Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1860-08-09

ed men with not only Young blood" but young IDEAS
Mr. Brecknridge after exposing The gross msepresent
atons of the Review, and declaring it had raduced the
honored in the Democratic party thus gave
his own views of conservative progress
Let says word upon this question of progress
wild and visionary progress that would sweep away all the
immortal principles of foreathe1s hunt up some i'm
aginary genius. place him policy, give him
'Sourg America for fucrum and let him turn the world
upside down That is the progress want to progress
the line OF the principles of fathers want teady
rational advance-n' bey ond the limits of the FEDERAL
Constitution but afraid that such progr IS as Is now
talked about would carry clear from that sacred
instrument want to progr. IS smelorating the con
dtion people by fair just equal and by sim
federal government. Above ALL hope to see the Demo
cratic party adhere with immovabe fidelity TO the ancient
and Distinguishing landmarks OF Its poncy Ihe'e are my
opinions progress and think the sooner we canvass ana
wnnow and sift away opposite opinions the better
The writer of these articles known to be the devoted
partZan of the only prominent man mentioned III connecoh
with the Presidency who had not been referred to by nm
in terms OF dlsparagement The REVIEW 10 act assdeu,
Mr. Brecknrdges words all the candidates except
the distinguished Senator from Illinois (Mr DougasO who
10 be particular avorite This called mp MI kich
ardson illinois, who protested that these articles were
written without the knowledge Judge Douglas and were
having learned that violent attack to be made upon
General Butler in the February number did all he could to
prevent it, but without effect Mr. breckenridge concuded
in these words " gain. say let US be jest let u"
fair Let man by himself or through his friends attempt
promote individual interests by traducing others II this
be continued will not succeed; We ought not To
succeed"
Ever the faithful advocate Of the reform of abuses in the
Government, and economy its expenditures he boldly
opposed all monopoIies subsidies and extraVasance.
Amongst the various combinations which were formed
fasten themselves upon Government, perpetual
spendaries during his service in Congress- were " the
" Ocean Steam subsidies
Steam lines had been built chiefly with public money to
to Liverpool California and Oregon, and Applications
made admit other parties to participate Ia the ma
onal graz uty Lines asked to Antwerp to the west
Indies, to Brazil, Venezuela, Havana, Hamburg Genoa,
Gbraa, Marseies, TuuOn and China, and with an eXan,
enterprise not to be controlled by conslderat0hs OF
race or region Ihs combination Of eerpr se anu cap'a
appealed to all sections of the Union and to all interests OF
society," appealing alike to the patriot ism OF the honest me
aspirations OF the ambitious and the interests OF the s"rdd
The aggregate appropriations atked for this purpose win
the already applied to similar purpose, amounted to
more than six millions of dollars.
The combination to carry this gigantic monopoly was
powerful harmonious In the language OF Mr. Brock
nridge the bounty system commanded the most
powerful and dete mined outside ever brought to
| bear upon any deliberate body.
1t against this powerful monopoly that Mr. Breckn-
ridge signazed his integrity OF character and devotion
to the public veal by OF the most powerful brilliant
and successful assaults upon this monopoly made in
dehberative assemb y.
Upon amendment made in the Senate House bill to
supply deficiencies in the appropriations for the fiscal year
ending June 80 1852 granting additional compensation to
the Collins lne of steamers he made his great speech He
that the proposed amendment of the Senate
was to supply no deficiency because was not pretended
that the Government of the United States had failed to per-
form strictly its agreements with Mr.. Collins and his
Gates he denounced as the result OF practice becoming
too common 9" repairing necessary appropriations to sus
tain others of doubtful prOprety and regarded it as fruit
full source OF mscheVous legislation which ne was ever
ready to oppose, he said:
! Heretofore the money expended upon ocean mail
system has been paid thu principle OF contract and the
Government supposed to receive valuable consdea-
price the transportation OF the mails and the germ OF an
economical marine But the question now presented Is
ury Tor the purpose OF sustain ing certain commercial INES
in national competition. Ne old they nnst go down,
in the rude contests Of unless they sustained
by the public money. The question: when stripped of
all disguises Shall the Government become the rtner
OF individuals and companies commercial operations thus
INJECTING double wrong 10y giving peculiar advantages TO
small fraction OF the community and at the same time col
ectng the capital it uoscrbes by taxation from those WHO
If by the dpon of this amendment, the principle
abshed that Government money shall be eXpendd to sup
port private commerce. what limit shall be assigned to the
application Of this principle The precedent adopted
for the benefit of the Collins line like every other bad
cedent Will be the fruitful parent OF per cIous ood OF
laws and will engraf radically false policy upon the le
gislaton of the country.
Sir, in my judgme.> the proposition before the commit
tee involves the highest interests OF trade and the true poll
whether shall be free fettered whether the
carrying trade of the country shall be fastened upon the
with the hulls commercial monopoes, welded by the
power of the Government and leveed against the enter
prise of its own citizens.
Having exhibited elaborate tables to show the present
character and cost of the postal service and of the
Congress- he says: These lines will involve yearly ex
pendure the above the present contracts Of
at least four and half millions of dollars This estimate is
sufficiently low though not perhaps, strictly accurate, be-
all the applicants have not specified the compensa
ton. Ii to this amount be added the present appropra
lions, have total annual expenditure for this single
ordnc4 OF the Punc OF about SIX h1hs OF aoar
tofore have numerous applications for new lines, pressed
with great industry and ability we'll for jncrf ased
to those already in OPERATION
Besides, however, exposing the expenditures which
the proposed system invoved-a stem exceeding both
in number of lines and amount OF approx ations to them
tie whole net wok OF navigation with which told
s n the ba
escaped the responsibility THEN first fur
nsh an auxiliary steam navy and he proved by Official
data that the vessels built BY Collins Soo and others
for naval service, unit for that purpose.
In the Of his able argument which exposed the
constutonay- extravaganza and inexpediency Of grant
ing this grauity lie paid beautiful compliment to navy
and commercial marine. He said:
friend favorable
proper facilities for extending communications with
foreign countries am friend also, of the navy The
history my country presents to many pages adorned by
its achievements, TO allow to speak aught in its dspa
agement never be false to the that
with the crisis 7s and 1872 forget that
the of America retired from all the SEAS and hid
itself under embagoes and acts of gal
in Christendom and avenged tie wrongs had long suffer
ed from Eng land.
81 am by nsensble to the national honor and
commercial renown which the Collins have
terred upon our country In common with Others have
exued over the victory in steam by them
for America and should regret to learn that the enerprs
ing capitalists to whom they their existence had
tanned losses from their prncey adventure. My smpa
thes warmly enlisted for those who conended
noD with the first naval power on earth for the mastery of
the seas But such sympathes proper basis for eg
laton when, too that leg saton impose still greater
burdens upon the people Admit the plea in le
gsate away five hundred thousand dollars upon from
almost exhausted Treasury in instance and where
you to stop Where the builder and where the
ers OF the yatch America, which lately such brilliant
honors in English waters With what consistency could
Congress deny financial aid and protection them when
demanded upon the ground that they had conferred
national honor and naval glory upon country? The
pride of Britain boastng that she holds the of the
seas was not more humDed by our triumph in steam nav
Tie American eiafc, built New York by American ship
Wrghts, and manned in England by American freemen-
The British people have spent perfectng their
sailing vessels and English supremacy the ocean has
been the cherished object of national desire One
poets sang in exulting
II Her march is Ger the mountain wave,
i Her home is on the Deep
But such boast is idle Albion 10 longer rules the
wave The last plank which chung wrested from
her by an American hipwright and by American individual
enterprise
Having shown that all such payments from The public
treasury contemplated by the mail service were