The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-17
Saturday, February II, 1859.


was referred, reported a bill to provide for the
transmission of the mails between ports of the
United States and Europe.
This bill authorizes the Postmaster General
to contract with responsible parties for the
conveyance of the mails for period not ex-
ceeding ten years, in steamers Unsuitable speed,
between any ports of the United States and
Europe twice monthly to Liverpool; once a
month to Bremen, via Southampton and once
4 month to Havre, via Southampton provided
that the entire service, under the three several
contracts, shall not exceed the sum of 100000
per annum. And the Postmaster General is
directed to stipulate that, during the service so
contracted for, other contracts will be made by
the Government for carrying the mails between
the United States and Europe and that, if ad-
ditiohal service should be required upon the
routes, it shall be performed by the same par
ties for pro rata increase of compensation.
Retrenchment IA Government Expenditures
Mr. Johnson, of Tennessee, submitted resolu-
tions on the subject of retrenchment, and
moved their consideration After some discus
sion, in which he was was sustained by Republi-
can Senators, his motion failed.
The Senate then proceeded to the considera
ton of the private calendar, and afterwards ad-
journed.
The House resumed the consideration of the
bill for the admission of Oregon -nto the Union
Mr.. Valandigham, Of Ohio, said that when
ever Kansas came like Oregon seaceably, and
with the consent Of her people, he should vote
for her immediate admission. But Kansas was
not here. Oregon was. There was no possible
connection beween the two, and he would not
vote to establish any. Both would be free
States.
Mr.. Stanton, of Ohio, supposed every gentle
man knew that the admission of Oregon was
purely question of time, that must be decided
at no distant day. Then it was not question
about exclusion, about denying to the people
of Oregon any rights to which they were entitled
under their Constitution, but it was question
whether or not they should be admitted to-day
or tomorrow.
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, thea proceeded to
close the debate. Apart from his considera-
tons Of public duty and justice to the people
claiming admission, there was another considera-
ton that would impel him to vote for the bill,
and that was the opportunity shat it afforded
him, as a Southern man and member of the
Democratic party, to show the grcundlessness
of the statements made last year that they were
in favor of putting one rule to St;.te applying
with slave Constitution and atiot,er rule for
free State. The gentleman from Ohio, Mr..
Stanton, who has just taken his seat had reas-
serted that. He had repudiated it at that time,
and he repudiated it at the present time. The
position of Kansas and the positio, of Oregon
were totally dissimilar, and every consideration
of duty compelled them to place tn restriction
upon Kansas, and like considerat ons of duty
required they never should be put Don Oregon
If he had understood the gentlera from Ohio
! and the gentleman from Massack ,setts, Mr..
Davis, they were willing to yOteSfor Oregon,
provided the restriction on Kansas should be
repealed. They occupied the srraage position
| hot ipaSp oh hay hali LII a rio
/ party was wrong last year, they would do wrong
this year. He could not see b wv two wrongs
would make 9 right, and he would tell them
that their votes would spike ege..y gun they
fired at the Democratic party. Lei them rather
set the example of doing right, az the gentle
man from Massachusetts Mr., Vhayer did
yesterday
There was sp ibd.spositi9n on to part of his
Southern friends to multiply free States an
indspostion to vote for free Stetea. In taking
such position, they took the reverse of the posi-
ton of their opponents on the othey side. Let
them do "justice, though the heavens fall"
The immense territories of the Nest had to be
peopled. Nothing in nature was still the earth
was never still the great sun was ever moving.
| Since he had been here in the bfief space of
fifteen years-this the sixteenth session
they had added six States 70 the UniQn,
lacking but one of being more tlan one-half
Of the original thirteen; they had added
one million twe hundred thousand square
miles of territory, iates.y more thaA the United
States possessed at the treaty of pe,.es -, 1888.
Since tina. time, they had added more than one,
third of tis entire area of the Unittd States at
the present time. IA this time, the United
States was greater than Russia trs, ter than the
Roman empire in the brightest Jays of her
glory. 1t was more expansive tina, the empire
! Ct Alexander, when he stood upos the Indus,
and wept that he had no more wot Ids to con-
quer. But they were pot yet at the end of their
acquisition. That had kesa done within the
period of which he had been a me nbc. &C tie
Honse.
Internally they had not been l. IS active in
progress. Their Shaping then ha amounted
to two millions it was now npw, rds of FIVE.
Their foreign imports were but thir( en- millions
now they were upwards of thirty Their ex-
ports were under one hundred mi lions; they
were now upwards of three hundre !. The ex-
port of cotton alone, the great 81 !,ple of the
South, was but titty-fonr millions md this year
it would be upwards Of oas kuaiR 4 end sixty
millions. The amount of gold in the United
States at that time was about one andred mil
Lions, bank circulation and all, anG. now it was
not SHORT Of three hundred miliors He had
not time to &c i49 z detail of all ne improve
ments which had taken Blacs, but IN railroads
alone there were at that time nc. exSeeding
five thousand miles; at the present H,ot less than
twenty-three thousand miles, alifbst enough
to circle the globe. At that tim, there had
been as mnch doubt about the su cess of the
electric telegraph rs there now wa, about the
Atlantic cable, and tssFe vas = 6 nplete net
work of wire throughout this vast, lserpr;silg,
and growing Republic. This prs gress could
not be checked, and persons now wing would
SEES over hundred millions within OUR present
boundaries,
For himself he fell ns aaEger frc On the num-
Der of free States, none at all. Il. ars e ssed
nationality no further that it was founded in
trre patriotism. Principles were tleir protec
ton, ana Whenever an aggression should be
made upon his Fights, tns scnstitut onal rights
| OF tAa South, the solemn guarantees IF lIS CGn-
stitution his position was resistance Ito the end
whether it came FROM tha GoyernAent or from
any other quarter. Our fathers i.ii your ia
Tiers resisted aggression. If they ould rise to
right wrong against father or Q aother, how
much sooner would they be jAsiFid in rising
for like purpose against bs 2ther7 He
trusted that day would never cone. But he
would not contemplate the fufurs he would
do his duty at all times, and let the future take
| care of itseif The system of the sderal Gov
ernmept permitted eaaeh State to re 4ulate these
matters for themselves. Thai VA 5the theory
of the Governmept-that NassacAssts, Ohio,
Georgia, Oregon, Texas, and alFNthes States,
should do as they please. That W; 3 the secret
Of TIE Republic which the ancient had never
discpyesss. Il was new doctrine brought to
light in the pineteeftS century. he trusted
that every one who wished to ~ 4 RE today
would vote down every amendpllesEt bill
needed no sEepdment-and, if they could not