The New York herald., 1848-12-20

tight which Is secured to us of opening way
the lsthmus Of Panama This was done by the two re-
ppblics-Powers Of the world acting together In
making this treaty, and taxing into their owa naads
as appropriately they should do the great wprh
which to carry into effect the original idea Of ths
great Columbus Of proposing to West In order tc
arrive at the East IL was now in their power to ac
complsh this great work. The petitioners undertook
to do it In three years. and enter the execution
il upon actual examination by engineers, Of the
whole work to be accomplished. Their with the
government Of New Granada, gave them eight years
in which to do this work aud looking to their own
interest well as xious to comply with the UNI
versa desire at this time to facilitate Intercourse be
tween the two great oceans, these petitioners were
complish this work within less than half the time
which was allowed them by their grant from the 60.
vernment Of New Granada That all this should be
done was equally desirable to the government OF the
United States to the whole country and especially to
ell who should have business bet weeu ths two
The interest Of the petitioners the successful
execution of this enterprise aud IL was demanded also
by the Of all who had business to transact
In that direction In the hands OF this company In
formed as they were and acquainted with the nature
of the work which they had to do-posssssed of the
capital necessary for the work-having already ex
pended six hundred thousand dollars invested n the
steam lines on the other side OF the Isthmus--deepy
interested in the returns which they expected oh.
rain from this captalit obvious that every pos
tble guaranty was gwen that these gentlemen would
have the work accomplished within the short period OF
time which they had stated. IL would be great sub
jeot of rejoicing that the United States Of America
the first OF the powers Of the New World should be the
first to carry out the great idea Of Colum Other
plans might be presented. There was proposal on
the part Of an English company, to construct rail-
road the lsthmus Of rehuantepec Let it go
Let 1t succeed Let there be as many of these
of communication as possible But. when that work
would be nccomps he'd, 1t would st be British WORK
mot ours-not guaranteed to us by treaty. II this
contract given to this company. they might look
for the accomplishment of the great idea of Thomas
jefferson in sending Lewis and Clarke to toe Paoho
Ocean, and he probability of openin ing mic tito
between the two sides Of the continent They might
have in time, an American road to the Pacific Ocean
II han fhott Ia th,k.
interest and feeling that belonged to Americans
for he appropriated that term by way of pre- emin-
to the first power of the New World-would die
tate the adoption Of prompt measures for the
plshment Of this great work.
Mr.. BREEsE said that he did not rise for the purpose
Of discussing the merits of this important
be would leave that to some more auspicious moment
than the present He to express his hepe, that
the Senator from Missouri would not precpitate action
on the proposition, to-day, or this week but that
abundant opportu pty should be afforded for the
sideraon Of the whole subject, in all its details aud
In its full scope. He had information on which he
could rely, that far more beneficial proposition
than that now presented would very soon be offered
for the consideration of the Senate. This vastly
important matter. 1t was an immense undertaking.
which these individuals about to attempt aud
which they sought the patronage and funds of this
government. If he understood any thing about it,
this line Of road which the petitioners proposed to
struct about sixty miles in LENGTH and should
cost average, hfty Thousand dollars mile, the
whole expenditure would not be more than three mil
lions Of dollars Yet proposed to pay them for the
transportation Of the mails for twenty years the sum
Of six millions, and, II they added to that the allow
for the conveyance Of troops and military and
naval stores, &c. the allowance would reach twelve
millions, besides giving them the whole power to tax
that portion Of the commerce Of the world which may
pass the lsthmus Of Panama-au unrestricted
power The Senator had said that the United States
had gained rights, by treaty with New Granada and
that those rights would be lost unless they
cieed In the fifth section of that treaty the
F" right of way' secured to the govern ment and
citizens Of the United States: That was secured in
any event. He hoped then, that the Senate would be
allowed time to deliberate this imp matter
and that it would be borne in mind, that far more
beneficial proposition would shortly be made to Con-
gress.
ME- HALE did not wish to be understood, in the re.
marks which he about to make, giving any in.
dicaton Of the vote which he would give. He con-
fssed however In the eutset, that his impressions
all adverse to the bill He desired information
the subject. II he understood the treaty with New
Granada to which reference had been made valus-
BILE privilege had been secured to the people and cti
zens of the United States. In accordance with the
section of the treaty which he would read by reques
Of q Senator near him "the government Of New Gra-
NADIA grants to the government of the United
States that the right Of way transt the 18th
mus mus Ii ,h, ranama "Pon any MODES oi oom%un,ca m
structed, shall be open and free TO the citi Eens
Of the United States SC and no other rates Of tol
shall be levied upon them than those levied upon the
citizens Of New Granada" &c He took 1t that the
right Of construction vested in the Of
the United States; and II any privilege was secured at
all 1t secured to the whole of the United Ststes
and it not competent for any citizens of the n
ted States to 60 on, aud by contract with that 60
vernmsnt, made subsequent to the treaty, pass 3
"snsp judgment" upon the government Of tho United
States that its hands should be tied and rendered
incapable Of avang itself of the privileges of the
ty Again ibis bill not only authorized, but directed
the Secretary of the Navy to enter into contract with
these three individuals. 1t seemed to him that this
would be- in the strictest of the term, monopo
ly All the other citizens of the nied States except
Messrs Aspinwsll, Stephens and Chauncey, would be-
by this BILL deprived for twenty years, of s the prvi
leges secured BY the treaty with New Granada; and
81 Cac~ tH,.H Ma
pass ofthis BILL to listen any proposals.
favorable from any other quarter twenty years He
wished to have the whole thing thrown open to gene
raj competitions and II other would do 80, he would
himself offer amendment to the BILL directing the
Secretary Of the Navy to issue proposals to the people
the United States that 1t might be seen whether
there not three other gentlemen who had
much skill knowledge, enterprise and capital these
parties, who sought to obain this contract.
Mr.. BENTON replied He said that he did not de-
sire vote to- day. His object had been merely TO
open the subjectto bring before the Senate that
after due 1t might be prepared to act upon
It, The Senator from Illinois (Mr. Breese) was mis-
taken in supposing that these petitioners to be
paid for conveying the malls the isthmus. They
we're already under obligations to carry them the
Transmission Of the mails the isthmus in
cluded in their contract for their conveyence from
Chagres to California. lie might add that over and
toned q small steamer at Chagres, for their own
advantage in transporting the mails and also
for the convenience Of passengers in order to avoid
detention st an unhealthy locality, on sickly coast
and low shore presenting very few attractions to
white men. There only white an there now,
and in his case there was indeed practical ilustra
ton Of the adage, that " when at Rome you must do
"a Rome does" There was nothing, then, to be paid
for the hsportaton of the mails the fstnmas
Again all left to the discretion of the Secretary Of
the Navy. He might make the contrast for whatever
period he pleased and for whatever amount he deemed
proper The rate mentioned in the bill intended
only as rule to guide him. He quite agreed with the
Senator from New Hampshire, in his opposition to all
mo noroies. But circumstances sometimes justified
temporary monepolies. When private enterprise and
means could not aoc complish great works Of general
utility without extraoriinary privileges, 1t was politc
and proper to permit monopoly for limited period
He had objection that the bill should lie oyef for
few days but not for any extended time, for that
would be death to the whole enterprise.
MIR ALLEN desired information in regarlto
this measure. Does the bill propose to tr4s ssfer the
tight Of way Of the United States to a csmpsny!
Mr. BENTON explained that vhls company had Sc
cured the right of way from the government OF New
Gre NADIA, or its represe ntative here.
Mr. ALLEN-I do not speak Of the rights of these
Of New York but Of the rights Of the United
States and the people, | desire 10 know whsthsr the
object to divest the people and the United States of
their right Of way and TO invest IL In the hands Of these