The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-25
WEDNESDAY,, March rs, is46.
IN SENATE

Mr.. DIX presented several petltlons OF farmers
of Cayuga and Seneca counties, New York remon-
granted to Jethro Wood which were laid on the
table.
Mr.. BARROW presented the memorial of citi-
gems Of Florida, protesting against the passage of
bill for the relief of Joseph Chaires; which was re-
ferred TO the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. DICKINSON presented the memorial of
Haym M. Salonron, asking remuneration for mo-
neys expended by his father in the revolutlon;
which was referred to the Committee OF Claims
Mr.. YULEE presented the memorial Of items
Of Florida, demonstrating against the confirmation OF
the claim of Arredondo's heirs; which was referred
TO the Committee Of Claims. r...
DUTY ON COARSE wool.
Mr.. DIX presented the memorial Of citizens Of
New York, asking that the duty on coarse wool
may be increased so as to place il upon par
with fine wool; which was referred TO the Commit
tee on Finance.
Mr., ID. also presented the memorial of the Off
the Lyeeum Of Natural History of the city Of
New York, praying that edition OF not less than
thousand copies Of the scientific works Of the late
Exploring Expedition may be printed; which was
referred TO the Committee on the Library.
Mr.. ID. further presented the memorial of James
Buchanan, late British consul at New York, asking
reimbursement Of moneys expended in tgating
laws Of the United States, in the case Of vessels
brought into that port under the charge of British
officers; which was referred to the Committee on
SENECA INDIANS.
Mr.. d. also presented petition Of citizens of
Tioga county, New York, praying the abrogation
Of certain treaties made with the Seneca Indians;
which was referred to the Committee on Indian AZ
fairs.
RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. YULEE submitted the following resolutioni
which lies over:
RssOLr'd Thar she Committee Finance inquire into
the right Of State Of Florida TO table share Of the
u o
Congress OF 3d June, 1896.
Mr.. ASHLEY submitted the following resolu-
ton; which lies over
Rs,oirsd That the Post Once and Post
Roads be instructed to inquire into the expedeney Of d.
Tseng that in all where petition presented to the
Senate Tor the establishment OF posroute and in the
petition the establishment OF post offices and the appoint
nent Of postmastes praye for shall be the duty
the secretary Of the Senate TO transmit to the Postmaster
General such petition provided the posroute therein
prayed for shall have been established by law.
Mr.. BERRlEN submitted the following resolu-
tom
Rs'oIrsd, That the Committees Military and Naval Az
muhated to them BY the respective Secretaries OF War
and the Navy for the increase Of the military and naval
means Of the defence Of the country.
Mr.. FAIRFIELD remarked that, in reply to an
inquiry yesterday he slated that the reports of the
chiefs Of the several bureaus furnished for the pur-
pose of aiding the Committee on Naval Affairs in
making out their estimates, had been returned to
the Secretary Of the Navy. These reports the COM
not in their power to comply with the resolution.
Mr.. BENTON observed that the Military Com
mlttee were ready as far in their power to COM
ply with the resolution The whole of the recon-
nendations were contained in the report Of the Sec
rotary OF War; and to the submission of that and its
being read at the clerks table, he (Mr. b. had not
the slightest objection There were other papers
which had been placed in the hands Of the commit
tee which, in the judgment Of the secretary ought
not to be made public, and the committee were of
the same opinion. The committee, he was aware
had no right, however to withhold from the Senate
any documents or any information in their posses
sioDj and he therefore submitted the whole of the
documents in the hands Of the committee. He saw
no objection whatever TO the reading Of the report
of the Secretary of War; and it, as he had Just sta
ted, contained the whole of the recommendations
Mr.. YULEE hoped that the resolution would be
so modified as to call on the Secretary of the Navy
for the reports which had been returned to him. He
was himself anxious to refer to them, and such he
supposed was the wish Of others. He thought that
the reports would be found useful the Senate; he
knew that they would be useful to himself, and
therefore, he sought their production.
Mr. FAIRFIELD remarked that his own impress
sion was that the documents referred to by the SEN
ator from Florida were not to be made public; and
therefore, he opposed the resolution.
Mr. BERRlEN had supposed that inasmuch as
the documents that had been returned were
originally communicated to the committee infor-
mally, they could in the same informal manner
De Teturneu 10 tbe chairman OF the COMMITTEES; there
fore he did not think 1t necessary to amend the
olution If these estimates were designed to be the
basis OF any action of the Committee on Naval Az.
fairs, it was PROFESSIONALLY proper that the Senate
should be put in possession Of them. The question
of their publication was another matter, and could
be considered at the proper time. But in the mean
time he considered that there could be no proper
and valid objection to the acquisitions of the resolu-
ton.
Mr.. WESTCOTT remarked that it had struck
hum that the matter had been managed rather
strangely In his opinion, the present state and
bearings of the Oregon question demanded that the
Senate should have all the information in their
power. He had seen few days since a pubca-
ton IN the government organ of this city, stating that
1t was not the design of the President to impa con-
hdence to anybody, or make public his plans. He
(Mr. w J could not conceive any state of things in
which information that had important bearing on
any SUBJECT before Congress, in the possession of
Inc Executive branch Of the government, should be
Withheld from either house of Congress. If not
proper. to be made public to the whole world, il
ought still to be communicated in a confidential
manner to Congress. He felt convinced that
every senator there as well qualified to
protect the interests of the country as the Ex-
ecutiye or any committee of the Senate. But
unless Congress was put in possession of all
the information which the Executive had, and UNI
less they were aware Of its designs, no man could
vote under sandingy. Ii was quite obvious that a
knowledge Of the designs Of the Executive would
necessarily ana properly affect the votes Of senator's
III the reports alluded to of nature to au-
thor'ze their publication to the country at large so
that foreign governments could be apprised of them
let them be communicated to Congress confidential
ly.
The question then put, and after division,
the resolution was adopted-25 voting in the af-
hrmative, and ii in the negative.
me question then came up on the printing of the
documents submitted by Mr.. BGNToN the chairman
of the Military Committee
Mr.. WEBS TER remarked that he would be very
glad # the senator from Missouri would withhold
anything not essential to the amount of estimates,
and so ON that he would no, lay them on the table,
that the printing might be made in the ordinary
way,
Mr.. BENTON remarked that he had presented
for printing only the report of the Secretary of War
The question on the printing Of this report was
then put, and carried. ......
WASHINGTON EAvy-YARD.
Mr.. CAMERON, from the Committee on Naval
Affairs, submitted an adverse report upon the petit
ton Of the mechanics and laborers employed at the
- a q Il