Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1845-02-20
TwENTY-EIGHTH coNGREss--ads SEES.
Tuesday, FEB. l9.
GIN ATE

mittee on CLAIMS.
sir. WHITE presented petition from the
State of Indiana for reduction Of the rates OF
postage. The petition was laid on The table,
Mr.. DIX presented petition from 100 citizens
of Newport for the reduction Of the rates ofpost-
age. Laid on the table.
Mr. DAYTON offered resolution that the
Committee on the Library be instructed forth
with, to inquire as to whether or not case OF
books had been forwarded by the French Govern
ment for the use of the Government OF The United
States and if So that the secretary of the library
be required TO accomplish the recovery oil lhis
valuable collection of books, which he understood
had been suffered to remain nine months in New
York, for the mere expense Of storage (and then
sold by the Custom House 10 pay e1pen-
ses.) II this be so, he said il was disgrace 10
The Government He said we should not over
look these matters. 1t seemed TO him, that we
should not be SO regardless of all those civiltes
which are due to other nations, as we'll as 10 the
French Government as TO do nothing on the sub
ject
Mr.. TAPPAN said that it struck him that the
collector a, New York, or at any other port oil
the country, had no right TO Gciain the proper
~ Of the Government of the United States Tor du-
ties.
Mr. McDuFFlE said thatthis seemed TO him
very extraordinary case. He should be highly
gralified to learn something about it. To what
functionary Of the government was this case OF
books sent They were not sent TO any func-
tionary that he knew, but were sent to the Gus
Tom House at New York ard sold under the
rules 1.-The Custom House, for the non-payment
Of duties.
MIR. DAYTON said they were sen, from the
Chamber of Deputies to this Government, and
ought 10 have been addressed to some officer Of
this Government.
Mr.. HENDERSON said it would be better TO
strike out the Secretary OF the Library from the
committee, and insert the Committee on the Lii
brary in its place; which was agreed To-
Mr. ARCHER rose and said that he held in his
hand memorial from ST. Louis, Missouri, signed
by TWO hundred citizens of that place, asking for
Il change in The naturalization laws The me-
mortal was referred to the Committee on The Ju-
dietary.
Mr. ALLEN desired to ask the Chairman oflhe
Judiciary Committee, if it was his intention OF
calling up and pressing upon the Senate the bill
upon this subject He would like 10 know what
progress was made by the commission instituted
10 take evidence upon this subject at Philadelphia
and 0her cities He did not know BY what au
,hority this commission was instituted He did
not know more about il than what he saw in the
newspapers He would like to know something
about il before the bill came up for consideration.
Mr.. BERRIEN said, in answer to the Senator
in the naturalization laws were referred to them
The Committee was invested with power 10 send
for persons and papers in order to inquire into the
subject. Another resolution was afterwards sub
milted to the Senate authorizing the Committee
10 issue these commissions He had this then,
TO say in answer to the gentleman from Ohio
The commissions were issued for Philadelphia,
New York, Boston and New Orleans. The CON-
mission for Philadelphia has been returned; the
NJ, IL, Ioeh he k.1,o AVOID
closed that OF Boston was not yet finished lie
had not yet heard from that which was sent 10 y.
Orleans II was his intention, as soon as the COM
missions before the Senate were finished, TO call
up the question. II the returns be made in the
course OF the present week, il was his intention TO
submit the subject TO the Senate.
The bill for the payment of the 4th regiment in
the 81 brigade of the 81 division of the Vermont
militia, for services at the battle of Plattsburg,
was then read a third time and passed.
Mr.. WOODBRIDGE offered a resolution, ask
ing that an extra number of copies OF the report Of
the geological exploration be printed for the use
Of the Senate. He said il was a most valuable
work, and he thought it was well deserving the
attention OF the Senate. He thought that al least
1900 copies of the work ough; 10 be printed. The
resolution BY general consent was then read and
agreed 10.
Mr.. ARCHER asked that the bill making COM
pensaton for French spoliati0ns prior to the year
1900, be taken up, which was agreed 10; but was
subsequently laid upon The table, without further
consideration.
Mr.. ARCHER then moved that The Senate
proceed to the consideration OF The order of the day,
which was the joint resolution Of the House OF
Representatives for the annexation OF Texas
which was agreed TO, and
Mr.. CaOATE then proceeded to discuss the
question. The amount of his argument was,
that the resolution unconstitutional, as would
b: any proposition on the part Of Congress for The
admission OF a foreign State. He went farther
Than Mr. Morehead or Mr. Rives, inasmuch as
he denied even the power of admitting Texas by
treaty, or any other Independent, country; main
tanning lhatthe only extent TO which the Teaty-ma
king power could 60 was by implication 10 The ac-
QUESTION BY negotiation of portions Of territory be-
longing to foreign power, but necessary Tor our
border safety. The power of admitting foreign in
dependent country, he held belonged solely and
exclusively 10 the reserved sovereign power OF
the people in their primary assemblies. Mr. Hen
derson next obtained the aoor, and then the Sen
adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
THE WHITE INSTRUMENTATION.
Mr.. PRATT moved that the House resolve il
self into Committee OF the whole on The state Of
the Union. The motion having prevailed,
Mr.. SAUNDERS Of n c., was requested 10
take the Chair; and
AT Mr. PRATT'S suggestion, The committee
took up the bill making an appropriation ottwen-
~ thousand dollars tor furnishing, painting, and
repairing the Presidential Mansion.
Mr. HENLEY, thinking that the amount was
loo high, moved that it be reduced to ten thou
sand.
The committee having refused TO take the que.-
ton by lellers,
MIR. HENLEY said that the amount named in
the bill was entirely too high TO be appropriated
tor the purpose designated. He would not 90
back TO the history OF furnishing the White House,
but would say what the people already knew,
that there had been too much money appropriated
for the mansion; and this had the effect Of form
ing, to some extent, public opinion in former cleo
lions. Too much money had been squandcred.
And as to the gold spoons, there was some truth
connected with them. There had bccr ne in
sisted, extravaganza in this particular; and he
did not mean 10 coaLtenance it while he hell a
seat on this floor. He, however, was not only in
favor OF retrenching the expenditures for the
White House, but for retrenching all the expen-
dtures of this Goyemmenl-from the highest to
the lowest Offices and alsothe pay Of the members
Of Congress. Some OF the States had set the ex-
ample OF reducing the pay Of their public agents,
and it was worthy 10 be followed. He was aware
that, in his remarks, he might encounter the
charge OF being demagosue; but if discharge
of the duty which he owed 10 his constituents and
10 his country rendered him liable 10 the charge,
he wonld most willingly incur il.
Mr.. JONES OF Tennessee, from data before
him, showed that, from 1901, the average expen-
diture tor furnishing the Presidential mansion
had been five thousand dollars per annum. He
held that the salary of The President of the United
States was TOO high for Republican Govern
men,; il was more than the services OF any man
on the face of the earth were worth. five thou
sand dollars of the twenty-five thousand should
BE- applied to the purchase of furniture and re,
dollars salary sufficiently large TO be given by
producing and tax-paying people. twas well
known that he was friend ofthe President elect,
but he conceived it to be his duty TO object to this
nnnrnnr;ai;on ua Ind heard much OF. eSfrava-