William Seward and Vision of Empire
- praised John Q. Adams in 1851 biography, but emphasized commercial empire more than territorial.
- technological revolutions changed world economy: railroad, steamship, telegraph, McCormich reaper
- U.S. wheat exports rose from $4m. in 1860 to $50m in 1867
- supported Canadian Reciprocity Treaty that was re-affirmed 1868 with new Dominion of Canada (Seward did not support the "Fenian forays" into Canada, but he did support U.S. citizenship for Americans born in Ireland but naturalized in the U.S.)
- supported high tariff to protect growing U.S. industry from European imports
- supported Samuel Ruggles proposal at 1867 Paris Monetary Conference to create a standard world coinage based on the U.S. $5 half-eagle gold coin and a new French 25-franc gold coin (but Brit opposed reducing its gold content of the sovereign)
- supported Adm. David Porter's plan to control Caribbean trade routes by aquisition of key bases such as Samana Bay, Mole St. Nicholas, and especially the Virgin Islands that will become "a halfway station for our national commerce with South America and the Pacific Coast, an entrepot for our trade with the tropical regions and a relay for our squadrons of war."
- Treaty of 1867 with Denmark would have purchased the Virgin Is. for $7.5m. but rejected by Senate because of Johnson's impeachment
- Resolutions to acquire Santo Domingo and Haiti defeated by Senate 1869.
- Midway Island was annexed 1867
- supported 1868 plan of Isthmus Canal Co. to acquire right to build a canal across Panama
- sent Caleb Cushing to Columbia, treaty signed Jan. 1869, but rejected by Senate
- instead, Ferdinand de Lesseps, builder of the Suez Canal 1856-69, began 10-year French effort to construct a Panama Canal 1878-1888 but failed.