The New York herald., 1848-12-20
THIRTIBTH CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
In Senate.


morning. This extraordinary Summer weather must
be attributable to the proximity of comet to the
to a change Of the wind, and It, continus noe, ss-
yeral weeks in succession, steadily from the island of
Cuba. Large visitation of strangers at the Capitol
Prayer. Journal Of Thursday last.
| MORNING. BUSINESS.
| Mr.. DICKINSON presented the memorial Of George
Wilkes, Of New York, in reference to railroad the
Pacific in opposition to Ara Whitneys plan
number Of petitions were presented, praying re-
On motion of Mr. WEsrcorr, the bill providing for
the cession certain swamp lands in Florida TO the
| taid State, condition of her drsining a certain
tract was taken up, and made the order for Wednes
| day next.
On motion of Mr.. DOUGLASS, the Senate took up the
bill providing for the admission of and New
Mexico, as single State, into the Union. He moved
that the bill be referred to the Committee Terrific
res.
that had been the custom to refer bills for
mission of States to the Committee the Judiciary
1.-THE Committee on the Judiciary, with single
ception, freG the South the Committee on the
Territories Is decidedly Northern in its composition
and rather adverse to the extension Of the peculiar
Mr. DouoLAss maintained that the Committee on
Territories was the appropriate committee and cited
OF two in opposition to those produced by
! MIR. Berrien
Mr. BrRRrEN rejoined, reading further extracts from
| the journal
Mr. DOUGLASS again replied in support OF his motion
for the Committee on Territories.
that the Committee on Territories had taken advsn
tage Of the South in the bill admitting WISCONSIN, df.
yiding 1t to admit six States out Of the North:
western Territory, instead Of five, the limit of
federal ordinance. He was, therefore, distrustfu OF
the Committee Territories, besides, in view pre,
cedents usages, and Of the vast legal and
tienal questions involved the judiciary the only
proper committee.
contended that the Of the territories was the
| proper business of tho Territorial Committee They
had nothing to do properly with bills for the admission
MIR. Douglass, Mr.. westcott, and Mr. Yulee, further
| debated the proposition of reference.
MIR. DOUGLASS, in order to test the Of the
Senate, called for the ayes and noes Ordered.
Mr. KING opposed the motion to refer the bill to the
Territorial Committee. Their division Of the terri
tory of Wisconsin, to leave territory enough
another State, was violation of the limit of the ord
nance of 'S7.
Mr.. DOUGLASS replied, and charged whatever difi.
culties had occurred the question Of admitting
States and organizing territories to the Judiciary Com
mittee.
Mr. BnIGnr advocated the reference to the Terri.
torial Committee From the peculiar composition Of
territorial State bill committed their hands, in
voving the vexed question now in agitation between
the North and the South, could be 80 shaped as to
receive the assent ef the Senate in any event.
to become law. Mr.. Bright desired this question of
the proviso to over to the administration, to
whom it properly belonged
Mr. BALDWIN sustained the views of Mr Bright, that
the territorial was the committee to which this bill
Mr. RusK opposed the motion, especially az the bill
contemplated total disregard of the rights Of Texas
conventions from their organizations NO evil
dence OF the wishes Of the people.
| MIR. BERRrEN and Mr. BUTLER strenuously insisted
that from and from the magnitude of the
legal questions involved, the Judiciary Committee
should have charge of the bill.
bla bill providing governments for certain terrific.
ries Of the United States and such should to the
| The question was taken and resulted as followst
Ys.sMsss Allen Ahestop Baldwin Bradbury Brssse
e.I; ss h
Atohson Badger Bell. Benton, Berron Dor
ad Butler Sah0gD Davis S ns Downs II Foo'e
King Ms'eae Psarss Rush. Turney Underwood sosOott
On motion Of Mr. BrRnIrs, the bill was referred to
I'VE recollect that, under Mr.. Berrien's care the
Oregon bill was delayed several years. and would have
failed last session but for the firm position Of Colonel
Benton. The reference, to-day, Of the California bill
to Mr. Berren and Mr. Butler we suspect will amount
to the postponement Of any action on the newly
qured territories In the way Of government till the
next session
Mr.. MILLER submitted resolution, asking Of the
President copies of all the correponde nee, il any
mister at Madrid in reference to the purchase Of Cuba
also copies OF such as may have taken
place between the American minister and the Spanish
government on the same subject. Lies one day.
| THE FINANcEs-THE GOLD LANDS.
On motion Of Mr.. ArHERroS, all those portions of
tariff the subtreasury and to the protest Of the es-
tabshment Of mint in California, were referred to
! the Finance Committee.
| DISTRACTED REPORT BILL
On motion Of Mr.. Downs, the Committee Of Finance
were instructed @ to inquire into the sxpediency Of re-
fornis for the purpose of conng the gold gatherings
cf the gold district into the gold coins Of the United
States at such per ceBtage will to the trca
sury an incemnihcation Of expenses, So
THE isrHMrs OF PANAMA--RAILRoAp PROJECT OF
| MEesRs. AsPiNwALL AND AssoCIATEs--MANFEsrA
| TIoNs OF A STRONG OPPOSITION MEASURE.
Pursuant to the order for the day, Mr.. BkNros
tsry Of the Navy to oontraes with Msssrs sAspinxa
| Stevens and Chauncey, Of New York, for the tran
sportation Of the mails and all public agents troops
stores munitions, &C., for term OF twenty years. BY
railroad across the lsthmus of Panama for a not
exceeding the amount paid to the steam mail line be-
tween Liverpool and New York-the contract 70 be.
gin when the road is In readiness for the of
| transportation.
Mr. BESroN said that the object of the bill intro
ducsd by him the other day, (and which read
second time0 was fully and clearly presented in the
paper itself and did not need any eucidation from
him. The Secretary Of the Navy was authorised to
make the contract, and the whole matter subject
to his control There propriety in thus subectng
mail steamers which had been the
line to California, could be at any tins converted into
Secretary of the Navy The parties named in the bill
were fully qualified TO execute the work. Mr. Ste.
phens the celebrated traveller, had made personal
survey Of the route aided by competent engineers =
Not merely the practiblity, but the cost, Of such
work had been accurately asoertainsd That gentle.
knowledge Of the subject then and without full
ledge of tuch subject II would be folly to undertake
the work. The company had another recommeu udation
They pefsessed adequate capital. Besides all this
they had the stropg motive Of sefinterest to urge
them to speedy accomplishment Of the work -
They had already put afloat three steamers OF the
! first class, which had cost them six hundred
| thousand dollars, which now engaged in
the business OF transportation from the other
side Of NE Isihmus. They had there already great
7 sum embarked in this business and they had there
fore, direct interest in making the enter prise
! cessful. There was another why they should
have this grant from Congress. They had 1t from the
! government which owned the country-the govern
! ment Of New Granada He would read to the Senate
the letter Of the Minister from New Granada IL
as follows (and he translated he went along, from
| the original Spanish y" Gentlemen-I have h ad
rious conferences with Mr. John L. stephens repre-
sentative Of the association which you have formed
and with sufficient power to solicit the privilege Of
structfon of a railway on the Isthmus of Panama,
the conditions which, in the name of my government
have proposed to give. From these conferences it
has nlted that Mr. Stephena hae gyen