The daily union., 1852-09-03
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 25, 1852.
[IS coNTlsUArIoN.l


aiB EMPLOYEES ABOUT THE CAPITOL
q, motion by Mr. BADGER, the Senate proceeded to
cor sder by unanimous consent aresouton relative TO
tha compensation OF the employees and abo the Cap
itoi; which referred 10 the Committee 10 Audit aud
Control the Contingent Expenses OF the Sena'e.
OPINIONS OF ArroRsEYs GENERAL.
MIR. CAsS submitted the following resolution for con-
sderation:
R,ao,d That the COMMITTEES ON The Judiciary be di.
reced 10 the expedency Of purchasing Tor the
use The Senate, hive hnded copies OF the pisesl ana
led States printed by the House OF Representatives IN
Executive document No 90, second session Ihy.hfst
onge,s and ascerain at what price the same can be
procured
posr-RouTE BILL.
Oa motion by Mr.. RUSK, the Senate. as in committee
of The whole, proceeded consider the bill from the
House OF Representatives to establish certain
The amendments reported from The Committee on the
Post Office and Post Roads, and various others proposed
by establishing new routes, were agreed TO-
Mr.. BORLAND offer me following anendmeni, 10
come in as an additional section, after the routes:
rrac transportation OF daily mail between Louis
vile and Cairo, ST Louis and Cairo, Nashville and Cairo
Cairo and Mempnis and Memphis and New Orleans, and
supply such iuemedate points as ne may ORDER from
rtme lne OH suitable and safe steamboats,
nave but word TO say in explanation OF that which
trust will be satisfactory to the Senate Some time ago
introduced bill into the Senate to provide for this mail
service II was referred TO the Committee the Post
amendment, TO this bill is the substance Of the report Of
that committee They did not report back the bill in
troduced its terms but reported amendment TO it,
and this which propose s the substance OF their amend
MI. HAMLIN | think that amendment ought not to
be adopted II will be compulsory upon the department
TO establish certain mail route. think you cannot
find any such provision existing anywhere. In the laws
in relation TO post-routes you leave discretion with
fhe Postmaster General, and you depart from that sys
and make i compulsory upon him in one instance,
NtuIIl hQ dn m 10 TnI la
wond be a wrong one.
Mr.. BORLAND. / think the senator will be satisfied
with the explanation which will give him. As stated
some time ago to the Senate, in my opinion the law al
ready authorizes the Postmaster General 10 do precisely
what the amendment proposes; but the Post Ohce De-
paTiment heretofore have not exercised The authority
il from time 10 uDe and the conseq has been such
an irregulauy and confusion in all the mail service
upon the Ohio and Mississippi rivers. that The bust
ness men of that region OF country consider that
they are almost entirely deprived OF mail facilities
Estimates upon this subject have been made by per-
sons connected with the Post Odice Department,
business men who have looked into the matter, and
whose business thrown into confusion and
greatly disturbed and rendered almost inextrcable by
the present system They have entered into estimates
and say that mol than one-ienih and probably not
more than one twentieth, OF what would go through
the mail By regular system, now goes through It. IL
is carried by pnyale conveyance along the route The
consequence ie, that The daTived by the de-
parlment from the Ioue is very small and AS the de-
parlment considered II 10 be its duty 10 regulate the
AZ revenue, il has considered that the amount raised
in this was so small, under the present system,
as not justify their enier,ng into the new system
and il has declined 10 contract for the service The
amendment proposes 10 give the Post Office Department
the authority at law and 10 require The exercise OF
that authority, in overcoming the difficulty under which
we all labor much in the West; for the Mississippi
river and that portion Of the Ohio below Louisville, be-
inc the great trunks from which we draw the malls 10
our interior let have as good system as you may ~
the Interior let the mails there be carried as regularly
nle Ill
is reg the interior supplies must necessarily be SO
There can be no Question--ior II is. believe, the
unanimous opinion o practical men N all that region OF
counlr,-thst If the system changed. in accordance
with nv proposed amendment the revenues OF the de-
parlmrn would not only bee Jme doubled IN less than
year, but quadruped and perhaps Increased ieniod
AZ stated some lime ago. we have no mail line upon
this route AT ALL but merely agents al dnefent Pons on
the nver.
Mr. SEWARD. | desire TO ask the honorable senator
II there is any mail carried on the ryer at all, and 10
what extent n u #
Mr.. BORLAND The mail is carried upon the rivers
upon system which makes il exceedingly irregular, and
couuses the correspondence and business transactions oi
that region OF the county in this Instead oil putting
out the mail service usual all other routes, 10
contracts mail appointed who reside al particu-
lar points on the river and they contract with boats as
they pass along for the transportation IRON point 10 point
Iusguarly results in the following manners The boats
on the mississippi run ureguay-tha ", some run last
and some Glow Some engaged in the coastng trade
and some rapidly pass from point 10 point he mail
agent, therefore puts the mail to-day upon slow boat
W11rn cOat6 aiOnK. iWU VI tnicc ua1s '"o' 80"
passes directly from point another, and be puts the
mail on IL containing letters written some three or ionT
days subsequently TO the former, and they reach thef
destination trst.
Mr. SEWARD. L take an interest in the subject and
desire Ia know what remedy the senator proposesf
Mr. BORLAND. The remedy 10 10 require the Post
master General 10 put the mail this roue on the same
footing that other rouies-no,hng more nor less
Mr. BELL. ssk the attention OF the Senate for NO
ment two upon this subject losserve that the amend
ment proposes include daily route between Nashville
and Cairo suggest TO the honorable senator from Ar
kansas TO strike that out because, in speaking upon this
subiect want to 10 stand totally dsintefested
supvose he will have objection TO doing that
Mr. BORLAND | have objection to IL. Thai
uore directly affects the State which the senator repre-
sens and he is better acquainted with the necessities o
that portion OF the country than am.
MI BELL / undertake TO be responsible tor striking
out that part OF the proposition but hope 10 win the
favorable attention OF honorable senators here TO the
Mr. BORLAND. Then. | will modify my amendment
by striking out the words iron Nashville TO Cairo"
Mr BELL. Idesire TO say lew words ~ reisuon 10
this subject desire that clause TO be stricken our, no.
because we have no interest IN such ne for we nave
Considerable interest in having but there " consid'
srabe trade between middle Tennessee and New orleans
the create depot and metropolis OF The southwestern Saes
and pretty large trade between Nashville ana Una, sec
ton OF the country. That is trade IN which we nave
direct interest and hence havea very consdersoe IN
tetes IN having some regular line OF communication pe'
tween the country on the waters OF the Cumberland or IN
middle Tennessee and the city of New Orleans iof 'he
purpose OF carrying trade with safety and despatch
ana 10 have our Communication regular but nf' lne
whoie county on the Mississippi river from o. Louis o
New ofeans mas deep interest IN this measure ana we
IN tennessee are not so much interested in having da