Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1855-03-06
from tie Waslim2:an Union.
VETO OF TIE MAIL-STEAMER ELL.

VETO OF TIE MAIL-SrEAMER ELL.
IN the conscientious discharge of the dutica impose
upnu HIM by the Constitution. the Prraiicnt rciiirlc
Il" the House nj Representatives un Yesterday, the hi
making appropriations for the mnll-s:canlcr Ecrvlct
with lis reasons for Withholding his approval. III
reading of the message was followed by nfew Of thos
epiihcts Of passion and yitupcraiion which mark III
announcement Of every veto. One gentleman char
uctcriScd the veto as another step III the march "i y
ranuy, and followed the remarl. by Il short but lhaiI
nant repetition Of the old thrcadbarc Remuneration
Of the exercise of the power. Another ScntlcthahW wa
ST.. more iucen,cd and his passion led MN 10 ucelr'
that this wa Il day for revolution. W cou'n no 1t,
cover, however, that either GehIcAhah h'aur al.
marked impression other than me eA'n'.Ie'' W 49,
yo,,l deal oi amusement aIhniit;st tiiC'o Hleiioe'H ""'
vv,ar. ,.;tl,cr frightened by the marci! ot tyranny no
the threat ut revolution. Nlt.'oht llriher ucoaIG' lh
rrnvinrs question was ordered on IL" bill, and tn
message sustained by n y4'" OF ~ III The affirmative
and " in the negative. How little real rauao there
WIS fur the indie nant dcnunciH'ions ii those disap
poiurrJ by the veto will he manifest upon Il pcrnsn
Of the message. II will be found to be characterised
bv that straightforward and fearless announcement I"
his objections 10 the bill which distinguishes ever.
document that cmapnrcs from Prcsidan, Pierce. Iii
objections will command respect and carry convic
lion Ia the minds of the people. But il is needless to
us TO comment on Z documcn. which carries It's owl
communication 80 clearly on iii face. The message i
rs follows
IL The House Of Representatives.
| return herewith 10 the House of Representative
in which il originated, the bill entitled AN act maxim:
appropriations for the transportation Of tho United
States mail by ocean steamers and othcI wise, during
the fiscal venr ending the thirtieth Of June, one thou
sand eight hundred and ~iity-ive and the thirtieth o
June on thousand eight hundred and ~filty-six." with
n brief statement OF the r"Hsons which prevent 1t
receiving my approval.
The bill provides, among other things. that the sol
lowing sums be. and the same are hereby, approprl'
ated, TO be paid out Of any money in the TREASURY moi
otherwise appropriated, for the year ending The thIr'
tieth Of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty
six:
.'Enr transportation of the mail. from New York
IA Liverpool and Eaai, eight hundred and fifty eight
thousand dollars; aud that the proviso contained ~
The first section of the net entitled AN act to supply
deficiencies in the appropriations for tn, scrv!c" "t the
fiscal year ending the thiriirth "t june, on" Thousand
eight hundred and ~iiiiy-twU, approved The twenty
first Of July, one thousand eight hundred and %tif,y-two
be, nnd the saline il hereby repealed. Ir"vIdrd, Ina:
Edward.i. Collins and his Associates shall proceed,
with all due diligence, 10 build another steamship . III
accordance with the terms al their contract, and have
The same ready for the mail service in tw" years from
ana alter the passage of ilis act. Aud if The saii
steamship Is not ready within the time above mention
I'D, by reason of any neglec; ur want Of diligence Oh
their part, then the said Edward *. Collins and his
associates shall carry the United States mails between
New York and Liverpool from the expiration OF the
said two years, every fortnight, free of any charge 10
the government, until ia" new steamship shall have
commenced the SAID mail service
Tho original contract WAS pr1licatcd upon the pro-
position q! T.. X. Collins of March l., 1916, made with
abundant means OF knowledge n In the advantages
AMI disadvantages Of the terms which he then sab
lnirtcd Tor the acceptance Of The government. The
Proposition was in the following terms:
"E.. r. Collins and his associates propose To carry the
Lfirsd states mEil between New York mud l.ivcrpooltwica
rHt:. month during cight months, Of III" wear, ana once II
moalh during the other iInontls. tor the IAN ui three hun.
drct uiG rishiy-Gvc th0.s"ut dol!Grs G:-j.HyO) per nnnurn.
psysb!. quarterly For ,ui- purpose they viii agree to
lI.I, = puIl.ll 1T If l-. tiEp fu#. lgtt.upI tom.
in"a 'r"ni"n', AMI Oi GA Thousand horsepower each.
whira v"ss"is shnIlh built OF great speed, and sufficiently
rtroni fer war pnrpr SEES.
ioir OF sHii vrs-ris to ho ready for service in eishtran
month from the signing OF tho contract. The NTH vessel
to he bnlt &c early ~ possibly practicable, und, when not
employed III the mnii service, TO bG subject To the orders OF
the government ior carrying Dispatches. Tor winch service
n TAR COMPENSATION j. 10 be- paid. ConiInr; 10 be for Tho
ier;, OF ten yaars. |: il also proposed 10 occur" 10 the
wheh'''f they may r" required ior public purpo.e-, AZ Il
In'r valuation, to b. a7crr,n,n"t By appraisers appointed
nv The un''cd HiH"s and BY the owner.
EDWARD X. COLLINS.
"WAsHsaros. MarchG. lists"
The net Of Marcn Sd, lslT. provides: That from,
and immediately aii"r the passacc OF this act, il shall
be mo duty OF the Secretary of IN" Navy 10 accept,
Oh Tie part ni the government Of tie l nitcl States,
the proposals Of Z. X. Collins aud hi. associates. Of
the city vi New York, submitted IN the
General, and dated At Washington. March sixth,
eighteen hundred ana ~invty-six, for the transportation
Of the United States mail between New York and
w P''ii hlil ciNt wan ti' 'h'' 80 - ~N'"
and his associates t"r tine faithful tultilment OF the
stipuintlons therein contained. md in accordance with
the provisions OF this act y and under this propo-
sitlon and enactment the original contract was nude.
According 10 the terms of Tint cnntract, the parties
were 10 receive from The United States, for twenty
round trips each ycnr, tho sum OF nineteen thousand
two hundred and fifty dollars tina trip, or three hun.
dced and eiglty-ive thousand dollars per annum and
they were to construct and provide five ships, OF Il
stipulated size and quality, for the performance Of
tnls or other service for the government.
VI the ship. contracted for, only four have been
FURNISHED the Atlantic, Pacific, Arctic, aud Baltic, and
me present Dil proposes to dispense entirely with the
original condition Oi Il fifth ship, bv ONLY rrGuirinr the
construction Of one, which would In: supply the place
Of the Arctic, recently los: BY peril Of the sea. Ger.
tain mino! conditions, involving expense TO the con
tractors, among which was one for the accommodation
and subsistence nf Il certain number OF passed mid.
~ahipncn on each vessel, had previously ber, dis
peuscd with nn the pnrt Of the United State.
BY act 0i Congress Of July II, 1852, the amount of
compensation 10 the contractors was increased from
ninr;rrn thousand two hundred and fifty dollars to
tlirtv-ihrcr Thousand dollars Il "Trip, and the number
Of trips from twenty To- twcDty.siS each ycar-tmAkln5
the whole compensation eight hundred and ttty-"ight
thousand dollars per annlin. During the period OF
time from rho commencement al the service nj thcSe
contractors, on the eth Of April, 1880, 70 the end III
the last fiscal yenr, June 80, 1851. the sum paid to
them 10y the Unit0l States amounted t. two million
six hundred and twonty thousand Dinc hundred and
six dollars, without reckoning public money advanced
on loan 10 aIl llltID III lU' CbIiH'IHCtU'i ~ NV chI"
while the whole amount Of postacca derived to the
department has beru only seven hundred ami thirty
four thousand and tity-six dollars; showing m excess
of expenditure above receipts vt one million cighl
| hundred hnd c~ighty-siX thousand four hundred and
forty dollars 10 the charge Of the governments. In the
mean time, in addition TO the payments from tho tr"asu'
~, the parties have b"6n in the enjoyment ut large
receipts from the transportation III passengers ana
merchandise. tho profits Of which ARE IN addition Il
lAr amount allowed hv the United Sta'r4.
Il l,.-, MI tsl.1 Il,r, IL. IL h.rpl fDIIl'Ipns hereto
fore enjoyed by the parties were less than n properc"in
pcnsa:iun for the service ln he Performed ihciuhlIi-
| whatever there may have been of hazard III n ne"
undertaking.: nor that any hardship can be justly al
legged calling for relief OH The part OF the govern
mcnt.
On the other hind. the construction OF five ships o
great speed, aud sufficiently strong for war purposes
aud the services of passed midshipmen on board /"
them, so rs thus TO augment the contingent force an.
tho hctual efficiency III tho navy, were among the III
duccmenis of the government 10 enter INTO the con
tract.
The net of July II, 1852, provides that it shall b.
in the power of Congress at any limo after me 3ls
dry OF December, 1851, TO terminate the arrange
mont for the additional allowance herein provided 10
upon giving -ix months notice" and it win be Fee;
that, with the exception of the six additional trips IL
uuirrd by the net Of July 81. 1852, there has been III
departure from the original engagement bnt to rellev'
che contractors from obligations; md yet, by the ar
last named, Tho compensation was ilcrclsed iron
three hundred and eigl;y-!yc thousand (" eight hun
drcd md iitty-eight thousand dollars. with M othc
protection 10 the public interests provided than Ia
rirht which Congrc-- reserved To- itself To tcrmlnaf
thu contract, ~ far ~ this increased compensation
was concerned, after six months notice. This La
provision, certainly Il primary consideration for tn
more generous action Of the government, ihr p:csen
bill proposes 10 repeal, 50 rs To leave Congress NJ
power To- terminate the new arrangement.
To this repeal tho objections arc, in my mind, insn
uerable, because, in terms, il dcprivos tho Unite
States Of all future discretion IA to the increased ser
vice and compensation, whatever changes may occu
III the MT of navigation, it, expenses. Or the pole.
ani political condition of the country. The gravii,
of this objection is enhanced by other considerations
While tbs contractors are to be paid n compensatio'
nearly double the rate of the original contract, the,
arc exempted from several Of III conditions, whic
hss the effect of uddInE stjll more To that rate; viii!
the further advantage il conceded to them, Of placin