The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1855-02-16
House OF Representative.
WAsHnNGfoN. Feb. 10, 1855,


House OF Representative.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 1855,
THE LAND gRADuAmoS BILL.
The SPEAKER announced tho FIRST business in order 70
be Benefits bill granting lands equally to the several
States for railroad and school purposes, and that Mr..
Hamilton was entitled to the floor.
Mr.. HAVEN, (whig) Of n. Y, appealed to him to yield
1t, with the view OF going into Committed Of the Whole
ON the State of I he Union on appropriation bills. There
we're now but fourteen remaining days Of the session,
and those bills may BIZ lost unless they are at once
Mr.. HOUSTON, fd.m) Of Ala -Nodeub o. II.
Mr.. HAMILTON, (dem.) Of Nd. then moved that Mr..
Whole on the State Of the Union, and demanded the
previous question, pending which the House went int
THE MAIL STEAMER APPROPRIATION BII--rm COLLINS
Mr.. OIps, {dem.) Of Ohio, offered an amendment, ap-
propriating eight hundred and fifty eight thousand dol.
lars for the transportation OF the mails from New York
to Liverpool and back, and repeating that part Of the Do.
fciency bin Of 1850 which Directs the Secretary Of the
Navy 10 terminate the arrangement for the additional
allowance to the Collins line, proti led Collins and his
associates shall proceed with all due diligence to build
another steamship, in accordance with the terms Of the
contract, and have same ready for mail service In TIVE
years from the passage of this act. II the steamship is
not ready within the time mentioned, by reason OF any
neglect or want Of any diligence on their part, then they
shall carry the mails between New York and Liverpool,
free Of charge to the government until the new steam,
ship shall have commenced said service.
MI. 0Lps, presunaing the amendment was understood,
would not trouble the House with a speech unless the
proposition should be opposed.
A VoIcE-OpIosed
Mr.. TWEED, (dem. } OF N. Y, inquired whether there
has not been a proposal to carry the mail between New
York and Liverpool, at q less rate than was paid to Mr..
Colins2
VoIcRs-Yes; less than one half.
MIR. 0Lps replted-Such a proposition has been ma de.
Mr.. SMITH, ldem.) Of Va objected to the gentleman
postponing his remarks under the idea that the House
understood The subject. He wanted the gentleman to
give a reason fer this enormous appropriation, especially
as proposals had been made to perform the service for
one half the money now paid.
Mr.. OIDs remarked, he was heretofore favorable eto
giving notice for a cessation of the extra compensation,
but subsequent investigation has convinced him that
justice to Mr.. Collins requires the money to be given.
His line of steamers have done more for ths American
name and skill on the ocean than all the government
steamers put together.
Mr.. soLIERs, (whig) Of Nd, inquired whether stock in
the Collins line was not held by british capitalstsY
Mr.. OLDs expressed the belief thar net q single dollar
Of the line is owned abroad, and spoke in high praise of
the beauty, model and excellence of construction of the
Collin steamers That line must 60 down If this appro-
priation is withheld. No doubt Mr.. Collins could per-
form the service for much less in such vessels as the
and Pacific. The new steamer Adriatic win not, he ven.
tured TO say, be excellei by any on the ocean. Mr.. Col
Inns has more than performed his regular engagement.
We live in . fast age-se have fast horses and pretty
~women-0aughter) land We want the fastest steamers
in the world. The Collins line cannot be sustained I'M
less extra compensation be allo we'd. Never yet has the
company been able to declare a dividend on the capital
stock, and within a few weeks the stock has been sold
for sixty cents on the dollar. As to the unsuitable
ness Of those steamers for war, the idea originated among
the old iogles Of the Navy Department. Every vessel,
no matter how perfect the model, how excellent her
moving qualities, receives their condemnation unless
built under their own supervision. He referred to the
testimony Of Commodore Stewart and others, to show
that they can be appropriated to war purposes.
Mr.. SMITH, Of Va, said he had listened with ~inexpres-
sib)e surprise to the speech Of the gentleman, who was
the last member from whom he expected to hear such q
remarkable somersault. 1t filled him with amazemsnt.
Mr.. 0LDs asked him to give way for an explanation.
Mr.. SMITH said nc would be willing to do so, and would
thank the gentleman TO tell why he urged the appropria-
ton, when the service could be done Just as well for half
the money! But the gentleman had taken his seat with
Mr.. OLps said propositions were made for carrying the
S %ss on f tie l esopr sss she S object waa to sn %srs p SsHims 10
for the per iormance OF the mai service, but not a single
Mr.. smrB.--when was thatg
Mr.. OLDs.-During the last Congress. The same men
have come forward Offering % do the service for less
him (Olds) in his behalf but he refused. He did not
want such vessels as the North star, but those which
ian be converted into war steamers, like those OF the
Collirs line.
Mr.. SMITH resumed reading from a speech OF Mr.. Olds,
delivered in 1852, to the effect, that We had a %responai-
BILE bidder before our committee, and the b IL was re-
ported for the transportation of the mails from jersey
City to Galway, Ireland, at SIC, 900 the round trip. If
. ss COO Csr for sG the ss same A ser S%,a'' Fu waE s'y the me- rsnt I :
rom Ohio said in the same speech that members want
10 give the extra compensation as a bonus to beat the
British line. Let taem say SO and not do IL under the
~pretence that it is nece ssary to the mail service
OF the country. Mr.. Smith read other extracts
n IQnlTmuu Oh ~ iUmmlLIee on fOHb OmceS huQ
Post Roads, the gentleman from Ohio thea persecu-
ted hessrs. Collins Il Co but like Paul journeying from
Tarsus TO Damascus, had fallen under the power of q new
light, and has been converted in an extraordinary aud
wonderful manner to a different conclusion laugh
teri He read an account Of Paurs conversion from
the New Testament, not in the spirit Of irr .veraacs,
but to point a moral and adorn a tale. The conversion
of the Apostle. the great prosecutor OF the Christians of
that day, was scarcely less miraculous than the sudden
and unexI ected conversion of the Chairman Of the Post
Office Committee. Uaughter.)
Mr.. 0IDs expressed the hope that his conversion was
- --. -. a.. a - D-.I. LAt r. .It - =.
him, tsmith,) as st. Paul didt Annanias, TO recover his
sight.
to the old fogies of the Navy Bureau to get rid O, tbs
responsibility Of his official station
Oh, wad the power the giftis gle us,
To see ourselves as others see US,
1t wad frae many q blunder free us,
And foolish notion.
lie would proclaim 1t here that Mr.. Van ierbilt alerel
to do the service for a very considerably less gum than
Mr.. Collins, rendering good security; but the PROPOSE
tion was rejected and duly disregarded, in order to con-
tinue the present monopoly. He declared himself OPP
posed to the whole scheme, viewing IT as a source of cor
extras, how he got the name Of Extra Billy ~
Mr.. SMITH retortod. The gentleman had no right to be
impertinent. But it was only one who could violate the
rules OF ORDER who could violate the rules Of good man
ners. He got the name ~honofably by extra aud faith
full service III the democratic party, not by dlshoaorasl,
Odds, I" understand thatl' (Sensation }
Mr.. oIDs-You ought to understand it better than
any DOoy else.
Mr.. SMITH further replied, saying in conclusion,
. Would to God the gentleman past history was that of
q democrat
Mr.. wALBRrpeE, (dem J o. N. Y. said-Mr. Chairman,
Looking TO the important relations which the city OF
New York bears toward the commerce OF the Unisn, and
the measure OF her annual contributions TO the revenue
of the country, no one will deny she has a legitimate
right 10 be heard IN the matter now before us. The
question involves high and grave considerations. II az
fects deeply our commercial interests. and Is no less
than this: shall American naval enterprise, invited by
your legislation, begun and sustained under your aus
picts for the wisest considerations, and resting upon q
basis of the toundest economy to the country, be me-
elected or discarded by h~esitancy or refusal to continue
the contract which gives us a position Of asoendancy in
the rvslry between this country and Great Britain In
ocean navigation. The general government had long
felt the reproach that lay at its door for neglsctsny
the interests OF our commerce for seven years,
by nermittlnR our tranaatlantic rival delher afniy