The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-05-14


The true Thesry sf aspublisan Government
From Mr.. HysrLKsabls and eloquent speech
in opposition T. IN Increased bounty To The Col
Inns steamships we extract the closiag portion
in which he exposes the specous sophistries OF
the "higher lawyer" Of New York
The Republican party, as antagonized to the
Radical or Federal parties, yelling themselves
under what old party name they may, possesses
no more slalwart champion, nor truer expounder,
than the Senator from Virginia:
"If, then, there is any faith to be placed in hu-
man testimony--in the testimony OF experienced
professional mem think have shown that
such steamers az those of the Collins line are
not fitted for war purposes. have shown, also,
that if we look at it ms a mere post Office matter,
] we caunot give these large sums which will not
be renaid in the shape OF hostages without de-
I parting from the practice which we pursue here
| at home, where we make the business of carry
| ing the mail pay for itself What other reason,
then, can DO given for it, except that of the
| tablishment Of commercial marine | say
that il is building up commercial steam marine
| by a system of bountes and monopolies to en-
able these men, by money from the Treasury of
the United States, to carry lreights and passen
gers lower than other ships can carry them.
say that it is system of bounties and monopo
lies because, IN addition to all that they make
| in the shape Of hostages, and from freights and
passengers, they require this large grant from
the government to enable them to procure
business which other individuals prosecute at
their own expense. And thus in large branch
| Of the general business of the country you
propose 10 give them special advantages For
IN ha .,iv hiatt h,
enabled to carry freights and passengers lower
than other ships that might be called into exist
ence by private enterprise Tor the same purposes
Now, can any body show me an argument against
the protective system in any other form that
does not apply to this! know the Senator
from Texas Mr. RUsK said that this word
| monopoly" has destroyed many good thing
| | do not know what it has destroyed in this
country. 1t was used against tho United States
bank. suppose the Senator does not regret
ts use in connection with that institution. 1t
was used in relation to a protective tariff. /
know he does not regret it in connection with
that. Then know Of nothing else which this
term has ever been used to attack ] say that
all tho objections which apply to a protective
tariff, as showed the other day, applied to this
system. You propose to give these vessels a
bounty from the government to enable them to
carry freights and passengers at lower rates
than vessels which rely upon their own resources.
1t is true they say, that the British protect their
vessels, and therefore we must protect ours Do
not the manufacturers say the same thing 3
But why should pursue this branch Of the ar.
gument any further? The truth of what. | say
is obvious upon its face. Now, say that the
answer to all these appeals should be the same
that is given in relation to the tariff The bust
ness will either pay or it will not pay II is
either selfsustaining or it is not. If it will pay,
} it is self sustaining; we believe that our people
are not afraid of competition, but that they will
be as able to take share of it as anybody. II
it be not self sustaining, then. the more Of this
business which the English do, the more they
will lose by it, and The less temptation and in
f ducement there is for us to enter into it,
But have bsen rcproached with using Sec
tiona argument in relation to this matter. |
said that the same sectional argument which
applied against the protective system applied
against this, if we were to give New York
: these lines Of steam communication, and refuse
them to other cities. say so again. Suppose
: we should pass a law that we should pay out of
the Treasury Of The United States the freight
upon all goods carried into New York from
abroad would not that be bounty--a mono
poly given to New York? Aud who would give
the sectional vote, he who voted this special
privilege to New York, or he who voted to deal
equally by all sections of the cOnlederacy, and
all the cities Of the Union Sir am willing
to do for New York all that | would do for any
| other city, but am not willing to do more
do not believe she asks more than justice. She
certainly ought not TO ask it. A sectional man,
| in such n case, would be--not he who opposed
it, but he who favored it, Suppose it were pro
posed that you should build line of railroads
to connect with New York, and with no other
city on the coast of the Union, who would be
| the sectional man, he who woald vote for such
system, or he who would oppose it!
| This is no supposed case that am putting
1t so happened that during this winter some Of
the iron masters of Pennsylvania were here
gentlemen who represented the great iron in.
tercsts of the country and who believed it was
not sufficiently protected. They We're stating
their case to me, and estimating the various
elements which entered into the cost of home
made and foreign iron. | slid to them. upon
looking over the list, did you make sufficient
allowance for freights upon the foreign iron
Yes, said they, and too great an allowance
for these steamers often bring iron almost as
ballast They sometimes bring iron for little
or no freight. They are doing this business to
an extent which becomes annoying to us. Now
|
boun,ies by which We are to pay the owners Of
these steamers for their losses, and enable then
to carry freight and passengers upon their owl
terms, if they will not bring goods into New
York for a less price than they can be carried
at the same speed anywhere else. Will Phila
delphia have an equal chance-wiIl Batimor,
have an equal chance in the great business o
Importation Why, suppose this government
were to pass law saying they would pay on
of the treasury the freight upon all good
brought to New York, would they not all g,
, there? Or suppose they should pass law, no
going to that extent but still great way. say
|, ing we will not pay the whole, but we will pa,
the half, would we not be giving preponder
ant advantage to New York Would we no
: be placing her in such position that no othe
city could rival or enter into competition will
her for the foreign trade !! What is il that W,
: propose to do Why, sir, twice week two o
these immense steamers leave the port Of New
York loaded with freights to be carried, partly
at the government expense, and twice weel
I they enter it. An American and an Engisl
steamer kent up by system of Uoyernmeu