The southern press., 1852-05-15

steamers alike unsuitable Tor naval and |, com
mercial purposes, and having tendency to keep
down those which would suit the demands Of
trade, aud be started by private enterprise, II
the government did not interfere.
Now, Mr.. President, acknowledge (and il
was a matter which escaped me when | was
abiding to the sectional views of the matter,)
that New York has natural advantages which
the government should recognize, and which
would be the very last man to refuse her.
believe that such a line of commercial steamers
could be sustained at New York by the profits
on freight aud passengers and hostages alone
and would give the hostages to these steamers,
not only there, but elsewhere. believe that
the effect of this system would be that, for some
time to come, we should have steam lines from
New York only. But that would be a tempo
rary advantage to which she would be fairly en-
titled. 1t would result from her position, from
her population, from her wealth. | believe that
every place and every city ought to enjoy the
advantages which fairly and naturally belong to
her.
am not, therefore, giving up the undisputed
supremacy on the seas to Great Britain. am
not for destroying the chances of steam
marine. On the contrary, am in favor OF those
principles, and of that system which would en-
able US, most surely and most certainly, to build
up a commercial steam marine upon self.sup-
porting principles. |, therefore, protest against
being held responsible for those conclusions
from my arguments which the Senator from
New York Mr.. SEWARD chose to draw from
them. Sir, will not agree to be responsible
for any mans conclusions from my premises or
from my arguments am responsible for my
own, and | support my views of the case, not
for the purpose of sweeping American ships
from the ocean, but for the purpose of placing
them more surely, more safely, and more GER
tainly there. IL is true, do not believe in this
protective system never did, see no more
reason why we should protect steam engine
because il floats, than We should protect one
which is stationary in a factory.
! have succeeded in stripping this scheme Of
the pretenses that these ships are fit for war
purposes, or that we would be justified in any
thing like such an expenditure for post office
purposes, have shown that it is nothing more
nor less than anaked proposition to maintain a
steam line bya system of bounties. know
that the Senator from New York relied upon
letter from Commodore Perry, to prove that
these ships might be converted into war steam
ers. IL that letter ia to be interpreted as he in
terpreted 1t, then discredit Commodore Perry
as a witness by his own testimony, which / have
have no idea that Commodore Perry meant 10
say that, in the true technical sense of the term,
these could ever be converted into war steamers.
He meant that they could be used for temporary
purposes; that they could be used TO transport
supplies and troops. | have no idea that he
could have meant that they can be converted
into real, effective war steamer, when he wrote
the letter which has been read ] have no idea
Of it, because presume that Commodore Perry
has consistent opinions and find, upon sitting
the testimony Of naval men, of officers both in
England and ia this country that when they talk
Of these commercial steamers being used for
war purposes, they mean only for temporary ser
vices they mean for coast defense, for they all
say that you could not send them abroad !; that
you could not send them far to sea, as their
Goals would soon be exhausted. The naval
officers all say that you cannot trust them for
war purposes, because they cannot carry, in pro.
portion TO their size, armament enough. You
could only use them at home, and for purposes
of mere coast defense. Now, | submit that,
situated as we are, we are under no necessity
of establishing, by system of steam monopo.
lies and bounties, and at such an expense, CON-
mercial marine for that purpose We but en-
harrass them by the war feature, and VIC injure
ourselves by attempting TO substitute lhem Tor
war steamers.
But the Senator from New York was not con-
tent with arraying living testimony against me.
Like another With OF Endor, he called the dead
prophet 10 the stand. By some touch of his nee.
romantic art, he transported us nearly a century
back, and called up L lmund Burke to astonisil
the world once more with the wonderful range OF
his vision into the dark and distant future. But
sir, must admit that upon that occasion he
showed more courage than Saul, and more pres
ence Of mind than the Witch Of Endor; for while
he had his prophet up, he made good use Of him.
have examined that vision, and the best descrip.
ton can give oft is, that the Senator made him
prophecy very nearly the whole of what is con-
tanned in one Of our annual documents on
Commerce and Mitigation" But he did not
give the whole Of it, Ialso have seen version
of that prophecy-of that vision The modesty
Of the Senator FROM New York forbade him to
give the whole Of IT, | can repeat il to you,
sir; not like the Senator from New York, in
the very words Of Edmund Burke, but can
give you the substance. II concluded somehow
thus:
"And on tho 9th Of April, there shall appear in
the Senate Of the United States man from
New York who shall prove TO their satisfa ion
that he can think ~ | would have thought, and
that he speaks az | would have spoken: and he
will establish before the world his title To the
character Of the American Edmund Burke"
Sir, ] thought il but an act Of justice to the
Senator 10 give the suppressed passage; for
am sure il was only bis modesty that prevented
him from reading il. Laughter.
There was one point, however, on which
would have been greatly eratifed, IL we could
have had a little further information from the
one or the other Burke and that Is / should
have been delighted If either Of them would
have told US what the Collins line is TO cost
the government Of the United States before
we are done with it. Why, unless we get this
information, ] shall think the Senator from
New York is but an er post tacto prophet after
all, for the main, the material point, is unan.
swered.
The Senator from New York was kind enough
10 excuse me for my opposition to this amend
ment. He says that my position on the Finance
Committee, aud my habit Of watching appro.
priation bills have narrowed my mind Indeed
he says il has that effect generally on persons