Indiana State sentinel. [volume] (Indianapolis) 1841-1853, 1848-02-24
Published every Thursday. ]
Correspondence of The Indiana State Sentinel.


The House in Committee of the Whole to-day, has
had under consideration the Senate bill for the relief
of the heirs of John Paul Jones. This the first
Senate bill of the session. introduced BY Mr.. Hanne-
gan, and passed in that body the day and it
is an exact copy of the bill Of the same title which,
after being weeks before Congress- was passed on
the last day of the last session. and only failed be-
come law through the want of the form OF signing
by the President. 1t was lost from among the bills
taken from the Senate to the Vice Presidents room
where the President aifixing his signature and
was recovered till after the hour which closed the
session. and also the Presidents authority to sign. In
stead of being considered now as having passed
through the several stages Of its passage, debate
upon its merits has taken again the widest range
der the lead of Mr.. Starkweatber of New York, and
Mr.. Root, of Ohio. But Mr. Holmes, of S. c., stood
up and spoke an hour for the claimants: and he
was sustained by Mr.. Rockwell of CT, in such terms
of force and fairness to sweep away all the grounds
of cavil.
The bill provides for the payment to the heirs Of
Commodore Jones, and of the American officers and
seamen under his command, (sharers in the prize
sells of which they were robbed by the Danish Gov
ernment) the sum of upwards of one hundred and
thirty thousand three hundred doars-the portion be-
longing to the heirs of the Commodore being about
twenty-four thousand dollars. This is the original
estimate of the value of the prizes without interest
1t contended by those who opposed the bill that,
because the Commodore, in his lifetime. had consent
ed receive for the robbery of the Danish Govern
ment, an annuity Of fifteen hundred pounds sterling,
he had thus taken the of the hands of this
Government, which made responsible, by tho fact
that these prize vessels into the power of the
Government of Denmark, by direction of DR.. Frank
ln who was at Paris at the time, in the capacity Of
Envoy and Minister Plenpotentiary of the United
States.
On the part of the claimants in the BILL it was con-
tended that the United States by the treaty with Den
mark made through Mr.. Wheaton, in 1880, assumed
the payment of this claim and the fact that the
Government of Denmark had agreed to pay the annu-
ity to the Commodore could only be taken as evidence
of the business of the claim.
This opposition and procrastination (for it can
amount to nothing else in the House, is characterized
here as sort of veto-''a drop-veto," it is call
ed and certainly Gift succeed) it will prove drop
game to the suffering claimants
day. in answer to Mr. Bots's resolution of the 18th in
stant calling for all or any proposition propositions
for peace received from the Mexican authorities and
not heretofore communicated to Congress. This puts
the finish to all of peace propositions, manu-
featured by the letterwrters here and that other ru-
NOR of the N. Y. Herald, that Mr.. Clay and the OPP
posers Of the here Insgated Gen. Scott to treat
for peace with Mexico under their pledge that though
his treaty might not be approved by the President il
should nevertheless be respected by Congress- is also
equally without foundation. This rumor is not only
false, but it is impossible because it would make civ
il war in the army and effect nothing more, at last,
than could be prudeniy effected by the rascaly
proposition to withhold the army supplies.
have little doubt OF peace before the close of the
year and it may be effected through the Intervention
of the British Consul, Mr.. Mcintosh but the basis
and the manner of it has not yet transpired.
Mr.. Robinson, of Indiana is still in bad health.
Both Houses have adjourned over till Monday.
Mr.. Clay attracted large crowd of the elite into
the Supreme Court room to-day and spoke two hours
and half to some unmportant case without Impress
ing a single point Of his argument upon the mind of
graduate of Old Yale College. He processes that
he much delighted with the orator that he for
got the speech. ID.
To the House Of Representatives. Of the U. States:
In answer to the resolution of the House of Repre-
sentatives of the 7th instant, transmit, herewith
report from the Secretary of State.
No communication has been received from Mexico
containing propositions from the Mexican authorities
or Commissioners for treaty Of peace, except the
"counter projet," presented by the Mexican Commits
sioners the Commissioners of the United States, on
the 9th of September last-a copy of which, with the
documents accompanying il, | communicated to the
Senate of the United States, the I'd inst A copy
of my communication to the Senate, embracing this
"proiet," is herewith communicated.
JAMES X. POLK.
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 1S4S.
CoNGREss.-The present whig Congress has now