The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-01-05
CALIFORNIA MAIL CONTRACTS.
REMARKS OF MIR. GwIN IN THE SENATE.
JANUARY A, 1852


JANUARY A, 1859.
Mr. President | ask the Indulgence of the Senate
for few moments to explain the provisions of this bill
before move its reference to the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads
The contracts for carrying the mails to the Pacific coast
expire ON the is of October next Ipropose in this bill
% make provision for the transportation of the mails
the States on the Pacific, four different ocean routes
to wit Panama Nicaragua, Tehuantepec, and Vera
Cruz.
The first and second sections of the bill authorize the
Postmaster General to contract for carrying the mails
monthly, in twenty -four and twenty two days from New
York to San Francisco and thence to Astoria The third
and Fourth sections give the officer authority
tract for carrying the mails monthly from New Orleans
10y the way OF Iehuantepec and Vera Cruz to
that point with the othertwo lines The time by these
routes, from New Orleans to San Francisco to be IL
days Each contract is to bic given TO the lowest respon
sbe bidder those by Panama and Nicaragua not to exceed
$3.50 900 EACH and those by ehuanepec and Vera Cruz
not to exceed Sl43, 600 each. Until recently have
had but of these routes opened and the mails carried
ON 1T monthly ut an annual cost OF about 500 900
In the last two three months the mails have been
veycd semi monthly from New Orleans via Tehuantepec
TO Acapulco at cost of 1886, 000--maling the
now paid annually on the two routes upwards of mil
lion of dollars BY the provisions of this bill it is pro-
posed to carry these mails monthly each of the four
routes at about the rates that have heretofore
paid for semi-monthly service route, and for
quarter of million dollars less than is paid two
routes.
This Is the maximum rate which the Postmaster Gen
era is authorized to pay for this service and he may get
1t done for less for each route is to be let to the lowest
responsible bidder There doubt he will be able TO
get the service performed at these rates Six years ago
responsible parties proposed to carry the mails semi
monthly from New York to San Francisco via Nicaragua
for $3.50 900 per annum the limit given to the Post
master General in this bill to pay for monthly service
Eight years ago Congress authorized the monthly service
from Panama to Astoria to be changed to semi monthly
to correspond with the service this side Of the 18TH
mus provided it could be done at onefouth less than
cepted those terms The government pays the Pan
railroad Cess than fifty miles in lengthy 500, 900 for
carrying mails semi monthly. onetenth of that
would he ample compensation for monthly service.
assume that ii Congress directs the Postmaster Gen
erl to make these contracts interference in the
cuon of the law in crossing the isthms ut the points
named will be tolerated by this government BY treaties
we have the right and by policy committed to keep
these routes Open and will be dgaccd in the eyes of all
civilized nations if permit the weak and distracted
governments that claim jurisdiction either of them to
disturb the transit of our mails As to the mail TO be
conveyed via Vera Cruz there can be no difficulty
in making arrangement with Mexico for its
and uninterrupted transit We compelled to have
mail by from New Orleans to Vera Cruz
and the only additional service contemplated by this bill
is to connect that mail with the Pacific overland from
Vera Cruz via the city of Mexico, at Acapulco But If
cannot make such arrangement with Mexico the. bill
requires the mails to be carried semi monthly via Tehu
antepec at the same compensation as is now allowed
Tho contracts to be made for five years on each
by the overland mail routes will be perfected, with
such progress hope will be made in the Pacific rail-
road and will certainly then have various telegraph
lines that will need lines to carry mails
to the Pacific coast These routes will always continue
as commercial lines and will be used to carry the mails
from the United States to the countries they traverse
but they will not be needed 10 transport mails to the
Pacific States of the Union. propose to use them now
merely auxiares to the great overland transit which
should be aided by the whole power of the government
They also important cmgrant routes, and will thus
increase the population of the Pacific States and break
up the monopoly Of route that has oyear been such
ust cause of complaint
The consolidating the passengers from Acapulco north
and San Francisco south to that point would not enan
ger their health Nearly the whole distance is cool and
pleasant The danger all the routes is south of AGA
puco and through this region this bill wisely distributes
them between four lines OF steamers instead Of combining
them to two and those to New Orleans do not enter these
equatorial regions deleterious to health and where
most of the fatal diseases among passengers have pre-
vailed the transit the isthus routes to and from
California.
move that this bill referred to the Committee on the
Post Office and Post Roads, and that it be printed.