The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-03-09

ment during the year 1901
Also, report from the Secretary OF State show
ing the disbursements for the service Of the Stat
department, including foreign missions for The
year ending June 30, 1851
so report of the Secretary of the Interior
showing the balance of appropriations for the ser
vice OF that Department on the LIST of july 1850
the appropriations for the fiscal year ending Jun,
50, 1901 ) the repayments and transfers with tn,
amounts applicable to the service during the sam,
period, and the amounts drawn from the treasury
with such appropriations have been carried te
the surplus fund on the LIST Of July, 1851 all o.
which were read, referred, and ordered to be
printed.
CONVERSATION FOR TAXING TIRE CENSUS.
Petitions from arsistant lnarshals of the United
States for taking the seventh presented
by Messrs WADE, SEWARD, DAVIS, and BADGER.
CLAIMS AGAINST MEXICO.
Mr. RuSK presented the memorials of r. L.
Hlggenbotham, Margaret G.. Hallet Andrew
Moore, Daniel Davis, Desha Brenton, and John w
brenton, praying the establishment of a tribunal
10 review the decisions OF the late Board of Com
nssioners for the settlement Of claims of Ameri-
can citizens against Mexico
Memorials OF a similar character were presented
oy Messrs. SsuLE and RHETT; and all were referred
10 the special committee on that subject.
EXTENSION PATENTS.
a large number OF memorials, demonstrating
against the further extension Of Woodworth's pa
tent for planning machine, and Parkers patent for
by Messrs. WADE, SMITH, HAMLIN HUNTER, BRAp.
Bury, BRopHEAD, and FISH,
IMPROVEMENT OF RED RIVER
Mr. sOULE presented the resolutions of the LIE.
e1sihture oil louisiana praying an appropria ton
Tor the remove of distractions 10 navigation in the
Red river
SoN-ISTKRvESTioS.
Mr.. CASS presented the memorial Of citizens of
Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, praying recognition
oil the law OF nations against Interference, and to
prevent the infracton Of the same.
TIE TARIFF.
MIR. BRoDHEAD presented the memorial of cit
izens OF Montgomery county, Pennsylvania pray
ing an increase OF the duty iron.
Mr.. STOCKTON presented the joint resolutions
OF the Legislature Of New Jersey, praying IN in
crease OF the duties on iron and glass
CENSUS PRINTING.
Mr. BAYARD submitted the following resolu.
ton, which was laid over
Resolced, That the plan for the publication of the
returns OF the census as exemplfed in relation To
the State OF Maryland, which has been submitted
10 the Senate, be referred 10 select committee Of
i've for revision. who shall examine and report
what alteration should be made therein before the
came Is ordered to be printed.
ARREARS OF PENSION
MIR. BRADBURY submitted the following reso-
luton. which was considered and adopted.
Resolued That the Committee on Pensions be
instructed TO inquire into the expediency of grant
ing 10 Thomas b. Parsons, who received an injury
IN the naval service Of the United States arrears OF
pension, the difference between the half-pay of
seamen and petty officer, in which capacity he
was acting at the time he was disabled.
ROUTE THROUGH NORTH SEAS, ETC.
Mr., SEWARD submitted the following resolu.
ton, which was laid over:
Resolred, That the Secretary Of the Navy com.
municate 10 the Senate his opinion Of the expedi.
ency Of a reconnaissance Of the routes of naviga-
ton In the northern seas, and in the China and
Japan seas; and whether any vessels belonging 10
the service can be used for that purpose; and also
what would be the expense Of such reconnos-
OCEAN POSTAGE.
Mr.. SUMNER submitted the following resolu.
Rs'olved That the Committee on Naval Afairs
while considering the nature aud extent Of aid
proper TO be granted 20 the ocean steamers be d.
rected TO inquire whether the present charged ON
letters carried by these steamers not uuneces-
sarlly large aud burdensome to foreign CORE.
spondence, and whether something may not be
done, and # 50, what, TO the great boon Of
cheap ocean postage.
Mr. SUMNER said that the Committee on Naval
Affairs bad the responsibility Of sha ping some mea
sure by which the relations of our Government
with the ocean steamers viii be defined And
since one special inducement 10 these relations in
volving the bounty now enjoyed and further .oli.
cited, - the carrying Of The mails be trusted the
committee would be willing TO inquire whether
there could not be a reduction on the postage Of
foreign correspondence. Under the postage act of
1851, the Postmaster General, by and with the ad.
wee OF the President, had power 20 reduce from
time 10 time the rates OF postage on all maiable
matter conveyed between the United States and
any foreign country. But the existence Of this
power IN the Postmaster will not render IL improper
ior the COmmittee-nOw drawn into connrs non
with this question-to take II into careful con.de
ration, with view 70 some practical action or at
least recommend thereon the subject a, Of peculiar
he kpn ma. .-..sI..
accomplished which promised 70 be 90 beneficent
a. cheap ocean postage. The argument IN it,
favor seemed 20 him at once brief and unanswer-
able.
A letter can be sent three thousand rniles in the
United States for three cents and the reasons for
cheap postage on the land we're equally applicable
70 the ocean.
In point Of fact, the conveyance Of letters can be
effected IN sailing steam. pac kets al Ice cost
than by railway. Beside,, cheap ocean postage
Sll tend 70 superscdc the clandestinc and illicit
conveyance Of ietters, and 10 bring into the mail
all msilaoie matter which, under the present sys-
TEN, is carried in the pockets Of passengers or in
the bales snd boxes Of merchants.
All new facilities Tor correspondence naturally
gave new expansion 70 human intercourse, and
there was no reason 10 believe that through in
creased number Of letters cheap ocean postage kin
be self,uppOrtng Cheap postal communication
with foreign countries would be u incaculable Im
poriance 70 the commerce Of the United States
BY promoting the intercourse Of families and
would add o. the sum Of human happiness The
present high rates Of ocean postage namely TWEEN
tyiOur cents on hall an ounce, forty eight cents
on an ounce and ninety. ccnts a letter which
wei hs = fraction more than ounce-wcre n Sc
we're ta1, amounting IN many cases, TO a complete
prohbiuOnOi foreign correspondence. This should
not be.
Il particularly became our country, by the re-
TnOyal u All unnecessary burdens upon foreign
correspondence, 20 advance the comfort Of Euro.
pean cmigrants seeking home here, and to de-
strOy, as Tar a. pfaculabic every barrier ~ free
intercourse between the old world and the new.
And lastly, cheap ocean postage would be bond
81 peace among the nations II the earth, and would
extend gOOd-w among men. BY such reasons
this measure vas commended. Much a. be re-.
lOloed in the American steamers, which vindicated
peaceful supremacy Of the seas, and helped 10
weave golden tissue between the two hemisphcres,
he could not consider thefc, with all their unques.
toned advantage, an equivalent for cheap ocean
postage. Bot be trusted that they were not iucOn-
-istent with each other, and that both may happily
flourish together.
Mr. RJSK said that the rates u postage on Tor.
eiRn letter. were established and regulated by
uanty; while be bad objection 70 the resolution
the committee could make 30 inquiry which would
result in The change II those rates.
And after further debate ~ ~ the appropriate
committee 90 which the resolution should bc al.
he I.fN a., la. L.