Mr. CONNESS. I haVe no doubt that the Senator intended all that he said in his allusion to his “enthusiastic friend.” I thank God thatI have been blessed by Him with some enthusiasm planted in my nature. It is a quality that I would not be without. There is something generous in it. It adapts us to something putslde of what concerns ourselves and fits us for many of the offices that life l imposes ll)0!‘l us. It is very often siis ected l shrewdlyt at the very useful quality 0 sense this regulated somewhat by it. Perhaps it is. I have great enthusiasm on the subject of this great project, as I have called it. The Senator has read from the letter of the PostMGenl, and called our attention to the remarks made by him, in the letter, touching the importance of the change to be made before the acifie railroad is constructed. In what connection are those remarks made? I will show the Senate. The central idea on which he bases the attempt to establish this line is the eventual transfer of the center of the exchanges of the world from London to NewYork. That cannot be accomplished now, as I stated when I was up before and on a former occasion, by releasing these ships from stopping at the SandwichIslands now, nor before the Pacific railroad shall be constructed. But, sir, it is not less certain that the great advantage can be gained that I pointed out, namely, that of makin'r more re did voages from China and Japan to ilie city 0 Newh'ork than are now made from these ports to the city of London; and that was all that I claimed. The PostMGenl in his letter alludes to this in another paragraph, and says: “ It will be seen from the foregoing that the primary nqbjcoint commendingto Congressthe grant of a.su idy wasto establish.under the sanction of the Government na 1st class American line of mail steam betweenSan Francisco.Japan, and China that would successfullycompetewith the British steam ship lines via Suesfor the commerceof the Ens to the endof practically placing the U.S. between the eastern continent and Europe, and o transferrin the commercial center of the world from London to Iiew York." That was the object of the line. But in another respect we are to have either a gain or a loss by refusing to act upon this subject now. How, sir? I will tell on. I stated it upon a former occasion. Byt eexisting contract, this company were required to construct steamers of not less than 3,000 tons. 2 of those steamers are now being constructed. Their bulls are nearly completed. Their steam engines are being made. They are to be of 4,000 tons,1,000 tons each renter than the requirement of the law. It is important that the other 2 to be constructed for this service, for they are to be constructed immediately, (their places being supplied in the mean time by 2 of their finest vessels on the Pacific side, nearly new,) shall be constructed of the same size, namely, 4,000 tons burden. But if we refuse to make this release now, there will be no certaint that it will be granted, and before the 1st of anuary, 1867, comes around the contract for making the 2 additional ships to complete this great line must be executed, and they are at a loss to know whether to go on with the line upon the magnificent scale on which they have begun or to reduce the vessels to the contract size, and thus be required to put off their 2 great ships upon another service and construct 4 new ships of a more limited size. This is one of their greatest purposes in seeking the release now. Having explained that to the Senate, I will not detain them longer, but hope we shall take the vote seriatim upon the amendments now before us.