New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1855-03-09
THE COLLINS STEAMER GRANT
MR.. Stewards SPEECH.
In the Senate, February q.

Mr.. SEwARD-The Senate has been several tunes
to-osy reminded ihs, the last session of Congress
committed what seemed to be, If not an abu'e a.
lesst an Improperly. not in say ing too much, but
talking too long in favor Of the Collins line OF steam
er plead, in eKteDustion of 'hst course that the
Stns'e, in the night before the adjournment after
long debate, had sustained the views which then en-
tertained, snd which now entertain and that the
next day just before the final close OF the session,
when Senators were impatient to leave, and were
leaving rapidly, il became doubtful whether the SEN
ate il remained constituted, would not renounce
those views. Therefore / deemed il necessary tn
gusrd sgsDs' Whist would have bsen a surprise upon
the majority Of the Senste who hsd voted in sccerd
snce with tese WE'VE on the night before. hope II
is now sufficient vinoics.ion Of that action on my
psr, that the Senate ITSELF when il came together this
session, confirmed those ssme views, and that the
House Of Representatives also. when il assembled,
this session rtconsdered lie position ard adopted
thst 20 which tad lsoored earnestly 20 bring the
Sci ste. Having excused that improperly, will not
now commit another abuse by speaking long upon
this suhjsct. have SEPT for an honorable ana Dis
tr euifhed Senator OF advanced age. who | hope,
vii he here IN 3 few moments, Hr Ctss
rie merely 10 fll up q gap Of time; ana know
that iuch ia the respect for that Senator eater
i6ire0 here that shall BE- excused Of this Intrusion
Tie Sci aior from Georgia lMf Tooubs has certa niy
.obvnc.d me, and 30 doubt every onr else that be Is
a 4
but think If re would review his IN positions, he
would rot be satisfied with them after he should have
discovered broad and how foreign is the ground
that he has occupied. Sir, | think the Honorable
Senator from Connecticut stated this with admir-.
sble precsion aud accuracy II is Just exactly this
Here is a contract on which the Government owes
Ss5s 600 and here is annual appropriation bill, IN
which it If proposed 10 appropriate money 10 pay that
cum Of ss5s GOO No here disputes thst DEBT; no
ore here proposes that we shall withhold the money
for any cause Whatever no one proposes thst we
shall pay cent less than the s-5sOOO. 80 Tar we
are of agreed. Ii is money that due by contract,
AID the contract and the contract itseli cannot nov
be wisely. Justly or properly reviewed. so the
money is due. What remains Why, IN making the
AUTHORIZATION to pay that sum, the House OF
Repre- seriaiiyes-which originates bills OF this
kind, which originated the bllls az tne iass
session at this session, and must originate them
AZ every sessioI-has come to the conviction that
il would be wise ana just to repeal acsuss 10 the
law under which that contract was made, when au-
ihoized Congress TO give notice al Its dsctetlon'
after the period of tao years OF purpose TO dlscon-
tInue TIE contract. That Is all The HOl Use propose
that We shall repeal that clause; the question Is,
whether We tbsli, or not. That Is the whoie ques-
ton. OF all which has been sad beyond that nave
on " to say that il IL foreign from the question: nat
reasons are gwen why should repesl this clause
One alone Of those reasons Is sufhcient To satisfy my
mind, Dsmely that on an appropriation OIL Ia the
last week Of the session, in the last hours OF tue hh
day from the close of the session, n Is never wise uu
necessarily 10 raise conflict with the House OF Rep
reseptatiyes because in the first plsce you leopard
the passage OF grea, bill and N the next place.
you leopard the pesfsge of great many oiher great
and necesf ary bills. Accordingly we are haOituSly
accustomed to waive additions, shpulations, aud
urovisions which should otherwise prefer IN
order 10 agreement with the house Oh
Representatives, and to brlng the business OF the
Government To a successful and hsppy termination;
All the hazards which attend any bill Will attend
this returned to the House of Representatives. t9r
whatever difference OF opinion thoTe Is more tue
NJ EnavU
there and would engage ths; House in long, streuu-
ous and earnest debate whsteVer OF feeling or oil
prejudice whatever Of passion or OF interest q.
faches 10 this question here would attend the OIL II
ye send II back there and it would be eopsrded and
might be lost. What are the consequences oil inst :
The second time the faith OF the Government 10
broken and Ss5 600 due to citizens for services set
uslly rendered under contract is withheld-!s not
psd. That is bad enough; but, besides thai come
an the entapglDg consequences 70 othsr business
To these considerations, what Is the reply III
IT, that we have this power sno we flease 70 Keep
il. r. gratfes us TO cay that we |lli not rein,
oush the power of giving this notice. why shall
We rot II we wise men, we will retain 1t only
because il is valuable for some thing ana IL We are
wise men, sbsll give il up if II is net vsusoie.
Now what is II worth J Do we wish TO give tue no.
tice now There s only one honorable Senator who
proposes to give that notice by virtue OF the reserva
lion contained in the contract The whole Senate
comparatively, like the whole House sre ready TO
usy the money already accrued, without giving the
IOflee. lft Hht DttD Oitc ioi wv yoeAo
and the legislation during that time has shown that It
was not necessary proper to give the notice mere,
tolcre Then 10 cause has existed heretofore, and
none al present exists for giving this notice. DO you
Anticipate state Of things when you Tlu De required
IN olive ~ Are circumstances changed-chaDged Ia
yoTaby for the contractors end uniavorably Tor the
Government No. SIR; the mails are carried with
the stipulated expedition the PRIDE and honor oil toe
country are sustained its service is completely per-
formed lust az il required to be- the Government
l. n comulAiut and Anticipates none.
On the other hand, the parties 10 whom II IL con-
t,nplsted that the notice may, In come cfcum
stances be given, have been notwithstanding
tprs,e BY q calamity thst las touched the chords
~ tbs r1bIc heart most deeply, sno which has so
noverfully sfFe cited the mind Of every indiyifuI
m the country that il is psinfdl TO spsak OF II,
even in the mott public manner on 60 great an occa
zion az this One Of those ships ffeighted WIN me
lyes Of our fellow citizens, has gone down into the
dsn,hs Of the sea You have bond thst i shall be
rsrlaced Won vsh the place Of the ship supplied az .
ouebt 10 be- ard you expect that 1t will De suopled
ureer the coutrsct. The contractor says, III must
snnnIv the place of this chip, for the short period
vteh remains Of the contract, will you not release
ma om ,hs condition which authorizes you arbitra-
riy 10 give notice that you viii discontinue me con-
tract II seems 10 me fair appeal. Upon whdI
Grounds /. IL presented and sustained SIR, II IS sus-
,s;ned ard well sustained upon this ground; that
Notwithstanding al the figures that have been arsyed
bere this has been to the contractors an unprons'
contract IL is stll an Improbable contract ihsn
norey hss Dot beer wasted, out mas oeen spsu.
win .nergyu,d fidelity, with zeal and seisscrhcIng
iiberaitv in carrying out their contract sith the
Coysrpueu.. Although this IS true, II Is neVer,ho-
Ia the fac. II g, their stock Is not now worth, never
IS. been worth the par price ard If Their contract
continues there Is no probability Il Will ever De
vorh more than sixty or seventy cents Oh the dollar
Tbe Company who aIe to bald another OF these grss
stesuships must co II with capital ana witn creoI,
chr their ovn ortderved from come other source
Capitalists will not furnish the money 10 execute
contract which is in perpetual jeopardy OF being an
eeled By legislative authority This. Sir, Is just
mu.t prevail, srainst mere speculative advantage