The daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1848-1851, 1848-05-12
Proceedings in Congress.

| MAJ 3-In Senate, after some business Of minor
| importance, Mr.. Butler, from the Judiciary Com
mttee. to which had been referred certain resoiu-
tons of the kentucky Legislature, in favor OF tho
passage of law in relation to slaves escaping from
slave-holding to non-slave holding States, made
long report, accompanied by "a bill, providing for
their arrest. the examination of testimony before
| any Judge, Clerk Marshal, Postmaster Collector,
or Commissioner of the United States for the State
where the arrest is made, and for their return to
| their owners. The report and bill We're read, and,
on motion of Mr.. Atchison, 10000 copies were
| ordered to be printed
| Mr. Hale offered resolution, which wasadopted,
| instructing the Judiciary Committee to inquire
whether any legislation is necessary to protect the
colored population of the non-save holding States
in the rights guaranteed to them by the constitution
Mr.. Douglass moved to take up the bill granting
to the State of Illinois the right of way through the
public lands, for railroad between the Mississippi
and Northern lakes, and alternate sections of those
lands to aid in the construction of such road the
motion prevailed.
debate ensued, and few amendments-on of
which, STIMULATING the condition upon which tho
United States mail should be conveyed over tho
road. when completed-were proposed The debate
participated in by Messrs. Douglass, Crttenden,
Cass, Benton and Foote, in support of the bill, and
by Messrs. Clarke, Butler, Niles, Calhoun, and
Bagby, in opposition, the constitutional question as
to the powers of the General Government to aid in
the construction of works of internal improvement,
being of course, introduced incidentally
Mr. Benton referred to the advantages which
would result from the construction of this road not
only to the State of Illinois but to the United States,
and MIR. Cass insisted that all the constitutional
questions involved had been repeatedly discussed
and settled, and the principle in such cases fully
established: The same view of the subject was
taken by Mr.. Calhoun, though he objected to some
of the features of the present BILL as not embraced
in the principle established. He was decidedlDin
favor of grants for objects of this description, but
in the present instance he thought the BILL in going
to the extent of twenty miles on each side Of tho
route of the proposed road went too far If tho
grant was limited to reasonable extent, he should
vote for the bill, but not otherwise.
In the course of MIR. Bagby's remarks, some alu-
sions were made to aspirants for the Presidency,
supposed to refer either to Mr. Cass Or Mr. Calhoun,
which called up Mr.. Calhoun, and induced very
sharp reply also from Mr.. Foote, and not less
pointed rejoinder from Mr.. Bagby. MIR. B. said that
his illusions were mainly directed to the Senator
from Kentucky, (Mr Crittenden,) and for him had
thought them very small matter The debate
finally took very pleasant turn, and terminated,
after this episode, in the passage of the billyeas
"a, nays H.
Mr.. Cass gave notice that he should tomorrow,
at l oclock, move to take up the bill authorizing
the raising of twenty additional regiments OF vol
unteers.
Mr. Atherton gave notice that he should call up
the West Point appropriation bill.
Mr. Foote introduced a bill for the relief of the
West Feliciana Railroad Company, which was
twice read and referred
Mr. Borland gave notice that he should, on Mon.
day, introduce bill granting to the State of Arkan-
sas the public lands therein unsold, in consequences
of overflow, for purposes Of internal improvements
Or other Objects under the direction of the State
The Vice President laid before the Senate COM
munication from VIM. Brent, presenting to Con-
gress portrait of Baron De Kalb Adjourned
In the House of Representatives. Mr.. McClelland
reported bill to set apart portion OF the public
lands to aid Mr. Whitney in the construction Of a
railroad from Lake Michigan to the Pacific, which
was read twice.
The House then, in committee Of the whole, re-
suned the consideration of the bill extending the
provisions of the act granting bounty lands to
soldiers in the Mexican war to those officers who
may have been promoted from the ranks, the qu.s-
ton pending being the amendment offered by Mr.
Thompson, of Mississippi, to include officers 80 pro-
noted during the last war with Great Britain.
The discussion was continued until the hour of
adjournment, and a further amendment to the
amendment, was proposed by Mr.. Lumpkin, of
Georgia, including also officers in similar cases
during the Florida war.
Without any action on the bill, the House ad-
journed.