The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-04-28


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States made on the 10 h of April, l5f9, between
Edward n. Collins, James Brown, and Stewart
Bfown merchants Of New York and the United
States, those persons now prosecute between the
ports Of New York and Liverpool, forty voy-
ages across the ocean, or twenty outward and in
| wrrd voyages, annually, in steamships carrying
| frcights and passengers on their own account,
mud also public mails on account OF The United
States, and receiving from the treasury as con-
pcnsation for that service, three hundred and
eighty Ave thousand dollars year, which is equiv
alent to somewhat more than Sl9,OoO for each
| outward and return pa ssage The COMMITTEES on
| Finance propose amendment to the annual De-
fcicncy bill the effect of which 10 10 increase the
number OF mails ani voyages from twenty 10 TWEEN
| ty six. and the compensation from $l9,OJ0 to
/ 8 S33, ,0OO for each voyage.
OUGHT THIS MEASURE TO BE ADOPTED!
| assume, for the present, that the existing en-
terprise is TO be perscveringly sustained In that
| view the QUESTION arises
| 'Uhsther tie proposed increase of mail service
| erpedient
| WI hen this line wes established the British CO.
I nard steamers, consisting of seven vessels, were
making semi monthly voyage and carrying semi
| monthly mails between the same ports during the
| eight temperate ufonths and monthly mais during
| the four other months; and thus they had monop-
| oily Of steam oce. postage between the two coun-
tries. We authorized the Collins line TO carry just
the same number of mails, alternating with the Gu
nard steamers; and 50 we broke up the monopoly,
and divided the postagcs of the rnutc equally with
Great Britain So far all was light and we'll But
recently the Cunard STEAMERS have continued their
semi monthly mails throughout the whole year,
while ours are limited to the eight temperate
months; and the equality of postage revenues
has been subyerted, and the early British monopoly
has been partially restored. f5y the proposed
increase Of mails shali exactly alternate again;
and on every day that an American or European
mail steam. ssel leaves New York one Of The other
line will leave the opposite port; and 81 the monop-
oily will again be broken and the complete eqnsl-
ity of postage revenues will be re established. We
must do juEt ths, or relinquish in an important de-
gree the great postal object Of tic enterprise The
Postmaster General ana the Secretary Of the Navy,
and the Senafe's Committees ON the Pos Otflce, on
Naval Affairs and Finance, agree that the ser
vice must be thus increased lift il to be all con-
tinued. The increase. then, ls not merely expe-
dent. Tut even necessary and inGi5 Jensable.
Assuming now that the service is 10 be Increased,
the qucs,iun comes up
! /, Tie increase f compensation from $40 600 TO
! S33 900 per uoyage just and r. ras5nobte?
Ii is just and reasuns Bile, if Necessary lis clear
| that some increase is necessary The proprietors
| decline to make the six new VOYAGES for nothing
ard even 10 make them for S 300 voyage We
cannot obge the cont tors tn make them tor that
compensation, nor even to make them for any com
pensa,ion, for they are beyond the contract. No
else offers to make them on those terms or, IN
deed. any terms We must therefore apply To
MIR. Collins and his associates TO enlarge the con
tract But opening the contract for enlar cement
opens it for revision. They consent 20 enlarge, but
they equally appeal to us TO remodel it aud they
show for reasons that while the averag. cost OF
each voyage is. is...........--......-. 500 2lo o.
The average receipts are only........ 4S,2S6 50
And that they incur an average loss of 1928 70
And an aggregate oas annually off,. S33s ,574 40
| They further show that a capital OF three millions
! invested has paid dividends. and been reduced
by inevitable Losses TO a little more than two and
] half millions; that their stock s sold in Wa street
at fifty cents on dollar; and that, even u they
would yet they cannlt despatch another snip or
mail after the 18th OF May next. Something must
be allowed if not for profits at least for rcnova-
ton; and the actual lors on each voyage being
in round numbers Sl7 ,oOO 1t is quite certain that
an increase Of not less than $1,000 ia necessary
to keep the steamers in vigorous and surc opera
ton.
! All questions Of the fairness Of this showing
| are precluded by the offer Of the contractors
10 reuouish the enterprise TO the United States
! to any assig gnec indicated by them after the con
| tract shall have been remodeiled, and by the ne.
g.ect OF any other party to pr'pote for new con
| tract, even the terms thus recommended.
So, the increase Of compensation solicited ID
Just and reasonable, and is moreover, like the in-
Srensc of the mail service, necessary and ndispen
sable.
Now, sir, VIC have arrived at the very question
of the whole question We must do jur, what ia
thus proposed, or rciirquish the contract aitoge-
thcr.
The honorable chairman Of the Committee
Finance (Mr. HurrEu) dissenting from his associ-
ates, advises that alternative Sir, with profound
rcspect for that distinguished Senator not now for
the first time for mere effect expressed, must
have his pardon, nevertheless, for pteerring the
authority Of his associates Extreme caution Is
npt be the fruit Of the patient aud patriotic la
! bora OF his office. An Appropriation blll seldom
/ has passed this House without calling forth from
! him his predecessors eloquent yet ground
lees, alarms Of exhausted treasury, and OF inn
! pending taxation. ii not bankruptcy.
While We cannot, without wounding The national
scnsbiies and imparing the national character,
bandon any great enterprise, II is equally true
that indecision u among the wort w"s OF INC
statesman, and vacillation in the conduct Of poblio
affairs IL fruitful Of national dcmoralizatiop and
indicative OF certain national decline Persistence,
when practicable, invigorates national energies,
discourages foreign rivalry, and prevents foreign
insult AID ggression Compare France emil ght-
ened. vigorous, and energetic, but unstable as
water-with England. cautious. constant, and per
severing, or even with Russis, unimpassiOned
and cold es h.r climate, yet with her eyes ON
swcryipgly and forever fixed on stamboul. and you
have an apt illustration Of my moral. NeVertne-
less, these general observations are inconciusivc
and grappled therefore cheerfully, with this great
question.
II this enterprise must be abandoned. il must be
for ono oftwo reasons. namely; either because
/. n ,rds eroneousiy coHc1Ud; or II has been
rendered unnecessary. untoise imPrdcicdJie BY sub
stq,l1ni cUcrfs aud circumstances.
Has IL tTTon,Ottsly cOnc,ired? To determine
this question, need TO ascend some high cm-
nence Of time from which We ca n look back along
the past. and pierce, far as Ia allowed 10 human
vision, through the clouds and darkness thai rest
upon the future. Come, then, Senators, and sup
pose that on stand With me in the galleries Of ST
stephens Chap on day 40 long gone by as the
22d OF March, l175. mighty debate has been going
on here in this august Legislature of the British em-
pire. InsurrcctiOn against commercial re rlction
has broken out in the distant American colonies,
a scditous psscuoly in Philadelphia has organIz,d
Il, and brave, patient, urimpassioped, sud not
uu,rird soldier of Virginia lice, with hastily gath
cred aud irregular lcvics the heights uf ID rchcs
TER waiting the ,uning cot OF the BRIT sh srny from
ston. The qurstion whether Grtat Brlhin
shall strike. or couccdo and conciiiate, has Just
b,cn debated and docidcd. Core ssiuu has been
u, med. silence, hrie but ncnse, isbrokcn by tNe
of en- fierce aud violent, but nov ueasur,d d nd
ietnn, uttcrnncc ot Burke: "My counsel has b~rn
r. ject,d. You have determined to tramplc upon
aud cxtiugush people who have, in the coarse
uf a single life, added TO England ss much
She bad acquired 10y progressive INCREASE OF inn
ptoyement, brought IN by Ntr cs 81 ciyil'zr x
oouqu,sts and civil zing settlements in series Of
seventeen hundred years. vision has passed
b fore my eyes; the spirit Of prophecy Is upon me.
B'stcn, now, to n revelation OF the consequences
IL. Il, IN I,lun IL 4L.l