The Portsmouth inquirer. [volume] (Portsmouth, O. [Ohio]) 1849-1855, 1852-07-30
The Ocean Mails.

fore II bill providing for the increase Of the
The pay Of the Collins Ocean Steamship
Company, for carrying the mails between n
York and liverpool. The company com
plain thai theyare- loosing money &C., d.
though they receive about the same amount
which the British Government pay the Gu
-nard Company forthe same service.
II was with sincereregret that we noticed,
sometime since, disposition on the part
of certaiir democrats to favor the exorbtanl
appropriation, anditis with still greater re.
gret that We now announce the passage ol
of the bill, aided de mocratic votes. if
The Collins Company now receive The
enormous sum Of thirty three thousand dol.
lurs per tripofeach steamer---doable wba,
the Cunard company get for the same postal
service!
This extravagant appropriation isa practical
recognition Of two principles, both of which
are false. First tina. the American Congress
isdt liberty TO bring the resources of the gov
eminent into competition with the indepen-
dent commerce of the country; and second,
that the American mechanics cannot build
and run ocean steamers half as cheaply as
their rivals. The first is entirely and posi-
lively anti.democratic, and having ten
dency as itdoes, towards supporting an ocean
aristocracy, ought to be stoutly resisted by
democrats. The second, every ship-buider
in the country knows 10 be untrue.
The vote in the House on the question,
stood-ayes 80; nays 81; of the former, 38
were democrats and 81 wings; Of the latter
II were democrats and l6 whigs-a large
majority of the democrats voting against it.
We have no more suitable comments up
on this vote to add than the following ex.
tract, which concludes very able and effec-
tive speech delivered by Breckenridge Of
Kentucky, in opposition 10 this appropria-
ton.
To sum up my reasons for opposing both
the increased bounty to the Collins line, and
the whole system as heretofore pursued by
the government:
lst Because the contractors have failed
to fulfil the stipulations of their contracts,
and have not constructed vessels apabe oil
being converted Sat the least possible cost
into irst-class war steamers"
%. Because there has been no examina.
ton into the affairs Of the Collins line by
any officer of the government and there,
fore no proof of prudent management and
unavoidab bic loss.
3D.. Because, from the nature Of the sys
tenn, there is great danger that the contracts
being necessarily SO large, will be awarded
10 individuals or companies, whose person
al or political influence will shield then
from strict accountability.
4th. Because no partnership between the
government and individuals, resulting from
express contract, and formed for the acquisi
tion of common profits, should be encour.
aged.
9Th. Because the system is in the highest
dtgree pernicious to the commercial enter.
prise of the country, by giving an unnatural
and consequently Improbable direction to
all commercial interests.
9Th. Because the bounties furnished by
the government to these steamships enables
them tc compete successfully with private
individuals, in the transportation Of passen-
gers and freight, and finally, to folce all 9th
ers to abandon the routes as is the case be.
tween New York and New Orleans. and Ha
vana and others.
7th. Because, under The system as here
tofore administered, exorbitant prices have
been allowed for carrying our foreign mails;
thereby imposing high rates Of postage upon
the community, and also indirectly furnish
ing reasons for not reducing our inland pos
tages.
9Th. Because, under the system as now
administered, great frauds are practised up
on the Post Office Department, on the diff
!erent lines, by express men constantly car
rying letters outside the mails, at half the
prices charged by the government postage
rates.