The New York herald., 1868-06-18

oned rights sha be granted and thai he
e s a9sss psss.ss As Sas
Mr. STEVENS, lrep.l OF Pa said that this was very
grave matter. Inc resolution % asserted great many
The resolution giving rise to debate went over un
der the rule.
Mr.. STEVENS, of Pa, offered resolution instruct
ing the Committee OF Ways and Means TO inquire
into the eXpediency OF reporting bill 10 collect the
revenue distilled spirits the principle OF taxing
the capacity OF the still and apparatus. making due
the g was' cali - in expet builders and
operators and ascertain the utmost quantity the still
can produce in twenty four hours constant running;
second that the dlstler take out license for just
such time as he may choose TO operate. paying or
giving good security to pay the tax on all SPIRITS tiat
sSi can ee produced within the period OF the license;
period OF his license he shall he subject TO imprson
ment In the pententary; fourth Il any one shall be
found TO have distilled spirits without a license he
snail be subject to like imprsonment fifth II there
be any unoccupied distiery the key shall be given
70 S revenue olicer who shall be heavily punished
other person for the purpose OF using them sixth,
tne keeper OF any concealed still shall be heavily
The resolution was referred to the Committee Of
Ways and Means.
THE NATIONAL SAFE DEPOSIT COMPANY
The House resumed, as the business of the MORN
ing hour, the consideration the bill reported yes
terday by Mr.. lneerso in reference to the National
Safe Deposit Company of the city of Washington,
some OF the provisions of the BILL particularly those
giving the company the power OF savings bank and
during the morning. hour. Finally, on motion Of Mr.
BENJAMIN, (rep.Y Of Mo-, the bill was laid on the
table.
HELL GATE AND NEW YORK HARBoR DISTRACTIONS.
Mr.. CHAMBER (dem.) OF N. y, presented the Pc
titions Of A. w. Grswod and others, william
Searles President OF the New York Stock Exchange,
and others; John J. Conover, President OF the
Mechanics and Traders Association, and others,
and OF Horatio Allen and others, all citizens OF New
YORK, asking an appropriation by Congress for the
removal or the 0bstructions at Hell Gate and OF the
rocks in New York harbor, known as Battery
Diamond and Coenties reefs.
THE REWARD FOR THE CAPTURE OF JEFF DAVIS.
Mr.. WAsHBURN, (rep.) OF Mass, from the Com
mittee on Claims reported bill for the distribution
OF the reward offered by the President OF the United
States for the capture OF Jefferson Davis. Ordered
to be printed and recommitted
Mr.. WAsHBURN, Of Ind, from the Committee on
Military Affairs, made report to the burytng OF
Confederate dead in the Anietam Cemetery. ordered
TO be printed and recOmmitted.
PROMOTION OF AMERICAN COMMERCE.
The House then proceeded to the consideration, as
special order, Of the bill reported by Mr.. Eliot,
from the Committee on Commerce. to promote
American commerce.
Mr.. ELIOT. gep.) Of Mass, addressed the House on
tne national Importance Of the bill. which provides
That section of the act entitled IAN act ameud.toy of
iSSssn Of % as
other as on Ss for
hereby amended 80 that the tonnage tax therein imposed
6sFo That drawback equal the paid be allowed
anchors actually used and employed by them building
hs a e. s IN
all cases 70 be 20 be paid such and
q s rs provided
Of the United States by the collectors paying such
SIC That the fifth section of an act concerning the re-
snd recording OF ships or vessels approved Decem'
SEC Hereafter other vessels Of the United
State. than twenty tons burden shall not be enrolled and
boat: Or shall BE- licensed and shah IN every very
% 5 atsd
SIC That the provisions Of the act entitled IAN act
to II pecsmSe
nsGssy Ter 70 v:s built within the unsd M sne.
to foreign owners. 49, -
system Of taxation Of articles that enter into ship
building there are no more ships built in this
country, argued that q maritime nation must build
Its own vessels. No commercial country could be q
first class power unless It built its vessels and
controlled its own carrying trade This was the law
OF commercial fe not the law Of the United States
only, not the law Of England or France only, not the
law OF to-day alone, not the law by which alone
PhGncia or Venice controlled the seas but was the
great law Of national commercial life, like that law
OF justice described by Cicero:-"There shall not be
one law for Rome and another for Athens not one
enduring law for all people," II was manifest, he
said, that f Congress did not interfere the commerce
Of the United States would be ruined and the carry
ing trade left in the control of England He referred
to statistical tables to show that In 1861 onerd OF
the whole carrying trade OF all the world was done
by American vessels, and that In 1866 less than
sixth was done by American vessels. In 1861 472
American vessels had entered the port OF London
and in 1866 only seventy-one. That was coming
pretty near the bottom line. II it went much further
In that direction 1t would be too late revive that
interest because ler de nfntnis non curdt II would
be necessary TO legfsate to recreate it, The object
Of the pending bill was to put the trade into the
hands OF the men who can build up the navy Of the
country that they may live and not die.
Mr. ONErLL, trep.) Of Pa, suggested that the bill
In an indirect manner took the taxes or imported
material used In the construction Of ships and there
by operated against the interest of domestic produ-
rs, which would require 10 be equalized by allow
ing bounty for the use OF domestic materials.
Mr.. ELIOT declined to argue that point as outside
OF the range OF the bill He read letter from Donald
Mckay, the Boston shpbuilder, stating that he had
endeavored to get up convention OF shpbulders to
whom he addressed had all left the business, and
had not built ship since the commencement
Of the ,vu war. The passage Of the bill could
no revenue was derived from shipbuild-
ding materials there being no ships now built In the
United States. He did not claim that this bill
would re-establish the old condition OF things, but
he claimed that until the country returned TO specie
payments, until prices came down and labor became
needful to rescue from destruction the interests Of
American commerce.
second section by providing that in order that Amer
ican lumber, cordage, iron, copper, chains and
anchors might be used In the construction OF Amer
lean vessels there should be allowed bounty equal
to the drawback Of duty on these materials actually
In construction.
Mr. ELDRIDGE, (dem.) OF Wis.,, opposed the amend
ment claiming that the bill had steered clear OF any
thing like b0unties.
Mr. BLAIR, trep) Of Mich, opposed the bill, claim
ing that the depression In the shipbuidng interest
was not caused by the laws OF the country Was that
the only interest In the country that was depressedS
They had been told that the iron interest the coal oil
interest and almost all other great interests were de-
pressed and ruined but all that grew out Of the con-
don OF the country. The copper interest. In which
fifty millions OF capital was invested, was languish-
ing and suffering for want OF sufficient protection;
and while he should not be asked to strike down the
copper interest
Mr.. PIKE, (rep.) OF Me-, reminded Mr.. Blair that
there was but very small amount OF Michigan cop
per used In shpbuildng, and said that there was no
desire at all TO strike at that interest.
Mr.. BLAIR said that II the copper OF foreign
tries were admitted free Of duty FOR shipbudng pur
poses the copper mines on Lake Superior would have
to be closed. lie quoted from Mr.. Pixies speech In
the House a.few weeks ago tending TO show that he
was opposed TO the protection Of all interests The
proposed drawback on copper was simply blow
struck that interest and the arguments In support
of It would apply equally as well against the whole
protective system OF the country. He believed that
the enterprise OF the American people would remedy
all the present difficulties about commerce and the