Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-02-11

lat;ons and receive their unbiased consideration,
| and be presented to the Senate again. as ne I'M
ders,ood The honorable gentleman (Mr. BerTlen)
who supplied the place of The chairman Oh inal
committee, 10 say, in season 10 be considered Dy
The Senate al the same time with the report yesler-
day made from the committee on Foreign relations
MIR. BAGBY said he would not goinlo the me-
rts Of this proposition, much less into The merits
Of all the propositions which had been submitted
npon this great and interesting question. lie
should content himself with very few reasons
why this reference should not be made. He had
been in the habit ofvoing for reference OF these
subjects TO the appropriate standing Committees
of the Senate and il he could ilaller himself win
the belief now that The great object designed TO be
accomplished by This bill would be at all accele-
rated by its reference 10 the Committee on 70
reign Relations nothing would afford him more
pleasure than TO give il that direction. BUTT was
necessary 10 inquire into the circumstances ny
which we were surrounded. In The first place, as
the Senator from Ohio had remarked, there were
| but twenty-five or twenty-sx days oil the session
left. within which this, as well as a variety OF
other important matters, had 10 be disposed or
/ If This subject was so important as gentlemen
considered it, he asked il il was possible 10 give
in Committee, and afterwards in the Senate, that
deliberate consideration TO which the importance
awarded 10 il on all sides would seem 10 require!
In this he was only admonished BY the lessons OF
experience However much lie might be msia-
ken in reference other questions, there was one
/ thing in which he could not be mistaken-that
majority Of the Committee on Foreign Relations
were not friendly 10 the great question OF annexlng
Texasto the United States. For that reason alone
he should object TO giving this bill the direction
now proposed to be given 10 1t. But ne had aho-
her reason for resisting that reference. That
| Committee with all its intelligence, with all It's
Ia buuippSS and with all
It's desire TO promote the good of the country,
had stool in-whai relation 10 this body and
| the country for the last Two monhsl why
they had this very question, in every form
in which il could be presented TO them, under de-
lberate consideration: they had come forward
within the last day or TWO with report (he had
mol seen it, but he had undersloodthat this was the
issue 10 which they came) lending 10 show that this
whole subject, in any form in which IL had beenpre-
scented in either House OF Congress ought no, to be
acted upon at the present session OF Congress-
What then, was to be accomplished by the refer
cnce? Nothing, in his judgement. Far be il from
him 10 impuie 10 the committee any intention TO
smother the question, or Intentionally give il The 60
BY; but il The effect 0fthe reference should be The
same, he asked what object could be gained BY Tie
reference He accorded 10 the Senator from Mis-
svuri Mr.. Benton much sagacily and much
craftsmanship; and he hoped he would be permitted
10 say that upon all questions OF this character ne
had as much respect for his opinion as lie could
possibly have for any living man; but he could not
think that al this late stage otthe session, there was
ANYTHING in his proposition that had not suggest
ed itself 10 the consideration oil the Committee on
| Foreign Relations before this time. From the
| introduction oflhis question here, and from The
beginning OF It's agitation throughout the coun-
lry, every Senator knew that public opin-
ion had been dablful upon il. Some, like
his honorable friend from Louisiana, Mr. Bar
row. opposed it from the deepest conviction OF lis
mex pediency. Some were equally decided in IFS
favor These were two classes; but there was
a third class, which had doubted more as 10 the
mode than as to the merits of The measure itself.
From the commencement, OF the agitation, then,
Of this question: all these inquiries as 10 The inca
sure itself and as TO The mode OF annexation, had
been fully in The mind and consideration of every
Senator The time, therefore for investigation
the time for discussion had gone by. II anything
was to be accomplished al present, the lime tor
1 action had come. 1t said, however, that
something might be effected blythe Committee on
Foreign Relations Perhaps a majority ofthe
Senate might be united upon this question, and
harmony and unanimity Of opinion produced
throughout The country Now, he was a plain
man. and Judged some little OF the future BY The
past. II that committee had been disposed 10 do
so. he asked if they could not, in the time which
| they had had this subject under consideration,
and with their range of information and lnielli-
| gence, have found on, some means by which
| platform could have been erected, upon which
| all the friends OF annexation could stand! Ihey
| had labored two months without being able 10 de-
| wise such mode, and was it likely that they
would render this platform upon which all
might unite?
He mast be permitted 10 say, with all respect,
that, in the form in which the proposition was
| now submitted, he had no; been induced 10 hope
! for or expect much assistance from the Commit
lee on Foreign Relations; and if he had not mis-
! taken an honorable Senator who was now III his
eve he inferred thai there was but one solitary IN
dividual upon that Committee who was in favor
of the annexation of Texas 10 the United States
in any of The modes suggested during the present
session Of Congress. Ii that was true, then, he
would take il for granted, that, upon This propo
siion 30 far as the annexation Of Texas was
concerned we should find the Committee on Fo-
reign Relations, now, precisely as we did when
| they presented to the Senate the resul, OF their
deliberations that was. four TO one. He should
have been gratificd if all those interesting inves-
| legations OF tie Committee could have resulted
| in plan upon which all Senators might unite
| He, for one, had never viewed this as parry
question. He had never viewed il rs local
| question; and he should never view il as 4 Sec
/
tons in it deeply concerning the section OF The
| Union from which he came; but when he came
10 legislatc for the addition Of another nation 10
| this North, South, East and West were all III.
same TO him. He was for The whole country, and
not for sections of the country. EIe was Tor The
| country, and nothing but the country.
| Mr. COLQUITT made some suggestions az
10 a question Of order arising out of the PROPOSE
| ton 10 refer. As he understood the matter, the
/ l.,t,.r Cora 10 nj
| 10 a bill upon which the report OF the Committee
on Foreign Relations was in part based. II so,
a motion 10 refer the particular amendment or
substitute was not in order; but motion 10 re-
| commit the whole subject would be The proper
motion.
The CHAIR ruled that The proposition before
the Senate could be considered in no other light
than as new bill, as it was introduced through
the usual form, on leave and read twice with
i view 10 reference.
The question was then taken and decided in
The negative on yeas and nays-yeas22 nays 81,
Gas published in yesterdays Enquirer and which
may be seen on the last page OF to-day's country
paper)
ordered 10 lie on The table, and he printed.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS.
The SPEAKER laid before the House the
| following Executive communications:
| l. From The Postraster General accompanied
FIRST, by copy of the abstract of bids for carry
ing mails, made within the year ending Both June
1874; second, a statement of such land and wa
ter mails as have been established within said
year; third, report Of all contracts for the trans
portation of mails within the said year; fourth,
a report Of additional allowances made 10 mail
contractors within said year; and fifth, report Of
curlailments of mail service and pay ordered
within The said year.
| H. From the Postmaster General, containing
information called for by The House OF Rcpresen-
sentatives on the 26lh ult., as to the distance on
the nearest post routes from the city of New York
TO Buffalo and Lockpori, and what is the dis
lance on The routes over which The mail is uslI-
ally carried, and as 10 what is the rate OF postage
charged between those places and whether the rale
has been increased al any time, and if so the rea-
sons.
| TIT From the Postmaster General OF all fines