The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-02-10

was dH Dill pcnulng Tor the EXPENSES
the Post Office Department, and there was an amend
men made requiring the Postmaster General to appro.
pirate twenty-five thousand dollars of the aggregate
appropriation to make this Bremen contract Very we'll
sir The senator from Connecticut, support of the
proposition to appropriate the first twenty-five thousand
dollars that ever were appropriated for this purpose
puts upon the express ground his speech will show
that the appropriation asked for in order TO ray the
contract made by the Postmaster Genera-the Postmas-
ter General deemng it necessary to obtain the ratification
of Congress before he bound the government in the
tract. This, them the commencement Of the sys-
tenn. And when was this In 1876 the act passed. the
amendment voted for on the 18Th June, 1916, the
very day that the Oregon treaty bears the date of raca
ton SO that the of quarrel with England was
concluded by the treaty the first day that the fret dol
lar was appropriated to sustain. rather to begn this
system And yet. sir the senator from Connecticut says
that il out of apprehension OF with England
that this gigantic scheme sprung into existence. He
likewise said, sir. that | did not oppose it. Here is
to appropriate twenty-five thousand dollars, the first
money appropriated to the support of this system
Here the yeas and nays, sir; twenty yeas,
and twentyfour nays. And now, sir in order TO see
whether or not opposed the system, will read my own
speech, made that day. in opposition to this very
proposition and in answer to the first speech made on
this subject by the from Connecticut will get
my friend from Indiana to read my poor remarks that
subject
Mr.. ALIENS remarks were read by Mr.. BRIGHT as
follows, from the Congressional Globe:
'Mr ALLEN then rose and said that sensible of the i'm
porance OF this subject he had turned It over in his mind
with some As they We're now at the starting point of
"A SYSTEM the end oil which could loresee, he
thought that proper that they should examine
the ground with no little caution.
New York and Liverpool He had yet learn that there
was any, United States mail between New York and
mail between Liverpool And
New York, Now York and Liverpool between any other
based that of creating. quietly and under the general
power to regulate the post office steam navy, with
cuar m Of mem in the and
lion OF steamboats, Let them look at this project liz
Necessary TO remove oo%pe,on Was likely TO effect
hiatt Our inland mail transportation is monopoly Yet
lied the general treasury was. them absurd sup
that on the ocean, they could carry on the business
against the injustice OF endowing line from New York;
q the exclusion of other ports Boston, Philadelphia,
coast, would be petitioning for the establishment of mail
ines Europe And them again, looking at the other end
They would demand line to the East Indies to Buenos
Ayes and 1t was unjust to those OF our citizens in
Offices and bestow this immense patronage on lines to
Europe. The farmer had often fifteen twenty miles to
Why establish post offices for the accommodation of the
people in the interior Besides, opposed to the
ready inflicted such evil the country: He wished to
,eep this government clear of all manner ofconnexon with
The example of Great Britain had been pointed to.
That on, reason why he should avoid the PROJECT.
Mr. A. proceeded at some LENGTH and with much vehe-
nencs oppose the whole project OF establishing tho
proposed steam with Great Britain Tor the
And vet the senator tried to make the country believe
he other day. that had, in the first instance advocated
system which | now oppose There was the com.
of the system itself. 1t commenced in that
appropriation which made the very day that the
Oregon treaty bears date and by which treaty all rea
ions Of friendship and goodwill were renewed toward
Great Britain The gentleman then labOrs under this
emma of either providing for war, by the act OF 1s45
before any war was anticipated, or of providing for
war after the peace had been amcably arranged Here
hen, is the first act and intend, SO far as my voice
AN do it, to clinch this matter in the public mind
warred upon it at the commencement, and predicted
he very evils the existence of which every senator will
low acknowledge There, sir, is the evidence OF it,
pointing TO the speech from which an extract had just
ead) uttered, sir, when the first dollar sought
,ropriaon OF twenty-five thousand dollars that const-
utes the first leak into the public treasury, which was
he breach through which the obbers have entered and
hey have wilenad IT and Wdened IT. 50 that within four
made that breach, which commenced with twenty-five
thousand dollars per annum so large by their mercena-
activity that million three hundred thousand dol
flowed out of last year. 1t was in this act, where
he prime first sin was committed by which the post
office establishment was for the first time, thrown on
ne BY he last hs ou, one fo Oh
he post. office establishment shall not meet the appro-
priations therein made the balance shall be made up
of this system changed the old system of
making the establishment pay for ITSELF throwing the
whole weight the general treasury OF the country 1t
will be understood too by reference to dates that thus
was done at that exact session-tha this appropriation
was made at the exact sesson-this system was thrown
upon the public treasury at the exact session that the
senator from Connecticut performed that somerset In
politics which brought him in favor of a high pro-
ectve tariff The tariff was pending at the very time
that this first leak made in the public treasury and
every who wished to exhaust the treasury in order
to have for high tariff to replenish it, was IN
duced to go for this system. 1t not with Eng
land; it war on the pockets of the people OF this
country, for which this system was devised and carried
on. 1t the taX.paylng millions OF Inc
interior, for the benefit of the large capitalists OF the
East That the kind of war that this system was got
first contract ratified by that appropriation. wish
to take up these laws in their order, to see how pro-
crossed The next the subject bears date the
second day of March, S47 one year LATER and that act
contract Mark you sir there had been but one OF these
contracts up to lS47, when the with England had
passed off more than twelve months What Is the next
act take them in their order, SIR Inc next ACT bears
date in the year, the third day OF March, 1S47
There was no war with England then, sir, nor any
apprehenson of war, but reduced tariff, and an APP
prehenson that if that tariff could be made to fail in
supplying the expenditures OF the government, it would
henson existed and it became necessary to exhaust the
treasury in order to show that the tariff OF 1916
was not sufficient to supply the wants of the govern
ment, then this leak in the treasury was made still
larger. 1t was then that act was passed direct
ing-not authorizing, but directing-the Secretary
of the Navy Immediately to enter into contracts for
three distinct ocean airOutes and was then, and
not till them that this system was smuggled IN under the
preext OF afording additional means of defence to the
country. Previous to that it had been connected with
the Post Office establishment but the Postmaster General
had contened himself with one contract, and manuesea
Discrimination to favor further contract BESIDES 'na
the plea for this immense expenditure was nor suo'ls
enough under the post Office arrangement was eoes
sary that the projectors Of this scheme, VINO were ot
members of Congress-who were not members o. 'he
cabinet but obbers for they the projectors oil tit