, Bogotá, October 31, 1870. No. 39. Despatches, Colombia, XXVIII. Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, November 4, 1870. No. 311. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 295–98. G. Williamson to Fish, San Salvador, October 16, 1873. No. 46. Despatches, Central America, IV. Bond to Secretary of State, Para, November 20, 1870. No. 27. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 292–93.

11 Trowbridge to Hunter, Veracruz, October 3, 1870. No. 70. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 275–77. F. M. de Nemegyei to Hunter, Frontera, September 25, 1870. No. 36. Consular Despatches, Tabasco, III.

12 Riotte to Fish, León, December 21, 1870. No. 63. Commercial Relations, 1869–70, pp. 21–22. G. Williamson to Fish, San Salvador, October 16, 1873. No. 46. Despatches, Central America, IV. Sutter to Hunter, September 21, 1870. No. 57. Consular Despatches, Acapulco, VI. Sutter to State Department, October 3, 1871. Commercial Relations, 1870–71, p. 894. Sutter to Nelson, August 12, 1869. Despatches, Mexico, XXXVI. Owen M. Long to Hunter, Panama, January 1, 1871. No. 84. Commercial Relations, 1870–71, pp. 263–64.

13 Trowbridge to Hunter, Veracruz, October 3, 1870. No. 70. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 277. Morrison, John H., History of American Steam Navigation (New York, 1903), pp. 469–70.Google Scholar

14 lbid., p. 482. Henry T. Blow to Fish, Petropolis, June 10, 1870. No. 79. Despatches, Brazil, XXXVI. Bond to Secretary of State, Para, November 3, 1870. No. 27. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 293–94. Report of James R. Partridge, Rio de Janeiro, October 24, 1871. Commercial Relations, 1870–71, p. 90.

15 Henry C. Smith to Fish, Tumbez, October 9, 1870. No. 4. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 282–83. Hurlbut to Fish, Bogotá, October 31, 1870. No. 39. Despatches, Colombia, XXVIII.

16 Kirk to Fish, Buenos Aires, October 30, 1870. No. 70. Despatches, Argentina, XVIII. John L. Stevens to Fish, Montevideo, October 7, 1870. No. 8. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 280. Same, October 10, 1872. No. 38. Despatches, Paraguay and Uruguay, III. The American consul at Buenos Aires complained that the Garrison company actually discouraged transfer traffic to the Plata, preferring to concentrate on shipping Brazilian coffee. Report of Clapp, Buenos Aires, September 30, 1872. Commercial Relations, 1871–72, pp. 21–22.

17 Root to Fish, Santiago, December 8 [6], 1870. No. 3. Commercial Relations, 1869–70, pp. 7–9. G. W. P. Bragdon to Fish, Guayaquil, October 15, 1870. No. 3. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 289–90. E. Rumsey Wing to Fish, Quito, May 30, 1871. No. 106. Despatches, Ecuador, IX.

18 Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, January 28, 1870. No. 165. Despatches, Mexico, XXXVIII. An earlier chargé d’affaires in Mexico gave a similar report. Edward Lee Plumb to William H. Seward, Mexico City, October 22, 1868. No. 211. lbid., XXXIV. In 1872 local authorities on the Isthmus of Tehuantepec actually threatened to hang the American consular agent for refusing to give information. Hermon Bronson to Second Assistant Secretary of State, February 18, 1872. No. 30. Consular Despatches, Minatitlán, II.

19 Wing to Fish, Quito, August 11, 1870. No. 22. Despatches, Ecuador, VIII. Root to Fish, Santiago, December 8 [6], 1870. No. 3. Commercial Relations, 1869–70, pp. 6–9. Bond to Secretary of State, Para, November 3, 1870. No. 27. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 294.

20 Charles H. Loehr to Fish, September 15, 1870. No. 21. Consular Despatches, La Guaira, XI. A. Lacome to Secretary of State. September 22, 1870. Consular Despatches, Puerto Cabello, VII. Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, January 18, February 27, 1870. Nos. 149, 193. Despatches, Mexico, XXXVIII, XXXIX. Julius Moreau to Hunter, San Luis Potosí, September 25, 1870. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 265. J. Ulrich to Second Assistant Secretary, October 5, 1871. No. 132. Consular Despatches, Monterrey, III. De Nemegyei to Hunter, Frontera, June 14, July 5, 1871. No. 51. Consular Despatches, Tabasco, III.

21 Skilton to Nelson, Mexico City, August 9, 1869. John Henry Brown to Nelson, Mexico City, September 10, 1869. Isaac Sisson to Nelson, Mazatlán, September 14, 1869. David Fergusson to Nelson, Tepic, September 11, 1869. Ulrich to Nelson Monterrey, August 17, 1869. Pilon to Nelson, Aguascalientes, November 1, 1869. Despatches, Mexico, XXXVI-XXXVIII. R. C. M. Hoyt to Hunter, Minatitlan, October 21, 1870. Foreign Relations, 1810, pp. 288–89.

22 Lucius Avery to Secretary of State, July 3, 1869. No. 15. Consular Despatches, Matamoros, IX. Schuchardt to Fish, October 15, 1870. No. 43. Consular Despatches, Piedras Negras, I. Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, October 27, 1869. No. 101 and enclosures. Ulrich to Nelson, Monterrey, August 17, 1869. Despatches, Mexico, XXXVI, XXXVII.

23 Morrell to Department of State, October 25, 1870. No. 4. Consular Despatches, San José, III. Bond to Secretary of State, Para, November 3, 1870. No. 27. Blow to Fish, Petropolis, October 20, 1870. No. 139. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 286–87, 294–95.

24 Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, November 4, 1870. No. 311. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 296. Fergusson to Nelson, Tepic, September 11, 1869. Skilton to Nelson, Mexico City, August 9, 1869. Despatches, Mexico, XXXVI, XXXVII. G. Williamson to Fish, San Salvador, October 16, 1873. No. 46. Despatches, Central America, IV. Charles Moye to Fish, November 16, 1869. No. 53. Consular Despatches, Chihuahua, I. Blow to Fish, Petropolis, October 20, 1870. No. 139. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 287. D. J. Williamson to Hunter, March 22, 1871. No. 35. Consular Despatches, Callao, VI. Bond to Secretary of State, Para, November 3, 1870. No. 27. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 294–95.

25 Pilon to Nelson, Aguascalientes, October 7, 1870. Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, November 4, 1870. No. 311. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 291, 296. G. Williamson to Fish, San Salvador, October 16, 1873. No. 46. Despatches, Central America, IV.

26 William M. Pierson to Second Assistant Secretary of State, November 7, 12, 1872. Nos. 89, 92, with enclosure. Consular Despatches, Paso del Norte, II. David Turner to Nelson, La Paz, September 25, 1869. Moreau to Nelson, San Luis Potosí, August 9, 1869. Despatches, Mexico, XXVI, XXXVII. Riotte to Fish, León, March 2, 1870. No. 33 and enclosure. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 502–4. Trowbridge to Hunter, Veracruz, October 3, 1870. No. 70. lbid., pp. 274–78.

27 William J. Rosecrans to Fish, Mexico City, April 10, 1869. No. 48, confidential. Despatches, Mexico, XXXV. Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, November 4, 1870. No. 311. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 297. Skilton to Fish, November 26, 1870. No. 19. Consular Despatches, Mexico City, XIII. Trowbridge to Hunter, Veracruz, October 3, 1870. No. 70. Foreign Relations, 1870, pp. 275–76. After leaving his post at Mexico City, Rosecrans turned to private business and tried for a time to promote some of the railroad lines he had suggested. Pletcher, David M. , Rails, Mines, and Progress: Seven American Promoters in Mexico, 1867–1911 (Ithaca, N. Y., 1958), Chap. II.Google Scholar

28 Francis Thomas to Fish, Lima, December 4, 1972, February 3, 1875. Nos. 23, 34. Despatches, Peru, XXV. Root to Fish, Santiago, December 6, 1870. No. 5. Despatches, Chile, XXV. Hurlbut to J. C. Bancroft Davis, Bogotá, November 16, 1869. Hamilton Fish papers, LXVI, ff. 9120–23. Library of Congress.

29 Smith to Fish, Tumbez, October 9, 1870. No. 4. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 283. Root to Fish, Santiago, December 8 [6], 1870. No. 3. Commercial Relations, 1869–70, p. 9. Riotte to Fish, León, January 7, February 4, March 19, 1871. Nos. 65, 67, 72. Despatches, Nicaragua, XI, XII. Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, July 29, 1870. No. 255. Despatches, Mexico, XL.

30 Trowbridge to Hunter, Veracruz, October 3, 1870. No. 70. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 277. Stevens to Fish, Montevideo, October 5, 1870. No. 8. lbid., p. 280. Same, October 10, 1872. No. 38. Despatches, Paraguay and Uruguay, III. Kirk to Fish, Buenos Aires, October 30, 1870. No. 70. Despatches, Argentina, XVIII. Riotte to Fish, León, December 21, 1870. No. 63. Commercial Relations, 1869–10, pp. 21–22. Hurlbut to Fish, Bogotá, October 31, 1870. No. 39. Despatches, Colombia, XXVIII. Hurlbut to Davis, November 16, 1869. Fish papers, LXVI, ff. 9120–23. Wing to Fish, Quito, March 29, 1871. No. 93. Despatches, Ecuador, IX. Root to Fish, Santiago, December 8 [6], 1870. No. 3. Commercial Relations, 1869–10, pp. 8–9.

31 Morrel to Department of State, October 25, 1870. No. 4. Consular Despatches, San José, III. Wing to Fish, Quito, February 3, May 5, 1871. Nos. 68, 104. Despatches, Ecuador, IX. Partridge to Fish, Rio de Janeiro, September 9, 1871. No. 8. Foreign Relations, 1871–72, p. 66.

32 Rosecrans to Seward, Mexico City, January 10, 1869. No. 20. Despatches, Mexico, XXXV. G. Williamson to Fish, San Salvador, October 16, 1873. No. 46. Despatches, Central America, IV. Pilon to Nelson, Aguascalientes, October 7, 1870. Despatches, Mexico, XLI. Nelson to Fish, Mexico City, November 4, 1870. No. 311. Foreign Relations, 1870, p. 295, 297.

33 lbid., pp. 296 97. Trowbridge to Nelson, Veracruz, September 17, 1879. Turner to Nelson, La Paz, September 25, 1869. Pilon to Nelson, Aguascalientes, November 1, 1869. Despatches, Mexico, XXXVII. Wing to Fish, Quito, March 28, May 1, 1871. Nos. 93, 101. Despatches, Ecuador, IX. Hurlbut to Davis, Bogota, November 16, 1869. Fish papers, LXVI, ff. 9120–23. Root to Fish, Santiago, December 8 [6], 1870. No. 3. Commercial Relations, 1869–10, pp. 7–9.

34 For Grant’s views on ship subsidies see Richardson, Messages and Papers, VII, 53–55. On the Pacific Mail scandal see Paul Maxwell Zeis, American Shipping Policy (Princeton, N. J., 1938), p. 24. On John Roach’s Brazilian steamship company see Leonard A. Swann, Jr., John Roach, Maritime Entrepreneur (Annapolis, 1966), pp. 95–124. For a general summary of the shipping problem in Latin American relations see David M. Pletcher, “Inter-American Shipping in the 1880’s: A Loosening Tie,” Inter-American Economic Affairs, X (Winter 1956), 14–41.

35 Pletcher, Rails, Mines, and Progress, Chaps. II, III. Powell, Fred W. , The Railroads of Mexico (Boston, 1921), Chaps. XV-XVII Google Scholar et passim. Stewart, Watt, Henry Meiggs, Yankee Pizarro (Durham, North Carolina, 1946), passim. On the inter-American railroad project see John Anthony Caruso, “The Pan American Railway,” Hispanic American Historical Review,XXXI (November 1951),608–39.Google Scholar

36 On reciprocity in the 1880s see Pletcher, David M., The Awkward Years: American Foreign Relations under Garfield and Arthur (Columbia, Missouri, 1962), Chaps. X, XVI, XVIII Google Scholar. On the movement in the 1890s and the Cuban treaty of 1902 see Laurence Laughlin and, J. Parker Willis, H. , Reciprocity (New York, 1903), Chaps. VI-XI;Google Scholar and Smith, Robert F., The United States and Cuba, Business and Diplomacy, 1917–1960 (New York, 1960), pp. 22–24.Google Scholar

37 William M. Evarts to U. S. representatives in Spanish American countries, July 13, 1877. Foreign Relations, 1876–77, pp. 2–3. Jones, Chester Lloyd, The Consular Service of the United States, Its History and Activities (Philadelphia, 1906), pp. 67–68. United States, Department of State, Reports from the Consuls of the United States on the Commerce, Manufacturers, etc. of Their Consular Districts (Washington, 1880–), No. 207 (December 1897), pp. i–vii.Google Scholar