The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1857-01-24
CONGRESSIONAL.
THE OCEANIC TELEGRAPH.
In snsATn, Thursday, january %, 1857.


In SENATE, Thursday, January %, 1857.
The Senate in committee of the whole resumed the
consideration Of the bill (S No. 493) expedite tele-
graphic communication for the of the government in
amendment offered by Mr. PUaH to add the following pro-
yiso
Provided That this act shall take effect until treaty
shall have been concluded and ratified between the gov
such portions of the British possessions in North America
command the western terminus of the said submarine
telegraph shall have been subjected to the principle Of
ralization adopted in the convention relative to Central
America signed at Washington the 10th of April 1880
and such other convention supplementary thereto may be
ratified hereafter.
Mr.. PUGH. The amendment which offered yesterday
written in haste and desire to modify the first clause
of it. 1T reads his act shall not take effect until
&c propose to substitute for that clause the words no
money shall be paid under the authority of this act until
Mr.. SEWARD I have but word to say on that SUBJ
ect So far as any national rights at hazard
the supervision Of the President of the United States who
has charge OF the foreign relations Of the country II he
shall deem II necessary to protect any interest OF the Un
ted States in peace or war he will be able TO dc so and
this BILL when it becomes law reposes the whole duty to
be performed by it to the President and to his discretion
and is not mandatory him at all If therefore, the
President shall think the public interest requires to be
ected 1t is TO be presumed he will not enter into this
tract until treaty has been made fer that purpose.
MIR. PUGH. desire to make a few remarks in reply to
what was said by the senator from New Hampshire Mr.
HALE yesterday but as he is not in his seat shall dis
pense with things which, under other circumstances
should have felt bound to say.
The senator commenced his remarks by saying that
were acuated by spirit in the amendment which
submitted and which had been advocated by the senator
from Virginia. and to some extent by Others am sure
that far as am concerned have given manifesto
ton of any such spirit in this Senate chamber for defy
the senator, any else to find in all that have
said the slightest allusion that could ALLEVIATE from any
other government which could up any standard Of
craftsmanship want of staesmanshp, he seems TO
suggest He says he supports this bill peace
Well Sir recollec-my impression is and think it
will so appear reference-that discussed it both
peace measure and q measure My objection
much clearly stated by the senator from Georgia.
mr. TooMBs but to refresh the recollection of the senator
from New Hampshire of his friends he be not present.
will repeat the objections which made to it as peace
measure
1t proposes that wesha guaranty the dividends of pr-
vate stock company. Certain gentlemen, who have un-
make telegraphic wire from Newfoundland to Ireland
expecting to realize all the dividends and to put them into
their own pockets come to us and ask us to guaranty
four per cent. to them .. .r...s
Mr.. WELLER. Three per cent is share, and three
per cent from the British government making altogether
six per cent Hagl aatG sg4.. ...s.a ....s..@
tee to the extent Of year. to be paid out of
treasury. said in reference to- that that thought it
was the Collins line revived. ! do think So We have
given notice to Mr. Collins and his associates terminate
their agreement We set it on foot We paid Mr.. Collins
for running his ships and putting the money into his
pocket we have found that to be losing business
u
rid of him asked to take up certain other
gentlemen and put their telegraph company the
footing with the Collins lneto guaranty them against
losses In private enterprise That alone is enough in
duce to against this bill will not vote appro-
pirate the public money to any private enterprise Of that
description y .a.,'. f" ra las5. 9
senator from Georgia repeated with great force that
Great Britain has colonies this continent and is of
the last importance to her that she should communicate
with her colonies She do it by Of this tele
graphic communication 1t is essential to her. to the in
tegry of her dominion that she should have this
ncaton for if she does not bring Canada to her
by contrvance other she will lose Canada. We
have colony at the other end Of the line
pect to have any and yet to pay much money
the British government That another objection to it
what further The British government can use this
teegraphc communication with safety to ITSELF 1t has
class of operators at Ireland at London, and it
will have another class of them at Newfoundland. 1t
secure secrecy as well as despatch. 1t send
messages, and control both ends of this wire, in
peace well as in war; It 10 useful to that govern
ment 1t will never be of any use to this government
Why sir if there be despatch of such urgent character
that require telegraph rather than the ordinary
of is there any senator who imagnes for
instant that could send such despatch to min
lister in London in France by means of this telegaphic
communications How long would your secrecy be pre-
served2 What the penalties you exact from the ope
rator at the other end of the teegraphc line in he
betrays your diplomatic secrets The whole idea Of using
this line in your diplomatic relations be thought
less suggestion and say that with all respect 1t
De USED In foreign intercourse cannot IN
trust message of any confidence to this means of commu
nicaton In the first place. you must confde it 10 the
operator at Newfoundland and then you must conde it
to the operator at the other end of the communication
And yet sir for of communication that is vaua
BILE to England in time of peace well in time Of war;
and which of value to either in peace In war;
asked to pay the same amount which the British
government is to pay. there is any spirit in that
suggestion plead guilty. ". O. .s.#l
But sir is it improper any occasion, in the Senate or
elsewhere to advert to the effect which proposed appro
priaon of public money will have our int erssts in
shire thought this very unfortunate way Of arguing
questions He thought such argument that would
60 to the extent Of requiring to dispense with all our
steamships think not cir We have spent two days in
the Senate discussing the propety of establishing navy
yard and why do we want navy-yard2 Why do you
prepare for war it is have the of offence and de-
fence in case war should arise. Why do You maintain
your army and pass your annual fortifcaon bill Sure
ly If the millennium senators imagine we
are might dispense with the thirty forty millions of
money expended for these purposes The
of the senator from New Hampshire applies well
them as to the amendment under consideration and
the arguments by which it has been supported. The
senator said 1t a very absurd idea to imagine
that by any convention treaty could the
OF this communication in time Of admit that il is
very absurd but it is absurdty that existed nowhere
except in his own imagination for such proposition has
been made. No man imagines suppose, that this COM
munication could be used by in time of war certainly
never did. The objection which made was, that the
British government could it, and it in spite of u.s.
They have both ends Of it. They 1t to commun-
cate orders from the government London to the colonial
authorities in Canada and what will be the effect of IL
You have thousand miles of unprotected coast on the
northern frontier As the senator said you have the guns
OF British ortresses commanding your cities upon the
lakes We have no standing army of any consequence to