The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-10-13

distance OF twenty or thirty, or even forty miles,
might be saved by road" This road would,
Of course, be established according to tire true con
siutonal principles, and guarding the United States
from all exactions or abuse. But we do not wish
10 plunge further into this discussion. specihca-
ton of the best mode and means might raise ques-
tons and disputes that it will be the most apprOpr-
ate and convenient time to discuss on some future
occasion.
To the Editor Of the Union:
In reply to the New York Express, you complain
that the Brunswick and Philadelphia Railroad Com
pany refuse to transport the mails within the time,
and upon the terms, required by the Post Office DE.
Partment, and say;
"rhe people are entitled 10 a mail between their
two greatest cities by the most expeditions facilities
and to be carried according to law and doubt is
entertained Of their sovereign ability TO accomplish
it, constitutionay and efectually, too, in time, by
other means than those Of the present companies,
should they refuse their agency"
You here admit that the department is controlled
by the railroad company. There have been frequent
failures, and yet the department Is compelled TO
cept such service as this company will giye Why
is thisi Is It not because, defective the service
il, il ID better than tho department otherwise OBJ
tain? You say that the government can in time APP
ply an efficient constitutional remedy! May | ask
what that remedy is2 Would you recommend that
the United States should construct a railroad for that
special servicel Or would you advise that Congress
pass law compelling the railroad company to per-
form the service upon the terms, and within the
time, required by the department 1t seems 10 me
that you have no other alternatives but these,
less you can bring the company under the control
Of the department by a contract. To me II seems
that the idea OF constructing road for the special
USE Of compelling the service by special act, Is
preposterous and IL is because deem these and all
other ofobtainng the service, except by con-
tract, iRpraclicable, that advocate the change IN
the present system proposed IN my circular on the
LIST October
Why does the Brunswick and Philadelphia Rail
road Company refuse to comply with the terms of
the department. Is 1t not because there Is no COM
petuon' Ii it not because the company know that
the department cannot, by another means of con-
yeyance, keep pace with The travel on their lne'
That road is completed and their monopoly is
protected 10y special legislation well as by the i'm
mense outlay required to construct a competing
line. The company know that if they do not sub
NIT to the terms of the department. the department
is compelled to submit TO their terms. ask, how
can the department expect other companies, similar
" situated, to do otherwise than as this company
has done? Many OF the railroad companies have
invested large sums which unproductve, be-
cause their roads unfinished, and they have no
funds to complete them. Who does not that
these companies could now be induced to make per-
manen contracts for the transportation of the mail
on terms much more advantageous to the DEPART
mcnt than they would do il their roads finished
Let us, by way OF Illustration, take the case of
the Baltimore and Ohio Railroad Company They
have in use (say) 1876 miles; they have $50 miles
unfinished; making their entire road, TO the Ohio,
1876 miles You say that the legal rate for trans
porting the mail on the first class roads is $500 per
mile. This, lS6 miles, gives $500; on the
entire road il would be sl00,S00 This sum is
equal to FIVE per cent on s2,0l6,000. IT, instead Of
advancing this sum of s20l6,000, the government
were to advance this company 81 100000 OF five
per cent. bonds on permanent contract for trans
porting the mail this would reduce the of trans
portatiOn from $780, 800 per annum to 5000, and
leave out Of the present expenditure of the depart
ment the sum of S25 800 per annum sinking
fund, over and beyond the sum of $4,000, applied
| to the payment of interest This sum would be
nuay increasing, upon the principle Of compound
interest, at the rate Of 81 $50 for the first year and
would in a few years. absorb the principal; and then
the department would command the of the road
| forever thereafter free Of any charge whatsoever.
But this is not all. That road is now in a cond-
ton to be greatly benefited by the arrangement. ]
believe that their expenditure has been at least six
millions Of dollars; their stock is.quoed at AZ per
cent. This arrangement would nearly double the
| length of their road and more than double their
business, and would carry their stock up to par;
for this sum- with their other resources would ell
able them TO complete their EDad and then the cap
| tal Of six millions would have the profits on $50
rallrOaQ instead OF lSb ana IN ADDITION To
| the greater length of road its completion 10 the
Ohio river would greatly increase the freights as
! well as passengers. W no doubt that, under
such circumstances, that company would contract
to carry the mails at less rate per mile, and at the
same time give to the department. a satisfactory con-
troll the time of arrivals and departures as well
as the rate of travel so as to enable the mails to
connect with each other, If the department would
now make this advanced And who can doubt that
this company, like the Brunswick and Philadelphia
company, will refuse TO give the department that
control if, instead Of making the advance now,
when it would so much benefit the company, the
government stand inactive until the company make
| other arrangements to complete their roadi
| What is here said of the Baltimore and Ohio
Railroad Company may be said Of most roads in
the south and west, and particularly of those of In
diana, Illinois, Tennessee, Alabama, Mississippi,
Georgia, North and South Carolina, and Virginia,
to say nothing of roads in Pennsylvania, New York,
and New England. 1t seems that at present there
is one road that puts the department at defiance.
Let the system be left ITSELF and it is extended
1t will gather more and more strength, until other
companies will unite with the Brunswick and Phil
| adephla Company, and extort terms much more
onerous from the department
have anticipated the objection growing out of the
| war with Mexico. | will anticipate another
There are some quacks who have but one nosrum
for all diseases. There some politicians whose
| principles regulated by party creed and with
oppoo''A'"
damental axiom. | am prepared to hear such say
that the federal government have no power to make
railroads, and that | propose to do incidentally
what cannot be done directly. My reply is, that
propose such thing All that | propose is to
change the manner of paying for the transportation
of the mail. do not propose that the United States
| shall make single inch ofrailroad-al that | ask
is that they shall pay for the of railroads after
| they have been made by others The government
pays for the of these roads now; and is compelled
| to pay whatever sum the railroad companies de-
| mand propose to make contracts with these COM
panies now, when it is for their interest to con-
tract at low rate instead of waiting until they have
been relieved from the pressure of their present con-
dition, when they will demand--ay, and enforce,
| too, a much higher compensation. What propose
| is to make contracts with these companies nop
| when their necessities will induce them to give
to the department proper control over times
of arrival and departure, and the rate of travel and
thereby secure regularity and despatch in the mails
instead Of waiting until these roads shall have
strengthened themselves as TO put the department at
defiance as the Brunswick and Philadelphia Rail-