The New York herald., 1870-05-26
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
WASHINGTON, May rs, 1871

Inc senate at q quarter 10 eleVcu auJOuTucis
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
WASHINGTON, May 25, 1870
REVIVAL OF AMERICAN COMMERCE..
The House resumed the consideration Of the till to
revive the navigation and commercial interests Of
the United States.
Mr.. FARNswOgTH, (rep.) of ILL.,, stated his obJec-
tons TO the bill. 1t was proposition really to hire
men to build ships and then to hire men TO run the
ships after they were built, and all for the benefit OF
the makers Of iron In Pennsylvania and the hewers
OF wood In Mainc--both bounty and subsidy to be
paid by the taxpayers OF the United States. This
was asking too much. This crowding the over
burdened taxpayers too hard. He was willing TO vote
for bill to remit actual du ties materials used In
shpbuilding but he not willing that the people
should be taxed at both ends Of the route. The
dimlnution OF the c0astwise trade was attributable
70 other causes those mentioned by the f1e1d
boanties Tney might put vessels along the coast II
they paid them enough. They might put out little
schooners TO carry the United states nag they paid
money to do 30; but that would not revive the car
rying trade. They might pay enough to allow Il ans.
portation to be done coaswise cheaper than 1t could
by road; that would be doing great wrong to
the railroad interest. The bill proposed to give q
special bounty to one branch Of the carrying trade
at he expense OF another. The coastwise trade by
vessels could not compete with that by rail. Insur-
ance was much greater; time was Lecomng very
OF passengers and SO lar as the transportation OF
passengers by water was concerned, that trade
%aS, not vHsd 4gs Sy AMY Roe oeunsss a
1t was necessary for carrying the mails. TO
authorize the Postmaster General to contract for
put good lines or steamers on the route between this
country and European ports. Subsidies were
already paid for lines to CHINA, The Sandwich
Islands ana Brazil, and he was Wiling that the
Postmaster General should contract to give the en-
tire postage 70 any line G shas s would carry Inc mail to
his constituents 10 pay bounty to men to try ana
put snlps on the ocean. II the commerce OF the
country could not maintain ships they would not be
maintained by taxes on the people. II the tariff
high tnag ships could not be built mere. and
that commerce was broken down. then. the tarllr
should be reduced so that ships cou.d be quilt in
this Country and that commerce may thrive and
tnas the revenues OF the couairy may thrive % too.
posed to tn, bil and opposed 10 the wnoie idea OF
giving bounlies to shppuilders or ANYBODY else for
paiticu ar interest. He argued against that and
other features OF the bill.
Mr.. LYNCH, (rep.) OF Me-, remarked that the CON-
mttee had agreed 10 substitute for the bill, ana
he oilered 1t 70 be voJed on as an am ndment.
Mr. INGERsoLL, trep) OF H., argued tnat tails COM
tna duty was inquire INTO the the decay
Of American commerce lnd navigation; but the
biIl was concsrned, nc to the sipbullding Interest.
Everybody knew that iron ships would not be Daiit
IN Mane, and that wooden SHIPS could not compete
with iron ships In The foreign trade. II the bill
were to become law it would not cndanger the
interest OF the foreigners In the carrying trade.
American tonnage, 80 far as the lOtei0n rade Was
concerned would continue dccllae until 1t became
actually extuct. 1t would have been IusI rs SEN
ebe when tue railroad business superseded the old
stagecoacl business TO have reported bill TO revive
bill.
not giving the relief the very place where relief
was needed, namely, In regard TO foreign tonnage.
1t gave relief Where none needed, IN the coast-
wise Trade, and failed TO give rciier where IL
needed. IL did not give advantages enough 10 enable
cyde All the subsdies Dountes and and as drawbacKs %
provided in the bill would nor enable American snip
owners 10 compete with the cheap IRON Vessels built
on the Clyde. There ore for the purpose Of the
foreign trade tais bill was failure, and for the pur
pose OF me coasting trade iC was unnecessary. On
AS to the subsidy feature OF the b it was odous to
the American mind. Under these circumstances he
thought lhaS the bill! and anendmen 8 ought to be
laid on tue table or be recommiited.
The morning hour expired ANA the bill went over
until tomorrow.
In the substitute offered by Mr.. Lynch the pre-.
amDlc Is the same as IN the original bill. vhe nrst
section is modified as follows:-
That upon all imported lumber timber, hemp, Ma
bars bolts plates beams and fognss, which used
and wrought up into tue Of steam OF sail
tins act whether for The hull rising equipment or maehn.
secretary Of tne Treasury under such regulations he
ss ss0o' o sc is
ter used In the consrucon o vesses or steamers OF
aforesaid amount equivalent to the duties Imposed
Similar articles OF foreign manufacture when imported
The second section, allowing ship stores aud coal
to he taken and consumed Tree o. duty. remains as
in the original bin. The remaining sections OF the
bill are struck out.
THE NORTHERN PACIFIC RAILROAD.
Mr.. WHEELER, (rep.l OF y. T., from the Pacific
Railroad Committee, reported back witnout amend
Northern pac1ic Railroad Company 10 issue IT'S
bonds or the construction Of It's road ana TO secure
the same by mortgage and FOR otner purposes. He
remarked that wnen the OIL was committed IL was
accompanied 10y twenty-four amendments, and he
proposed that debate be limited to one hour so as 10
Let those amendments be briefly explained.
MIR. SARGENT, (rep.) OF CAL remarked that that
would leave two and a half minutes for each amend
lnent.
The debate went on without limitation. and
Mir. HAwLEY, tTep) Of ILL.,, addressed the House In
support Of his amendment, which forbids the coin.
pany to sell us lands other than actual tiers in
lots OF i6J acres, at prices beyond 81 90 aa acre.
He showed rom the report OF the Senate Committee
that the land grant would cover forty-Se mil.
Hon three hundred thousand acres, WHICH, Ut an
average Of ten collars per acre. Including town and
city lots, would amountio Tour hundred ana seventy
three million dollars, but as the company had 1t In
its power 10 lengIhen the branch road, the land
sfat gs really oe a ~ s ts Hv,er
would he defeated unless his amendment were
adopted, and he thought that II was or the interest
OF the country that it should he defeated In any
event. the grant was too large when 1t was made
II the company did not choose 10 take the grant,
subject to the restrictions OF his amendment, the
grant should be allowed to lapse, and IL uture sub
sidy were to be granted 1t should he not in lands,
but In money the proceeds OF the lands as sold w
the government.
Mr.. SARGENT supported the amendment OF MIR.
Hawey, though he thought it did 40 far enough.
nc tuouSHt tudb Cu1lGicsS OuSut W pEufluc tndb
until the lands were surveyed the settler should be
considered TO be In possession, under the pre-emp-
ton laws no matter when the grant was made to
the railroad company.
Amendments were offered by Mr.. SARGENT and by
Mr.. WEIKER to protect the rights ana interests Of
actual settlers, and by Mr. RANDALL to exclude the
conclusion OF guarantee by the United states
government OF the bonds OF the company.
Mr.. CLARKE, (rep.) of kan., complained that there
were persons within the nall who were not entitled
TO the privileges OF the moor.
The SPEAKER said 1t was the duty Of the Door
N a a nph md QSk
Clarke to point out any person whom he desired TO
to nave excluded.
Mr. CLARKE remarked that he supposed 1t to be
the duty OF the 0lcers Of lhe House TO ENFORCE its
rules.
The srEAKER replied that it was the duty OF the
Doorkeeper, n5t OF the CHAIR, 70 9 ear tne noor; -
L. A,ltlr lrnq