SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

Tuapeka Times, Volume V, Issue 244, 3 October 1872, Page 5

SAN FRANCISCO MAIL SERVICE.

EXPOSURE OF THE SO-CALLED DEBATE IN CONGRESS. {From the Cross.) A month or two ago we published an exposure of » so-called report of the debate in Congress upon the Australian Steamship Bill, which tbe Opposition Press of New Zealand had published, and madfi tbe text for innumerable homilies levelled against the San Francisco Mail Service. Various reasons were then adduced to show that the report in question was a complete fabrication, or at least had taken place upon a totally different question, and long before tftee subsidy to Webb's line was brought bef>re Congress. We were inclined at that time to view in the most favorable light the action of our contemporaries in publishing wlat was altogether untrue, and concocted f*r the express purpose of deceiving tbe publii and injuring the mail service. We therefore stated our belief that those papers which published the report really believed the debjte had taken place, and were themselves inposed upon. It has been subsequently disclosed that the report was forwarded by W. M. "Neilson, alias M'Cann, who is bitterly opposed to the service. Siuce the publication of the exposure we have alluded to, we were repeatedly attacked by a journa which had taken a leading part in circulating the slander against the service ; the k-uth fulness of the published report of the lebate was also re-asserted, and altogethei a strong effort was put forth to vindicate tie veracity of the account given of the supposed debate on the authority of the Co)it/ressio>al Globe. We have waited patiently, anticipating an exposure of the imposture would cane from San Francisco, where the information either to verify or contradict the report was available. vVe are not disappointed, the following letter in the Alia California of August 18 confirming in every particular the charges made more thau a month ago against the report : — •• I will state that the debate, as furnished the Colonial press, in which over a column is given as Senator Chandler's speech, on the Australian Bill, and other Senators, I pronounce a base deception. No such speech was ever uttered, nor was the Bill ever pending at the time that speech was made. The Congressional Globe is in half a dozen libraries in this city. Let the curious examine for their own satisfaction. This debate is said to have taken place May 7th, 1872. 1 invite them to go back to the Globe of April 18th, 1872, pages, 2,462 to 2,474 inclusive, when the Bill was discussed, and they will not find this infamous libel in thatde^ate, nor within the pages of the Globe or out of it at any time within this decade. The cunning exhibited to give plausibility to one point I will give : There are two Morrills in the United, States Senate— one, the Hon. Lot M. Merrill, of Maine, is the warm friend of the Australian Bill; the Hon. JustmS, Morrill, of Vermont, ip the bijbter opponent of all subsidies. The same steamship which carried this libel to the Colonies took files of California papers. Among the Press despatches was a paragraph that Senator Morrill, of Maine, would propose an amendment to the Appropriation Bill granting this subsidy to the Webb line, &c. Did those interested parties say there were two Merills in the Senate ? By no means ; but to nail the despatch as a lie they quote £h&t Senator Morrill moved to table the bill. Was not that highly honorable (1 ! !) In conclusion, f will sfcate where these interested partite .obtained their stock-in-trade principally. When the Pacific Mail Bill was before tbe Senate at $he session of 1870 and 1871, a bitter Onslaught wag made on the Bill by. Senator Chandler, in which he , denounced the China steamers as rotten old hulks, only fit to be taken oat to sea and blown up wi^h glycerine. This speech is sent to the colonies as the views uttered when the Australian 9£ty was before the Senate. For the information of the colonial press I state a simple fact,? that jfcfce Australian Steamship Bill, unanimously re- j commended by both Senate and House com- j mittees at the last session of Congress, was : not defeated no* brought to a final vote either in the Senate or House, The Bill was re- j ported and discussed at length on April 16tb, 1572; and \m jto plow now on the < Order of I

Business' of the Senate, standing No. 49 on a list of several hundred bills. That it will pass early the coming session is the firm opinion of 'Truth.'" The AWiCaUfornian, remarking editorially upon the service, says :—": — " The Australian Colonies seem to be divided, all jealous of each other, each wanting the terminus, and refusing to support an enterprise so beneficial to them all, -New Zealand alone standing forth as its supporter. The press of Australia seems to have lost sight of the enormous impetus given to the wool trade by the opening of this route. Wool that sold a year before at 12c. per lb. rose in value to 25c. per lb ; sheep stations that the owners were almost glad to sell at any price rose in value at least 200 per cent. Ail this lias been caused by the American wool-buyers in the Australian market. There are two men who brought about this state of things, the farseeing statesman, the Hon. Julius Yogel, of Zealaud, and W. H. Webb, of New York, tbe latter gentleman at a loss of over $00,000 dol., and the former at temporary sacrifice of his popularity. We say to our friends in Australia, be , just, be patient. You have so far paid nothing ; you have had letters carried free; you havt, no right to grumble. A private gentleman, by indomitable enterprise, is loosing 300, 000 dol. a year in trying to establish a first-class line of steamers. We say to our friends in New Zealand, You have paid L 40.000 a year towards developing an enormous trade in the future ; you have had an imperfect service, but there are a quarter of a million of you to pay the amount, while there are two American gentlemen trying to help you who have lost LGO.UOO in the same time. Bo patient ; wait a little longer.

We republish the following letter from the Star of the 25th :—