Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1847-02-16

Mr.. Sewer. Mr. President, am on The floor
or am nol3
The Vice President. The Senator from Ar
kansas has he floor
Mr. Sewer. Then shall submit 10 the deci-
sion OF the President, and not OF Senators on the
other side.
MIR. Webster called the Senator 10 order, and
words between Mr.. w. and Mr.. Sewer, The
chair decided that MIR. Butler was entitled TO the
floor.
MIR. Butler then made few remarks and
moved the appointment OF Select Committee TO
investigate the subject, which would afford the
editor Of the Union an opportunity 10 make his
defence, before verdict should be rendered
against him.
Mr.. Sewer then moved 10 postpone the subject
until TO morrow. The motion was nesaived.-
Yeas 90, nays "a.
Mr. Allen then took the floor. lie was glad
that the Senator from Florida, had Withdrawn
the second resolution, as it prevented The necess-
~ OF deciding The very difficult question, whether
reporters should have right 10 report any part OF
The proceedings OF the Senate without reporting
every word Of them. MIR. A. then reverted 10
the first resolution, and denied the poprie,y OF
the Senate making any distinction between the
editor OF paper published in Washington, and
one published in New Orleans, or New York. or
any other place. He denied that The public
printer was an officer Of the body. The Senate
itself had decided that he was not an officer but
a contractor MIR. A. then went back 10 the
alien and sedilon laws, The law Of libel, &c.
Mr.. Sewer said he knew that any thing he
could say would not save Mr.. Richie for The de-
cree had gone forth, and he was 10 be executed
before they got their dinners. He thought, how
ever, that The whole thing, inse ad of injuring
MIR. Richie, would only end in making the Sc.
male ridiculous and instanced the trial OF General
Sam. Houston, many years since, before the
House for Gaming one oil its members.
MIR. Turney did not approve The epi,het "MeIi-
can viclors," which had been applied in The arli-
Gle in The Union though he could see no offence
in il, and thought himself thai The action OF the
Scnale referred 10 had Injured To The benefit oil
Mexico, and against this country. Alter some
farther remarks, he said there were aspranls in
the Senate for The Presidency, one OF whom with
his small body OF adherenls, could, by joining The
opposite party, defeat every measure brought for
ward, and that he alone was responsible for The
consequences 10 the country.
Mr.. Calhoun said, that as every one on the
floor must know that the alusion was To himself
il could not be thought ndelica,e in him 10 no
tice il be was not and never had been, an as
pirant Tor the Presidency, and the Senator from
Tennessee had uttered libel upon him il he
mean, 10 say that he was influenced in his action
upon any question BIZ any aspirations after the
Presidency. lie would not turn upon his heel 10
be President of The United States, elected as The
Presidents had been for several years past
Great evils had grown up Of late, and he attribu-
led them 10 the miserable system Of caucussins,
which had created parties in every Slate, govern
ed entirely by selfish considerations and desire TO
grasp The spoils of office. This had created such
state of party feeling, that il could not enter INTO
the minds of some people 10 conceive that Sc
nator could be influenced by any other conside-
ratons in his course upon public measures.
A highly interesting and exciting debate fol-
lowed, in the course OF which Mr.. Turney charg-
ed Mr.. Calhoun with having done more to bring
on the present war, by the annexation OF Texas,
which was the cause OF The war, than any other
man, and yet he had refused 10 vote Tor The bill
recognizing The war, and giving men and money
10 prosecute l.. He also said that he was The per-
sou WIN defeated the Lieutenant General bill.
Mr.. Calhoun replied al some length, and gave
a history Of the circumstances which led 10 the
annexation OF Texas. As 10 The immediate cause
Of the war, II was, as every one must know. The
marching OF our troops from Corpus Christi 10
the Rio Grande. If our army had remained al
Corpus Christi, The war would not have taken
place. 1t would be found, reference TO the files
Of The State Department, should call be made,
pOSoOSoIOH
nation before the march was made, that if The
army remained al Corpus Christi, the Mexican
forces would not or. IS The Rio Gfande. He had
no doubt The President thought the Rio Grande
was the boundary of Texas but then The grave
question arose, what right had the President 10
settle boundary without tbe authority Of Con-
gress?
Mr.. Tu,ney replied 10 Mr.. Calhoun and ad-
dressed the Se2ate al some length.
MIR. Yulee said that it was apparent that The
Senator from Tennessee meant il 10 be supposed
that this resolution was the product OF balance
of power party. The contrary was the case
The resolution was The result Ut his own indig
nant feelings
Mr.. Turney enquired whether Mr. Y. did not
consult with MIR. Calhoun previous TO offering
the resolutions.
Mr.. Calhoun said it would herhaps be more
proper for him 10 answer the question. On com
ing to The Senate on The morning in question he
found Mr.. Yuee greatly excited. That he (Mr.
W called his attention 10 the article, and asked
what he thought OF it. He replied, that he thought
il very infamous article. Mr. Y. then asked
him il he thought il should be noticed, and he
replied that he thought il was proper occasion
on which TO bring il to the notice Of The Senate.
Mr.. Yuee then proceeded 10 defend h'mseii ana
eulogize MIR. Calhoun's high character and tai
Turney.
Mr.. Butler Of S. G., made some remarks in
reference 10 Mr.. Turney's remarks as 10 The bal
ancc OF power patty, very Indignantly denying
The existence OF any such party on his palt, and
saying that the Senator from Tennessee, might
be one Of those who did net believe any one else
could act from scrupies of conscience on a con-
sli,utonal point, and mol go 5lindly with his party
like himself.
MIR. Turney made another speech in reply.
A er some words oil explanation by Messrs.
Allen and Yulee, the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
The question pending this morning was mo
ion of Mr. S,rohm Tor call o! The House, made
last evening, when The House adjourned without
a quorum. The motion was this morning suS-
taincl, and the roll having been twice called II
members answered 10 their names, and further
proceedings under The call were suspended.
Mr. Ralhbun rose 10 4 question Of privilege
and offered resolution requiring the Secretary
Of The Treasury 10 communicate forthwith 10 The
House the names Of the secret agents or inspec-
tors employed by the Department, or who have
been employed since The 4,h March, 1915.
The Secretary of The Treasury, he said, had
neglected TO comply with The will OF the House
on this subject, made some time since, and his
obiec, was TO compel compliance.
Mr. Dromgooe objected to The reception OF
the resolution, and commended that il was not
question OF privilege. The Secretary had alrea-
div made report which, on motion Of the gentle.
man from New York himself, had been referred
10 a committee, which committee had not vet
reported.
Mr.. Ralhoun said that The Secretary had made
no report On This part OF the call, and he desired
the information, that he might move 10 refer ii to
The same commitiee.
The Chair decided that ii could not be consi-
dered question OF privilege, and il was for the
House 10 decide whether The resolution should be
received The Secretary OF The Treasury had
no, refused to furnish The names, but had made
report in which he stated that so 10 do would be
detrimental to the public Interests.
Mr.. Ralhbun appealed from the decision oil The
Chair and proceeded to give his reasons Tor de-
string that the information should be furnished
Among other things, he stated that the Secretary
Of The Treasury had represented, in his report, The
number Of secret agents or inspectors employed al
only nine, while he (Mr. Ralhbun) had received
letters from various sources, ASwing that within
The State OF New York alone, The number had
-, 10