Gazette and sentinel., 1860-09-08

fcrred upon our country. In common
with others | have eXultcd over the VIC
tory in steam navigation won hy them
for America. and should regret to learn
that the cntcrprising capitalists I"
whom they owe their existence had SuS-
tanned losses for their priuccly adven-
tuTc. My ~sympathics are warm!y en-
listed for those who have ~contcndcd So
nobly with the first naval power on
earth for the mastery Of the seas. But
arc Sympathics a proper basis tor ic1lS-
lation, when, too, that legislation must
impose still greater burdens upon the
people? Admit the plea in II case
lcgislale away five hundred thousand
dollars upon it from an almost cX-
exhausted treasury in one instance, and
where are YOU to stop? Where Is the
builders. and where the owners OF the
Yacht America? With what cons's-
tcncy could Congress deny financial aid
and protection to them, when demanded
upon the ground that they, too, had
conferred national honor and naval
glory upon our country? The pride OF
Britain. boasting that she holds the
trident of the seas, waS not more hum
bled by our triumph in steam navlga-
ton than it was in August last 10y the
success of the little American craft
built in New York by American ship
wrichts, and manned in England hy
American freemcn. The British people
have spent centuries in perfectin@ their
sailing vessels, and English supremacy
on the ocean has been the cherished OBJ
icct Of national desire. One of her
poets sang, in eXulting strains,
Her march is Ger the mountain wave,
Her nome is on the deep"
but such a boast is now idle: Al
hion no longer rules the waves. The
last plank to which she chung was
wrestcd from her by an American ship
wright and 10y American individual en-
terpr.sc.'
Having shown that all such payments
from the public treasury as contcmpla-
ted by the ocean mail service were made
"to private individuals. for the con
struction of private ships for private
gains" he continued "If any reference
to the Constitution of the United States
may be made in these days Of magnif-
cent ~monopolics and wholesale plum
der, without calling up a spirit Of dcri-
sion, | would inquire where that instru-
mcnt confcrs the power To give such
gratuities? And desire to be pointed
to the clause empowering us to tax one
interest for the purpose of building up
another. put the question t. Repuh-
Leans everywhere, and especially do
commend it to gentlemen of the Dem
OCratic party-a party whose cardinal
principles have ever been in direct con
fict with such abuses"
Ileroically resisting the Influences
around him, with an eye single To his
country's veal and rcnown, the impas-
stoned orator closed his powerful speech
on this occasion in the following man
ncr
Nr. Chairman, this amendment may
pass this House, as it has passed the
Senate. | know the powers of the in
fluenccs at work in it, favor !; persona!
friendships, local interests, continued
solicitations-dll these are actively cx-
ertcd, and are hard to resist. You may
sucsced in giving to the Collins line
alone nearly one million Of dollars a
year +; You may succeed in maintaining
a little longer this ocean ~arist0cracy,
supported, like the British nobility, by
the sweat of the people, but the day Of
its destruction will come. Every SEP
taken in continuation If this system in,
crcases the number to he rctraccd. be.
cause a principle which is both false t.
our destiny, and unjust, cannot find a
permanent resting place in the Ameri
can statute-book. When the country
comes TO understand and realize the eff
fects Of this legislation, it will demand
its instant and final repeal.
"Mr. Chairman, the time will not al
low me to pursue this subject further.
nor to speak of other abuses now weigh
ing down the Government. The uni
versal tendency among those who hold
delegated power in q country whose re
sources are ample, is to extravaganza
1t is time again to inscribe on our ban
ners Economy, Retrenchment, Reform
and for one, | will labor faithfully with
those who, instead of constantly seek
ing for new sources of expenditure.
shall strive to curtail the already enor.
nous cost Of the Government"
The President sustained the grounds
taken by Mr.. Breckenridge, in his veto
message, from which the following ex
tract was made
"The bill will, in effect, confer a gra.
tuity, whilst nominally making provi
sion for the transportation of the mails