The true Democrat., 1855-03-21
Presi dents Veto.
To the House Of Representatives:

All act making apprOprlatlOnS TOT the trdIS- portation of the United States mail, by ocean steamers and otherwise, during the fiscal years ending the 3Oth of June, 1855,'' and the 3Oth of June, one thousand eight hundred and fifty six," with brief statement of the reasons which prevent its receiving my approval.
 The bill provides, among other things, that :" the following sums be- and the same are here by appropriated, to be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the year ending the 3Oth of June, 1856:
 "For transportation of the mails from New York to Liverpool and back, $S58, 900; and the act entitled An act to supply deficiencies in the appropriations for the service of the fiscal year ending the 3Oth of June, 1852 approved the 21st of July, 1852, be, and the same is hereby repealed; Provided, That Edward K. Collins ant his associates shall proceed with all due diligence to build another steamship, in accordance with the terms of their contract, and have the same ready for the mail service in two years from and after the passage of this act. And if the said steamship is not ready within the time above mentioned, by reason of any neglect or want of diligence on their part, then the said Edward K. 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 to the government until the new steamship shall have commenced the said mail service"
 1 The original contract was predcated upon the proposition of E. K Collins of March 6, l846, made with abundant means of knowl- 1 edge as to the advantages and disadvantages of the terms which he then submitted for the ac- ceptance of the government The proposition was in the following terms:
 E. K. Collins and his associates propose to carry the United States mail between New Y York and Liverpool twice each month during eight months of the year, and once month during the other four months, for the sum of $385 900 per nnnum, ayable quarterly. Fol this pur- pose they will agree to build five steamships of not less than two thousand tons mearure- ment, and of one thousand horse power each, which vessels shall be built for great speed and sufficiently strong for war purposes.
 -Four of said vessels to be ready for service in eighteen months from the signing of the con- tract The fifth vessel to be built as early as possibly practicable, and, when not employed in the mail service to be subject to the orders of the government for carrying dispatches, for which service a fair compensation is to be paid Contract to be for the term of ten years. It is also proposed to secnre to the United States the privilege of purchasing said steamships when ever they may be required for public purposes, at a fair valuation, to be ascertained by apprai- sers appointed by the United States and by the owners.
 EDWARD K. COLLINS.
 Washington, March 6, 1946."
 Tue act of March Sd, 1847, provides: "That from. and immediately after the passage of this act, 1t shall be the duty of the secretary of the navy to accept, on the part of the government of the United States, the proposals of E. K. Collins and his associates of the city of New York, submitted to the post master general, and dated at Washington, March 6th 1S46 for the transportation of the United States mail be- tween New York and Liverpool and to contract with the said E. K. Collins and his associates for the faithful fullfilment of the stipuations therein contained, and in accordance with the provisions of this act;;'' and under this propo- sition and enactment the original contract was made.
 According to the terms of that contract, the parties were to receive from the United States, for twenty round trips each year, the sum of nineteen thousand two hundred and fifty dol lars the trip, or three hundred and eighty five thousand dollars per annum and they were to construct and provide five ships of stipulated size and quality, for the performances of this or other service for the government
 Of the ships contracted for, only four have been furnished, the Atlantic, Arctic, aud Baltic and the present bill proposes to dispense en- tirely with the original condition of a fifth ship by only requiring the construction of one which would but supply the place of the Arc tic, recently lost by peril of the sea- Certain minor conditions, involving expense to the con- tractors, among which was one for the accom-. modation and subsistence of certain number of past midshipmen on each vessel, had previ ously been dispensed with on the part of the United States.
 By act of Congress of July 21, 1852, the amount of compensation to the contractors was increased from S19, ,25O to S33,OOO trip. and the number of trips from twenty to twenty six each year-makirg the whole compensation S85S,OO0 per anum. During the period of time from the commencement of the service of these contractors, on the 27th of April, 1850. to the end of the last fiscal year, June 30, 1854 the sum paid to them by the United States amounted to $262O,9O6, without reckoning public money advanced on loan to aid them in the construction of the ships; while the whole amount of postages derived to the department has been only $734,O56; showing an excess of expenditures above receipts of $1, ,8S6,44, to tho charge of the Government In the meantime in addition to the payments from the treasury, the parties have been in the enjoyment of large receipts from the transportation of passengers and merchandise, the profits of which are in addition to the amount allowed by the United States.
 It does not appear that the liberal conditions heretofore enjoyed by the parties were less than proper compensation for the service to be per. formed, including whatever there may have been of hazard in new undertaking; nor that any hardship can be justly alleged calling for relief on the part of the Government
 On the other hand, the construction of five ships of great speed, and sufficiently strong fo, war purposes, and the services of passed mid shipmen on board of them, so as thus to aug. ment the contingent force and the actual eff, ciency of the navy, were among the induce ments of the Government to enter into the con. tract.
 The act of July 21, 1852, crovdes "that it shall be in the power of Congress at any time