The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-06

N1AN~H u" sAN3 s.liuAh US aubsc ribefs gfatfs-
twenty -four thousand six hundred dollars last wear. And
this act which appropraes one million and tb;r1 of dol
lars per annum TO five mail routes has this exia
ordinary clause IN ithat it advances the money 10 The
parties to build vessels The obber, car
rying the mail between New York and Bremen upon the
assumption that they could do II for Sa5 900 That was
the beginning three years ago They have worked the
system into shape, BY which they, got las, year. one
million and third of dollars dealt to them from
the public treasury; and understand sir, that the ap-
preparation OF $S7l,Goo authorized by this act be
advanced to the parties in the ratio of $4,000 month.
for every ship, has actually been advanced-every single
dollar OF IT. so that sir in the very year we pulled down
two hundred and ninety six post offices among the peo
appropriate million and third of public money out Of
the general treasury to object that did not yield
dollar, and is not likely to yield one dollar think.
when struck the system at its very origin, have been
realized and borne out in every particular.
Now sir, opposed this system at the beginning, a,
unnumbered abuses, but opposed il the ground that
this government ought not to go into partnership with
stock obbers, or lend itself out to the building up OF
monopoles.
Under this system these men, who have got these i'm
mense JOBS out OF the public treasury, have gone to
work, sir, and having obtained these jobs, applying
for acts of incorporation. They forming themselves
into companies, one, | believe, with $4,000 capital,
another with s., 900 900, and another with s,0OO,000
These eofporation these gigantic monopoliss Of the
ocean nayigatlon taking their in pet legislation
for 1t is pet legislation, legislatng jobs out to favor
es-l say these corporations have not only obtained
acts of incorporation predcaed upon legislation, but
they going on, sir to obtain monopoly of the
ing trade of this country shall to that directly,
sir further stated, as objection to this SYSTEM that
held it to be unconstitutional, because nfracted that
part OF the constitution which dec that Congress
shall give preference to the ports of State
the ports OF another in any arrangement OF commerce
II may make. Perhaps, the constitution is yet
quite forgotten, it might be we'll to read that little clause
OF it:
No preference shall be given by any regulation of
m tn fha nj nua nf
ano her shall vessels bound from State be
Obliged TO enter, clear, pay duties in another"
Under this clause of the constitution, rather in de-
ance of this clause of the constitution, do establish by
law commercial communication between OF our ports
and foreign countries which do not hold with the other
OF our ports There two ports OF the United States
IRON which these lines OF communication are estab-
lishedone is New York, and the other is Charleston.
That of New York has three branchesone to Havre and
Brenea another to Liverpool, and the other to New
Orleans and Havana The which starts from Charles
ton simply passes Havana, amounting to nothing
So that the discrimination is in favor OF the port of New
York IN three particular in the line to Bremen, termna
ting at New York-in the line to Liverpool terminating in
New York-n the line TO New Orleans. terminating at
New York; thus making the discrimination by leys-
laon in favor of port to the prejudice OF others.
But sir the discrimination is only apparent when say
it is in favor of port The discrimination is in favor
of the port of New York only in manner; il is, in
point OF fact discrimination between indvidua!s is
giving to these people monopoly by our legislation
which they have no right to under the constitution OF the
United States.
And now sir, I will proceed very briefly to show you
the effect OF that monopoly upon the trade OF New Orleans
will take, sir the line from New York TO New Orleans.
That line Ia at the rate of Se9o.oO0 per annum.
will throw Oft the vessel that is required to run from
Havana to Chages. and confne my argument. for the
sake OF easy illustration, to the three vessels
which ply between New York and New Orleans. If
allow $4,000 out of the $2900oO for the Chages
men get for running the three steam ships between
New York and New Orleans $25o.oOo per annum.
Now. mark that these ships short in number and
may be increased to another that they are Of $500 tons
burden and that theV reuulred twenty
trips each during the twelve months Let see then,
what amount of tonnage passes between New York and
New Orleans, under the patronage of legislation
Three steamers between New York and New Orleans,
each $500 tons burden, and each twenty trips makes
400 Take off one third for the weight of machinery
that is, 72,s00 ons-and there will remain 145,600
ions unoccupied. Now, allowing for each one of
those ships tons for fuel and other unemployed parts
OF the vessel and there will then remain sir, 800 tons.
which leaves 100000 for freight 10000 tons, sir
equal to SO vessels Of the size ordinarily engaged in the
ton of cotton between New Orleans and New York.
That is the great article Of between those
points and upon estimation have been able to make.
find that the cotton that passes between the mouth OF
the Mississippi and the harbor of New York in the course
of the year, about $4,000 ons that after carrying the
whole of the cotton these still have 900 tons for
their freight during the year And let what
prospect there is OF competition with this. will pro-
ceed sir to show the effect of patronage upon this
establishment say that it is absolute and total
of the trade between these points that it
drives out of the trade other men engaged in it.
say that 1t impossible prevent their having the
total and absolute monopoly. and shall proceed to
prove it, What their compared with the case of
other navigators' Those vessels are three in number.
have caused estimate to be made by OF the most
intelligent of this country upon this point OF the ex
peRse of sailing OF the steamers each trip during
the year and ascertain. that the whole expense of
sailing the steamer 26 trips during the year amounts to
$4,000 The expense, then, OF sailing the whole three
steamers, paying the captain paying the Mates and pay
ing for every hand paying for the COAL OF the total ex
penses, including the Insurance OF the shpsthe total
amount of that expense. sir the whole three OF those
steamers, making 26 trips during the whole year, Is
1886 900 The consequence is, sir that the 1886 900 de-
Quoted from what they received for carrying the mail
leaves clear gain those steamers OF 500 900 annum
and above all their expenses OF navigating through
the whole and entire year; so that those men who
have freight have shown sufficient TO carry all tho
cotton between New Orleans and New York, and then
additional freight of LOT 900 TONS sustain this freight
By appropriations from treasury and without carry
ing load OF freight solitary passenger, they make
$52 900 per out of the public treasury. They
can therefore, afford carry freight and passengers for
nothing until they drive of the trade all the private
individuals who engaged in it; and after they have
driven them of the trade they put up the passage
and freight high they please. Sir, this does not
look like encouraging navigation.
Here is company incorporated in New York. It
comes to Washington city and gets actyets a job.
by which the whole expenses of the navigation of three
steamers of $500 tons burden is paid out OF the public
that build their vessels, pay their sailors.
buy their coal, and pay all their expenses Sir,
1t Is the difference between armed and man un
armed We pay all the expenses of those vessels; and
then expect that the enterprsng and intelligent mer-
chants OF New York compete with our hne, wneh
we pay the whole expense of line out OF our ueasu-
and they have pay the whole OF their expenses OUT
nf tho,r rL.ts