National Republican. (Washington City (D.C.)) 1872-1888, 1886-05-05
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
OCEAN MAIL SUBSIDY VOTED BY THE
SENATE,
"The South OF To-day is the south OF
Calhoun, of Yauccy, and of JEFF
ferson Davis" - Contested Election

consideration OF private claims on the cal
endar
Considerable debate arose on claim Of
the widow Of William Ward, OF Norfolk,
Va, for hay Of the value of S2,075 sold TO
the government in 1861.
Mr.. Edmunds and Mr.. Logan regarded
the proof OF the claim insufficient. Mr..
Hoar and Mr.. Harris deemed the proof sut-
flcient The bill was postponed.
Mr.. Dolph said tho debate showed the
propriety and necessity OF establishing
court TO pass on such claims.
At 2 o'clock the postofIlce appropriation
bill was laid before the Senate.
Mr.. Call favored the proposal to appro-
pirate $4,000 for the carriage OF tho
United States mails to Central and South
America, China, Japan, &c. He did not
regard II as a subsidy.
1t was a necessary step, he said, to the
establishment Of commercial relations With
those countries that we should have regu-
lar speedy mail communication with them
Mr.. salisbury opposed the proposition
Mr.. Hale said that, according to Mr.
Beck's explanation given on Monday, the
Postoffce Department was moro culpable
than he ut first supposed, as TO the leaving
al Pernambuco OF a Image body Of Rio
Janeiro mails. From Mr.. Beck's explana-
ton, Mr.. Hale said, IL would seem that the
Postmaster General had sent the mails by
an English steamer while knowing that
they would have to lie over at Pernam-
buco, a long way this side their destination,
and would have TO there await the coming
Of the United States steamer for Brazil.
Mr.. Hale could see no stronger illustra-
ton Of the preference OF the Postmaster
General for foreign over American ships,
since he had sent mails part way by for
eign ship. r-r
Mr.. Plumb said no senator had shown
that the sum for mails provided for by the
amendment was too much. The same
senators who objected to this amendment
in favor Of our foreign mail were here
favoring the application OF an amendment
embodying the same principle for fast
train from the eastern states to Florida.
The proposed arrangement for the foreign
mails was not based on the theory thatlt
was subsidy, but that we should apply to
our foreign mails the principle that had for
many years been applied to the trunsporta-
ton Of the inland mails OF the United
States. Mr.. Plumb asked who was 10 be
benefited by the proposed arrangement.
The southern states would be the bene-
ficiaries Of this proposition. The cities and
barbors Of the south were SO placed that
they would naturally become the mouth
pieces by which the United States should
speak to the peoples south Of them. The
southern states were now making the cheap
cottons wanted by Central and South
America. Yet senators from the southern
states were opposing this proposition.
They did mot speak the language Of mod
ern progress or modern civilization. The
south OF to-day was the south Of Calhoun,
Of Yancey, and Of Jefferson Davis.
Mr.. Morgan iuterposed TO comment on
Of argument at this late stage OF the debate.
The southern men, he said, had no oppor-
tunity TO reply to IT..
Mr.. Plumb said no senator should be cut
off from reply by limitation Of time-at
least Mr.. Piumb's vote would be cast for
full opportunity for reply. The south Of
to-day, In national control, he continued,
responded to the wishes, the interests, the
principles inculcated by Calhoun, enforced
by Yancey, and represented to-day.by Jeffer-
son Davis. He (Mr. PlumbJ did not speak
of that as In any sense personally offensive,
or as qualifying the. personal sincerity Of
the men.
parchment or accusation had the slightest
personal offense for him. Every name
mentioned by Mr.. Plumb was consocrated,
in Mr.. .Morgan's memory, as the name Of
an honorable and a great man. He hoped
the state Of Kansas might sometime OF
other produce such character as Mr.. Cal
houn, Mr.. Yancey, or Mr.. Davis.
Mr.. Plumb retorted that Mr.. Morgan had
that aspiration for Kansas all to himself.
Mr.. Plumb would not take one leaf from
the chaplet OF any man as an honorable,
sincere, honest, or able man, but those mel
represented the south Of slavery-the south
that did not want free labor 30 tue south
took up to-day the burden OF that song
where It left off In 1861, yielding to the
same determination against free labor.
1t was the old doctrine in favor Of capital
against labor The capitalist, with his cot
fers filed, and believing in the law oil
supply and demand as applied to labor, like
everything else, said, "Giye me the right tc
buy my ships where l please, where car
other countries, and don't care about
American labor.n The south, Mr.. Plumb
said, would never take It's proper place II
the galaxy Of states, or perform Its part a.
rival In the race for progress, as long as II
said that there should be no labor on shiI
or farm that should realize that 1t wa
entitled to good wages or to the assertion
The south had eschewed manufactures
That was the sign by which she had beer
conquered. The south had been valian
amp determined, but had NJ. mechanics, nj
skilled artisans who could make implement
Of warfare, or means .of transportation o.
doubt that there.was to be o new south tina
would develop its coal and iron deposits
Our nation should be able to defend itself
It should have every element Of defens
established within itself. And while Mr.
Plumb did not believe In protection TO
projections sake, yet whatever the tarii
cost us was insignificant IN comparison
with the benefits 1t conferred In building
up our capacity for defense--in giving u
skilled artisans and many workshops
With those we could hold the world in dc
fance.
Tors who would ask for lmanyimilllons
but were not willing TO devote anything
develop commerce from the mouth OF th
Mississippi TO other lands. AS 10 our ship
there was sentiment Of American natior
allty that would never be satisfied with til
purchase of English, French, or Germa
ships. And there was .a. sentiment emu Gen tha
American ships made in America and o
American materials.
Mr.. Morgan said he-did not, OF course
wish to break rulelof the Senate. He dl
wish, however to reply 60 some remarks {
Mr. Plumb, and would do so In connectio
with some resolutions that he would offer
the. debate then'closed aud voting begaI
p = A number of amendments were offered
the proposition OF thecommittee.
The committees provision for the foreig
mails, as finally amended by the Senate an
agreed TO, reads as follows:
Fortha transportation of foreign mails b
American built and registered steamships,
secure tho greater frequency and regularity /
dispatch andthe greater speed IN the oarriaG
of such mails TO Brazil the republic OF Mexlc
Central and South America, the Sandwich
West India, and Windward Islands New Gale
donia, New Zealand, andthe Australian col
mics, China and Japan, $780, 600; and the Pos
master General Is authorized to make, AFTER DIT
advertisement for proposals, such contract {
contracts with the owners OF American steau
ships for u term of not less than three nor moi
than five years, and at q rate OF compensate
not exceeding 90 cents n nautical milo on IN
trip each way actually travelled between u
terminal points, In the most direct and teaslb
sailing course b0tweenithe terminal points
EhAll be found eXpedient and desirable TO s.