Mr. DOOLITTLE. I understand the amendment of the Senfrom Iowa to be to change the whole character of the bill. The bill as it stands is granting rights particular company; but the bill as it ml stand otter that amendment is adopted is to grant the same privileges to all companies that now exist or hereafter may exist under the laws of any State, not confining its operation to anyone company. I rose not so much to discuss the bill as to refer to the statute under which the existing company received what rights it received from the General Government; and I think that when it is spoken of as a monopoly which has been granted by the Government the character of that measure is not properly understood. The truth is, that in 1860, before we had any such communication as telegraphs across the continent, and when by the great mass of the people it was regarded as almost a Utopian scheme to propose to build a telegraph to the Pacific, Congress passed a law by which it let to the lowest bidder the right to build a telegraph line from Missouri across to SanFrancisco. The bids were to be advertised for, I think, i 60 days, and as an inducement to enable some person or company to go into the construction of this telegraph line Congress agreed in behalf of the Government that it would use the line across the continent and pay for the use of it $40,000 peryear. They further agreed that if the company did more than $40,000 worth of telegraphing for the Government at the ordina price for which telegrapliing was done for individuals, they would pay the excess over the $40,000. congress agreed that the Government business agiuld amount to the sum of $40,000 a.year to the contractors. The fact is, that the business of the Government has mnph exceeded, I suppose, the $40,000 year since the telegraph line was compleetveeay. In 1844 the 1st telegraph line was establilshed in this country, from Washington to Baltimore, and the 1st message which passed over the line, as I recollect, was the message of the Baltimore convention announcing the nomination of the candidate for the Presidency, who was elected that year. From 1844 down to about 1856 there were various cometing lines of telegraph built up all over the U.S., and as a general thing they were failures upon the hands of those who were operating them. Although they were a great convenience to the country the men who iit their money into them and engaged in building them failed. O’Reilly had his great telegraph line; other persons had their tele graph lines; but from 1854 to 1856 the gentlemen who were interested in the lines came to an arrangement by which the lines were consolidated more or less throughout the countr; and in 1860, after the lines had become cause i dated, this act was passed by Congress letting out this matter of telegraphin'g across the continent to the lowest bid ‘r, and the contract was taken in behalf of this consolidated tele graph company', and the line was built. The line became a magnificent success, and the resalt was that this telegraph stock or telegraph property sprung like a new creation out of noting, and has advanced itself, I suppose, to be worth 30 or 40 or titty million dollars. I It is a new creation of wealth growing out of this new discovery. But, sir, when you look into the statute of 1860 it really does not confer any monopoly upon that company.