The daily union., 1852-05-14
sY ROBERT ARMSTRONG.
CONGRESSIONAL.
spEEoH os HON. J. A. sAYAnD

0aMs Collins line Of Ssamsrs dsiiDersd IN the Senate.
Nay 10. 1852. aBI
Tbs Senate resumed in committee OF the whole the
liberation of the bill from the House OF Representa-
ue,opiaons for the service OF the fiscal year ending
~ aoh Of June, 1892" the question pending being upon
hs amendment OF the Committee on Finance, as 1t had
Ssso amended As amended il is as follows;
stion or inc asine The ransporia-
o o the Unicd States mail between New York and Liver
@ n the Collins line OF steamers 70 tweny-six trips per
ps p,m az such times shall be directed by the Post
,ep General and in conformity TO his last annual
ort Congress- and bis letter of the l5lh OF November
sssd service The LIST of January. 1884, at the Of
sss 600 per trip in lieu Of the allowance, The
PTopIde That II shall be in the power oil Con-
nv, Al any time after the first day Of January 1854, to
,srmlnate the arrangement for the additional allowance
herein provided iors
Mr. BAYARD said: MIR. President had this debate
closed during the last week should not have been dis
nosed 10 trouble the Senate with any remarks on Inc
merits Of The appropriation recommended by the commit
voc for The support OF the line OF steamers between New
yo,t and Liverpool called the Collins line. As is,
however, shall endeavor to occupy the allenuon OF me
Senate but brief period while presenting my views with
Erem the yey high estimate have formed OF the
s,,esmanke qualities Of the honorable and distinguished
senator from Virginia. [Mr. HUsTER,] arising from
close observation OF his political course since nave been
amember Of this body, and anterior 10 it, and from the
noiound respect have for his Judgment. differ from
him with both hesitation and regret; and accede also TO
the truth Of most i not ALL Of The general rules q policy
ate | admit too, that as general rule, the less gov
eminent inerferes in matters OF individual enterprise and
individual competition, the wiser the policy but y is
moi alone in the assertion and vindcaon OF general prn
cpes that the sagacity OF the statesman is tried il is
taxed far greater extent in the application OF those
principles practically with their proper notifications and
limitations 10 the varied affairs oil the world FIckleness
Of policy on any subject is source OF injury TO any ma
don, and to great nation it is Disgrace.
Now, sir what policy have you adopted in reference
to this question OF steam commercial marine In lS47
Congress- determined that they would adopt this line OF
pocy-that. by government assistance they would con
s,ruca steam commercial marine which would be avail
able for purposes of during war and, during the
more NATURAL and is be hoped the prolonged,
state OF the country-lhat OF peace-would be employed
in the transportation OF your mails. In pursuance OF this
policy, you caused advertisements to be sent forth
throughout the country an association OF merchants in
New York made proposals 10 you to establish line OF
steamers between New York and Liverpool. Those pro-
posals you accepted and the contract, being made,
was carried out under the superintendent OF your own
ocers and after its completion every vessel construct
ed under was accepted properly constructed, &C.
eording to the terms OF the contract by your own De.
enterprises the COST oil course, was greater than had
been previously contemplated The increased cost had
been supernduced by apaloc desire on the part Of The
with your avowed policy. And IN fra EFFORT, with
American models and the aid of American skill and
American genius they surpassed the rival English ,ias,
no merit in this Those contractors come here now
md tell younay, they prove to you that the cost OF
a that they have already sunk haf-mion OF dollars
carrying out for the benefit OF the country the
policy which you adopted in lS47 IS not to be changed,
then two questions arise: Are not these parties entitled
10 the relief they ask and TO what extent should that
relief be granted
Sir in this matter OF steam navigation, we have fol-
lowed the lead OF Great Britain, and though may be.
and undoubtedly is true that we should not follow her
example in all things, yet in many we may certainly prol
byt What was the state OF things as regards this mail
service anterior 10 the introduction of steam navigation
IN the M trav he
performed all her postal service on the ocean IN mail
packets, which owned by the government, exclu-
ave of all individual connexion. Subsequent TO the use
oil steam for the purpose Of ocean navigation, think
either in the Mediterranean or in the East Great Britain
attempted follow the course IN reference TO steam
packets, bat the experiment was found TOO costly, and
she abandoned il; and after il was demonstrated by the
experiments OF the Sirius and Great Western that the
Atlantic. in defiance OF the predictions Of Dr. Lardner
and others, could be safely crossed BY steamers she es
kbhed The Cunard lne-she established the contract
system, by which the aid OF the government IN order TO
lessen the expense in the transportation OF the mails was
given 10 private citizens, who received IN addition 10 nal
aid, such emoumenis they could obtain from the ordl-
nary pursuits of commerce Such the origin OF this
policy NV impression is clesr-and do not think can
be msakentha in the first contracts OF Great Britain
with the Cunard steam company there was no clause In
reference 10 the purposes OF The steamers not
constructed Subsequently that was adopted, and
therefore they had double object in view The primary
one was that they should have steamers which could
transport the mails time OF peace and next, that they
might be available for purposes OF war IN the con,in-
geney Of ensuing Sir, you adopted this same policy
in ls47.
There are two leading objections shall not pause TO
notice all the varied arguments which have been urged
against The appropriation recommended by the committee
lbe hrst s that the steamers are not adapted 10 war
purposes and The second, that their employment In the
mail service IS improper and unwIse interference with
private enterprises which should always be LETT free from
government connexion and that BY your appropriation
you encourage a commercial monopoly. These under
stand TO be the substantial objections urged, and strongly
urged, by the honorable senator from Virginia. pro-
pose TO examine them in their order.
The objection that these not available Tor
purposes OF war objection founded on opinion only,
evidence in this case,) between naval and naval
ehlecs II you resort 10 fact fact is favorable 10 their
use The solitary instance you have is that stated BY
my friend from Texas, fMr RusK,1 in which within
NE year the British government, on three days no.
uee, have armed and shipped four OF their commercial
expedition against beav armed fohcalions The fact
nds against the speculative opinions o those who are
opposed the possibility OF such OF these steam
ds presume il will not be denied that the steam.
es Of The Collins line are as strongly bult-as wei
bult-as speedy and as efec,ua for purposes OF
war-as any commercial steamers in the British ma
me II you have the fact, then, OF their actual EN-
Poymen and conflicting opinions IL IL wiser TO take Tact
and opinion combined the basis OF your determination,
Mlo rely conjectura objections as TO the mpossiby
NE use OF these steamers in war; But there is much
~ NE meaning Of the term II you mean by adoption
the purposes Of war" that these steamers are not
adapted 10 al the purposes OF war; admit that the obiec-
uon OF the honorable senator from Virginia Is unanswer
ca That is, when say all the purposes OF war; that
my are unfit for naval engagement in the line of heet
@ln single combat But If you mean by The words,
adapted to the purposes OF war; that they are adapted
osome oil the and purposes OF war; and can be made
AVAILABLE auxiliary force IN the support of your navy
proper in the Of war, then beg leave 10 differ