Herald of the times, and Rhode Islander. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1846-1849, 1848-01-20
Congress-.
Wednesday, Jm. IL.
SENATE.

Hale, of New Hampshire, signed by 900
/ Unitarian ccrgymen and laymcn, asking Tor
tho withdrawal OF our troops from Mexico,
and the appointment Of Commissioner to treat
with that country.
Several petitions aud memorials were pre-
sentcd and referred.
MIR Sewer from the Committee on For
cign Relations, reported JOINT resolution
providing that board oi commissioners sha u
be established To ascertain aud determine
the amount Of claims of O"r cltiZ"Ds against
! Mcxico-wilh amendments declaring that
the United States shall ~ no case become
\ liable for such claims.
\ Mr. Yulee. from the Committee on Naval
\ Affairs, reported u bill for the relief Of the
forward officers of the Exploring Expedition.
Mr.. Dickinson of New York. moved To
take up his resolution. previously offered,
aud spoke at length on the subject, advoca
ting the annexation of all territory now IN
our pos csslon, leaving the slavery question
to be determined by the people inhabIting
such territory.
Il Messrs Yulce and Hale submitted subsii.
tu,es for the ton regiment bill. which they
intended to bring forward at the proper time.
n Mr.. CLAYTON resumed his speech upon that
bill.
HOUSE.
H Mr. Robinson of Indiana, offered a rcsolu
ton 10 stop debate upon the President:
Message at two o'clock this day, Wedncs
dayA On motion of Mr.. Stevens, this r"so'
.lnt,nn was laid on the table. Several public
and private bills were reported, aud referred
10 the Committee of the Whole.
la Committee. the discussion Of the Presl
dcnrsMcssage was resumed.
Thursday, Jan. l3
\ In the Senate, after the opening proceedings
the resolutions with regard TO army contracts
were passed.
n Mr. Brnons former resolution for the priui
ing of 5000 copies Of The history vi DJhphsh
2, Expedition, was adopted.
N Mr., Mauculn submitted the resolution re
| 0uIring the President TO communicate al iht
/ estimates aud plans upon winch Gen. Scott ha'
/ prosecuted the war wrh Mexico rot Incompat
! lble with the public interest
II Mr.. Johnson, of Louisiana, offered resolu-
! ZION calling upon the Postmaster General Tor IN
/ formation with regard TO the lsSs Of revenue u
rising from the expresses run on lines parallel IL
! The mail. between New Orleans aud Monigo
| merry Alabama.
Il Mr. DavlonS resolution calling FOR copies o
! CscneralScutS letters relative to turccd conlri
/ buttons IN Mexico, was adupted-sO were Mr
/ Badwin's resolutions calling for Mr.. TriSl'
/ correspondence.
II The bill to exempt vessels employed by th
! Colonization Society from the provisions of in
! laws regulating the number Of passengers 10 b.
! carried, was passed
Il The Senate then took up the order Of the
! day, and resumed the consideration of The
| ten regiment bill. Mr.. Pearce, Of Maryland
opposed the bill. regretling that he dIifere'
! SD widely from his colleague Mr.. Reverb,
n 4 4. & T.
| sltions. lie denied that the boundary O
Il Texas ever extended TO the Rio Grande, ant
cited Benton, Ashley, lngcrsol and othe
| authorities in support Of tins denial, aDd wen
into detailed review of the facts Of III,
case.
i Mr. Butler, of South Carolina, took tn,
floor, and the Senate adjourned over unit
Monday.
II HOUSE
n On molten Of hr. Evans. the vote by which
The resolution reported from tho Naval Com
mttee, relative TO the rank of Surgeons ia tn
army, was laid upon tho table. was reconsid
! cred and MIR Schsnck having explained ia
| character of the resolution, and expressed hi
u rngr.t th,t tho House should have treated
SO cayalerly, it was adopted.
II MESSAGE AS TO SANTA ANSA.-The repl
II of the President TO the resolution Of MIR. Cor
]
! return TO Mexico, was taken up and read. Th
| President refuses to communicate the lnslru,
tons given upon thi, subject TO our navo
! commanders in the Gnlt, because such comm
| nication would be Incompatible with the pub
| lie interests. lie cites Washington as pr c
! cedent, and saws that to produce the Intorma
| lion asked for might interfere with D"gotia
| tions for peace.
| Mr.. Truman Smith moved that the resolu
| tion be referred to the Committee on FUreigi
| Relations. Mr.. John Qnlncy Adams spoke o
II tho message ensrgctically. The whole hOus
/ crowded about him aud listened bf.athless
\ ly to his remarks. lie moved to refer the
subject TO special committee, who would
show tho President go says the despalch) tha
he is bound to furnish the informei!on asked
4 Nr Isaac f.. Holmes Of S c., fol lowed ant
/ expressed his admiration Of the tirmness of ia,
/ President in this matter, and TejoIced that h'
/ had taken Washington for ms guide. Mr.
/ Schenck Of Ohio, replied with great spirit. II,
/ thought il was time for the representatives. o
! the people To assert ther rights and refuse Il
. acknowledge MIR. Polk as their master
1 MIR. Toombs of Georgia replied, but
urged that the question was not whether
thu President could or could not withhold
in certain cases information which was
/ called for, but whether this was one oi
those cases. Mr. &. ]. Ingersoll of Pa,
followed, justlfying the Presidents course
and closed by moving that the subject
be referred to a Committee of the whole
House, and be made the order Of the day
for Tuesday next. After a few remarks
from Mr.. Collamer and Mr.. Tompkins,
this motion prevailed, and the House
adjourned.
Friday, Jan. II.
f, The Senate was not in session to-day,
having adjourned over until Monday. -
The House of Representatives was en-
gagged chiefly upon private bills of little
Importance, and reso buttons reported by
committees, which were read twice and
referred to the Committee OF the Whole
\ Mr. Robert Smith Of Illinois, from the
Committee on Roads and Canals, re-
ported a bill for the continuation of the
Cumberland Road
The House resolved itself into Com.
mlitee oftbe Whole-Mr. Howell Cobb
of Georgia, Chairman and took up the
private calendar.
\ The bill providing for pensions fol
widows of Revolutionary soldiers married
after the wat, reported from the Com