The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-28


dapdated condition, and is becoming fungus upon
the federal treasury You will be 10 resusctate
renvgorae H. so as TO make 1t adequate the
It's patrons or TO abandon the system entirely indiyd-
ual enterprise pay lis whole expenses out OF the public
treasury would avert this evil and yet spare the
ury would give that department the benefit of all the
improvements and advantages held by individual
terprise and place 1t in condition where il compel,
with any enterprise that may be projected in the way
express lines between the United States and California
mol 10 create monopoly but 10 enable il 10 compete
essfully and prevent monopoly.
What Is the nature of the proposition now before thu
House Does Il propose an expenditure Of public money
Not at all IL is an investment that will yield sufficient
revenue 10 repenh the Post Office Department-to make
up the deficit that exists and is daily growing larger
And 1T is more than this II the establishment Of
wae.p& in our postal atiairs-a plan in lieu of the
old which experience proves defective and altogether
inadequate for the times That branch Of the government
has become charge upon the treasury IL is duty TO
eradicate the evil and place tho Post oae Department in
condition to compete successfully with private
terprise Individual enterprise will suffer materially
by hisn the end il win suffer allbu the govern
ment will gain much nfuse life and vigor into this
branch ofhe goyernmentinto the mai-caryng service
and you will nfuse life into the private express
vice. to the great advantage OF the people everywhere
Place il upon footing TO compete with the express lines
and the whole country win feel the healthful effect It will
crush these for there viii be business enough for both
and neither become monopoly. Express lines will
have to reduce their 10 something within the bounds
Of moderation but the day has gone by never return
when argument was necessary 10 convince business
that the greater the rapdity facility Of transportation
and the lower the rates the business and better the
profits.
Energy and competition are the soul of business and by
placing this branch Of public service In way to compete
with individual enterprise both will in the cnd prosper
more and the whole country reap the rich advantage
the competition the people yearly hundreds
thousands Of dollars in the way Of esorbant cxrcssine
taxationl
company be found who will undertake carry the mail
according the schedule they shall have the contract
but in the event Of failure they shall get pay under
any circumstances If they successful they get the
contract to carry the mail until else starts line
and conveys shorter time for three consecutive months
and gives proof of the same to the Postmaster Genera
then the contract goes TO the party thus carrying and
So the thing is open to competition and will
tablish system which will break up the monopoes that
have heretofore existed in this department of the govern
ment 1t will give every energetic business equal
chance
What the facts in regard the present system Ac
cordng to the present rates. for twenty days pay
about $3.50 900 What is proposed by this bill? We pro-
pose to pay for fifteen daysen days shorter me-ac-
cordng to this schedule $l,oOoO00
Task the question: is it not important considering the
condition Of the country and relations foreign and do
mestc that have rapid and speedy with
Pacific frontier? ask if is important every
interest of the government that this should be done2 In
view of this actin view Of the great need of having
additional oceanic overland route which shall give
rapid and speedy communication between the Atlantic
States and Pacific possessions have drawn up and
presented to the House this BILL not however without hav
ing consulted with of the best in the country in
regard to the practicabity of the proposed change
Mr. GREY Will not the gentleman from Tennessee yield
the foor TO allow to make motion that tho House
solve itself into the Committee of the Whole? The bill
will up Tomorrow when he finish his remarks.
Mr.. CHURCHWELL will yield the floor for that pur-
pose.
Mr.. GREY With that understanding, then move that
the House resolve itself into the Committee of the hole
the state Of the Union
The question was then taken Mr. GREys motion, and
it was decided in the affirmative
REPRESENTATIVES,, APRIL 7.
Continuation Of Debate.
The SPEAKER The matter first in order before the
House is the bill reported yesterday by the Committee
the Post Office and Post Roadsbeing bill to empower
the Postmaster General to contract fo the transportation
Of the United States mail from New Orleans San Fran
cisco, according TO timep
Mr. CHURCHWELL win it be necessary for me, Mr..
Speaker ask the unanimous of the House take
up that bill which before yesterday
The SPEAKER There being motion to commit the
bill under the rules it goes to tho Speakers table.
Mr.. CHURCHWELL. Then | ask the unanimous con-
sent of the House to take up that bill.
General consent was expressed by the House.
Mr.. CHURCHWELL. Mr.. Speaker, when | gave way
yesterday my friend from Kentucky Mr. GREY for the
purpose Of enabling the House go into the Committee
Of the hole the state of the Union going to
speak Of the advantages which the establishment of the
principle contained in this bill would bring TO the govern
ment and the great revolution which ii would work
mail arrangemenin the mail system of the government
Under its present operation that system is inadequate
supply the wants OF the business community; and the
consequence is that deficit arises in the mail
The object Of this department Of the government is to
make 1t selfsustainDg department Gentlemen here
talk about economy and have economists in this House
and good ones too But there different notions of
economy, We had proposition submitted the other day
by the honorable and economical gentleman from Ala
bsma Mr. Housros proposing TO increase the mail post
age Of the country to five cents instead Of three cents
For what sr In order that the mail Of the
try may be sufficient to dcay the expenses Of that depart
ment Of the government
ask, is this necessary Is this good economy Is
this the proper mode to redress 70 eradicate that evil
1t Z net let VS. NJ Speaker rather place that depart
ment in condition that will enable II compete
fully with individual enterprise that II may be able
command the patronage Of the business public alike with
private expresses
Sir this bin proposes monopoly II proposes merely
TO place that branch of the government equality
with individual enterprises in the way Of express lines
this Is once done you will have alh Of de6cien-
cies in the of the Post Ooe Department but the
consequence viii be- ample revenue And afterwards il
else should make the motion and If should have
the honor of seat here win propose TO reduce the post
age to one-hafits present rates let MS not increase it.
But am told some occasions that we had better
adopt the contract system and let out the mail
rage by contract to the lowest bidder reference
10 the sarbd system win be sufficient reply to that
What is this proposition sir 1t Is to carry the mails
cordnq 70 mp The longer the time the less the pay the
less the te the greater the pay, 10 given reasonable
amount What will be the result If this system Is adopt
cd Why when the mail contracts ARD to be let whcn
proposals issued by the Postmaster General in future
he viii odyeriiae that proposals will be received for
ing the mails from point to pointsay from New York to
Liverpool II you pleaseaccordinp 20 time per sched
uc annexed The bidders will then put in their proposals
each with schedule of price according to time attached
and the Postmaster General will have the selection Of tho
lowest bidder according 10 time Such Will be the opera
ton Of the measure shall please the House 10 adopt IT,
III Is said that the saving Of few daysand that
too, by high authority by able Postmaster General
Is OF Importance but to small portion Of the community
that the agricultural portion rcceivca but tle bsneht from
IT. while the cities and the commercial Interests Of the
nGftNn fha nI Itn n ftnFr