New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1857-01-21
CON G r E s S
SECOND SESSION.
SENATE. .WAsHlsGroS, Jan. 90, 1857.

NJ, CLAY introduced a bill repeating all laws, or
mart, cf laws allowing bounties TO vessels employed in
he Banks or other cod fisheries
MIR C.. said that during the last sixty years about
SO GOO 900 had beeR drawn from the Treasury in pay
rfnt Of such bOuntes, and codfshermen Of two or
three New-England States were now receiving some
thing ike $500 900 annually. This sum is divided be,
tween shibOwners and captains Of @ vessels engaged
In codfshery and was drawn from the Treasury ia ylo
latiOn Of almost every provision Of law by which TINS
privileged class was created. 1t was the intention OF
the act to divide this bounty among the fishermen
vet il If mOnopOlZed By the owners and captains OF
thofe yesses Twenty-Five States are msde TO pay
tribute TO the Goldfish arstOcracy Of Elk States In con-
sequence Of the babual violation Of the law, Collect
of Customs as he was advised at the treasury De
pertinent were asking for an increase 10 the NUMBER OF
venRe-cutters involving corresponding Increase IN
expenditures for repairs &c, IN order TO Watcn hsher'
and prevent them from penetrating these frauds
on the Treasury Hence il would be seen that the
resut of this bounty was that the farmers,
mechanics and miners Of the coontry taxed in
order to raise $500 900 per TO distribute among
wealthy ship-Owners, principally OF Maine and Massa
ohuets for attending TO their own BUSH ess and were
then taxed 20 OF 80 per cent TO provide proper guards
10 keep these men from robbing the Government.
This was question not merely Of political economy,
but political morality. II was question whether
Congress shall longer continue to offer premium for
fraud and perjury. He would prove by the friends of
the measure that these men went out not 90 much TO
catch Goldfish as 10 catch bounty. He urged the repeal
Of the bountes for the additional reason that the luse
which originated them no longer exists. They were
originally granted in consequence Of very high duty
salt but the present duty on that article ls 30 low
az 10 be scarcely felt Again, at that time codh5h was
the only fsh Of any very great commercial value
but now mackeTel, herring and whale were lar more
valuable and the pursuit of the latter was Tar more
hazardous and expensive. In spite OF more ina sixty
from the Treasury, Goldfish is the same pitlsble puny
bantlng that it in 1892, when the first bounties
were granted. If we must have such bantlng, let
us, said Mr.. Clay, take up something which will in
time do the country some credit.
Mr.. SEWARD said the object of these bounties
must have been TO promote the commerce and fortfy
The navgatiI interests of the United States so as to
enable successful competition with the navigating in
terests of Great Britain and other European countries
More than hundred years ago very vigorous oppo-
siton made TO the treaty OF peace between France
and England upon the ground that the treaty permit
ted the citizens of the latter country to participate IN
the cod fisheries within three leagues OF the coast;
and, more or less, the same policy was continued
throughout so long as this country under the gov
eminent Of Great Britain. He would say 10 the Sena
tor from Alabama Il at 1t was no aristocacy that was
engaged in taking fish If either class was especially
interested ip this measure II was probably the denOc
rscy OF New-EDgland, and il was therefore Goldfish
democracy" instead of Goldfish aristocracy." IL was
not the aristocracy Of society that chiefly con-
ceined in the chespness OF this article but 1t enters
like tea coffee sugar and salt into the consumption OF
the poor rather than the rich. lie regarded
the attempts TO aiss prejudice against the shng boun-
tics on such grounds as uni asst There might be
grounds for the charge that the continuance OF these
bOunties encouraged FRAUDS on the revenue, Du Tue O
ment sny Government began to raise revenue IN any
manner either by direct indirect taxation, the mo.
me Dt that began TO tax any branch OF industry mat
moment the door was opened for obs and frauds OF va
rous kinds But since this was not measure OF reve-
nue. but one relating commerce, he moved lts refer
epce TO the Committee on Commerce
Mr. CLAY had no objection TO such reference, and
when the bill again came up he would enter fully INTO
The spbect In reply TO the Senator from New York and
nrodroe proof for every statement that he had m ide
Mr. FESSENDEN referred to the vitupera'lve strain
Of remark not only against the laws granting bounues,
but 10 tbe operation OF those laws in which Mr. Clay
had aeon proper TO indulge He Fessenden) was oil
the oninion tbat there mus be good son why
these laws passed in the first place and continued on
the statute book more than sixty syears. lie be-
Ieyed at when the subject again discussed there
would be found two sides to the question. There
might be wrong ia the matter but he believed that the
good had oyefbalanced the EVIL.
Mr.. CLAY ssid If he had useo harsh languagel' was
fully justified by the constituents OF the Senator from
Maine When the law of 1872 was brought forward II
was condemned by Mr.. Jefferson in report as uncon-
stitutional and be Clay would at future time snow
how the passage of the law was effected. lie could
not be lust or generous toward Tyranny and he knew
of n, greater tyranny tlan taking the money out OF e
pockets of one class and putting 1t In the pockets OF
another class-no in consideration OF any puDhe ser
vice bat merely for doing their owns busIness.
The bill was then referred to the Committee on Com
meIce. -.
The bill TO establish a naval depot at Brunswick,
Georgia was discussed for two hours but without com
irg 10 any conclusion upon it, the Senate ADJOURNED