The daily union., 1852-05-14

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owners and clerks of the Collins line. bu, ~. ~ tae
would nave examined experienced persons and oh,aey
Information 10 know what was reasonable ssnase eed
nav nmassatns .hese shfs, MAT We might ascertain wbs
would be proper amount OF compensation 10 he vo,i
them by the two houses OF Congress u 70
-. on, iout monlhs elapsed and no report was mad
Inc committee on Naval Affairs, as | UNDERSTAND !,
now, having upon Il gentleman who was also ~ .aa ~
ber OF The COMMITTEES Finance agreed among ,hs e
selves that they would raise The compeDsalon ny e %
per mp and then communicated that fact 10 the SecesS
OF The Navy. and asked for estimate The
them IN reply that u they approved OF the arrangs oa
of The Postmaster General for these additional si
at compensation OF Sl9,25o per trip. there would ba b
dehcit but II they concluded to raise il 10 s39 ooo
trip, then the deficit would be SO much Ths, pr
the estimate and them. sir. upon that member oS ~,
Committee on Naval Affairs takes his seal as ms.b Iue
OF the Committee on Finance, and moves this apn,on,
lion. According 10 my reading Of il, il staes pls,
is conradicted BY the record, and that is ons as
why am unwilling TO vote for it. II says: "For adS
Ss sss. a Gr tewssa Se
pool in the Collins line of steamers, to twenty sx ,
per annum, al such times shall be directed by bs
Postmaster General and in conformity with his las, sn'
nual report to Congress, and his letter of the Ism "
November last to the Secretary OF the Navy commen
said increased service on the first OF January 1859 y
the rate OF $33oo0 per trip in lieu OF the pesen, allow.
understand that to mean that this appropriation was in
serted in this bill according TO the Recommendation of ,h
Postmaster General while. i you turn to the recon-
he recommends no such thing
Mr., BADGER. hope my friend will allow me 10
say one word. He puts wrong Interpretation upon
the amendment altogether. The amendment neither eY
presses nor implies nor it intended 10 express Or i'm
ply, that the Postmaster General had recommended ri.
amount OF allowance at ALL II refers the increase n
the number OF trips from 20 to 26 according to the terms
Of agreement made by the Postmaster General thai
is all What mean to say is that it is well for gentle
man to understand the amendment before he denounced
Mr. GEYER Mr President, read this amendment
according to the words which find here and not accord
ing to the intentions which may have existed in the mind
OF the senator who drew il up The words are
"For additional compensation for increasing The ,ran
portaon the United States between New York sns
Liverpool in the Collins line OF steamers trin.
per annnn at such times shall be directed by the Po
master General, and ia conformity with his annual re-
port Congress- and his letter Of the 10th Of November
last TO the Secretary OF the Navy commencing said ;r
creased service the first Of January, 1852 The rate
of s236. Goo" ~ ''' '''' ~"
Now, sir, let me ask, how can unnormed persons ont
OF doors understand this to mean otherwise than thai
these additional trips are in consequence oil arrange.
ment made by the Postmaster General and that in con.
formy herewith, this appropriation is to be made The
Postmaster Generals recommendaon-and for that am
willing 10 vote--is this:
Under these circumstances, Mr.. Collins was reoue,ed
to continue the trips every other week. and assured
that the payment by Congress Of rata compensation
and Is believed lustlyiha rata compensation for
extra trips in the winter will fully indemnify
them and fhe extra trips are performed, il il. earnestly
that pro rata compensation with such ad
don, any, may be.necesssry give 10 the contract
or fair and liberal compensation for the extra service
be authorized by Congress"
That report discloses this fact That at the Time hi.
negotiation was going on between the Postmaster Gen.
eral and the owners OF the Collins line the idea was
not suggested that they should ask for extra compensa
lion Tor the trips which were performed in the summer
season but that, because the winter trips which are
ordered be gotten up by this new arrangement woud
not pay, therefore they desired extra compensation for
Still, Mr. President would have been perfectly con-
tent TO modify the contract SO as to maintain the ne if
those who seek it would furnish tho Senate with the
data upon which 10 calculate with degree Of
ainty the amount that would be necessary as TO make
The line. when its expenses shall be brought within res.
sonable limits, support itself They have furnished us
with the aggregate not in the form OF report but oc.
as senators address the Chair. have
read from the chief clerk, who informs Us
hat the expenses heretofore have been much, in
Guiding, understand from some senators, the detention
injury. and cost OF repairs the Atlantic. And then il
proposed to graduate the for carrying the
mail Tor eight years to come upon the aggregate expenses
incurred by the trips during the last two years. certified
by their clerk Now cannot. for one, though desire
10 keep up the line, undertake TO vote SS5s 900 per an
nun upon any such statements, when the means exist
and the time is sufficient 10 have brought forward in
some form the evidence by which we can determine the
question, Tor ALL nat the compensation we are about
% give is necessary and than necessary. The
amendment which was made on motion of the senator
rom Texas, while its face confesses that we are in
loubt, still makes the original proposition than be-
ore, and furnishes additional reason why shall be
,eed 10 vote against IT, As the proposition came from
next and the question would have been presented upon
new appropriation bill because there would have been
contract The question would have arisen again upon
new appropriation bill, and might then have had an
opportunity to investigate the subject But now that
recognises il contract which is 10 exist
Turing The whole eight years TO come, unless an end
put TO il by the action OF Congress- II carries the opera
ion OF the appropriation beyond the time limited by the
appropriation Itself. IL puts inerprealionhat is,
Without provisothat il would be carried through the
whole period OF eight years that remain OF that contract.
n fbfop han the
'erod shall arrived for IT, the burden OF establishing
that the compensation il too much instead
u taking The burden now spon themselves OF showing
hat il is reasonable.
These, In few words, are the reasons why feel
he committees 10 whom the subject has been referred,
md whose attention has been called 10 it, did not enter
iI,on an investigation, and furnish us with . repon
which would justify those who, like fhe senator from
Delaware, tMr BAYARD,1 do occasionally think il worth
While 10 count the cost and who desire TO examine 40
many years amounting 10 but little short OF seven mil
ions OF dollars for the transportation OF the mail be-
ween New York and Liverpool. There some OF us
y no, when we have appropriation before us. desire
o be informed what il is for and that il shall least
De shown that il is reasonable and we do not wish
c spirit national pride. Sir have as much OF that
- any man in this Senate but, although II may bea
natter OF exultat0n even TO US away in the far Wet
hat an American ouiruns British ship we do not IN.
ierstand that that furnishes any why should
put our hands into the treasury for the purpose Of
)f this question had been confined 10 what seems TO
o be pertinent, we should long since have disposed Of
his matter II Senator's instead OF informing us OF the
immense power o steam and OF the prospective hope OF
Ia ultimately enabling TO conquer the world had
ened themselves with inquiring what is the probable
nd roo nj IL.