The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-09-06

comnsny.n without any consideration whatever. w,
oaIy receive sixty seventy thousand dollars, and pas
Where is the Justification for ~
MI YULEE, (n his sesi) We pay out two hundred
thousand dollars Tor a.
Wp DAWSON We pay out $500 900 for il and
here Is the justihcaonl II only be found in that
'.su Of measures which recommends taxing the whole
ne Of this country aud concentrating the expenditures
nssrteuar points in the limits OF the country There
!. steam company in operation al The city of New York.
ma The dividend which would be- made by the reception of
~ money under this contract from the of the
United States would be equal to thai upon almost any
10y found in any section OF the Union We are nav
;g ihe company TO that extent Mr. President am o-
sd 10 this government taking the control OF the money
hal belongs 10 the people generally appropraung for
nS;ydua benefit or corporation benefit anywhere in
INV norton section OF the country; and that is lust the
onsraion of this measure.
'Butit is said that we violate contract and will be
liable TO damages. Mr. President. the
Of q State, regulate my conduct here upon the same
principles would in my individual action in contract
had made. Suppose the government had made con-
tract by the Postmaster General vastly unfavorabls to
The United States, and that contract forfeited by the
company Is there any want OF fidelity the part Of
Inc United States in abandoning that contract None at
all Is there any moral obligation to take il up and com
DIV with If after It has been declared null and void by
The conduct OF the other contracting parties, None at
all Now, submit to every senator here, whether it is
an advantage for the government OF the United States to
continue the contract that made is supposed 10
have been made by the Postmaster General to carry this
mail for ten years. when receiving seventy thou
sand dollars and paying out hundred and fifty thou
sand dollars annually, and with the probability of receiy
ing more in return. II is our bounden duty--there is
moral obligation resting upon usto fulfil contract
but that contract being abandoned by the other contract
ing party, that moral obligation longer exists. There
nothing requiring us to comply with this contract Ii
a taxation upon this government, in my humble judg
men, which we ought not to permit to continue Now
that we have the opportunity OF getting out Of the
unjust taxation. what apology can we make to the PEG
pie for stepping forward and taking it up again sub
nit TO my distinguished friend, the chairman of the Com
mtee Finance ii il is not known at the Post Office
Department that this contract, according to law, has
been abandoned by the contracting parties, and clearly
sowhether il is not legally abandoned so that techn
y they could not enforce il against the government OF
The United States. And if the contract had been favor
able to the United States, ask whether the other party
would have enforced the with the United States
we had abandoned the contract upon the part of the
United States, and the contract not favorable the
other party would they not jump at the opportunity Of
getting out of the difficulty! If the contract was as
favorable 70 our government as i is TO this corpora
they have, would they not have gone out OF the
contract and claimed damagesi What greater right
have they than WEI What right have we to claim
bic prnciples' Are to do it because we are the
representatives of great nationl Who made you the
representatives OF great nation 10 take away the money
that belongs to the people TO appropriate to individuals in
this way, merely because you are the representatives OF
agreat people There should be the limitation
upon our power the Same morality to govern and
else that power here as among individuals in neghbor
hood Mr. President, repeat it again. this government
ngong headong and has been going for years. into
pofgae expenditure OF the public money. Scarcely
command majority OF the Senate to listen even TO
the investigation OF appropriation involving this
Try in expenditure OF million of dollars, and we
know not how or where We are reckless. The ex
pendtures OF this government IN the days OF Mr. Adams
were about thirteen millions OF dollars annually and
they amount TO the round OF forty-i millions
a year. These encroachments going from day TO
day Ii is for the want OF investigation. Ii is for the
want Of examination by the representatives OF the people
Our taxation now amounts to large portion OF our an
nual income we receive by way of expectation. If it
goes on year by year, by collecting from imports this
amount OF money what is TO become OF the wealth OF the
country
There great questions involved Every dollar we
take to Appropriate through the fundamentally of the
government taken from the pockets OF the people, where
il egitmatey belongs II should never be done unless
the necessities OF the government require il TO be taken
Mr.. DICKINSON. | will answer the senator. | un-
dsand by inquiry the Post Office Department. that they
deem this contract not fulfilled and so with numerous
ohers-not fulfilled in all the particulars. This grows
out Of the Casualties oil the service. Asto this being ben
ehcia 10 the State or city OF New York. and as 10 this
question OF the Post Office accommodations, make the
senator proposition he cannot fail 10 entirely
Fnerous-lhat 10, if he will bring in amendment TO
give TO each section Of the country the revenue that
Sale furnishes from the mail, i will vote for IT.
This the senator cannot object TO after his homy on
equality.
SENATOR. And then you will have all
Mr. DICKINSON. | will ask for nothing else i
would assure him he would make no great speculation
BY such arrangement II the senator will only take
lie trouble to look at the figures and what large
amount others pay for defraying the expenses OF the
mail service in your State and some others, ne would
not have made these remarks. stated originally sup
posed II passed upon high principles OF political apd
commercial State policy. | mean State in natiG1hl
Nnse. II has been regarded a mere question OF
postage That was not the object OF II originally. l
will 20 with the senator-"him who goes furthest'-
curtail the expenditures OF the government do not
60 for killing the goose that lays the golden egg, and
destroying revenue by destroying our commerce.
hs based upon commercial considerations OF the
country that OF the great inducements for en-
s1ng upon originally and OF the inducements for
continuing it. have contempt aed reforms in the financial
system the country, which have been unable TO intro
Oee here because OF greater questions which have borne
away all other questions, and II occasion offers they Will
RheIealler brought forward
Several SENATORS Question question
Mr.. DAWSON called for the yeas and nays which
were ordered
Mr. HUNTER. Mr. President. wish 10 say word
Two IN relation to this matter will vote with the
Committee Finance. | understand that the chairman
called at the Post Office Department. and found that this
was made according TO law. IL rs valid contract II
We choose TO make technical objection, we can set aside
hs contract and many others II II Is upon the whole
SUBSTANTIALLY performed as Understandable think we
ought 10 carry il outI will acknowledge am against
" steamer system. believe il is mpouc. and have
Always voted against IL but to-day the question rs,
whether the public faith shall be kept perfect Upon that
account shall vote for the amendment
Mf RUSk. Mr. President, | desire TO say one word
defence of the Postmaster General This question was
9eIofe congress and before the Committee the Posi-
omSe ana Post Roads upon disagreement between some
~ lhe contractors and fully discussed. This appropna-
W. "aue or lbe transportation OF the mail by fouI
seamshipsone hundred thousand dollars each per year
IRON New York to Bremen by way of Southampton
ahuef tne contract with e Ocean Steamship Navigation
company OF New YORK There an express appropri-