The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-05-21

r 7 z
the freedom and efficiency Of It's Vitality al
vgor by frequent periodical recurrence 10 the soures ~
all legitimate powerthe elective franchise Without ~
pudatng the very principle upon which they Were assa
bled and suliyng themselves, the trainers OF the con-
sti,uton could not, they dad not, with such al
eesm as the grantot such power as this the periecon
OF those fair tablets OF political law which they hsys
transmitted to US, and which. in my heart, regousv
believe were. from "the burning bush" OF our Ieyon
zion, delivered TO our fathers by the hand OF inspiration
itself.
know, sir, but too WELL that such Considerations =
these have often been dsTegarded and the great pnri
pie have mentioned has been violated, 10 the exercise
OF The very power deny. Banks and corporations ~
humber grade, and contracts almost nnumeIable IL
as thick upon the OF Congressional LEGISLATION NJ
did the black stones along the path OF the children Of The
eastern king, aud Just clamoous when we will
not. like those who have preceded u.s. forget the lessons
OF the good Dervise, whom had consulted al Ina slsT
trust there are some here yet who will follow the ex
ample OF those wise children. and stop their ears with
leaves from the constitution Tor thus alone will any of
be able TO save ourselves, and protect the country
against these dangerous ciamofs which assai US here
But sir seeing that the constitution has thus been dis
regarded. and that Congress has been so often de-
graded from its high functions OF legislation, and re-
duced into mere administrative bureau, what have
been the consequences to the countryl | appeal IA
the experienced members OF this bodyand 10 YOU sir
the most experienced OF them al-for the truth OF
what say, when assert that, in no instance when
such things done, has the result failed 10
be productive OF anything better than disappointment
to all good expectations and mischief more less ser.
and extensive to the legitimate interests OF the coun
try Beginning with the first charter OF the United States
Bank and descending through the whole series of minor
monsters TO this model contract with the Collins line vary
its aspect, and disguise as you will the principle you
violate is the same and The evil you do is OF the same
general character only less or more IN proportion 10 the
degree Of force you il with This is-it must b
soil God governs his universe by laws.
Pardon me, Mr. President. If such general views as
these be somewhat unusual in speech upon this floor
They lie at the OF all my opinions, whether n law
in medicine in morals. or in politics 1t is my very being
hat
but always certanfollows in the path OF wrong, anu
falls with crushing power upon the yolato OF any Of the
laws OF the creation or constitutions OF existing things
and has ever done from the original sin OF first pa
rents TO the last instance when any has told lie
word or deed Surely. have said, the whole history
OF this government is srewh thick with poois OF this as
with bleaching bones and still fostering forms in some
vast battle. field, and sad 10 say 1t is no less free from
aekas and hyenas which prow about il to feast upon
the corrupt and sckening. spoils.
Thirlieth Thirty-frs Congress, in the way il has
done, had any legitimate power to make this contract
with Collins Co.; and even i il had. that i was
binding upon this So, If that contract had been
kept in good faith, in all respects, by the company and
if the enterprise it designed 10 carry out had
been entirely successful in securing all the public bene
his proposed, deny that there is upon this the Thirty
second Congress any constuonally legal obligation
recognise consummaie j, because OF lis having been
contract with preceding Congress. Commended TO us,
it were by the proprety OF its terms and the practical
value OF it's conditions, might adopt and continue
during during this Congress measure OF wise expe.
dency And is. of course. equally competent for
repudate this contract, and refuse to have anything
Whatever 10 do with it if upon investigation, it moi
found worthy of adoption, whether by Of lis in.
heen defects, or oil the bad faith or ncompetency OF The
other parties have not time, however, is il ne.
cessay my present purpose to elaborate this view any
further. fI#Ent
The question recurs as to the character OF the contract
itself, the manner in which it has lar been executed
and the proprcty OF continuing it, especially upon the
conditions now proposed.
The leading considerations upon these points | have
NhufI hna.
relates to somewhat minor and incidental points, which
have been suggested by the friends oil this in
the course OF debate.
As consideration in behalf OF this company, and as
strongly commenting them 10 favor, have been
told oil The great exeons they have made, and the heavy
expenses incurred first in building their ships and next
in contrasting the supremacy OF the seas with the Gu.
nard line, backed by the treasury OF the British govern
ment .ftll .tek fa
How stands the first item OF this accuuntthat is their
exertons aud eYpensesl The contract requires hemlo
build fue ships They have built but four. In this,
them instead OF exceeding, in exerton and expense what
they voluntarily undertook to donay what they begged
Congress TO permit them TO do. and at their price
they have done and expended one less. For building
and using in the service OF the government those fpt
ships they to receive, and haze receued 1885 900
per annum so they have already and regularly received
The full amount OF compensation, and furnished only
tour-ffs OF the consideration 10 which the contracts
bind them. They allege that the four ships they have
built cost them 49, 0o0,oo0 or S750.000 each. Then
they have saved The expenditure of that sum- the inter
upon which, at six per cent for two years, is $4,000
two years for this estimate for the reason that
their contract made the LIST day OF November, lsi
conditioned for the completion OF the first four ships BY
the end OF eighteen months, and the h one as early
as practicable thereafter" II has been four years
and half since that contract was made Allowing
Them the contract time for the completion OF the first four
ships, which would have made them ready by the LIST Of
May lS49, and then allowing year more suh
Gent practicable time to build the fin one leavesa
little over years to this timethat 10, from May ls
$780, May l7h 1882 Upon the 75OOoo. then for these
two years. during which time it has been withheld from
investment. violation OF the contract, the interest
amounts as said, TO 100000; and this they cave
saved.
How much they may have saved from other and minor
instances OF violation of contract unable TO ascer.
tain with precision learn. however, upon what deem
good authority, that they do not 'cany, accommodate
and subsis the contract requires, -four passed md.
stipmen and mail agent upon each OF their ships
And, further that they provided suitable and a.
eafe apartments for The mat, as the contract re.
ques What would be The sum OF these several items
OF expense have DO means OF estimating with precision
Ii cannot be less, apprehend. than several thousand
dollars year. Whatever il may be. however, II is %
much saved TO them and, when added TO the $4,000 Of
interest makes up perhaps not less than 100000
per annum which most OF reasonable desires tins
plain republican country OF ours would deem good for'
tune for lifetime. But this is saved by this con-
pany upon these items alone every year. and is either
added TO their profits deducted from their losses
will be apt to strike plain man Of common that
800 900 year will not the Losses upon bus.
ness, il must be very "bad business and ought to be
abandoned or il is in the hands OF very "bad managers
and ought 10 be taken from them 80
The sums they have paid for building their shlpsEe
set ovn al very large amount-$750,000 each those
who claim to be competent 10 Judge declare II TO be much
larger than is either reasonable sufficient In proper
ton tonnage, these ships have cost much more than
the British ships oil the class Thus, while they