Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1846-05-07

l
Mon bill was taken up.
Mr.. Sims, of Mich. made brief speech against
the consuonality Of accepting the trust devised
by Mr. Smithson, and hoped the fund would be
returned to the heirs of the iestator unimpaired,
and IN the meantime be considered as in the Trea-
sury of the United States.
i Mr. Adams spoke for about an hour, and ndvoca-
ted the amendment or substitute he had offered for
the bill He said we must catch the hare before
we sold the skin. The money was not in the Trea-
sury, and would be necessary to enforce the pay
ment of the State bonds in which it was invested,
before 1t could be appropriated.
Mr. Sims begged to remind the gentleman from
Massachusetts, that in a report he had made on
THIS subject, few years ago, he had taken the
ground that the money should be considered as in
the Treasury, and that the United States had be-
come the creditor of the States in whose bonds
the fund has been invested, and was bound for the
puncual payment of the principal and interest.
Mr.. Adams replied that since that report was
I made he had had some experience which proved
that the money was not in the Treasury, and that
we must get it there before we could appropriate it.
4 Mr. Adams was here interrupted by message
from the President of the U. s., that he had yes
terday signed and approved joint resolution con-
corning the Oregon territory. The notce.l
Mr. Adams most suspicious interruption,
Mr.. Chairman, a most suspicious interruption.
Mr. Adams then went on to state his objection
to the principal features of the bill. The normal
school he was opposed to entirely. lie advocated
the collection Of a large library.
The debate was continued by Messrs Johnson,
of Tenn, Rathbun FIckn, Thurman, Ewing, of
Tenn, Yell, Owen, and others, until the rising OF
the Committee.
On motion of Mr. Hopkins, resolution was a.
dopted that all debate upon this bill shall cease in
Committee in one hour after it shall have been a.
gain taken up.
The House then adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, April 30.
SENATE.-In fhp TO n
municaton was received from the Secretary of
war, in answer to a resolution, transmitting some
recent information in relation to the Copper Mines
!, on Like Superior
MIR. Jarnagin, on leave, introduced joint res
ouon in regard 10 claims of citizens of the Uni
ted States, upon the Republic Of Mexico" Of which
he had given notice yesterday. Mr.. J. said it was
not his intention TO ask for action upon his resou-
ton tor some days, but he desired it TO be read for
: the information of the Senate. 1t read &C
cordlngly, and proved to be a long preamble, set
ting forth the repeated outrages committed by the
} authorities of Mexico upon the persons and prop
crty of our citizens, since 1921, and the repeated
! ondeaVors made for series of years, in friendly
manner, to obtain redress 1t also sets forth that
the government of Mexico has dsregarded her
own obligations, which are now unpaid and having
rejected Our Minister aud every pacific overture, 1t
; leaves 10 the u. s.. the only alternative OF per-
) emptory demand for settlement, and concludes by
resolution authorizing the President, with the
consent of the Senate I'm nnpoint n BOARD to as
certain and adjust all ciaims Of our citizens against
the said Republic. The resolution was read sec
, ond time and referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations
On motion of Mr. Morobcod the Committee on
The Library was instructed to enquire into the eX
pedlency of distributing the copies Of the Amerl
can Archives, now in possession of the government,
among the Historical Societos and Universities Of
the country
/, The Senate then took nm the bill granting alter
nate sections of tho nnhlic domain To mid in the
completion of ccrtnn works of internal improye-
meni in Micbioan.
Mr. Calhoun said il wos not only the rirht but
the ddy of the United States TO afford aid TO works
running thronph the public lands bv which the
value of these lands would be enhanced
Mr. Niles opnosed the bill and EXPRESSED his
surprise at the new ground taken by the Senator
: from North Carolina who had battled SO long and
), so manfully in support of the Constitution.
Mr.. Calhoun Iejoined. and expressed his surprise
, at the remarks OF the Senator from Connecticut
: He had taken new ground He had acted upon
the principles he now declared for the last 30 years
This was not question of internal Improvements
by the goyernment-it was mere question OF
propnetorshp.
Mr.. Niles Explained that he had not intentionally
mlsrepresented the Senator from South Carolina
dis remark was SO general that it might easily be
misunderstood.
The debate further continued by Messrs.
Cass, Niles, Breese, Westcott, Archer, j. M. Clay
tom Benton, Huntington, and others, after which
the bill was slightly amended and passed. Ayes
26, Noes l.
The Senate then adjourned.
HousE.-.p the House of Representatives, the
Smithsonian bill was taken up in Committee of the
Whole.
Mr.. Hamlin advocated the bill, and opposed the
substitute which had been proposed by Mr.. Adams.
The money should be deemed to be in the treasury
of the U. s., and could not be properly any where
else. If the government has invested it, it had
done so at It's own risk, aud was responsible for
the principal and interest. Mr.. IL. said he had no
doubts about the constitutional power of the gov
eminent to accept the trust, and he INDUCED the
hope that the present opportunity of carrying into
effect the design Of the tcstator, would not be lost
H., Sunrnstnd cotno modification of the hill and