The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-07-15


ment which The bill contains, that the owners OF navi-
gators OF steamboats, shall have e.boat suitable TO
carry the passengers ashore. tie assumes that patent
IN the BILL and thai the bill Is intended TO cover patenl
but the only evidence he has given OF i Is IN The SIZE
OF the boat and urged in the face OF the
statement OF the gentleman from Massachusetts that The
bill Is not intended 10 include any patented e-boat al ait
The only proof he brings forward at ALL except his mere
declaration, is that IL is OF the size while even that
s answered By The reading Of the bill. which is that y
shall not be less. Sir. would rather trust the sober
Election OF the gentleman from Massachusetts, than the
instinct ol the senator from New Hampshefor il is mere
instinct hope that the bill will not be thus destroyed
upon This motion,
The honorable gentleman chooses TO make confess
sion laadaory 10 himself To that have no objection
consultation with the senator from Massachusetts,
every has seen. and hope VIII see until The bill goes
through he chooses not only to aade TO them but 70
neither The senator from New Hampshire nor myself
need be ashamed OF an acquaintance with any one OF
then, They have no patents They are sent here as
delegates by the respectable people OF the western coun-
try interested in steamboats,, and Interested IN The Dav
CATION OF them, and whose lives constantly exposed
in them They selected most intelligent and re.
spectacle long engaged and one OF them for thirty
five consecniyely in the command OF steamboats,
and to the honor OF that gentleman be said that uotn
single accident has happened on board his boat during
that time. Such is the character OF them all They are
men OF that description, They are men who would not
suffer by comparison with anybody Ther objects are
laudable. They here full Of experience and infor
malon and there would undoubtedly have been less de-
bate upon this bill if the senator from New Hampshire
ana myself ndu known as much aUOul bledmUOatln2 as
these very gentlemen who have been in consultation with
the senator from MASSACHUSETTS.
MIR. BRODHEAD. 1t was with some difhdence, Mr..
President that suggested Inquiry the oher day with
regard to this section did without any consultation
with any al the lime. But seems to me that The
point in dispute between the senator from New Hamp.
shire and the senator from Maine easily be adj
justed. The honorable senator from New Hampshire
seems TO think that certain ileboal called Franciss
liie-boa will be favored ii the section passes as brought
before the Senate By the honorable senator from Massa
chusetts The honorable senator from Maine Mr. HAM
LIE] is of different opinion Now, sir propose TO sell
lie The point in dispute in this way propose 10 add
further provso that The section shall moi be construed
as 10 compel The purchase or use OF the boat known as
Francis's life boat
tor instead Of leveng il at Franciss feboa will say
.any patented life hoai +"
Mr. BRoDHEAD. will so modify il, and send il to
the Chair 10 come in at The end oil the section.
The question being then taken upon the amendment
moved BY Mr. HALE, it was rejected
Mr.. BRODHEAD moved 10 add the following pro-
vso;
Prordsd further, Tha, this section shall not be so con.
strued compel the prchase use of any patented
le-boaL"
bIr. DAVIS. have no objection to that
The amendment was agreed 10.
MIR. CHASE | viii ask the Senate to adopt another
amendment In section nine OF the amended bill, foriy-
ninth line, insert the words "tor the crew
and" before the word passengers The object OF this
amendment is simply 10 require the Inspectors not only
ascertain that there suitable accommodations Tor
the deck and cabin passengers, but also to ascertain
whether there suitable accommodations for the
crew. have consulted the honorable senator from Mas
sachuseus who has charge of this BILL and he has no
objection this amendment II seems TO me 10 be
OF Importance, nasmuch as II will provide Tor
class OF individuals emnen,Iy worthy OF consideration,
and yet not provided for in The bill.
The amendment was agreed TO.
Mr. GEYER When The bill was in committee, on
motion by the senator from Mississippi tMr BRooKEl
the words or spirits inserted in the tenth line OF
this section. understand that he does not desire TO
press the amendment, and now move that those words
be stricken out
n, g
MIR. SEBASTIAN. MIR. President observe that in
section 18th. there two distinct odencesone +" for
making steamboat boilers out of other iron than that
which is stamped and inspected by the proper authority
and The next for the use OF such kind OF boilers
The penalty IN each case is 800 move, sir, to strike
out 500 aud insert $500.
NV object In offering this amendment is simply this |
by section 10Th OF the bill, Is now printed that
the penalty OF $780, and imprisonment not exceeding Two
lett the stamps and marks which the bill requires 10 be
impressed upon the iron out OF which The boilers are 10
be manufactured Now. SIR in estimating the relative
delinquency of the Two classes OF oeDces-that oil false
ly stamping or counerietng the stamp required. and
that OF making using boilers made out OF iron not
stapped-hey precisely the same and yet The penalty
section l0h for the offence thus created IS $500, but
Tor the oesces which mentioned in secIon 18th,
making and using uDslamped iron, the penalty only
si0oa penalty which conceive u totally inadequate TO
enforce the observance OF that regulation which the bill
prescribes.
Mr. President IL there be any provision in this bill
which in is details is as comprehensive and well
adjusted 10 the purpose for which il was framed ~ any
specimen of human legislation that have heard DIE
cus-ed IN this ha there is any one provision which
il OF paramount Importance 10 all OF the others, and
which u important for the purposes for which "
was niended- that which regulates the quality, The
tenaciy OF the irouon OF which the boilers are 10 be
made, and the test by pressure TO which II TO be sub
Iecied.
Now, SIR, for the negec, OF this most important and
sautary Of all the provisions OF the bill the penalty is
only 500 My objection to That is based upon the
ground that disregard OF this penalty will enable The
and OF that kind OF boiler. made out OF
that kind of materials, to make speculation upon ms
Grim nal violation of the law OF course II is The object
and must be The object OF the Senate IN the discussion OF
this bill, TO supersede much possible that Kind OF
barter by which lite has often been exchanged Tor
mere money II is an evil OF which western country
in particular has had to complain grevou-y-tha the
manufacturers Of engines and boilers, aud the masters
and OF steamboats, have too often sacrificed Eu
man life to such considerations.
am informed, sir, and the statement comes from very
reliable auth orty, that large cylinder boiler weighs
about 5000 pounds and that inferior iron COSTS one and
one and quarter per pound less than The best ron
such the provisions ri the bill require Every person
thus constructing boiler might pay the penalty and s
ake money by putting M an inferior kind OF IRON and
paying the hoe Even supposng they were forced to pay
Il in every case still profit would be made beside the
sl0o is manifest from this statement that profit can
be made and that IL will perfectly defeat the object that
sought be asinedai least 50 FAR as the quality oil
the iron is concerned The penalty certainly should be
greater than that section nineieenh tor coonerfeng
the stanps, or for using such boilers made OF the un
stamped iron.
have presented this TO the consideration Of the SEN
4 con OF the importance that this