Vermont watchman and State journal. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1836-1883, 1848-05-18
Congress.
MoNDAY. April 3.

favor OF Whltney's Railroad from Lake Michi-
gan to the Pacific. Ordered to be printed.
After the transaction Of some other unimpor-
tant business, the bill for the uid and relief OF |
Yucaian was taken up.
Mr.. Foote of Mississippi, called attention TO
Mr. Colhoun's misIcport ofremarks made by him
last Friday. He deemed it waste Of time to
contradict what that Senator said.
Mr. Calhoun took pleasure IN saying the re
port, as printed, was not correct. Ills remark
was general, and not personal.
Mr.. Houston then rose and made an able |
speech in support Of the bill. He defended the
war with Mexico, and charged that annexation |
caused the war, and not the march of troops to
the left bank of the Rio Grande, which no more
produced the war than the march of Gen. Tay-
ors forces TO Corpus Christi.
Mr.. Niles obtained the floor when
MIR. Green, of Rhode Island, moved that the
Senate go into Executive session.
Mr.. Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi moved to
take up the Volunteer bill, which would give the
President the necessary means to tct PROMPTLY
Mr.. Johnson, of Maryland moved that the bill
be laid on the table, MIR. Cass moved a resolu-
ton calling upon the President for all cores
pondence relating to Yucatan, which was adop-
ted Senate adjourned.
House.-Aiter the transaction of some untn-
portant business the House resolved itself into
committee Of the whole on the State ofthe Un-
ion, and took up the land bounty bill in favor OF
officers, promoted from the private ranks of the
army and others The bill and the amendment
was discussed by Mr.. Vinton, Mr.. Brown, of
Mississippi, Holmes, oil South Carolina and Cobb
Of Alabama. The debate closed, followed by
confusion and uproar in the way ofnumerous and
ridiculous amendments, embracing every thing
The Committee finally rose and reported the
bill unamended, which was read the third time
and passed.
TUESDAY, May 0.
Senate. Mr.. Johnson, of Maryland, moved to
take up the resolution which he had previously
offered, asking the President to inform the SEN
ate whether there were officers employed IN the
military service of the United States whose
nominations had not been sent in to the Senate,
and If so, his reasons for Withholding them.
Mr.. Johnson, in making the motion, addressed
the Senate in favor of the resolution. He siren
uousty contended that the President had not sent
In the nominations of Gen. Gideon ]. Pillow
and Gen. Caleb Gushing with the names of other
officers. lie said it was the first time in the
history Of our Government that nominations have
been thus unreasonaby delayed.
Mr.. Niles, Of Connecticut, contended that the
President, as an individual, was not subject to
the Senate or its mandates but that he, as the
Executive, was a coordinate branch of the Gov
crnment, and that, as such, was beyond the pow
err or control Of the Senate, and that the Senate
had no power to inquire into, or to call in qncs-
ton rights granted to him by the Constitution.
MIR. Johnson rose, and was about proceeding
10 reply, but Mr.. Hanncgan, of Indiana, moved
to take up the bill relating TO the relief proposed
to be supplied to Yucatan, in the way of military
occupation, &c.
MIR. Lewis, of Alabama, moved TO lay the res
outlon on the table, which was lost
MIR. Jefferson Davis, of Mississippi, said that
lao ll-I,N ha,.
important principle, and considered the ground
of the proposed intervention was wrong. He
SAID we could not base our action upon the score
OF humanity. Ii we were TO proceed upon such
preteXt, there was no knowing how far thai
ground might carry US in interfering with othe
nations under the same plea He preferred tC
put 1t upon the ground that Mexico owes protec
ilon TO Yucatan, and that as we nave put down
the ability in Mexico to afford that protec or
we owe it 70 the people of Yucatan, to subst
tute ourselves for Mexico, as their protection
until Mexico shall be able to perform duty she
has hitherto exercised.
Mr. Miller, of New Jersey spoke in strong
terms in opposition to the original BILL which he
characterized as the most extraordinary measur,
of war ard conquest.
Mr.. Niles ridlculed the idea of alarm bein.
manifested at the growth OF British power OF
this continent; he commended that we had moth
ing to fear from any power on earth, and we haC
no more reason to fear England than we had t
fear Mexico. lie concluded by saying tina
whatever could possibly be done for Yucatan, HI
was ready OH his part 10 do cheerfuy. On mo
ton, the Senate then adjourned.
HouSe.-The first thing in order was the mo
ton previously pending to reconsider the pas
sage Of the bill for paying the Regiment o
Texas six months volunteers, which was carried
So the bill again came up before the House 70
consideration.
Mr.. Burt, of South Carolina offered an amend
ment to the bill, upon which considerable de
bate ensued, in which Mr.. Burt MIR. Mckay U
North Carolina and others participated.
Mr.. Kaufman of Texas, moved to refer thu
bill with the amendments to the committee o.
Military Affairs, and went on to speak at con
siderable length in its favor After concluding
his speech, he withdrew his motion, and the bill
again caine up on its passage, when it was rea
the third time and passed.
The House resolved itself into committee O
the whole on the state of the Union, and took u
the bill for admitting Wisconsin as a State int
the Federal Union.
Mr.. Bovine moved the reference of the bill
TO the appropriate committee; lost. The debat
upon the merits, of the bill was continued b.
Mr.. Vinton of Ohio Mr., Wilson, of New Hamp
shire, and Mr. Lane of Maryland, and others
when the committee rose, reported progress an,
the House adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, May TO-
Ssnate.-The resolution calling upon the p res
ldeet Tor the names OF persons serving in the ar
my OF the United States whose nominations hat
been withheld from the Senate, was taken up
Mr. Reverdy Johnson addressed the Senate il
favor of the resolution in reply to the doctrn,
previously advanced by Mr.. Allen. He conten
ded that the Senate possessed the right to de
lnand Of the President the information sough
for in the resolution. The Constitution declared
the appointing power TO be vested in the Prcsi
dent, "by and with the consent Of the Senate !;
that no appointment was complete, until the par
ty nominated was confirmed by the Senate. 1h,
President could only select or nominate person
for office, while their confirmation rested solel,
with the Senate. The Constitution conferred NJ
power on the President to appoint persons to fiji
high ana respectable offices IN the army, or 9th
er departments of the Government, without tn
advisory and c,nsentng action the Sena e, ex
cept in the recess of Congress. In such cases
appointments were considered temporary, to con
tnue until the Sehate's sanction could be ob
tanned.
To make appointments during the recess, ant
10 fail in submitting them to The Senate, wal
neither consonant with constitutional require
ments or with uniform precedenls.
If the President had The right TO withhold nom