Mr. ALLEY. To besnre not. This bill is important to the interests of the American people; at it is more important now than at any other period, for the reason that nearly all the tele raph companies of the country have recently been consolidated into one. This companynow represents a capital of nearly $41,000,000. It is the most gigantic monopoly in this country if not in the world. It has in its hands nearly all the telegraphic lines within its control in the country, and the American people are substantially subjected to its dictumin this regard. We know the power of the telegraph and how influential it may be in affecting the destinies of subordinate interests and the prosperity of the nation. Then I think the House will agree with me that under such circumstances we oughtto pass the bill at once and protect the rights an interests of the people. When I say this consolidated companyis a great monopoly I do not mean in any invidious sense. The members of the company whom I know are gentlemen of high character and respectability, and do not doubt they will conduct the affairs of this company, perhaps, as well as any other gentlemen would who are intrusted with the same amount of power and responsibility. Now, Mr. Speaker, it was in fortune, as is well known to you, to have ha something to do with the enactment of the telegraph bill which established telegraphic communication with the Pacific coast, an with the single exception of their conduct in relation to conveying telegrams over that line, I have nothing to say against them in particular. But I do say here, and I defy contradiction, that the company have not acted in good faith to this government so far as its promises were concerned. In reference to its service upon that line and the requirements of the bill which we passed in 1860 granting them great privileges and subsidies, they were required to charge but 3 dollars a message of ten words from the missouri river, I think, to the State line of California. They accepted the act with the understanding and the promise, so far as they could make such a promise at that time, that 4 dollars a message of ten words was all that sh0uld be charged from StLouis, or rather, I think, from Washington to SanFrancisco. Now, what are the facts? They neither complied with the spirit or letter of the law, inas much as they charge nearly 8 dollars for a message from here to SanFrancisco and to intervening oints in Nevada and the distant territories. They have violated the letter of the law in demanding this exorbitant rate, certainly at the other end of the line, and ifI am not mistaken at this end also, in coin. They refuse to receive their pay in the lawful currency of the country. Therefore, I say, they violate the spirit of the law in charging indirectly double what was expected and promised, and the letter of the law in demanding coin. Mr. Speaker, the ca ital stock of the Western Union Telegraph ompany in May, I think,1864, was $11,000,000. They watered their stock from 11 to 22 millions. This stock in the market at that time, or very soon after, was worth 200%. Of this I do not complain, but simply wish to show by the statement how necessary it is that we should have cometition. Now, sir, such gigantic for tunes as have been made by individuals connected with these telegraph companies have never been witnessed, I be ieve, anywhere else on the face of the earth by legitimate pursuits. And can they complain now that the congress of the U.S. steps in and gives not an exclusive but a general privilege to any and every company properly chartered under the laws of any State of this Union? An exclusive privilege, Mr. Speaker, was asked for, but the Senate refused it and gave them a general bill, which enables all companies receiving these powers at the hands of any Legislature to construct telegraph lines over military and postal routes of the U.S and over the public domain. That is all substantially that this bill grants, and surely it does seem to me in view of the important interests involved, that this House cannot object to granting to American citizens, for such a good purpose, such a trifling been as this. My colleague on the committee