The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1847-12-20
: CITY. OF WASHINGTON.
MONDAY NIGHT. DEC. go, ls47.
Congressional.

1
/ |
| Congressional.
u The Senate during the morning hour, the usually
,bsr uninteresng routine Of business proceedings was
.,;yenel by an eloquent speech from Mr. Dix on the
.otaion of two petitions from the officers OF the army
Congress to adopt certain measures to secure to
ned and disabled officers and to the widows and orphans
bose slain in battle, that support and sustenance winch
nav merit at the hands Of the country whom they nave
,.y.d and in whose defence they have fallen Inc
ons were prepared on the 18th of August last, JUS
l ho ave Of the march to the valley OF Mexico and to
,h,o are amended the names Of Scott, Worth, Quman
r,1waIIader, Shields, Twiggs Pillow, Smith, keaTny'
~ ,,v,r3s Of two hundred others" which,
l Mr. Dix remarked, sthose who bear have by 'heii
u.n,rv made familiar to the country" We shall give
m renort of the remarks OF the honorable senator TO-
morrow evening The petitions were ordered 10 Dc
printed. :,
An interesting debate arose on mouoh ohered ny WI
Calhoun fixing Tuesday fortnight as the day Tor the con
alteration of the resolutions offered by HIM few days
since
Mr. Allen remarked that as the resolutions coming
from such quarter entitled to great consideration
involved questions OF great Importance, and were wha
somewhat ambiguous in their terms, he desired some ex
panaon of their purpor from the honorable senator he
wished to know whether the senator meant to exclude
the idea Of any territorial indemnity from Mexico
Mr. Calhoun replied and said that the great question
now was whether the nationality of Mexico was to be
ey,ngushed or not and it to that point that his res
/ outions addressed themselves.
Mr. Allen then suggested that the resolutions should
be referred to the Committee Foreign Relations That
was he conended, the proper in order 10 secure
the due and deliberate consideration of the subject
Mr. Calhoun objected to such course the ground
that it would be an infringement of his rights. He in
sisted that he had right first TO be heard in explanation
OF his resolutions; and that it would be unfair to send
them toa committee, to whose report he would be called
on to reply instead of explaining beforehand his views
He took occasion to add that what he wished to guard
against was an end not heretofore contemplated, and
probably not intended, but which would be disastrous
the humiliation of the sovereignty OF Mexico
Mr. Allen argued that the reference to the committee
instead of infringing the rights of the senator, was re-
ally the most respectful procedures would secure thor
ough scrutiny of the proposition; and in accordance
with the usual practice of the body, He then made
remarks in opposition to what he conceived to be the
opinion of The senator from South Carolna-that terrific
rial indemnity and the humiliation OF the sovereignty of
Mexico were Identical. That opinion Of the senator
furnished, in his opinion, additional reason for the
reference to the committee, who could investigate the
subject and ascertain whether these things iden-
teal
Mr. Calhoun rejoned and remarked that he had been
misunderstood by the senator from Ohio His resolu-
lions did not involve the question of territorial indemnity
at all His views on the Mexican war remained alto
geher unchanged.
Mr. hon hot hofo into fha nj
discusson the great public measures which called for
Immediate attentionthe recruiting of the ranks of the
army and so on-would be taken up and passed. He,
for one as member of the Committee Foreign Rela
TONS did not desire the reference of the resolutions OF
the honorable from South Carolina and he hoped
that the motion of the senator from Ohio would be with
drawn
Mr.. Allen then withdrew his motion.
This conversational debate was continued a motion
Of Mr. Dickinson that his resolutions should be made
the order Of the day for the day preceding that fixed for
the consideration of the resolutions of the senator from
South Carolina
Mr.. Cass took the opportunity to express his concur
in the suggestion of the senator from Arkansas
[Mr Sevierl with regard to the proprety of giving the
public business precedence OF all other matters He
perfectly willing to hear the views of the senator from
South Carolina, which would be intelligent striking,
and Of great weight But he thought that the proposition
submitted by that gentleman not at all practical
MIR. Calhoun replied at some length, and insisted that
his resolutions had the decided practical application
to the present state OF affairs They were going on to
finale probably not anticipated, which would place this
country in most perplexng position and it against
that that he wished guard by this early expression of
opinion All the difficulty arose, he said, from
going to war without declaration of 1t i'm
potant have decision to what they intended to do
order estimate the number of that needed
in the field, and the extent of other measures
Mr.. Cass thoughtthe objects Of the known
10 every man, woman, and child in the United States
they were satisfaction and indemnity. He could not
avoid regarding the resolutions of the senator
distractions
Some of the whig leaders sounding the keynote OF
the campaign of 1s4O--vz that the bank is dead the
tariff settled &c. They say. Why should stir the old
Issues, when they obsolete adjusted They pre-
lend that the tariff OF 1916 is TO remain, with only such
notifications its principle would recon-
mend This is the old humbug The extra session of
slshowed that these issues not defunct If they
should unfortunately succeed in 1913 under the same