New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-12-06

commodate more writers by that Mail than sending
it from New York, then We insist that il should be
cent from one Of the Southern ports. Let us have
no steamship mails got up for the benefit of this or
that city or sectOn-they are too costly to justify
such an indulsence-but let the widest public ben
eft be their governing principle, and local advantage
but one of their unavoidable incidents.
We think Congress should inquire closely into
the Necessity for dispatching several steamship mails
across the on Identical or parallel lines. Sup
pose, for example, We are paying Handsomely for
weekly mail to Liverpool, why should we pay some
hundreds Of thousands more for similar mails to
Havre, Southampton, Hamburg, Gel Why not
serd all these mails across the broad Atlantic in one
strong feet steamship, and have them distributed
to their several destinations On the other sde' Is
there not saving Of about Half Million Dollars
per annum involved in this suggestion
We hear Of the gathering at Washington Of emi-
nent and able men, well known in the lobbes Of the
Capitol, whom public rumor connects with projects
Of steamship and other contracts. We know
nothing Of the correctness of these rumors; we
only know that where the carcass is, there will
1.-The eagles Tor vultures] be gathered together"
Nor do We join in the general clamor against lobby
agents. A man may play the knaye in that or in
any other capacity; but be may also hOnoraby and
irreproachaby earn money in soliciting contract
for On owner or builder of steamships or other
sutton for Government employ. Instead of hunt
ing with odious epithets the necessary incidents
and Implements of a bad system, We would direct
attention to the changes necessary to modify or
renovate that system.
We agree entirely with the Postmaster-General
that Congress should expressly order the establish
ment of such steamship mails as it deems requisite
and not merely authorize the head Of the postal SER
vice to do so if be thinks proper This is throwing
too great res possibility on one man, especially one
who holds Office at the pleasure Of another. But
let Congress say just where and how often ne"
steamship mail ,hall be Transported, without dc
tatpp that contract therefor shall be made with
Sloo, or Collins or Vanderbilt, any one else in
particular, but prescribe that after due police by
advertisement, the contract for such NIL shal 70
awarded TO that party giving ample security who
shall undertake to perform it within specified time
and in boats of the requisite tunnage and strength
for the lowest prce-sealed proposals being received
therefor up to a specified day. 1t might also be
well to allow margin as to points Of departure,
thus" Proposals will be received for conveying
weekly mail to -, from either of the cities Of
Boston, Newport, New-York, Philadelphia, Baltl'
"more Norfolk or Charleston, in steamships Of not
"less than - tuns each, each voyage to be made
in not more than - days" Under such sys-
tenn of open competition, we should have not only
shp-owners and capitalists but cities bidding against
each other for these contracts, while the trade OF
lobby agent at Washington would be completely
run out, so far as steamship mails are concerned.
We trust Congress, in its action this Winter on
Steamship Mails, will keep these points steadily in
view:
!. The impolicy of running two costly mails on
substantially the same routes
g The practcabiEty Of giving rival cities equal
chances for Ocean Mails, wherever their capacities
for serving the whole country are equal; and
3. The justice and feasibility Of letting every
steamship mail contract to the lowest responsible
bidder