Weekly national intelligencer., 1846-05-16


even glance at it, Mr. O. could say whether state Of
did did not exist He desired to examine the evidence
submitted and he should suppose must every member OF
the Committee Foreign Relations desire. He would pro
ceed rapidly in voting supplies any other gentleman, be
he who he might Why would not gentlemen suffer the
question TO be decided as they did yesterday
There another objection to the bill, which he wished
stae and which he desired to be duly weighed. Why
this hot haste They had the day before hem why not
take the requisite time deliberate what they doing
This bill appropriated millions Of dollars. OF this no
did complain he had not the slightest objection TO t he
ready to vote twenty millions but appeared objection
able to him because stated specific objects TO which the
money to be applied The appropriation general,
indefinite. The President vested with the abso-
lutte disposal of ten millions Of dollars without declaring that
much be applied to the army, much to the navy,
much for provisions, much for transportation, &c Mr.
c. held this be in conformity with the Constitution
He appealed gentlemen Of the Democracy say whether
this democratic. The old Democratic party made this
Of the great principles Of their action They insisted
specific appropriations Of the great distinctions Of
mocralic Government II emphatcaly recommended by
Mr. Jefferson and Of the wachwords Of the party
which he the acknowledged head whatsoever opposed
it down enemy of that party And yet
did any behold sweeping appropriation than
this of ten millions without single specification The
whole power of Congress the subject here delegated
in single line the President of the United States Were
gentlemen willing TO do this Were they not bound, by the
doctrines Of their own party, well by the Constitution
of the United States, TO render little specific To
say much shall be applied to the building, much to the
equippng of vessels much for provisions much for
forage much for transportation, &c. Was there
among the powers delegated Congress in the Constitution
which Congress could transfer the President TO any
other individual body If it could delegate one of its
powers might another and might delegate them all away
The power to appropriate money OF their peculiar
powers could they give this the President This
subject which had been often and eaboaey discussed and
Mr. c. had supposed the question had long been settled He
ready to vote the ten millions, but he wished it divided
under specific heads according to the Jeeonan doctrine of
political orthodoxy otherwise the Senate would be guilty f
gross departure from the Constitution.
Mr. G. again expressed his desire that the bill should
be referred the Committee Military Affairs BY modi
flying it they prepared to do, they might secure
unanimity in the of the Senate. And not this
highly desirable He did not know all the facts which ought
be placed before him in acting solemn matter but
he should feel greatly relieved by vote Of all his
brother Senators Let the Military Committee report back
the Senate Immediately, Gas he believed they pre-
pared To de- and Mr. c. and his friends would pledge them
selves to sit here till midnight and pass the bill He moved
that the bill be referred TO the Committee Military Aars
Mr.. ALLEN said that, behalf Of the Military Commit
he understood the chairman to say that he ready to
report the bill back in its present shape He demanded the
| yeas and nays the question to refer.
Mr.. BENTON repeated the statement he had before
made the early meeting of his committee this morning
their careful examination Of the BILL Gas reported in the pa
pers and had agreed certain amendmen which he read
and the first of which to strike out the preamble
Mr.. CLAYTON hoped the bill would be suffered TO go
that committee, and let them report back with these amend
II would greatly relieve his side of the chamber,
enable them satisfy their scrupes the question of the
existence of And could they not also render the appr
praton somewhat definite and all objections
| on that point also
Mr.. BENTON replied that to adapt the appropriation to
each respective head Of expenditure would be very long and
laborous process. II would great deal OF time.
On that account while fully egeeing with the gentleman
from Delaware the principle he had stated to specific
appropriations he could undertake to do what he desired
Mr. CLAYTON said, if this not practicable, let this
gentleman report the bill with the committees notifications
and he should be content
Mr. ALLEN said that part Of the message had also bee
referred the Committee Foreign Affairs The politics
question had been referred to the committee and henc
they had confined their attention TO much OF the bill
lated to their department. The Committee Foreg
Relations had also had the bill under consideration, and h
majority Of that committee concurred in the propositions
tanned in the preamble and in the first section Of the b dt
carng that does actually exist The question had
that committee been decided that fact both the ques
tons referred had been settled by the respective committees
He hoped therefore, that the bill would not be referred
proposed but that speedy action would be had upon it.
Mr. BERRTEN observed that the stated by the gen
eman from Ohio did not interfere with the motion to refer
The explanations made by the chairman Of the Military Com
mtee, tn show that the utmost expedition could be
tanned by the reference The amendments preparee
and reduced writing and the bill and amendments could
be reported back to the Senate, and would be ready
for its sanction Meantime the Committee on Foreign Rela
tons could report simultaneously and the Senate would be
ready upon both He trusted the motion of the Sena-
tor from Delaware would prevail.
The question taken by yeas and nays and de-
cided follows: Yeas 20, nays 26.
So the Senate refused to refer.
| Mr. CLAYTON asked Mr.. BEsToS whether he had
meant to report these amendments if the bill had been
fencd,
Mr. BENTON replied that the committee had resolved that
they would act subordnatey the will Of the Senate. II
the Senate should decide that did actually exist then they
should report ways but if the Senate should decide to
give the President the not to prosecute the but
only rspe INVASION then the committee would modify their
report another way, provide for pelng invasion
| instead Of prosecuting the war.
Mr. ALLEN said that the Committee Foreign Rea-
ons would have reported this morning, had not the bill from
the House in Immediately after the reading Of the jour
nal and before reports from committees were called for The
report Of the committee would have conormed substance
to the first section Of the House bill The committee had
designed report bill which the Senate might either ACT
upon independently insert amendment into the House
b the Senate should prefer to adopt the first section Of
the House bill STOOD then that their report should be su
ered sleep the table, The first section Of the bill from
the House Of Representatives contained substantially the
suits Of the action Of the Committee Foreign Relations
| and would have been in fact their report.
Mr.. j. M. CLAYTON inquired whether that committee
had bad before them the documents accompanying the Pres
dents message, either in manuscript in printed FORM
Mr. ALLEN replied that they had bad the documents be-
fore them 10 manuscript and had also heard the from
the President read and they could not close their eyes to the
fact garingy papabe that there state Of be-
tween Mexico and the United States even had they never
seen one Of the documents heard the message ALL
Mr. j. NJ. CLAYTON said II seemed also that the
mee could not close their eyes to another fact and that was
that the from the Government Of Mexico The
committee, however, had had the manuscripts before them
The Senate all knew how voluminous these Mr. G.
presumed that the committee had read them and, If they
must have been very laborous indeed But what opportunity
had Mr. g. and the Of the Senate enjoyed OF looking at
these documents The committee had enjoyed thsthe SEN
ate had not He for one desired TO have the same oppou
L - a.. 0-.-s~ l--.