Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. I wish the Gentfrom Massachusetts had confined his remarks to the pending resolution. There are somethings which the gentleman says that I do not understand. I wish, before I am compelled to vote upon this question, to know what the contract is with this Pacific Mail Steamship Company. I wish to have the contract here so that I may judge for myself whether they have any claim on us or not. want to know whether there was not an obligation on the part of this company which has drawn from the Treasury nearly 200 loud dollars a year to carry the letter inal 1. I understand from the remarks of the Gentfrom Iowa [Mr. KAssoN] that there was a temporary interruption of the overland mail, which only carries letters, and this steamship company was compelled for a few months to carry the letters which otherwise would have one overland; and for that service, which on the face of their contract they were compelled to perform, they come here and ask for this appropriation, which is to be disbursed by the PostMGenl. Sir, I am opposed to this kind of legislation, to this giving away of the authority we have ourselves into the hands of somebody else. I will not say anything against the PostMGenl. I believe he would adjust this matter fairly and honestly; but I do not propose to trust this power to him, to abdicate the powers which we have ourselves and give them into the hands of this man. Let the gentleman ask to recommit his resolution, and make a full written report showing all the circumstances, so that we may know what claim this op company has and act upon it intel igently. so Asson. Let me state one other fact. The principle upon, which this examination, which food in the proposed allowance of $10, 300, was made was this: the postoffice Dept in effecting this proposed adjustment, or in the negotiations for it for it is not yet an adjustment took the weight of the letter mail as compared with the weight of the printed matter carried by this company; and this resolution only proposes to allow them a prorata compensation by weight for carrying the letter In all.