The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-04-30
system. moi in this. but in future ope


Thus, Ms President. appears that the enterprise was
wisely adopted. And now pray you take noIeo tha.
has NOT been rendered unDs ipraeieaes W as e"a
circumstances or Of public Interests Everything IN these re-
spccls remains as was except that we have Increased
ability and increased need TO put II form 10 the slrug
gle for the freedom OF commerce and Inc command Oh Inc
seas.
Nor does The expense complained OF affect the question
OF The excess OF expense above the es
mates results IRON the wise policy OF building larger and
better ships than al hrs contemplated, whereby ~
achievement have not merely equaed but surpassed
Great Britain
portonate TO that OF the British, although we all know
that for time it might we'll be because the rate OF
interest and the OF labor and OF skill higher on
this side OF the Atlantic than the Other and because
higher insurance must be paid on more valuable vessels
Nevertheless, the Cunard steamers, seven in number,
have aggregate capacity oil 1882 tons, averaging
1850 ions for each, and they cross the Atlantic eighty
five times annually; thus the whole tonnage worked by
them across the Atlantic IS l4S.7o0 tons.
The Collins steamers have aggregate tonnage OF
2o, averaging 2425 tons Tor each and the aggregate
tonnage worked by them the ocean is l7S,oO0
tons the cost 10 the government is $3.50 ooo-noi ex-
ceedng in proportion 10 their work. the expense OF the
Cunard line. AT the time they excel the Cunard
steamers in speed The shortest westward passage of
the Cunard steamers was ten days and twenytw hours,
and the shortest eastward passage ten days and twelve
hours while The quickest westward passage OF the Col
Inns steamers was nine days and twelve hours, and the
quickest eastward passage was nine days and eight hours
Nor is the expense dsproportoned to the benefits re
ceved. The first effect OF the enterprise was postal
treaty with Great Britain and under that treaty. in lieu
OF receiving steam ocean postages before we now
receive hostages amounting in round numbers to $780,
900; and this revenue must SWELL and is actually swell
ing al the rate of $500 900 annually Thus in the first
place, il is clear that in two years the postal revenue
alone will deay the expense and, secondly there lies
very near 10 us in the future what my friend from Mas
sachusers Mr.. SUMNERl SO justly denomnates, and
what every patriot and phianthropist earnestly seeks
the great boon OF cheap ocean postage.
And now, while we maintain postal communication to
every part OF our country at no matter how great ex
pense provided that the revenue Of the whole system
shall equal the cost OF all it's parts, desire TO know why
we should depart from principle SO s;,p1lghsned in for
TO immigration, and to political influence and power But
il we change The terms OF the question, will be more
easily solved. What, then, shall we lose by arresng
the enterprise! We shall lose all the hostages on steam
mails, and all the hopes of cheap postage, and all the
profits on passengers and freight transported by steam
knowledge of The profits OF Great Britain arising from the
monopoly she enjoyed before our competition The du
ties received into The treasury from the Cunard steamers
in six years from $73s09 to 81 1854 ,73l She paid
the steamers for carrying the mails six -, 900.
and received hostages in return amounting to 1886
giving her clear profit the postal revenue of IS 500,
or little less than million year We have gained al
least half of what benefits Great Britain has lost by
OF our enterprise. Let that monopoly be restored
and reesabshed shall then lose all that gain, and
with it shall the postages and reights and rates
Of passage. raised to their ancient standards, and contn
uay adjusted equally TO inure prosperity and pro-
mote the interests and Crafty the caprice OF Great Brit
ain. What shall then look for but decline OF trade
and industry, with long train OF commercial embarrass-
ments and national humilations'
only about $4,000 in two years. Could not now
easily etrench TO that extent in some other quarter We
can save as much, and more, by laying up one OF our
gates In ordinary during the same time, and twice as
much by burning 1t down to the waters edge. No one
would advise this and yet it would be far less disastrous
than the retrenchment now proposed
STILL sir the argument that the expense exceeds the
Inmates is pressed Well, there is nothing in that
This is deficiency bill. II makes appropriations OF
some millions 10 supply deficiencies in the customs
vice. in the construction Of public edfces in the improve
ment and establishment oil the Capitol in the department
OF Indian affairs, in the department OF the Territories, and
in the department OF foreign relations. And Just such
deficiency bill up from the House OF Representa-
tves al the middle oil every session OF Congress- pune
tuay as the estimates for the year in at the begin
ming. and "a the appropriation bill based these es
mates appears at the close Shall then, abandon the
customs, the public edces, the OF government the
army and navy, The Indian tribes. the Territories and all
foreign intercourse, because can estimate
raely, at the beginning, the OF maintaining them
throughout the fiscal year
Bu is said that the enterprise is departure from the
principle OF free trade Sir, II is departure from that
principle, but not divergence from the fixed and ancient
policy OF the country. Widely. and think unwisely
we have differed among eurse about the policy OF pro-
tecng agriculture and manufactures TO the hindance OF
the growth OF commerce ITSELF yet have, from first
last uncompromisingy and unwayerngly adhered the
eolldy o. protecting navigation We inherited It from
lament and cooperating with her encouragement OF
manufactures, broke the monopoly OF Holland and
cured TO the British islands the commerce OF the world
and the command OF the ocean II this measure enhances
protection oil our navigation IL is because British lar
Eesses enhance the protection oil her vgaon Let her
revert to her old of protection, and we can al
once safely return 10 ours
The honorable senator from Virginia tells that il is
wise 10 give up now, because the system being unpro6
able, we shall I've obliged 10 give up at last But this is
only Temporary contest yet fully decided and grow
ing in success Conss contract has eight years
Long before that time, Atlantic steam navigation will
prove itself 10 be either self sustaining self sustain
ing In either Great Britain will withdraw her pa.
ronage from her line, and then safely discontinue
our contributions TO our line
The honorable senator from Virginia seeks 10 divide
US on this question, by presenting the claims OF what he
calls the poorer cities for share in the benefits OF This
policy now concentrated upon New York. learn that
bill s its third reading in the legislature OF the Old
Dominion, having for its object 10 establish line OF first.
class steamships between Norfolk and Antwerp. SIR
assure the honorable that when a proposition
shall come before for material aid 10 the trade OF any
OF our Atlantic cities which shall at the same time be
bene6cent to the whole Unonwheher that city be Bos-
ton, or Philadelphia Baltimore, Charleston or New
Orleans-I shall greet it with no reluctant hearing But
in the time the field OF battle is chosen not by us
but by the enemy II Is not provincial contest for pro-
vincia Objects but IL is a national one. We must meet
adversary that field, not elsewhere; and must
meet him or surrender the whole nations cause without
a blow
And now pray honorable senators to consider what
y IL that invited 10 surrender II is no less than
the proud commercial and political position we have
gained by two with Great Britain and by the vgor-
Gus and we'll directed enterprise OF our countrymen
through period reaching TO three. quarters OF
century.
Next, pray you 10 consider what position we must
take after that surrendethe position of Mexico, of the
Canadas and OF the South American STATES Surely