The New York herald. [volume], February 16, 1855, MORNING EDITION, Page 362, Image 2

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AFFAIRS AT THE NATIONAL CAPITAL.
THE PACIFIC lilLROAl BILL Bl THE SBVATB.
Interesting Debate on the Collins
Steamers.
Inportant Bill Regulating Emigrant
Shipment*.
INCREASE OF SUPREME COURT JUDGES' SAURIES.
MORE ABOUT THE GIBSON CASE.
Vorretpotnltnce on all Sorts of Topic*,
4c., Ae., Ao.
rHIKTT-THOU) CORORI89,
SKCOKD 8K88ION.
Senate.
Washington, Feb. IS, 1856.
ARMY omcm AMD KANSAS LANDS.
A communication was Motived from the Secretary e f
War, giving further information with regard to the
aleged interference of officers of the army with lands
hmtki! in Kansas for the Delaware Indians.
THX WORKB OF .WFXRBO.N, HAMILTON AMD MADISON.
Cto notion of Mr. Clayton, (whig) of Del., the Com
mittee on the Library was instructed to inquire into the
expediency of publishing the works of Jefferson, Hamil
ton kC(j Madison, and the papers and correspondenoe
?f James Monroe.
INCKKASK OF REVOLUTIONARY SOLDIERS' PENSIONS.
On motion of Mr. Cabs, idem ) of Mich., the Commit
tee on Tensions was directed to inquire into the propriety
?f paying all the Revolutionary soldiers and officers now
living one hundred dollars per annum from the first of
January last, where their pensions are less than that
sons.
ADI'ITIONAL CIRCUIT COtTRTS I.N MIHHOURJ AND OHIO.
The bill authorizing the holding of an additional term
of the Cireuit Court of the United States for Missouri,
wan amended to as to include the district of Ohio, and
faseed.
MILITARY BOS PITA I. IN MINNUIOTA, ETC.
A bill was also passed, providing for the ereotion of a
Military hospital near Pembina Tiivor, Minnesota, for
?the relitf of families, and for the benefit of the officers
and crew of the Vnited State* ship Sea Oull, and for tno
establishment of a land district in Oregon.
THE INDIAN APPROPRIATION HILL.
The amendment to the Indian appropriation bill pend
ing at the adjournment yesterday, respecting the pay
ment of the claim of R. \v. Thompson, was opposed by
Messrs. Bayard and Stuart, the latter reading from offi
cial documents to show that Thompson held intercourse
with the Indiana, contrary to law
Mr. Brown, (dem.) of Miss., replied. Betting forth
that Thompson not only urged, but obtained for the In
dians an equitable claim, which our government was in
clined to disavow.
Mr. Houston, (dem.) of Texas ? When the governmeut
does not keep faith with the Indians, it does not seem
very diireputable for private individuals to follow their
example.
The amendment was then lost, by yeas 10, nays 24.
Mr. Brown then introduced an order requiring the
Comptroller of the Treasury to examine the claim of
Thompson, as to whether anything and how much was
4ue to him, and report to next Congress. Negatived by a
vote of 19 to 14.
ire hour or meeting, etc.
Mr. Wr.UJK, (dem. ) of Cal., lost to order that the
Senate, for the residue of the session, meet a: 11 o'clock.
The order was reconsidered and laid on the table.
As executive session wafc held, and the nomination of
Oliver H Ferry a* Consul to Canton was considered and
teferred. At a quarter to five o'clock, upon division,
there being but twelve Senators present, the senate ad
journed.
WiiSHixoTo*, Feb. 15, 1855.
TBI Btrnn rRusEKVATioji or uns on board j'ashkxi.kii
VKSSEI.fi.
Jlr.'SrwARD, from the Committee on Cummoree, aaked
U? consideration of the bill regulating the carrage of j
passengers in steamships and other veaseia. Tte bill
wait read twice, and put upon itM passage. [The bill ia |
|ittn id another column J
Mr. Binjawi.v, (whig) of 1* ? I ask thftt tho further
reading of the bill be auspen led, while 1 make a state
?nt in relation to it to tlie Senate. The Senate in aware
that the aubject of a passenger law was referred at the
iait ttMion to a special committee, of which the hon
orable Senator from New York, now absent in uon
eeqnence of ill health, (Mr. Fish,) wai chairman, and
this bill in not reported from the Committee on Com
merce. 1 assented to it reluctantly, because, prior to thi
departure of that honorable Senator from New York,
be being satisfied that there was no time for his
kill to pans at tbii aesrioo, he requested me to pay
eepecial attention to it, and not allow action rn it during
liia abeerce. I withdrew my opposition to the reporting
?f the preaent bill in the Committee on Commerce upou
tatt men'.s being made tbat the Senator had aseeutcd to
tbe modification of the bill which he, aa chairman of ;
the select committee, hi* reported to the Senate. I j
have since received a letter from him, from which I
aacertain that tbeae statements were erroneous, and that
be ftill adheres to the bill aa reported by the select com- |
mittee, a&d which ia the fruit of much labor, and the :
gathering together of much information from all parts
s?i tbe Union. 1 think, under the rirciimatitt -ea, the
titrate will not be disposed to put thia bill upon ita pit
mje in this haaty manner.
Mr Seward ? Mr. President? My esteemed colleague j
(Mr. Fiab) submitted at the last session anutiouto |
Lave a fecial committee uppointcd for tbe purpose of
considering the defects m the passenger Uws, aud that
committee reported a bill to remedy those defesta. Mr.
Flah waa leaving here the other day when a number of I
New York merchants appeared and Mated there waa 1
great tmbarraa.sment in their city, re<ult:ng from tbe
seizuie of vessels, owing to the mis.joniitructioa ofthe ex
icting laws They called on the Treasury Department, *ud 1
that department trained a bill which Is exactiv like this, '
and tfcey requested me to introduce the bill hero. I j
answered. that if it conflicted with the bill of my colleague, I
I couUl not, and that I must have his permission. Mv col
league went away suddenly. I did not s* him again.
They reported to me that he assented to, and approved !
of, tbe introduction of this hill. I was prepared then to I
jreeentit. and I called up'n the Senator from Louisiana,
one of my associates mi the Committee on Commerce, to
obtain his co-operation. He told me be had been re
quested by my colleague to watch his own bill, and not
to consent to, or permit the passage or, another proposed
by the citizens of New York. Thereupon I refrained,
and advised tbe parties in New Vork of thecircum
stances. They replied to me thai although I hod not
seen my colleague, he'had assentol to it; and they pro
duced to me a letter from tbe Secretary of the Trea
miry, saying that the department understood him to
have a?s*nt?d to it. Voler theae cireu.n ;tane<>s
tbe bill of my coil-ague was referred, oa the
moti<n of tie Senator from California, iMr. Qwiu, j j
to tbe Committee on Commerce, by whom yesterUi
morning I waa unmimoutly instructed to report thia 1
hill, aod urge its passage; an! acting up >u the inform i :
tion which he theu hat', lie concurred in tbat re<?omm?n- I
dation. Thus the hill came here in the shape in which
it waa sent from the Treisury Department. Now, my i
freed from I?uisiana, who haa just <ome into Senate
during the second reading of the bill, aaya that lie has ;
just now received la.* information, fro a my colleague,
Mr Fiah, in whicb he protests againat the passage of
tbia bill Inasmuch aa it concerns the city of New York,
which ia more immediately within his representation than I
mine, that ia auBlcient to induce me to consent that the
aatter lie over until we hear further from him.
Mr. TimejAiii* ? I have but one word of further erp'*.
nation, and it ia aimply to say. in justice to the Senator
from New York niw present, that wh-n I Inform*! him
?f the de?;re of his colleague tint the bill aho ild ha de
f erred nn til he coull re*uru to have action on it, he
ebeerfully yielded, and did not inaiaton thia bill until he
bad been informed that his colleague had yielded hie ob
jection*. %
Tbe following ia the letter from the Secretary of ths
Treasury, alluded to by Mr. Reward:?
Trkamry PKiunnncvT, Feb. '3, 18M.
9i?? 1 .hove the honor to acknowledge tli" rejetpt of
jour communication of the 2d instant, with the accjm
ponying copy of a bill regulating the carriage n' p wen- i
Sa in steam- hips and other Teasels, and which forms
ninth chapter of the compendium of the reran le
Inws prepared by thia department, and in reply, to stite,
tbe department approves tbe chapter in question as '
amended, but proposes to attach an add.tmnal clause to |
tbe repealing section, and a copy of wh en is aerewith
enclosed Copies of the chapter as amended have been .
this day forwarded to the Committees on Commerce of
both bouses of Congress
I bave tbe honor to be, very respectfully, your obe
eiient servant, JAV (it'TllRIK,
Secretaty of the Treason.
To the Hon W. H. SrwAiin, C.S. Senator.
Tbe VU1 waa then laid over
armniK cocrr /rnnns' sauhiim tiOMUB.
Mr. Torcrr. (dem.) of Conn., intr>lu:el a bill to In -
> rease the salaries of the Judges of the Ripreaae Conrt,
which was passed, by 30 yeas to IS nays.
iievEBAL Homo* akt> Hta orriNrjns.
Mr. Hotrarow, (dem.) of Texas, notiSe 1 the Senate that
there was a pamphlet vMifying him. from the pen of
Tho ma* J. Gr^en, which bad been la'd on SenUo-s'
desks. He then gare Mr Orein a trem m loos ltahiq^.
Mr. Cass, (dem 1 of Mich., aa 1 be did not believe a
word of such cbargos; whereupon the subject was
dropped.
ax TiiA mwravRATiov to conwoooar rmnv.
Tbe Committee on foreign Relations reported a bill
appropriating 124,600 to Commodore Perry on.ac want of
bia diplomatic serrleee at Japan.
IOWA LA.vn RILL.
A Mil to change tbe boundaries of the land districts of
Iowa was pasaed
mr sw amp tAvne.
Tbe Senate adhering to Its ameodmeata with regard to ,
tbe Swamp Land bill, asked for a committee of :onfe !
MM.
TOT PACIFIC RAlUIOAn Wtt
After a* short debate, got precedent over tbe rvfa
triet Columbia and Railroad Iron b Us
Mr. Own* m>ved Judge Douglas' bill, proaoa ng N?r
? bem, Seuthern and Central routes, as a substitute for
* ke original Mil reported by the select c?mm>t e?.
This substitute *u raaatvad aa aa iimdmtyt by a
?eta of 33 j Mi to 23 n?y?, and will be considered te-naar
raw.
The Senate then adjourned.
Hook of Roprcacntaitvea.
Wabkiximon, Feb. 16, Itoi.
TUB LA>D aRADOAltON BILL.
The Sfkaekk announced the frat business in order to
be Bennett'* bill granting lands equally to the -several
States for railroad and school purposes, and that Mr.
Hamilton was entitled to tk? Boor.
Mr. Haykn, (whig) of N, Y., appealed to him to yield
it, with the view of going into Committee of the Whole
on the State of t he IMon on appropriation bill*. There
w ere now bat fourteen remaining daya of the miiiIob,
and those bill* may be loit unlets they are at once
acted on.
Mr. Houston, (Aim ) of Ala ?No deubt (if it.
Mr. Hamilton, (Jem.) of ltd., then moved that Mr.
Bennett's bill be committed to the Committee of the
Whole on the State of the Colou, and demanded the
previous question, pending which the House went into
committee on
IUK MAIL STVAMER A PPBOPRIjVWON BILL? THB C0LUNB
muna.
Mr. Olds, (dem.) of Ohio, offered an amendment, ap
propriating oight bundled and fifty eight thousand dol
lars for the transportation of the malla from New York
to Liverpool and back, and repealing that part of the Da
liciency bill ol 1860 which directs the Secretary of the
Navy to terminate the arrangement lor the additions!
allowance to the Collins !ioe, pro*! lad Collins and his
associates shall proceed with all dne diligence to build
another steamship, in accordance with the terms of the
contract, and bare same ready for mall service in twe
years llrom the passage of this act. If the steamship is
not ready within the time mentioned, by reason of aay
neglect or want of any diligence on their part, then they
shall carry the mails between New York and Liverpool,
from the expiration of said two years, every fortnight,
free of charge to the government, until the new steam
ship shall have commenced said service.
Mr. Olds, presuming the amendment was understood,
would not tronble the House with a speech unless the
proposition should be opposed.
A Voice? Opjosed.
Mr. Twraro, (dem.) of N. Y., inquired whether there
hat not been a proposal to carry the mail between New
York and Liverpool, at a less rate than was paid to Mr.
Collins f
Voichh? Yes, less than one half.
Mr. Olds replied? Such a proposition has been made.
Mr. Smith, (dem.) of Va , objected to the geatleman
postponing his remarks under the idea that the House
understood the subject. He wanted the gentleman to
give a reason for this enormous appropriation, especially
as proposals had been made to perform the service for
one half the money now paid.
Mr. Olds remarked, he was heretofore favorable gto
giving notice for a cessation of the extra compensation,
but subsequent investigation has convinoed hint that
justice to Mr. Collins requires the money to be given.
His line of Reamers have done more for ths American
name and skill on the ocean tlian all the goveraaient
steamers put together,
Mr. Sollbbs, (whig) of Md., inquired whether stock in
the Collins line was uot held by British capitalists y
Mr. Olds expressed the belief that uat a single dollar
of the line is owned abroad, and ipt)ke in high praise of
the beauty, model and excailence of construction of the
Colli* s stearoeis That line must go down if this appro
priation is withheld. No doubt Mr. Collins could per
form the service for much less in such vessels as the
North Star, but not in steamers like the Atlantic, Baltic
and Pacific. The new steamer Adriatic will not, he ven
tured to say, be excellel by any on the ocean. Mr. Col
lins has more than performed his regular engagement.
We live in a fast age? we have fast horses and pretty
women ? (laughter)? and we want the fastest steamers
in the world. The Collins line cannot bo sustiined un
less extra compensation be alio wed. Never yet has the
company been able to declare a dividend on the capital
stock, and within a lew weeks the stock has been sold
for sixty cents on the dollar. As to the unsultable
nf ss of those steamers for war, the idea originated among
the old fogies of the Navy Department. Everv vessel,
no matter bow perfect the model, how excellent lior
moving qualities, receives th'ir condemnation unlets
built under tlioir own supervision. He referred to the
testimony ol' Coxmodore rf'.ewart and others, to show
the superiority of the vessels of the Collins line, and
thai they can be appropriated to war purposes.
Mr. Smjth, of Va., (aid he had listened with inexpres- j
sible surprise to the spe ich of the gentleman, who was
the last member from whom lie expected to hear such a
rtmarkuble somersault. It tilled him with amazement.
Mr. OLCa asked him to give way for an explanation.
Mr. ?mith said no would be willing to do so, and would
thank the gentleman to tell why he urged the appropria
tion. when the service conld be done jnst as well for half
the money? But the gent'.eman had taken his seat w.th
out making the explanation.
Mr. Oi.rm raid propositions were made for carrying the
mails for leas, hut ihe object was to induce Collins to
buy off the proprietors. Advertisements were published
for the per.'oimance of the ma.l service, but n >i a single
bid was received.
Mr. Smith. ? When t.?? that?
Mr. Olds. ? During the last Congress. The same men
have come forward olWing t> Jo the service for lea.i
money than in paid Collin*. Vanderbilt w iutet to enlist
him (Olds) tn bin behalf ; but he refused. He did not
want such vessel* nit the North ?tar, but those which
i an be converted into war steamers, like those of tho
C?>UicH line.
Mr. Smith resumed reading from a speech of Mr. OHs,
delivered in JSi2, to the effect, that we had a respomi
ble buMer before our committee, and the b 11 wal re
ported for the -traii-port it on of the mills from Jersey
City to Oalway, Ireland, at $10,000 the round tiip. If
liiH were so, at-.ked Mr. Smith, why Rive Mr. Cillins
$:i3,(PO for the same service? Further, the gentleman
i roui Ohio said in the same speech that members want
10 give the extra c< mpensatlon as a bonus to beat the
Uritieh line. I.et t jem say so and not do it under the
pretence that it is necessary to the mail serv.ee
ol' the country. Mr. Smith read other extracts :
"As Chairman of the Committee oh I'ost Offices and
I Post Koads, the gentleman from Ohio tbea persecu
ted Men-re. Collins h Co , but like Paul journeying from
Tarsus to l>amiacus,had fallen under tho power of a new
light, and has been converted in an extraor l-nary and
w?ndcrlul minner to a different conclusion. " (Laugh
ter) He read an account of Paul's conversion frits
the New Testament, not in the spirit of irnverance,
but to point a moral and adorn a tale. The conversion
of the Apostle. the great persecutor of the Christians of
that d?y, was scarcely less miraculous than the sudden
and unexpected conversion of tne Chairman of the I'ost
Office Committee. (Laughter.)
Mr. Oi-dm txpreixed the hope that, his conversion was
ns pure as that of St. Paul's, but lie should not go to
hiin, (Smith,) as St. Paul did to Annanias, to recover his
sight.
Mr. Smith, resuming, said the gentleman had alluded
to the old logies of the Navy Bureau to get rid o: t'H
responsibility of his official station ?
Oh, wad the power the giftie gi* us,
To see ourselves as others see us,
It wad frae many a blunder free us,
Aai loolish notion
He would proclaim it here that Mr. Vanlerbilt iTi>r->l
to do the service for a very considerably less lum tl- in
Mr. Collins, tendering good security: but the rr< posi
tion was rejected and duly disregarded, in order to con
tinue lhe present monopoly. He declared himself op
posed to the whole scheme, viewing it as a source of cot
, ruption.
Mr. Oi.m askod, if the gentleman was so opposed to
extras, how he got the name of " Extra Billy V
(laughter.)
Mr. Smith retortod. The gent'em.in had no right to be
impertinent. But it was only one who could violate the
rules of ortfer who could violate the rules of goo! m in
ner*. lie got the name honoftbly by extra and faith
ful service in the democratic party, not by dishoaorabl)
means or unwonhr tuck. "Do you," he asked Mr.
Olds, " understand that!" (Sensation )
Mr. Ou)?? ? You ought to understand it better than
anybody else.
Mr. Smith further replied, saying in conclusion,
'? iVtuld to Ood the gentleman s past history was that of
a democrat."
Mr. Walbriwik, (dem ) o' N. Y. sail? Mr. Chairman,
looking to the important relations which the city of
New York bears toward the commerce of the I'nlsn, and
the measure of her annual contributions to the revenue
of the eonntry, no one will deny she has a legitimate
right to be heard in the matter now before us. The
question involves high and grave consideration*. It af
fects deeply our commercial iaterests, and is no lets
than this: Shall American naval enterprise, invited by
your legislation, begun and suita<ned under your aus
pices for the wisest considerations, and resting upon a
basis of the roundest economy to the c*untry, be ne
{lccted or discarded by hesitancy or refund to contlo ie
he cflhtract which give* us a position of ascendancy in
the rivalry between this coantry and Oreat Britain In
ocean navigation. The general government had long
felt the reproach that lay at its door for neglect.nf
the interests of our commerce for seven years,
by permitting our transatlantic rival deliberitnly
to assume superiority in ocean steam naviga
tion. In the year 1*38, the first ship of the Cunard
line was built. She was called the Great Br.t tin In
the year following, the British government made a con
tract for seven year* with the proprietors for carrying
the mails from their shores to Ours. What was the con
dition of things at that time in the competition between
the American anil British sailing vessels' The former
(?eflel all competition In the transportation of tight
merchandise ami of oassengers. Superior speed and
other sailing qualities placed them far ahead of the Eng
lish models, what was to be done? The British govern
ment, justly sensitive to the commercial ir.Wests of I 'J
citlrens. sought a remedy in the contract of 1M9 with
Canard .and with it went to that line almost a mo
nopoly of the valuable carrying trade which we had
previously possessed. In this new and profitable
channel of business, cur Anno 'rivals went on most
prosperously for themselves, but most detrimentally
to our splendid ciipps'r ships, that had been doing
a thrifty bus ness, and had distinguished themselves
in this special t'epar .mant of the carrying trade.
The country felt the neglect; onr people saw the
' liatlesanes* of the legislative depar,m*nt in the matter,
I but linally public opinion? the propelling power in our
institutions ? reached these balls an [dictated theenict
ment of 1M5, by which the Postmaster General was
authorised " to contract for the transportation of the
| United States mall between any of the porta of the
i United States and a port or porta of any forsign power,
wheneve*, in bis opinion, the public interest would
I thereby be promoted," and the Postmaster General waa
i also directed, in all caaes of offer to contract for carry
' ing the mail between any ports of the United States and
any foreign port or place, " to give the preference to
fliicb blddtr ftfl flball contract to carry tht mill in A
I iteamsbip or steamships, sad the said contractor stlpu
1 lating tn deliver said ship or steamships to tha United
States, or to their proper officer, upon demand male lor
the purpose of helag converted into a vessel of war. the
[ United States being bound on their part to pay to tall
owner rr owners tbe fair full value of every snob
ship or vessel at the time of such delivery/* *a.
Well, after the passase of this act, which shows that
CongreM, though tardy, had at last waked np to the im
portance of doing something, the Postmaster General
made (.roper advertisement for aid* to perioral tha
service. Vrae waa received. The British had taken the
start of ua. They bad already beea reaping the ad
iuti|( orwM|HiD navigation for Mvea year* with
out romptfli^^Kraoquian high standing, great expe
rience, with unlimited capital. Who w? a then to to
found ready to vindioate American enterprise and skilL
and to enter into this fierce eompettaa with capital and
< onrnge at band f An analgetic and patriotic eltiian of
New York, ifr. Edward K. Collins, came forward, after
having been soioited by the government to mike a bid,
and submitted his proposals, which were accepted. Tke
contract of Mr. Collins called for thipa of 2,000 teas
measurement for each ateamer, with 1,000 borae power,
to be built for great speed, wad lufficientlj itrong for
war purpoaee, and in 184T Oongreu gave tta deliberate
and unequivocal sanction to the law of the 3d
of March, of that year, providing for the build
ing and equipment of four naval stiamships.
Tbe 2d section of that act made It the duty of
the Secretary of the Navy "to accept on the part of the
government of the Hatted States the proposals of Mr.
Cellini and hia associate*" for the transportation of the
United States mail between New York and Liverpool,
and to contract with the said R. K. Collins <and his asso
ciates for the faithful fulfilment of tbe stipulations
therein contained; and in aceordanoe with the provi
siowx of that act, the third section of which declired
"tint tbe steamships to be employed by the said E K.
Collins and his associates in the traampeitation of the
United States mail between New York and Liverpool
shall be constructed under the inspection of a naval
constructor in the employ of the Navy Department, and
?hall be constructed so as to render them convertible
-at the least possible cost into war steamer* of
the first class.'' At the time this oon tract was exe
cuted between the government and Mr. Collins
tbe largest Cunard ship was only 1,400 tons,
with live hundred horse power. Soon as the
energectic action ot this government became
known, Cuoard la'd tbe kerie of the four ships,
.America, Huropa, Canada and Niagara, each of 1,800
tons. Collins, fully appreciating the re?ponslbilities
he bad assumed, determined to do his part in vindicat
ing 1he ability of the American people to compete with
the citizens of Great Britain, and ne therefore applied
to and received from the pro|>er department a "carte
blanche " to build ships 1,000 tons larger. with a corres
ponding increase of motive power. By this increase in
the steamships' capacity it require! but little ealcnla
tion to determine that the running expenses were in
creased to the proprietor fifty per oent. By the original
contract it was stipulated that they should run twenty
trips out and back at $10,260 per trip. They were then
required to increase tbe tiipa to twenty- six at the same
rate, sod the whole allowance for the whole service was
a traction over $600,000. With all the care, prudence,
economy, and the additional advantages of increased
speed, it was found the proprietors were sinking money;
and while the mail service was performed faithfully, and
to the benefit of the postal revenue, the finances of the
owners were rapidly collapsing, and the whole
business was on the point of discontinuance. The
Congress of 1862 thoroughly lilted the whole sub
ject. Tltey found the then existing contract was a
losing concern to tho proprietors. As legislators ther
were unwilling, even if the ability of the owners would
allow, that the tervice should be continued at a loss.
The alternative was brought directly before them as it
now is: Shall the American ocean steamship line to
Great Britain stop, or shall it go on ? The answer is
found in the act of Congress of the 21st July, 1852, in
which it is delared as follows:?
For additional compensation for increasing the transpor
tation of the United States mall between New York and Liv
erpool in the Collins line of steamers to twenty 4ix trips
per annum, at such times as shall be dlreoted hy the Post
master General, and, is conformity to tho last annual re
Sort to Congress, snd his lcttrr of tho 15th of November
ist to the Secretary of the Navy, commonoing said increas
ed lerviee en tbe 1st January, 1892, at tbe rate of thirty
three thousaud dollars yer trip, in lien of tbe presnnt allow
ance, the sum of two hundred and thirty sis thousand five
hundred dollars: Trovidod, That it shall be in the power of
Congress at any time after the Slut day of December, I'M, to
tcrmiuate the additional allowance herein provided for upon
living six months notice.
What effect did tbis legislation produce? By giving
the increased compensation of $13,750 per trip, ana
making the aggregate for each trip equal to $38,(00.
the total for the service was raised from r.sing $600,000
to $838,(00, and tbe increase continues until the lit of
January. 1856. After that period, unless you now in
terfere by further legislation, the original contract,
which extends to tbe 1st of April, 1860, will leave the
owners to do the service at the sum of $500,500, with
the enormous loss which they must necessarily suffer,
even if they have the ability to go on with the service.
Now, all the world knows that tbe rates of living, and the
cost in every department of the mechanic art*, havo
risen one hundred per cent since the original contract
was made, and that they have been augmented fully
fifty per cent since the increased allowance by the
law of 1852. This, of itself, would bo an un
answerable argument against any attompt at
reduction, by failing to come up to the spirit and pur
pose of the law of 1852. But whit advantages have not
resulted from the establishment of this American line,
in addition to the national reputation we have acquired
upon the teak!1 Frevioos to its organization the mari
time genius of our rival bad evi'r triumphed. But in
this tierce competition American skill and genius has
brought the two great continents nearer together than
they have been brought before. The reduction of the
cost of freight on light articles has been marly one
hunlred per cent; a reduction of twenty six per oent In
the price of passage; a reduction of one-sixth of the
time in the passage o' crossing the Atlantic, The cheap
support of war ships, ready at a moment's warniug to
past from tbe hands of tbe present owners to those of
the govimment, and perfectly capable of taking on
equipments of battery, and iron material, should
the exigencies of the service require it, withal
officers and seamen, trained bv discipline and ex
perience in the science of navigation, constitute an ele
ment ol strength in time ef war, and a commercial fa
cility in time of peace, which place them far beyond all
com)>etilion Are all tbese advantages ? positive and
i direct, not only to the eity whi.ih I have in part the
honor to represent, hut the whole Union ? to be sacri
ficed by a discontinuance of that enlightened policy
which has always given to the United State* the ptlm ?f
victory in a -sliuggle for tne commercial supremacy of
tbe neaa?
Mr. Lktthkr, (dem.) of Va., oppo.-ed Mr. Old's
amendment, giving notice of one which he intended to
(Her, authorixing the contract with Hanson for $386,000.
No quest on taken.
Ibe committee rose, and the Houie adjourned.
Oitr Washington Correspondence.
Washjxctox, Feb. 14, 1866.
A Treaty Being Xegnliated ? Another lerritorial Gootrn
iiicnt in Embryo ? A New Era in the History of the Red
Man ? Colt'i I'atcnt, Threats and Reool oeri? The Jixai
lMbt Bill in the .Senate ? Treaty of 1819 totth Spain ?
Mr. Orr '? Expoiure?Fatt Legislation, itc.
A delegation of CliO' taw Indians, now in this city, are
negotiating a treaty with the government, by which
tliey are to b< guaranteed the right of a territorial
governor ut v.pon ?n equal looting with other territorial
govern: < ut*. Fy such a treaty the Choctaw* will not
only be tntitled to a ceie^ate in tlie l"nitsd Stite* Con
gieit. but ailinlrxlon as a Stale into the Union, whenever
tbey iitve tlir requiiite number of population. In this
treat i '.he Choctaw* propose, for a outtie'ent compenaa
tion to be paid by tbi.s government, in money, to take
uLfcige of anil manage various Indian tribe* which have
? 'iiiatfed upon tbs Choctatv territory, and *re now occu
py it in violation of txifting treaties. If tbit treaty
be negotiated. and continued by the Sena's, it will not
only be the tno?t important Indian treaty entered into
by our government, but it will be the :ommencem>'nt
otftien *ra in tlie history of the red maa. leading to
a pirfert c:vil ami political equality with hi* white
brother*.
AHhough the Colt'i Pc-tcnt c?*e peems to have been
UD:eremoniouidy kicked (roui the liall* of Congrts*, yet
the pirtie* interested are determined not to remain
kicked out. FJlorts will be redoubled at the next aestion
of Congress, end the friends ot Col. Colt are alrealy ex
E retting c? indent hope* of Hnc;e*s before the next
;oii!-e of KeprnnnUtives. In this connection, I would
mention that vat ion i and in ndry threat* are rumored
to have been made by Colt and bis friend* against cer
tain member* of Coogre-i*. Oa* rumor ii, that the
Colonel was coming on for the ex pre** purpose of testing
the virtue of one of hU revtjvsr* upon the p*r*on of the
Hon. John Letcher, but was written to by a friend from
thi* city ' not to come ' Sensible adviee, this. How
ever, I place no confidence in theae rumor*, but am ra
ther inclined to think that Col. Colt, in hi* pa en*. tx
Un*:on, haa been ra'her persecuted than opposed.
The !-?n*te, xo day disagreed to the amendment* raids
to the Texas debt bill in tne House of Represeatative*,
and will IntiHt upon the till in its original *h?pe, appro
priating $8,600,000. The House amendment appropri
ate* only what ha* already bets appropriated. ?P, RAO, 000,
and nhijh now ataudt on the books of the tinted Stats*
Treasury to the credit of Texas. It then amounti to n>
appropriation at all, hut a mere |x-rmis*ion to the State
of Texas to rtceive what i* already hers, provided she
will surrender large 'quitable claim* ahe hold* ?gsln?t
the federal government ; and provided farther that ths
creditor* of Texa* will release bota the Stats and federal
government* fiom all Alligation and liability. Of course
such a bill as thl* would not be seriously coaiidered by
the State of Texas, and tbs t*me spent in it* p usage i*
ao mu 'h time lost. It i* now believed, however, th?t
the committee of conference will recommend the paasaje
of the Senate bill without an amendment, and that this
perplexed question will be finally settled.
A Mil to carry out the provision* of tie treaty of 11119
with >pain. wns undet :onsideration in the House to-day,
and Mr. Orr, of S C., made an astounding exposure of
the character of the bill and the fligrant fraud* already
perpetrated under cover of this treaty. This bill propose*
to |?y 6 per cent interest on all the claims allowed under
tlii* treaty, which wonld amount to |1 -.'>0 000. Mr. Orr
showed that $1 ?6'2,607 bad already bees paid, and that
too In the face of aasursn.-es when the payment of the**
claim* was assumed, that th*y wojli under no cireum
stances exceed forty thousand dollars. Some of the
claims aodj vouchers read by Mr. Orr produced maeh
men intent through the ball.
The House, by a large vote this morning, ordered that
10,000 copies of Coin. Terry's report should be printed,
whenever it should bs submitted toCongre**, for the use
of the preient members, should tbey aot.have added,
"and Ml report* hereafter to be printed?" " K.
CORRB8PON' PKNCK OP OTHER rAPRXA.
[Oorreepondence of the I'ennaylvanlan, Administration
'Vshhivoto*, Feb. 14, 1MA>
the Praident and (Sen Scott ? Ocean Mail Sttamrn, <tc.
Whenever democrat* are wheedled into the magnani
mous towards political opponents, they generally Bod
themselve* in that clasaic situation which G*n. Siott
so feelingly alluded to, when suddenly called upon 1 5 ad
dree* hi* fellow citisen* of Washington, during the last
> residential campaign. The lieutenant General bill
which pasaed the Houee with inch cordial nnanlmitr oa
Monday last, was a complete cell. Democratic members
were told that nil that the veteran looked for was (lory,
not gold ? rank, not rations few more feathers, hut
not aaothsr sxtra allowance fK>m the Treasury. It was
whisperingly hinted that the new rank might possibly
add a few hand red dollars to (iea. Moot* * income; fcnt it
was talked of as a bare possibility? as one of thoee little
Treasury dribbles which usually attend warriors in their
upward oarerr of glory, spangles, and (Old lace It new
tarns out, that under the provisions of the hill, ss ale
mis la It wonted, that the future Unlesut Ow*ral ia
mWM to about $60,000 in the shape of back pay, and
a* annual income oT between $10,000 and $11,000. Hia
military family ia to consist of four lieutenant colonel*
and two secretaries, the latter to take the rank an 1 re
oeive the pay of lieutenant ootonel*.
The ocean mall ? tea mi hip bill* come ?p thia week for
action. The frienda of tbe Collins line net and talk aa if
they apprehend no dancer or difficult*.
C5>1. Colt says that tbe rejection wliie application for
an extention of patent ia of no aerious consequence, aa
bia beat customemure tn the Old WoHd .
The rain ceased at an early Mar thia m>rnlng, and
the weather la now aa warm ?a tbe weather you are
usually favored with in the blooming, blushing month
of Kay.
[Correspondence of the North American.]
Warajxarox, Feb. 13, 18 )6.
Anticipated Appointment of Senator Skieldt at a
Brigadier General ? The JfYenek Spoliation BiU ? The
Navy. 4c.
It is stated that it is the intention of the President to
appoint General Shields a Brigadier General, should the
amendment to the army bill for raising four additional
regiments be adopted by the Houae. This ia no doubt
one of the very objects for which these troops are to be
raised. The commissioned offices are to be diatributed
as rewards for services rendered tbe administration in
the infamous act of repudiating the Missouri compro
mise. The patronage already existing ia not sufficient to
reward all the martyrs in that cause. Shields is one o.'
them. He fell, like Dodge, in the foremost rank. But
he cannot, like Dodge, be compensated by a foreign mis
sion. It is not easy to make a vacancy for him by turning
out any less conspicuous partisan. Therefore tbe pretext
of an Indian war ia resorted to aa an excuae for the
creation or about two hundred and fifty military com
missions, for general distribution among the maimed
and weunded, and for adding two and a haV millions of
dollara to the annual expenditurea of the government.
1 hope that the whigs will stand together as one man in
resistance to it, and I trust that enough of the demo
crats will oppose this monstrous addition to the power
of the Executive to deieat it. All opponents of the Ne
braska bill should regard this proposition as a supple
mentary part of that scheme, and treat it accordingly.
At this moment two thirds of the House are opposed to
it; but what executive patronage may do, it la hard to
ft ia said that the President ia painfully exercised in
regard to tbe French Spoliation bill. All his antecedents
warrant the expectation of a veto; but he is besieged
with committees from the anxious claimants, who press
him with appeals which he finds it difficult to resist,
whether as a man or a politician. The Cabinet are
known to stand four for signing, and three for vetoing
the biil. The indications to-day art* that it will be
signed; but of course no one beyond the official house
hold of the President can have any positive information
of his intentions.
The subject of reorganizing and increaaing the navy
has been alacufted to day in the House. The bill for
building seven additional steam shops of war will doubt
less be rejected to-morrow. The temper of the House
is decidely adverse to any more legislation in that direc
tion during this Congress. Mr. '.Seward, of Georgia,
caused much discussion this afternoon, bv moving as an
amendment a plan nearly equivalent to tbe internal im
provement bill of the last session, which was vetoed.
He argued, very sensibly, that it was better to deopen
and improve the Southern harbors, so as to fit them for
the admit sion of largo vessels, than to build ships
adapted to those harbors in their present, condition.
Most conspicuous among the opponents of this very
reasonable suggestion was Mr. Ashe, of North Carolina,
who last year got through an appropriation of $160,000
for the Improvement of the Cape Fear river, which was
the only stream in the whole Union found by the Presi
dent to be constitutional.
There is a report that Santa Anna's government has
requested the recall of General Gadsden, on the ground
of unwarrantable intermeddling in the civil dissensions
of the country. The request has probably not been
made in a positive form, but rather in the shape of a
representation that General Gadsden's presence In Mexi
co was detrimental to the public peace, and not favora
ble to tbe present good understanding between the two
countries. There is no probability that the suggestion
of bis withdrawal will be favorably responded to.
A Bill to Regulate the Carriage of Passengers
by Steamships and other Vessels.
Sec. 1. No master of a ny vessel owned In whole, or in
part, by a citizen of the United States, or b y a citizen of
any foreign country, shall take on board inch vessel, at
any foreign port or place, other than foreign contiguous
territory of the United States, a greater number of pai
aengeri than in proportion of one to every two tons of
auch veaael, not including children unjer ths age of one
year in the computation, and computing two children
over one and under eight yeara of age, as one passenger.
That the apaces appropriated for the use of auch psssen.
g< ra, and which aliall not be occupied by stores or other
goods, not the personal bag; age of such passengers
aliall be in the following proportions, via:? On the main
and poop decks or platfoims and in the deck hoiibes, if
tlwre be any, one passenger for each sixteen clear su -
pel fleial feet of deck, if the height or distance between
the decki or platforms shall not be leaa than six leet,
and on the lower deck, (not being an orlop deck,) if
any, one passenger for eighteen such clear superficial
feet, If tt>e height or distance between tlie decks or
platforms shall not be leaa tnan six feet, but ho as that
no passenger shall be carried on any other d?ck or plat
foims nor upon any deck where the height or distance
between dtcks is let s than six fret, with intent to bring
such passenger to the United States, and shall leave
such port or place and bring the aaine. or any number
thereof, within the jurisdiction of tlie United States; or
if sny such master oi any Teasel aliall take on board his
vesf.?l at any port or place within tlie jurisdiction of the
United State*, sny gieater number of passengers than
in the pioport.'on aforesaid to the * pe.ee aforesaid, or to
the tonnage aforesaid, with intent to carry the same
to any foreign port er place other than foreign contigj
ous territory as aforesaid, eTery auch master shall be
deemed guilty of a misdemeanor, and upon conviction
therr of before any clrcnlt or district court of the Unite!
States, shall, for each passenger taken on board beyond
the limit aforn a d. or the space aforesaid, be fined in
the sum of filty dollars, and may also be impnsone 1, at
the discretion of the judge before whom the penalty suall
be recoTered; but should it be ne-eaiaiy tor the safety
or conTenienee of the Tessel, that any mrtion of her
cargo, or anv other articles, or article, aho&ld be placed
on, or stored in, any of the decka, cabins, or other places
appropriated to the use cf passengers, tne same may be
placed In lockers or enclosures prepared for the purpose,
on an exterior surface Impervious to the wares, capable
of being cleansed in like manner as the decka or platforms
of the vessel. In no case, however, shall the plt-es thus
prorlded be deemed to be a part of the space allowable
lor the me or passengers, but the same shall be
d? ducted therefrom, and In all cases where prepared
or used, the upper surf.ee of sail lockers or enclosed
spaces shall be deemed and taken to be the deck or plat
form from which measurement shall be made for all the
purposes of this art. It is also provided that one hospi
tal in the spaces appropriated to passengers, and sepa
rate therefrom by an appropriate partition, and fUr
nlslied as Its purposes require, may be prepared, and
when used, may he included in the space allowable for
passengers, but tha same shall not occupy more than
one hundred superficial feet of deck or platform.
Sec. '1. No such Teasel shall have more than two tiers
of berths, and the interval between the low set part
theieef and tha deck or platform beneath, shall not be
less than nine inches, and the berths shall be well c in
structed, parallel with the sides of the vessel, and sepa
rated from each other br paitltians, as berths ordinarily
are separated, and shall be at least six feet in leagth.
and at lent two feet in width, and each berth shall
be occupied by no mors than one passenger; but double
berths of twice the abore width maybe constructed,
each berth to be occupied by n J more, and by no other,
than two wotasn, or by one woman and two children
une'er the age of eight years, or by husbtud and wife,
or by a m>n and two of bis own ch Hrea under the age
of eight yeara, or by two men. members of tfee same
family: and if there shall be any violation of this sec
tion in any of its provisions, then the mutter of the
tcskI snd ths owners thereof shall severally forfeit ant
pay the sum of live dollars for each passenger on bo ir.l
of said vessel on such voyage, to be recovered by the
United States in any port where sack vessel may arrlre
or depart.
Sec. 3. All Teasels, whether of tbe United States or
any foreign country, having sufficient capa:ity or space
according to law for fifty or more passengers (other
than cabin passengers) shall, when employed in trairt
porting such passengers betseen the In: ted States and
Kurope, have, on the upper deck for the use of such
passengers, a house over the passage- way leading
to the apartments allotted to such pa seogTs bs
low deck, tlrmly secured to tto deck er combings of tbe
hatch, with two dcors, the si 111 o' which shall be at least
oae foot aliovc the deck, so cons'ructc.l th.it one ikor or
wiidoiv in sueh house may at all times be lslt open for
ventilation ; and all vessels so employed, and having the
capacity to carry one hundred and fifty such passengers
or more, shall have two auch houses; and the stairs or
ladcer leading down to the aforesaid a part mint shall be
furnished with a band i ail of wood or strong rope ; hat
booby batch's may lie substituted for su:n houses In
Teasels baring three permanent decks.
foe. 4. Every sucli vessel so employed, and having the
legal capacity for more than on) lunlred su:h pas
senger*. shall have at leaat two ventilators to purify the
apartment or apartnents occupied by such passengers;
one of which shall be inserted in tbe after part of the
apartment or apartmenta, and tbe other shall be
placed in tbe forward portion of tbe apartment or
apartmeu a, and one cf them fhall hare an exhaust
ins cap to carry off the feul air, and the other n re
ceiving cap to carry down tbe fresh air; which said ven
tilators shall have a capacity proportiono 1 to ths sloe of
the apartment or apartmenta to he purified, namely; if
the apartment or apartments will lawfully authorize the
reception of two hundred such passengers, the capacity
of such ventilator! shall each be equal to a tube of
twelve inches diameter in the clear, and in proport'oa
l?r larger or smaller apartments: and all said ventilators
i-hall rise at least four feet six Inches above the upper
deck of sny such vassal, and be of the most approved
form and coast r u ctlon : but If it shall appear, from tbe
report to be made and approved, as hereinafter provided,
that such vessel is equally well ventilated by any other
means, such other means of ventilation shall be deemed
and held to be a compliance with the provisions rtf this
section.
See. 6. Every vessel carrying more thaa fifty
such passengers, shall have for their use on
'leek, housed and eenveaiently arranged, at leaat
one camboose or cooking range, the dimensions
of which shall be equal to four feet loag and oae
foot six inches wide for every two hu adred passengers
snd provision shall be made fa tbe manner aforesaid, n
this ratio, for a greater or Isaa number of passengers;
but nothing herein contained shall take away the right to
make sach arrangements lor cooking between decks, if
that shall be deemed desirable.
fee. 6. Ail vessels emploved as aforesaid, shall have on
hoard for tl e use of suen ptsseagers, at the time of leav
ing the last port wheaee sach vessel shall sail, well se
cured under deck for each passenger, at least fifteen
pounds of goad aavy hi sail, ten pounds of rice, tea
pounds of oatmeal, tea pounds of wheat flour, ten
pounds of peas and beans, thirty-five pounds of potatoes,
oae plat of vinegar, sixty gallons of fresh water, tea
?of salted port, free of boae, all to be of good qua
idasufficieat supply ef fuel fee oooklng, but at
pin ts where either rioe, oatmeal, wb??.i, Sour, or peas
and beta ? cannot (^procured, of good iCility and on rea
sonable terms, the quantity of either*? any of t&eo'-her
last Mined article* may be inarmed and substituted
therefor; and hi cass potatoes cannot he procured on
reasonable tenqe, om pound ot either ot said article!
nay he substituted in ilea of fire pound* of potatoes;
and the captains of such vessels shall dsliivei to each
pasppnger at leait one-tenth part of the aforesaid pro
visions veeekly, commencing on the day of sailing, ani
at least three quarts of water and sufficient tuelfor
cooking daily ; and if the passengers on board of any
such vessel in which the previsions, fuel and water
herein required shall not have been provided as afore
said, shall at any time be put on abort allowance daring
any voyage, the master or owner of any such vessel
shall pay to each and every passenger who shall have
been put on short allowance the sum of three dollars for
each and every day they may have been put on short
allowance, to be recovered in the circuit or dis
trict court of the United States; bat nothing herein con
tained shall prevent any passenger, with the consent af
the captain, from furnishing for himself the articles of
food herein specified; and if put on board tn good order,
it shall fully satisfy the provisions of this act, ho far as
retards food; and any passenger may also, with the eon
sent of the captain, furnish for himself an equivalent for
the articles of food required in other and ditferent ar ti
les ; and if, without waste or neglect on the part of the
passenger, or inevitable accident, they prove insufficient,
i nd the oaptain shall furnish comfortable food to such
I assengers during the residue of the voyage, this, in re
gard to food, shall also be a compliance wito^lie terms
of this act.
Sec. 7. The captain of any such vessel so employ
ed, is hereby authorized to maintain good discipline
and such habits of cleanliness among such passengers
as will tend to the preservation and promotion of
health; and to that end he shall cause such regula
tions as he may adopt for this purpose to be posted
up, before sailing, on Doard such vessel, In a plaice ac
cessible to such passengers, and shall keep the same so
Sos ted up during the voyage; and it is herebv made the
utv of said captain to cause the apartment occupid by
such passengers to be kept at all times in a clean,
healthy state, and the owners of every such vesst 1 so
employed ate required ts construct the decks and all
parts of said apartment, so that it can be thoroughly
cleansed; and tney shall also provides safe, convenient
privy or water closet, for the exclusive use of every one
hundred such passengers. And whan the weather is
such that said passengers cannot be mustered on deck
with their bedding, it shall be the duty of the captain of
every such vessel to cause the <ltck occupied by such
passengers to be eleansed with chloride of lime or some
other equslly efficient disinfecting agent, and also at
such other times ss said captain may deem nececsary.
fee. 8. The master and owner, or owners, of any
such vessel so employed, which shall not be provided
with the house or houses over the passage-ways, as pre
scribed in the third section of this chapter, or with ven
tilators, as prescribed in the fourth section of this chap
ter, or with the cam booses or cooking ranges with the
bouses over them, as prescribed in the fifth section of
this chapter, ahall severally forfeit and pay to the Unit
ed States the sum of two hundred dollars for each and
every violation of, or neglect to conform to, the provi
sions of each of said sections, and fifty dollars for each
and every neglect or violation of any of the provisions
of the seventh section of this chapter, to be recovered
by suit in any circuit or district court of the United
Mates, within the jurisdiction of which the said vessel
may arrive, or from which she may be about to depart,
or at any place within the jurisdiction of such courts,
wherever the owner or owners, or captain, of such ves
sel may be found.
Sec. 9. The collector of the customs at any port of the
United States at which any vessel so employed shall ar
rive, or from which any such vessel shall be about to
depart, shall appoint and direct one or more of the in
spectors of the customs for such port to examine sush
vessel, and report, in writing, to such collector whether
the requirements of law have been complied with in re
spect to sneh vessel; and if such report shall state such
compliance, and shall be approved by such collector, it
shall be def ined and held as conclusive evidence there
of
fee. 10. The proviiions, requisitions, ^penalties and
liens of this act relating to the space in vei sels appro
priated to the use of passengers, are hereby exten led
and made applicable to all spaces appropriated to the
use of steerage passengers in vessels propelled in who's
or in part by steam, and navigating from, to and bs
tween the ports, and in manner as in this a -.1 named,
and to such vessels, ani^to the masters thereof and so
much of the act entitled, ' an act toamend an act entitled
'an act to provide for the better security of the lives
of passengers on board of vessels propelled in whole or
in part by steam, and for other purposes, "approved Au
Sust thirtieth, eighteen hundred and fifty-two. as con
icts with this act, is hereby repealed; and the space
appropriated to the nse of steersge passengers in vessels
to as above propelled and navigated, is hereby subject
ed to the supervision and inspection of the collector of
the customs at any port of the United States at which
any such von el shall arrive, or from 'which she skill be
about to depait; and the same shall b? examined and
reported in the same manner, and by the same olHoers,
by the next preceding section directed to examine and
report.
Sec 11. The vessels bound from any port in the Uni
ted States to any port or place in the Pacific ocean, or
on its tributaiirs, or from any such port or place to
any port in the United States on the Atlantic or its tri
butaries, shall be subject to the foregoing pro
visions regulating the carriage of passengers
in merchant vessels, exceft so much as relates to pro
visions, water and fuel; but the owners and masters of
all such vessels shall in all cases furnish to each pas
senger the daily supply of water therein mentioned , and
they shall furnish, or caur.e passengers to furnish for
themselves, a sufficient supply ot good and whole ?>me
food; and in case they shall fail so to do, or shall pro
vide unwbolt some or unsuitable provisoes, tbey thall
be sutject to the penalty provided in the six'h se:tlon
of this chspter, in caae the passengers are put on short
allowsnce of wster or provisions.
fee. 12. The captain or mister o' any ship or vessel
arriving in the United States, or any of tbe Territories
thereof, from any foreign pla-e whatever, at the same
t:me that be delivers a manifest of the cargo, and if
there be no cargo, then at the time of making report or
entry of the ship or vessel, pursuant t> law, shall also
deliver and report to ths collector o( the district
in which such ship or vessel shall arrive, a
list or manifest of all the passengers taken on board of
the i aid 4toip or vessel at any foreign port or place ; in
which list or manifest it shall be the duty of the sa'd
master to designate particularly tbe age, sex, and occu
pation of the said passengers respectively, the part of
the vessel occupied by each daring the voyage, the coun
try to which tfcey severally belong and that of which it
is their intention to become inhabitants ; and ahall fur
ther set forth whether snv, nad what number, have
died on the voyage; which liat or manifest shall be
sworn to by tbe said master, in tbe same manner as di
rected by law in relation to the manlfett of tbe cargo,
and the refusal or neglect of the master aforesaid to
omply with the provlslous of this section, or any part
thereof, shall incur the same penalties, disabilities, and
forfeitures as are provided for a refusal or neglect to re
port and deliver a manifest of the cargo aforesaid.
Fee. 13. Each and every collector of the castoms to
whom such manifest or li?t of passengers as aforesaid
snail be delivered, shall quarter yearly return copies
thereof to the Secretary of State of the United States,
by whom statements of the same shall be la!i before
Congreas at each and every session.
Sec. 14. That Uie amount of tbe several penaltiea im.
p< sed by the foregoing provisions regulating the carriage
of passengers in merchant vessels, shall be liens on the
vessel or vessels violating thoee provisions, and such
vessel or veaaels shall be libelled therefor in any circuit
or diatrict court of the I'll ted States where such vessel
or veasela ahall arrive.
. fee. IS. AU and every vessel or vessels which shall or
may be employed by the American Colonization Society,
or the Colonization Society of any State, to transport,
and which shall actually transport, from any port or
porta of tbe Tnited Statea to any colony or colonies on
Ike w?*t coast of Africa, colore' I emigrants to reside
there, shall be, and tbe aame are hereby, subjected to
ti e operation of the foregoing provisions regulating the
carriage of passenger* In merchant vessels.
Sec. 14. Tbe collector of the customs shall eiamine
cach emigrant ship or vessel on its arrival athiiport,
snd ascertain sod report to the Secretary of theTrea
sury the time of sailing, the length of the voyage, the
vtntilation. the number of paaeengere, their space on
board, their food, the native country of tbe emigrant*,
tlx- number of deaths, the age and sex ot tho.e who
died during tbe voyage, together with hi* opinion of the
cause of the mortality, if any, on board, and if none,
what precautionary measures, arrangements or babita
are supposed to have had any, and what, agcn:y in
causing the exemption.
See. IT. The actof 2d March, 1810, entitled "An act
regulating pa?renger ships and vessels;" the act of 324
February, 1847, entitled "An act to regulate tli? car
riage of passengers in merchant vessels tbe act of 2d
of March, 1847, entitled "An act to amead an act enti
tled an act to regulate the carriage of passengers in
mercbsnt vessels, and to determine the tine when said
act shall take effect;" the ait ef 31st January, 1844, ea
tltlsd "An act exempting ve><**)* employe., by the Ame
rican Colonization Soc.ety, in transporting colored emi
? rants from the I M led States to tbe coast of Africa,
rem th? provisions. of the alts of the 23d February and
2d ef March, 1847, regulating the carriage of passenjers
in merchant versels;"' the act of 17th May, 1848, enti
tled "An act to provide for the ventilation of pas?enger
vessels, and for other purposes;" and tbe act of 3d
March. 184W, entitled ' An act to extend the provisions
of all laws now in force relating to the carriage of pss
sengers in merchant vessels ana the regulation thereof,"
are hereby repealed.
1'roponed additional clause to repealing section of
chap. IX.
But nothing In this act contained shall in anywise ob
stiuct or prevent tbe prosecution, recovery, distribu
tion, or remission of any lines penalties, or forfeitures
which rosy have been incurred prior to the day this act
goes into effe:t under the laws hereby repealed, for
which purpose ths said laws shall continue in for?.
But the Se^retarv of the Treasury may. in his discre
tion. and upon such conditions as he ahall think proper,
discontinue any such prosecutions, or remt or modify
such penalties.
The Cane of Captain Olhson.
i.rrrr* to the chairman or m? committee of
FOREIGN AFKA1HII ? KCRTIIKK DBVELOrBMBKTS?
THE CAPTAIK'S NARRATIVE, ETC.
Captain Gibson, who, as the readers of tbe Herald
will remember, was imprisoned at Ilatavia, tried on a ri
diculous charge of treason and suffered by the confisca
tion of his property, has addresael a lettsr to the Chair
tnsn of the Committee on Forign Affairs in the Rouse of
Representatives. Tbe present letter Is In answer to on*
put forth by the Dutch government, in relation to a
memorial alleged to hava been eddratsed to the Dutch
government in tbe Kast Indie*, ("apt. Gibson states that
he ha* written ao such memorial, and proceed* to detail
the circumstance* which *arrouo<*d him at Batavla.
He waa without friends? in a noisome dungeon, sur
rounded by felons, and had no prospect of immediate re
lief. In thi* dilemma, by advice of tbe representative
ef tbe American government a* Batavla* he addressed a
'?tier to tht Governor General of Netherlands India.
Thin letter (-outlined a narrative of Capt. Gib.on's' lifff^
travels in various parts of the world
The latter clows with these wotds
e ?
I do not wUh to write wholly in the ?pirit of ielf ?Wi
cation, but rather a* confessing siacerely much impru l
dence in deportment and speech, though in nowleer*
tended with a inali:lous contemplation of bostUW
against the Netherlands India government.
The accompanying paper* and document)) will, I think,
afford some further clue to my general history and eharv
aster, and will manifest that whilst ay poetic lmaginaj .
tion might lead me into many excesses not approved or j
hy the matter of-fact opinions of the world, yet still 1?J
am not of a nature to plot treasonable designs, much
less to execute them. . .. u
How, by the promptness and rigor of the Ne
India eovernm.nt, its moral power has been fully sus-j
tained in the eyes of the natives of Palembang by my(
arrest, and has, also, thereby been v arv eSeta^lyd
forced upon my own eonrictions. rienoe I now hope to|
realise its forbearance for whatever indiscretions I may i
have committed against the majesty of its tews.
After the reception <?this letter, 20th February, l?Kf,
the Captain was released, but only to be again arreetef
on the 26th. Be remained in prison until the date oi
his escape. It was during this time that the Dutch go.,
vetament allege that he wrote the second letter. Ht
says:? .
It Is not pretended by the Dutch Minister that level- 1
wrote but two communications to the Governor General r |
the first, a statement of my previous conduct, the other"
and the last, an application for a stay of proceedings itr 1
my case. Mr Van Uall says, in his despatch to Mr, Bel-. J
mont of Feb. 26, 1868, on this subject? (H. Ex. doe. No? ]
18, p. 26.) ? "In the meanwhile, under date of Feb. 25 j
while he was at liberty, Mr. Gibson, under the imprest i
?ion that he would again be incarcerated, wrote to thai
Governor General the letter of wbicn u copy aseons^l
panics this, la which he Implores his clemency, acknow-*!
ledges the imprudence of his actions, and ask* for ar I
immediate trial, in the hope that extenuating circum-'l
stances would cause a mitigation of the punishment I
whlcb, strictly speaking, be might have deserved. Or
the following day he again addressed himself to th{
Governor General, supplicating him to otethapowei
with which that high functionary is vested, in hlQ
behalf, in older to stay ail further proceciriags." ?
Now, there are two points in which Mr. Van Hall ancj
myself agree, namely, that I made two resainunlcationa
to the Governor General, and that the last in the orde*
of time was a mere supplication to sUy all proceedings"
We differ in regard to the time when the first ietiej^
was written, and as to what it contv.ned . If, then, j
can establish, by incontrovertible proofs, that the lotte,
sent bore the date and contained the ma<ter stated b;^
me, and also that no letter such as that dated February
26 could have been written or sent, it must be eoaclua
ed that the Dutch have suppressed the true letter, an<g
have foisted a spurious one upon our government. Thiy
proof I shall attempt.
? ? ? ?
The first proof I shall offer lo support my statemen1
of what my first letter to the Governor-General contain J
ed, is negative merely. Mr. Belmont, ia a despatch t* >
Mr. Van Hall, dated January 4, 1864, (U Ex. doc. lq
page 18,) says, referring to an understanding with tht-fl
Netherlands India authorities to return certain evidence)*] 1
and papers submitted by me to the Governor-General :-H
"In accordance with this pofitivt understanding, Mr
Gibson sent, on or about the 20th February, 1862,
statement to the Governor-General of Netherlands India
accompanied by seventeen package* of papers, awrke-*
A to Q, together with the log of the Flirt." The obje:"
of this despatch was to obtain the return of these papers^
After commuuicating with the N. I. government, Brie
Van Ball returned a reply , promising to deliver op tb
papers, but not denying the statements of Mr. Belmond
in regard to the statement. sent. Now the date of send*
ing this statement agrees with the date of my eommu nidB
cation, and a careful examination of Mr. lielmoat's det*
patch will show tbat Mr. Van Hall was under the a^cer
sity of denying Mr. Belmont's statements, if antrns.
The original from which I have above copied the letted
of the 16th February is contained in a peonage of paper %
transmitted by Mr. Crameru* under his official seal. Thfejl
package, with the evidence of its authenticity, I shall tak T
great pleasure in submitting to your inspection. The Staff.)
Department received a package from Mr. ? 'ramerus i'l
my case, containing important papers, certified in I
manner precisely similar to that of the package in qnet
tion; Indeed, I have no doubt that the papers in que/
tion will be considered as authenticated in the mot
ample manner by the fctate Department.
Captain Gibson further quotes the evidence of ConJ< 1
mandf r Magrudcr and of Captain Bassett, master of tb I
American ship Danl<l Sharp, t? prove ibat the letU
sent on the 20th of February was a narration of faetf
alone. This pnper has been suppressed by the Dutcr
government, and one of an entirely different cbaractcj' I
substituted. Captain Gibson then proceeds teanalyi*'.!
this letter, ?ud makes out a very gooi case to show th?'|
this letter was forged for the Dutch government toserv? i
Its purposes; and then gives some particulars about b?j]
"poetic imsgiiings," thus:? ' J
I entered tlie Kast with a feeling of awe far it* history
Its peat renown and its prostrate grandeur. I fouta
(hem a people who impressed me with the idea that the?. ]
were the Bclavl of Asia, and occupying tae laae positio
in relation to the Teutonic race in the Kaat that th
Sclave and Teuton maintain m tie West. Wlthoi*
battle or bloodshed, and without a history to nark thee I
foot etepa, the Malar races have spread from Polynesi* I
to Sumatra, and from Sumatra oTer Borneo, and tb* |
Boater part of the islands of the Ea't< ra Arcbipelogi,
lese ractit have supplanted the aboriginal races amon.
whom they came? thtir language the native lancnager.i
and their religion the native religions. 1 found thei
tractable, infused with an expansive spirit, and capabP*
of assimilating with the advantages of edu:atlea to oif
civilization. I felt that there was a den-joy in store fc^
the Malay races, and ventured to exrr?es this idea, n<?
on'y to the intelligent Dutchmen with whom I beetm
acquainted, but with the more intelligent Malays. Wltl ,j
the latter I talked of the advantages of oar civilisatloi*
and of the elevation of the Malay masse* by educatio^
and an improved economv. I did not suppoee that ,t|
was an offence agatnet the Dutch government to spes4 f
of a great race spreading ever thoie vaat seas, and of 11
one day becoming a power among civilised men.
e
The letter of tbe 18th it would net do for the DntC{J
to produce against roe. In the first place, it was written
while actually in pri.on, and would, therefore, be sutkl
j?ct to tbe suspicion of having be*n extorted. In tt*H
second place, it breathed too much of the heroic, whiljV
the aim of the Dutch was to repressnt me as a weak injl
postor, and thus destroy the Impression which it wtjl
supposed I had made on the impressible Malay mind, il
To obviate these difficulties, and destroy my hold upoftl
the minds of the natives and the sympathy of my cout*fl
trj men, this letter of the 26th was wr.tten, as I ckaigi* M
by the procurement of the Netherlands Ind a govemmen
1 disown and deny that letter.
* * ? e e e e e S
If any farther proof of the spuriousness of thq lettet
of the 25th i* required, it will Kugvest itself to ever'
mind that considers it attentively. The last person wh" _
consistently with what we know of human naturcB
could Bake such a confession, would be the man guilt??
of the crimes coLfessed. When an instance coo trad to,
tery of this is presented, a new fact will be added to tb?
history of human eccentricity . '
Tbe blow which was sought to be dealt ou see ky thif
fabrieated letter, is the severest that perlldioua animosi
ty could coocelve. It aimed at once to brand me witk9
crime and cowardice, ami thus to dettch from me thoel
numerous and generous friends who have surronade*.
me sinee my return to this country, and who have sus
tained me by their sympathy and their counsels. H if'
however, a time ot congratulation tbat thia bkse pnfc
ceeding of the Dutch government has strengthened me!
bold upon the regard of my friends, and baa found Uttlk
sympathy in this country.
I nave tbe honor to be, very respectfully, yours,
WALTER M. fllBdO*
Additional News from C si be? Tbe Lata Con**fl
?piracy at Havana and It* Acton.
Feme erroneous and some iieperfect accounts havM
been published in different newspaper* respecting tbij
recent arrests in Havana. We are able I* give sort* 1
particulars ?nd explanations which will preeent th? |
whole matter in a more correct and intf 11 >gible ligh'^f
The conspiracy which has been di? -overed and arreeti
was not of recent date. The foundation of it was la?|
under the governments of the two last Captaiue-Gei
ral, who were very unpopular and eien obnoxious to th
people of tbe island.
Pinto, who baa been arrested, and who may have eaj>
tally suffered ere tbi* time, was not director of the Lj*
ceum, but only its secretary. He is a man of conaidef
able ability, study and knowledge. He waa formerly
priest, but baa been for some years a married saan an
Lead of a family. As a priest cannot be lreed from hn
vows of celibaajr even by tbe Pope, this is looked upo
as a high offend*. ?
It aeemt tbat the original plan was to kill th_H
Captain-General by a pistol shot, at the Opera, from * ?
screened box, atter which tbe gaa was to be Immeda
ately stopped. If that should not *uc<:eei, opportunitl
was to N- sought at a ball to be givea to the ilovero'JjB
by a Marquis; and if that also failed, be was to be aasa^H
?bated by perions pretending to have tmsinees wlt"^
him and calling at tbe palace.
The Governor was not aseail*d in either ef tho
modes, but ? as alarmed one night by the extiagulsl
ment of b s gaa lights, and diacovery was made that
onspiracy was on foot. It seems that some evident
had before been ihtained by ths government whicf
was ot some use. When Pinto's house was visited
the officers sent to search it, they at first could
cover nothing, but after a time his eld pvekethooh w
found In a basket, aid it contained ieveral papers of ii
port is re, showing his connection with tbe conspire*,
though not proving that be waa the chief. ?
At the date of tbe latest letters publis peace was a
? isturbed. nor business in sny manner interrupted I
the reports of a filibuster expedition. It la said thi
in case of any attempt by a party to lan 1 in Caba, soa
of the black troops will be detached to reee ve them, >'|l
that the greatest readiness exists among them to
the whole builness left to them.
PMTHPCT1T* FlM IK VlCUBTRO ? Vl0B?BO*l
Feb. 6. ? A destructive fire occurred l.ere at about e
o clock this morning. It broke out in a building ?'*
Washington street, and before Its ravages oould hJ
checked, had destroyed the Parana saloon, IHllahant)
gun shop, Blerm's clothing store, Mad.ly ? dentist ofB'ti
snd Helmer's clothing store, besides damaging Oenellarl
saloon, Winston's clothing store, and other buildings PH
tbe neighborhood. The amount of loss has not yet be^H
ascertained, but mast be quite heavy. ae there waa
laaarance of consequence oa the property.
Fiwe i* RtrrtiANXon, VA*-I.ira Lo&r. \
ZaAarlah Dowden, of Rappahanntwk ? ? :nty. had L.
kitchen destroyed by (tre on the aight of tbe list al
and, sad to relate, an old negro wonan, ?joardaWei.
hundred years of sge. perished in tbe flame* The '*(_
is suppsMod to have originated from the pipe of the .tl
black wstnaa. who waa sleeping ia the house MrDtS
house narrowly escaped deetructien.