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

that this gigantic scheme sprang into existence. He
likewise said sir, that did oppose it. Here is the
vote upon the question OF putting in the amendment to
appropriate twentyhv thousand dollars when the first
money was appropriated in support of the system.
Here are the ayes and noes, sr-27 ayes "a noesand
among Inc latter my name stands recorded And now
sir, IN order to see whether not opposed the system
will read my own speech, made that day, in oppos-
ton to that very proposition and in answer to the first
speech the subject made by the senator from Connec
tcut will get my friend [Mr BRIcTl to read it for
Mr.. BRIGHT then read the following:
"Mr. ALLEN then and said that sensible of the
mporaneo OF this subject. he had turned in his
mind with some care As they the starting
point OF systematic end of which could
ne thought was yely proper that they should examine
The United States mail between New York Liverpool
He had yet TO learn that there any United States
knew of no such hing in existence as a United States
mail between Liverpool and New York, New York and
upon which this new system was Based was that Of
creating aniety and under the general power regu
defence of the country by paronizng particular compa
MES OF in the construction and navigation steam
In order be profitable would he necessary to remove
competition Was it likely affect them Our inland
have he post Office expenditure sadded the general
treasury was then absurd to suppose that the
they could carry the business pfoftably The hon
orable gentleman then went on to argue against
the injustice of endowng line from New York
pha, Charleston New Orleans, and all the chief
cities the coast would be in competition for the eslab
lishment of mail lines Europe And them again. Look
ing end Of the line Lverp ol would not satisfy
fne s, ney would demand line TO The East
OF citizens ia the deaf their
tronage lines 10 Europe. Why not establish a post
office for the accommodation OF people interior
Besides he opposed tho government engaging in
JOINT stock which had already nlced such Evil on
the country lie wished to keep this government clear OF
all of come xion with human
claly moneyed combinations Tie example Of Great Brit
ain had been pointed to; that was one why he
would avoid the project. Mr. A then proceeded some
length, and with much vehemence, oppose the whole
project Of e.tbishtns The proposed steam communication
wit Great Britain tor a conveyance OF the mats"
MIR. ALLEN resumed. And yet sir, the senator from
Connecticut ued make the country believe the other
day. that had in the first instance favored this system
aud now opposed IT. There tine commencement of
the system, sir 1t commenced in that appropriation
made sir the day that the Oregon treaty bears
and good Will were renewed to vards Great Britain The
gentleman then abors under the dilemma of either pro-
vding for war ia the act Of ls45 before any was
anticipated, of having provided for after peace
had been amcably arranged Here, then, was the first
act; and | intend, far my voice can do it, to
clinch this matter in the public mind. | warred upon
that every here will acknowledge now to exist
There is the evidence of it; uttered, sir when the
first dollar was sought to be obtained from the public
treasury tor IT is this provision of 5000 dollars that
constitutes the first leak made into the public treasury
twas the breach through which the obbes have entered
and they have widened and widened it, 80 that within
that breach which commenced with $4,000 dollars per
annum SO large. by their mercenary activity, that
in this act where the prime. first sin was committed,
that the Post Office establishment for the first time
thrown upon the national treasury By the last clause of
this act or the last section but one is provided that in
the income from the Post Office establishment shall
not meet the appropriation herein made the balance from
the treasury shall make that up.
You will observe, that the commencement of this
system you changed the old system of making the estab
ishment pay for ITSELF and threw the whole weight upon
reference to dates that this was done at the exact ses
sionthls appropriation was made al the exact session
this system thrown upon the public treasury the
session. that the senator from Connecticut perform
ed that somerset in politics which brought him favor
of high protective tariff The tariff pending the
very time that this first leak made into the public
treasury; and every man who wished to exhaust the
treasury, order to have the for high tariff to
replenish it, had that inducemen if he would under
it, to 60 into this system 1t was not the matter OF war
with Engand--tt was war upon the pockets OF this
nation, that this system devised to carry it was
upon the tax-paying mill lions of the interior for
the benefit of the large capitalists OF the East That
the kind OF that this system got up to min
lister to.
Let see how it progressed. The first contract was
ratified by that appropriation. Now let how it
progressed. | will take up these laws in their order.
The next act on the subject bears date the I'd OF
March, ls7, one year later and that act appropates
1888 500 execute further this Bremen Mark
YOU there has been but OF these contracts
lsl7-when the war with England had passed off more
than twelve months.
What is the next ac' for will take them in their
order, sir The next act sir, bears date the year
lsi7-the Sd of March. lsi7. No war then with Eng
lanu-nO apprehension OF WaT-Out q reduced ana
apprehension that If that tariff could be made TO fail
supplying the expenditure of the government it would
have been necessary to have higher tariff While that
apprehen sion existed, and it became necessary to ex-
haust the treasury in order to show that the tariff of
1916 not sufficient to supply the wants of the gov
ernmentwhen that was the sir, this leak in the
treasury made still larger. 1t then, that an
act passed drecng-not authorZing-but directing
the Secretary of the Navy Immediately enter into
tracts for three distinct mail routes; and it
then, and not till shen that this system struggled
under the petext of aordng additional defensive
to the country. Previously that time it had been
neced with the Post Office establishment, but the Post
master General had contented himself with contract,
and manifested Discrimination to favor further contracts
Besides that the plea for this immense expenditure
not strong enough under the Post Office arrang ementh
necessary that the projectors OF this scheme who
not members OF Congress, hot members of the cabinet
but Job,ers, who were the projectors OF lit was neces
sary that they should put it upon some broader and
more popular platform; and, there fore, it
fences. This, sir, was after thought !; it was after
the cause OF the quarrel with Great Britain had passed
away BY this act, sir the Secretary of the Navy re-
CURED to confirm these contracts, and that Immediately
four lines. He is afterwards required to change his
ne and required to contract with particular men, Tor
particular jobs afraid these obbers that II any
discretion left with the Secretary of the Navy, they
would lose the mails
Sir, something uttered the other day and which was IN
fortunately not correctly reported may seem 70 cast some
mputaon upon the Secretary OF the Navy ana tne rost
master General Such, sir was not my design knew
then and know now that the Secretary OF the Navy
was not responsible for this systerthat he was forced
u,o il bv the express phraseology of Congress 1t
then sir in 1917, that this idea OF putting the system
upon the general treasury originated
The ne yt thing give broader foundation in
the popular affections by calling it system of national