Year: 1869

| would be al out forty millions and the basis of
1 Inp,ue,sentaunn would consequently be changed.
vi TINS tne West would have largely increased
| tore, TO allow the Forty-second Congress 90 pas
without the increased apportionment
Mr, Dawes (Mass) replying to Mr. Cullom,
sald ne could not conceive how the represepta :
ton in the Senate could be Changed without
subversion OF the Constitution OF the TINTED
States. The Constitution never intended thar
This Government should be a Government OF an
the people en- masse, but that IL should be a
Government OF the people of the United states
The people would never consent that any State
should be deprived of an equal representation


in the Senate, and indeed no change could he
made without change in the fundamental law
of the land.


Mr.. wsshburn (wis.) addressed the House ON
IRE subject OF telegraph and postal service. He
argued in favor of the Government obtaining
control of the telegraph a necessary adjunct
OF the postal service. Indeed, the telegraph
was only more rapid mode of postal service.
lie made comparison between the system of
the United States and Europe, and showed that
teiegaphy was mnch cheaper and much more
reliable in Europe than here. He thought the
United States should follow the example of All
other civilized countries, and take possession of
the telegraph. He referred at some length "a
the reports submitted at different times by the
western Union and other telegram lines
and also TO the objections OF the Post
Office Committee, and argued against
the premises and conclusions drawn. He
said II was ms purpose, at the first opportu-





a special committee TO thoroughly investigate
This whole subject and report 10 Congress. He
proposed that the Government should appraise
the value OF telegraph lines, and purchase them
and connect them with the Post Office Depart-
ment. Purchase the telegraph. put il under the
management of the Post Office Department,
cheapen the telegraph rates, and blessings
would be conferred upon the whole peopie.
he effect OF this transfer to the Post Once
Department would he TO lessen the EXPENSE
OF managing and conducting the telegraph, for
IN the country offices the same man who acted
as postmaster could act telegraph operator
IL would have the effect of cheapening news
dispatches to the newspapers. and that was a
most desirable end gained. The charges of tel
egraphing here were higher than i'm any coun-
Try IN Europe, and vet he was surprised that the
Post Office Committee had reported OF herwise
and declared that telegraphing here was cheaper
and better than any other county. His object
was to bring the telegraph TO the door of the poor
est and humblest in the land as well as TO the
richest.


Mr.. Peters (Me.) wanted to know whether the
gentleman would make the telegraph service as
general as the Post Office service.


MIR. Washburne said that was his purpose He
would establish a telegraph Office at every post
once in this country where the receipts reached
a given sum. In that way he would bring the
wires TO the door Of every man in the country


Mr. Orth (Ind.) followed in a speech upon the
subject Of the reduction of the national debit
and the best means Of giving relief to the peo-
pie.