The daily union., 1852-05-14

es but contend that fair calculation OF your receipts
for the future can be based upon the previous receipts OF
postage upon the Collins line After the steamers OF the
American ne were started n the year 1850, much inn
portance ddshe British government attach 10 the mail
sysiem-so much were they opposed TO the American
neso much they determined to destroy il il they
coudlhat post Office order was issued by which they
notice TO the world that every letter mailed in
Great Britain which endorsed with the specific
name OF the United States steamer by which il TO be
sent, though mailed before the sailing of the American
steamer would be retained until the sailing OF the snbse
quent Cunarder They adhered 10 this-after remon-
STRANGE by our goyernment-ani they were threatened
that the postal treaty would be abandoned if they did not
abrogae that order and they ultimately yielded This is
not all the analr which was taken by the gov
ernmen oil Great Britain, in order TO prevent the transport
alton OF the mails by the Collins line Under the postal
treaty. France not included and on letter sent from
the United States which would be prepaid TO The amount oil
twenty centsthatis five cents for American postage,
and sixteen cents for postagehe British government.
down to May, 1851, charged sixteen additional
postage, we'll transit postage, for transmitting TO
France; n other words letter going to France from the
United States by Collins line steamer paid precisely dou
BILE the sea postage OF letter going to France by Gu
nard steamer This persisted in down TO May
1851 Again. regards the transit duty Great Britain
still retains for that duty from twenty four to forty cents
for letters sent by our line TO the continent and
TO France We charge her twelve and half cents an
ounce on closed mails sent from New York to Canada.
She charges twenty cents an ounce on all letters sent
to France and from that up TO forty cents an ounce on
letters sent TO the continent
With these obstacles the part of the British govern
ment-with this disposition manifested by that govern
ment--is il wonderful that with line which
fully organized until the commencement OF 1851 you
should not have had returns OF postage equivalent TO what
you may expect when that line has cvinced It's superiority
of speed and certainty of passage and has become by
our aid certainly and permanently established The
Postmaster General, at the commencement OF the present
session OF Congress- recommended to our serious consld
Grafton the propey of putting end the postal treaty.
unless Great Britain should recede from her system by
which she charges twenyour cents transit duty on let
ters going to France and the continent OF Europe un
derstand this morning from him that the probabilities now
that she will recede and will accept transit duty OF
twelve and hall cents which Is the sum she pays to US
treaty will probably be negotiated. But this difficulty
has heretofore existed and has afforded sufficient reason
why, in estimate OF the amount OF the postage here
after TO be received you safely and fairly
that which has been hitherto received. cannot doubt
when this line is established alternating with the Cunard
line between New York and Liverpool, that at least
half il not more of the postage between the two coun
tries will come into the treasury OF this government
/ There is another exception which was urged by the
honorable senator from Virginia and that IS that this
amendment mbodes in II some OF The worst features oil
the protective system and he instances In support OF
this objection, fact. that certain IRON masters OF
Pennsylvania, who came here this winter for the pur
pose OF claiming increased duty upon iron represented
10 him. as one OF their difficulties 10 consequence of
which they required protection, that these steamers
brought over large quantities Of iron in ballast That has
been denied by senator this floor think there is
an regards the fact do know (or TO my mis-
fortune, though never an iron master myself had
those intimately connected with who engaged
In that busness) that long anterior to the establish
ment OF this line OF steamers, II was common complaint
from Wales, IRON Liverpool, brought over iron in bal
last, little cost or that the freghts were so small
that the American iron-masters could not compete with
them when they brought their iron from the interior Of
the country TO the sea-board Il have never yet under.
stood that that objection applied to these steamers AT
all events the evil existed before to Just great an
tent and did not arise out OF this system But mean
to express opinion now on the proprey or expec-
ency OF increasing the duty on iron, either one way or
the other but do that II II is to be Increased, II
must be from considerations totally different from those
which apply 10 the present appropriation
II is not parallel case to say mat ne IRON interest Is
therefore ought to be protected That cannot be com.
pared with the OF the Collins line, which asks in
creased allowance from you based upon the fact OF the
their line The British line stands sustained by the treas
ury of Great Britain. II gentlemen will show that
the iron interest any manufacturing interest, or any
other interest in this country, is affected by the govern
mental support OF conflicting interest in another country,
will agree TO go TO any extent IN countervang that
will give to the honorable senator parallel case IN my
Judgment Suppose the government OF Great Britain
were grant bounty OF IS per ton, or any other sum
you please iron exported TO the United States ask
that honorable senator If he any other man on this
floor would count the cost OF counervaing that
Would he not impose corresponding tax on British iron
for the purpose of shielding American Industry IRON the
direct action OF the British government Sir this is an
excepiionabe case The very basis which IL stands
makes it entirely defensble.
Mr. President free trade, by those who advocate
il TO the utmost extent, must be founded upon the doc
rne of reciprocity Reciprocity is the doctrine OF our
government 1t is true that foreign governments may
orce by aCuOH INTO course OF ponCy WHICH, u
they absained from action would be unwse on our part
am willing TO trust American skill and American in.
dus,ry in competition with any people on the globe,
when they stand nation opposed to naon without gov
ernmenal interference But II the treasury OF foreign
nation poured into the laps OF individuals for the put
pose of destroying either the iron interest OF my country
or for the purpose OF building up commercial marine al
the expense OF the commerce and prosperity OF the Unit
ted States /, for one, will count cost IN counervaling
such governmental action the part OF Great Britain, OF
any other foreign power. This is case, therefore, OF
the direct application the funds of British nation
in sustaining their ne which makes IT exceptional 70
the general rule which the honorable senator from Vr-
ginia advocated, and in which mainly agree with him
This line stands in different position from others and
in the vote which shall give in reference 10 this ap
propriation do not commit myself to appropriation
for any other ne unless can be brought within simi
lar circumstances and is affected by similar causes.
There yet another objection the part OF the dis
tnguished senator from Virginia. that the effect OF this
grant is TO build up New York extent which is in
vdious and wrong. He spoke OF other parts OF the
country, and said II you made this grant TO New York. u
would be your duty TO make grants Tor lines from o,he
cities in the Union Sir cannot this appropri
alton The senator from Michigan tMr. CA-s has fully
answered this point The why you make this
grant a-lne from New York results from her locality
New York s the great centre Of your commerce Two
thirds OF il is concentred there. She Is connected with
the great OF European commefce-Liverpool This
line runs from the one place the other In my udg
ment, the principle upon which your mail facilities mus
be granted the wants of the community and the course
OF your commerce. AS general rule, correspondence
and travel will follow In the pathway OF commerce.
hold therefore, that this grant not founded upon any
peculiar favor New York. but is given TO her because
of her local position and for the benefit OF the interests
Of the whole Union The foreign commercial in,eres.
I - -. NJ. N~.x NJ