Daily Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1840-1842, 1842-05-06
rwENrY-sEvENrn CONGRESS.
TUESDAYS PROCEEDINGS.
WARRINGTON, May J, lci2.
SENATE or THE Ill sEArES

| CoTresPoEdeHes Of n.s A-ae-ieaA.
wAsHtseros, May }. 1912.
| SENATE or THE u. STATES.
The Senate met at twelve o'clock. The morn.
ing business commenced with the reception OF Bill,
| from the House.
A Bill Tor the relief Of Charles Woodruff passed
| with an amendment by the House, and the amend
ment was at once eoncurred in by the Senate.
Several other Bills from the House were read
and referred.
| Bills upon their third reading were also read, in
GLIDING Bills Tor the relief of several claimants
For the confirmation Of the claim Of MIR Lccompte
| OF Louisiana was one among the number.
MIR MILLER presented a memorial from New
Jersey, IN behalf Of Home Industry and manufae.
lures.
Mr. ALLEN, Of Ohio, did no, call up hi, Re-
solution IN reference to the Rhode Island inquiry
from the table. IL was expected, and probably
would have been called for but for the matter which
followed.
MIR MERRICK, on leave, said he was on, OF
the Senate yesterday when the Senator from Mis-
souri, tMr Ben,onl asked he attention Of the Sc
nate To the case Of a removal of the Post Master a,
ST. Louisville Senator said that the person D.
pointed was a connection OF the Post Master Gle.
nerars. he was informed that the Senator was in
error, and that the person appointed IN no way
connected with the Post Master Gcneral. lie be.
li'vcd that having done injustice TO the Post Mas.
ter General lac would be disposed to mako the
correction.
Mr hertlck SAID taere was another matter con .
corning which he tet himself lied upon 10 ask the
opinion of the Senate. MIR Me.rck referred 10 tle
fact that the Senator from Missouri mad taken
Executive Documents, designed for the information
| OF the Senate wnen III closed doors. MIR NJ. said
he would not undertake 10 eensure the Senator from
Missouri or say thst lie had gone beyond the per.
| fo,mance OF his duty. lie wished to know, how.
| ever, TO what extent Senators might 60 i'm takin,
from the hles OF the Department documents of an
Executive character.
He referred to one precedent and that in the case
OF MIR Pickcrin. IN 1910, who IN public debate had
read \ Communication taken from the Executive
| session. Mr. Pickering Mas censured by a vote OF
the Senate. de MIR NJ. wished To know TO WIN,
extent the rule applied IN osder that he might have
some plan TO govern his own scIion.
MIR BENTON rose to speak and was = good de,l
excited, not however, towards MIR MerrIek who
lac sad had spoken Of the subject with the greatest
celicscy, and IN a manner personally every wsv
unexcepuo 1able- In regard To the communicated
VIII ch Mr. Benton had distracted from the files
OF the Senate and procured 10 be pubh.hoJ a,
ST. Louis lac said he did regard them in the lisht
OF confidential matters. In his estimation thew ~ere
not so. They had been sent here from the Posi-
Office Department | call for their readins s,,J
Nj Il. m loud tone Of voice
Mir MERRlCk said he would lay the n,r.rs
before the Senate. lie was about to Law them h.fo,
the Senate, when was suggested TO HIM that tins
could not ne done.
MIR BENTON failing in this ,ffsst TO procure III.
letter IN the original read u from the GIobe As :,
appeared last night. tie would have teen n!.5s,3
he said 10 have !, before the Senate with The o,5,,
marks upon u, meaning, suppose, the red ink IN
which Il was filed away in the archives of the De-
partments. MIR Benton then vent on raving aloud
IN regard TO the Post Master General. He st,,cJ
that he had voted against the confirmation Of Nj
Wlek'te, because he knew him 10 Le unoualiis1
Tor his position, and just such man he had proved
himself TO be by the act jus; exposed. The psner
he had taken was no executive paper IL can,
from The Department, and not from the PresiJen,
marked confidential.
When Mr. Bell was Secretary of War. h, he'd
copied paper from the files Of The war depsrtu,n,
and Mr. Bell gave him leave TO 60 SC. He meant
now TO 60 TO the Pos; Master General, and demand
other papers on hIe there against linn and his con
sutuents.
IL the Post Master General refused him b,
would make application TO the Prcsiden, Of the u
States. -
MIR Benton became more excited as he went IN
and IN tremendous tone OF voice said he knew IN.
rights, that he had been p years IN the Seno,e~
that this Administration had allowed him 10 COW
from the hes-Ihai the Bastile and the DUNGEON
were not now 10 be adopted.
MIR Benton paused for breath, and MIR EVANS
improved the moment 10 suggest 10 the excited
Senator that he could stop where he was for tie
day, and let the subject 90 over until the morrine
hour Il he chose. lie wished TO take IN the Cix,I
ana diplomatic Bill, which yesterday had the 90
Dye IN the Senate IN consequence OF the personsl
matter between the Senator from Ohio MIR Allen
and the Senate.
The Bill was taken up, and the debate proceeded
through the day, most OF the time being consumed
IN the amendment Of Mr. Benton 10 strike on, tbs
appropriation OF books, printed under contract and
the work for which is now going on.
ne debate has been general, uninterestinc and
the only SUBJECT OF discussion during the day