New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1846-02-04
From Washington.
II. q. senate-A Taste OF Texas.


WASHINGTON, Monday. Feb ? $50
n-o,ning in to the reporters gallery OF the sen
~. today. was among the admring AUDITORY Q!
debate which with ts subject affords US some lore
taste of the blessings and bounties we have acquired
in the Annexation Of Texas. The bill was one pro-
viding for the payment OF certain claim OF texas
on our Government q believe the case was orousn'
to the notice of Congress by Mr. Polk In MS Mes'
sage Mr.. SEVER of Arkansas introduced ana au-
vocated it in speech which exhibited the folo"ihg
state of facts as the basis OF the claim
During the independence of Texas Red RIVER
was for long distance the boundary between 'ha'
con,,rv and the United States, and al particular
land;ng IN that river was a shanty dgniied with
the annexation OF a Texas Custom House, Vith
Collector. &c But Mr. s. intimaied that his con
s,itnen,s never considered their brethren over the
River foreigners-on the contrary, they used TO go
over To the shanty custom-house TO drink, and come
varous games of that sort, in prophetic oretase OF
Annexation.
One day an American lprivate) steamboat passed
up the River and not regarding the distinction oil
country but paying decided respect to the conven-
fence of her crew and customers, landed on the
Texas bank lot of goods intended for their owners
on the Arkansas side This, which was done every
day without thought at any other point proved
hazardous proceeding in sight OF Texas custom
House The Collector seized the whole as import
ed into Texas without payment OF duty or enIry d.
the Custom House. and was proceeding 10 conils
cate them In this dilemma, the parties interest
ed, finding words Intellectual went over into Arhan-
sas, raised body of their friends and friends OF
fight or frolic returned to the Texas Custom House,
bound the Collector fast, drove away all who took
his part, and carried off the goods in triumph. This
il the last Texas has ever seen or heard OF them;
and she now asks Uncle Sam TO pay her their value
from his MISUNDERSTANDING that value, on loose
hearsay data, at $4,000 Such was the basis Of the
bill debated this morning.
Mr. EVANS Of Maine metit by motion to strike
all out and insert sum Of sl,975, being the estl'
mated value Of certain arms taken in loi3 from
Texan expedition under Col Snively, by T. :.
armed force, farther up the border. This amend
ment was urgently opposed by Messrs. SEWER
BREEsE, McDuFFIE and WEsTcoTT, and supported
by Messrs EVANS DAVIS, j. NJ. CLAYTON and
PEARcE of Md. in spicy debate of over an hour
The case of the Caroline was invoked as
precedent to defeat the amendment and sustain
the original bill Finally, Mr.. Clayton entreated
the advocates of the bill to point out single
principle or case in any respectable writer on
Public or National Law which afforded any
countenance 10 this most extraordinary claim
None was or could be adduced. Mr. West
colt of Florida frankly admitted that there was
no precedent and no law for such claim,
but said he, Texas has just come into our family,
let treat her generously and kindly Let US con-
slider this rather as a marriageportion or do'0ry,
and give it cordially Il think such bride should
bring marriage portion with her, and not call for
one from the foolish bridegroom. l feared the
bill would really pass till this speech of West
colts knocked the breath out of it; and even
vet ttcenty Senators recorded their votes against
Mr. Evans's amendment, including Messrs. DIR
and Dickinson of New-York Mr.. Calhoun
declined to vote when called, but finally, see
ing the vote was close, asked to be called
and voted against the amendment. II prevailed
however-23 TO 2O--I believe Wing OPP
posing ii, unless possibly one from Louisiana-so
the bill was essentially killed, and now laid on the
table by its friends-eO to 10. They evidently mean
to attempt its resurrection.
will not the men who voted for claim SO utter
" preposterous as that be asked n by their
constituents When twenty Senators in thin
Senate can be induced to vote for such n claim. be-
cause Texas is the claimant is the Country safe from
projects for the assumption Of the whole Texan
Debt? HG