The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-02-04


take eharge Of III But suppose this duty were 70
be deyelyed ON the few public officers whom We
now had in Texas, would not the government have
70 pay them for the performance Of this extra duty
Gentlemen seemed % be under lbs impression that
II the whole appropriation Of $1,000 was intended IS
the compensation OF this commissioner. Not so,
! BE did not understand that 10 be the object of the
esefehry Of etAte Perhsp5 only sesy Atfall part
OF the whole might be so applied. The gen!
lleman from Arkansas Mr. YELLl had lately been
in Texasi he knew all about the matter, and could
explain II to the committee.
MIR, M. BROWN explained the purport Of his
objection.
Mr.. MCKAY did not know, he said, what the in.
strueiions OF Mr. Buchanan might be, but he Mr..
Mex supposed they would be, that when this pro.
perry had been received by the commissioner agents
should I've appointed the different places 10 take
charge of There were no officers there TO re-
ceiye II. A large portion Of tho appropriation, he
presumed, intended TO be applied the care and
preservation Of the public property after il shall
have been coded to the United States; and a very
small portion Of IL, he presumed, was designed
compensation 10 the commissioner.
| MIR. FARAN opposed the appropriation. If
there were no persons in Texas now TO receive the
| property, was no use TO send person there 10
receive IT, There were plenty Of officers Of the
army and navy here and else where, doing nothlng
let them act as the agents Of the government IL
seemed to him that appropriation TO this amount
was extravagant and unnecessary.
Mr.. JOSEPH H. lNGERSOLL suggested that
u would be better that the government Of the United
States should be represented by propery-authonzed
agent, as was proposed in the bill. We did not
what IL eonsistedj and probably It's very discovery
might depend on having competent and properly
instructed officer TO seek for il.
| Mr.. YELL entered at some length into defence
of the object Of the bill, and Of the necessity Of It's
passage. He explained the character and the lsca-
L M liz a.. H..
requisite for its eession. As 10 the amount Of
money required TO carry out the object, he could
not speak, all that was necessary, however, was TO
appropriate enough To cover expenses.
Asa preface TO an amendment which he would
rather see adopted than the bill itself land which
was TO give to Texas the whole Of the public prop
ery within her limits, except the eusom-house,)
he passed high eulogum on the gallanry Of Texas
and spoke with great confidence Of the reception
which the Mexcans would meet from her il any
OF the hostile movements recently indicated should
be made.
He moved to strike out the enacting clause OF
the bill, and 10 insert provision ceding to Texas
the whole OF her gallant navy captains, lieutenants,
seamen, &c, and all the swords they had received,
&c.
This proposition seemed to amuse the House
Mr. MILTON BROWN said that inssmueh as
we had now annexed the lone star 10 the Union
there was no need that she should have
navy than that the State which the gentleman who
had just taken his seat Mr.. YELLl represented
should have one.
Mr.. Il. then brought the discussion back to the
immediate question OF the appropriation OF 5000
which he further opposed
i Mr.. YELL now sent to the chair an amendment
providing that the public of every description
and ammunition now in possession Of Texas and
subject to delivery TO the government Of the United
States, under the joint resolution admitting Texas
into the Union, be renquished to that State.
! Mr.. STEPHENS asked if the gentleman includ-
ed the navy in the amendment he now proposed
| MIR. YELL said he did not.
Amer some conversation,
i Mr.. HENLEY expressed wish that the gentle
man from Arkansas Mr. YELL had adhered to
bis original proposition to give back to Texas all
the public property within her limits. He (Mr. H.
remembered that Mr. Tyler's treaty, when first sent
To the Senate, contained provision that the United
States should receive the lands Of Texas and pay
her debts Opposition TO 1t was made party OPP
posi,ion-and opposition upon the ground that
Texas had no lands, but had immense debts. His
party had been driven from the position TO take her
lands and pay her debts, although he believed it
would have been good bargain. He did not want
| a dollar that belonged to Texas 10 be received by
the United States, and he wanted her to pay her
debts as her lands would enable her to do.
| This was not the forerunner of proposition for
the payment Of the debts of Texas. That prop
osition had been condemned he did not wish to re-
turn to it. II had since been asce rtaned that the
general sentiment Of the country was opposed 10 it.
II Mr.. MCKAY expressed his regret that little
bill Of this character should lead to such discus
SION. 1t was very simple matter. And he again
explained its object,
| As to the proposition Of the gentleman from
Arkansas, MIR. YELL,] he Mr.. Mcn.l could see no
objection to except that 1t came in conflict with the
first resolution of the last Congress. Texas could
not, however, retain her navy, because the consti-
tuition forbid any State to have navy So with for
nhcations, &c. lie there had not been an express
provision IN The JOINT resolutions in relation to the
arms, Texas had better have retained them; and if
the gentleman insisted it, he did not know that
he should have any objections
MIR. McHENRY briefly urged the passage of
the bill.
Mr.. RATHBUN thought the whole provision
Unnecessary.
Mr.. JEFFERSON DAVIS urged the absolute
necessity OF such an agency as was contemplated
by the bill.
motion was made that the committee rise;
which motion was rejected
Mr.. YELL, at the suggestion of members round
him, withdrew his amendment, but gave notice that
he should hereafter submit general proposition OF
the kind.
The question on the motion of Mr.. Muros
BRowh Ito reduce the appropriation was taken,
and rejected
Mr.. CULVER offered an amendment providing
that should be the duty of the Secretary of Stale
10 nuke cdrefui inquiry as 10 the value OF the prop
erty to be assigned the United States by the State
Of Texas; and that the government should have the
option at any time within year to transfer III,
said property to the agent in lieu of all other com.
pensation. .a.0
After some explanation, on the part of Messrs
T CULVER and MCKAY
The question was taken, and the amendment wa.
? rejected. r..., e.. .h
The committee then rose, on motion of Mr. Nc
KAY, and reported to tho House its action on tn,
said bill, and its progress the joint resolution
I, notice. ...
And the question being ordering the said bill tc
. a third reading
> Mr.. JACOB THOMPSON demanded the prev
Gus question.
There was second, and the main question wa.
) ordered.
Mr.. ASHMUN asked the yeas and nays thereon
' which were refused.
The bill was then ordered to third reading a
this time;