New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-04-11
RIVER AND HARB0R 81
GADSDEN.

From Our Own Correspondent
WASHINGTON Wednesday, April 9, 1856.
The Committee of Commerce in the House is
ready to report bill extending the provisions of
the present Steamboat Law to ferry, tug, tow and
other boats with some additional precautions,
which may serve as safeguards TO life and property.
The affecting experience of the last few months,
and the disclosures made upon the Investigate of
these caamities, would seem to justify the most
stringent requirements at the hands of corporations
which have so recklessly and infsmOusly tIiled
with the lives of the millions, who constantly
employ such modes of Transportation, and who pay
sufficient toll to provide the highest security and
the best accommodation Congress can hardly err
on the side of safety now, and especially after the
past laxity. There no sufficient reason for eX-
ceping the class ObOats now proposed to be included
from the original act and it was accomplished
solely by the address and persuasion of the parties
interested, who skillfully possessed themselves q
the avenues to legislation and removed the opp0-
sitiOn that was threatened With the indignation
which now prevails over the country this expert
ment can hardly be repeated with any prospect OF
success
After labOrous efsrts and corresponding inquiry,
the Committee on Commerce have prepared DHis
for the rivers and harbors in the different States,
predicated to some extent upon information from
official sources and in other respects upon facts
derived from undoubted local sources. These re-
Communications have been scrutlnlzed win eau
tious discrimination, and with exclusive reference
10 the wants and welfare Of the pubic interests,
avoiding as far as practicable the principle OF op-
lection raised at the White House. There IS 100
much reason to fear, however, that all these EFFORTS
will be expended in vain, and that the Executive
Veto will summary arrest whatever legislation
ON This subject may be accomplished. During the
last Congress the President made an exception
from the mass OF similar bills IN favor OF the APP
preparation for the Cape Fear River, upon the
ground that the distractions TO navigation MAD
been occasioned by the government. The proof
of this fact would scarcely have stood cross exsmi
nation in a court of law but 1t was sufficient for
the practical purpose of depicting the Treasury To
the tune of an hundred and odd thousand dol!Sre
Mr.. Ashe the member from the Cape Fear lls-
trict in North Carolina, succeeded in removing the
Presidents scruples and by way OF recognition OF
his own services, received the Frequency oi inc
Wilmington and Weldon Railroad.
At the present rate OF increased imports, we
should have no difficulty in adding fifty or more
millions to the aggregate of the current over the
last years; even allowing for sensiole dmhutoh
during several months. Approaching peace IN
Europe and liberal discounts at home, have al
ready attested their influence in this extraordinary
augmentation of foreign fabrics. And when We
reflect that these impOrtstOns contribute IN no
way 20 the substantial advantage Of the country,
even by iudircctiOn, but on the contrary Withdraw
immense capital and foster enterprise ABROAD a.
the expense of domestic idustry, the enormous
and sudden expansion becomes seriously alarnilhS
The Injuries which enter largely into these iii
ports not needed, and the money required 70
pay for them is abstraction of resources neces-
sary st home. Nobody suffered Cor them when
the iupOrtatiOns were So materially reduced last
wear. and that fact demonstrates that when ne
cessity occurs for curbng the spirit of extrsva-
gAnce which is known 70 exist amOng people
more than in any other nation, the restraint can
he imposed without even sense OF discomfort
A tight money market produced that good effect
at least and its continuance with the present midi
cations would be little short OF puohc bentht.
Our praqmatical and erratic Minister al Mexico.
Mr. Gadsden, who supPoses himself the 1.-Two!
Extraordinary OF South Csr0lins, rather tlah al
the United States has written one OF bis QuN"uc
productions to The Charleston CoEreT-tndtT an
ANONYMOUS misunderstanding she Secretary oi
State for not conforming 10 his exalted standard
Of policy The milk in that eOacOnut Is easily eA-
planned Gadsden's treaty was entirely emascu-
lated by the Senate He intended 10 make a
good thing of it," in Congressional parlance out
was brought up with round turn lie was
afraid 10 wage war upon the Senate winch
was alone responsible and therefore vented ms
wrath upon Mr.. Marcy. But this is not all
When the new treaty was carried and the time
- g.