The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-06-18
IN CONGRESS- OF THE u. STATES.
Thirtislh Congress First se..ion.
FRIDAY, JUNE 10, ls4s.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.

did so with the view OF moving TO recomm for the pur
pose of cutting II down IN some respects He inquired
of the chair whether, since motion TO reconsider th'
engossmen has been laid the table, II would still be
in order to recomm
The SPEAKER said the bill might be recommitted
but no amendment could be received without suspen
sion of the rules.
Mr. MCKAY then desired to make brief statement
and then he would consent TO the third reading OF The
bill He would make no iachous opposition 10 the pas
MIR ASHMUN called the gentleman from North Caro-
lima to order There question before the Hoase
Mr. MCKAY Then do not withdraw my opJeouon
10 the third reading. ood ,hs
The SPEAKER said the bill could not be read the
third time now without unanimous consent Committee Of
Mr. VINTON | am instructed byihe Con'n . 60
WAYS and Means to move that the House 20 i''o ''
mtee Of the Whole on the stateoi Inc mon ,r,c,ed
Mr. ROCKWELL of Connecticut ,ba, S ,hs House 30
by the Committee of Claims to move tna' Inc hoe 81
Mr. MCKAY suggested to the gentleman IRON ONO
that for the purpose OF reducing the ha'a' app op'"
BILL he should move Its recomnitineht I'm Ill o
MIR VINTON replied that the army blll would neees-
sarly have to be recommtted pu as ye. 'e f h
of Wavs and Means had no communication from tne
President informing them that the military peace eslao
lishmen had been settled . -,
The first question was taken on the mouoh ny WI
ROCKWELL, and If was rejected.
THE FoRrIFIcATloN BILL.
The motion by Mr.. VNToN was then put and carried
and the House accordingly resolved itself into Committee
OF the Whole on the of the Union (Nr IALLMADGE
in the char) taking up the consideration OF the nexl
special order-to wit the bill making appropriations for
Notifications the United States Tor the year end
Mr. STANTON obtaining the floor first said he
should make OF the opportunity Tor the purpose OF
replying to the gentleman from Virginia, VII Atm Nm
son I who the other day based an attack upon him,
while speaking to an amendment OF the naval appropra
ton bill. He believed ii had been practice OF the
government frequently to direct that asroaomsal ana
meteorological observations be made at different tortl-
icalions and military stauons and as the gentleman
from Virginia made his remarks the naval bill, he
trusted that he would not be deemed disordery in
1tte,n which
the honorable gentleman from Virginia addressed his
remarks TO the committee, was the appropriation
OF two thousand dollars for the salary OF Professor
Espy employed for the purpose OF classifying and com
pairing the results of observations made on the subject OF
meteorological science MIR s. would go upon the gene
raj principle of the tha OF improvements for mill
tary purposes The War Department had directed the
observations of which he had spoken Nevertheless he
his object BE- to Ty to the Tttaea
tee would hear him witness that he made no previous
ausion to the gentleman from Virginia, in the part which
he had taken in the debate to which he alluded. lie
made attack upon that gentleman, or upon any body
else The considerations which he presented were all
presented in very simple and unpretendIng syle which
could give that gentleman no reasonable cause whatever
for his attack.
The gentleman referred to Mr.. John Quincy Adams's
message TO Congress in the year 1922 IN which, as Pres
dent of the United States he recommended the establish
ment of a national observatory. The gentleman from
Virginia took occasion to ridcule the phrase slight
houses OF the sky which the message uses with refer
to astronomical observaorles. Mr. s. here read
from report of the remarks by the gentleman from VIZ
ginia, and continued ]
Two years ago. (Nlr S said he had the honor to Of
fer amendment the naval appropriation bill. an
item to defray the expenses of printing and publishing
nautical almanac He had never with the exception OF
voting for the general appropriations bill and moving that
amendment taken any part whatever in the establish.
ment OF the National Observatory; although II he had
been in Congress when the bill passed which authorized
the erection of that work he should have voted for It
with pride and pleasure without supposng maj ne Wona
thereby have subjected himself to the charge of fed
erasm.
rOsp q n
Mr. ATKINSON begged that the gentleman from Ten
nessee might be allowed to proceed IL, a.,
Mr. STANTON continued He considered that the
gentleman from Virginia mistaken when he supposed
that the recommendation for the construction OF ma
onal observatory the principal cause OF the defea
of Mr. Adams, when he was a candidate for second
term
Mr. ATKINSON, Tin his seat) One of the causes.
Mr.. STANTON was aware that the expression IN the
message, sight-hnuses of the sky," was rdiculed by
this country; but the honorable gentleman oush
TO know that rdicule then no more argument than
the which he himself has now adopted by calling
this, that the other proposition federal measure OF
Otaer hard names.
Mr.. S proceeded to show that it ought to have been
known TO the gentleman from Virginia that president
Jefferson recommended appropriation Tor the ceebra
ted expedition of Lewis and Clarke in his annual mes
sage for the year 1903 and that upon his recommenda
ton Congress passed law authorizing that expedition
Among The instructions by Mr. Jefferson directed to
Lewis and Clarke, he found directions to make asro
homcal observations, extracts IRON when ne read, "A
every station they erect temporary obser vatory
and take observations from these houses OF the
sky" So if John Quincy Adams, when he recommend
ed the construction of national observatory was tread
ing on federal ground, Mr. Jefferson must have beer
tyeadng federal ground twenty years before him. lie
asked the gentleman from Virginia to favor the committee
with his views of the distinction between the principle
making an appropriation for permanent observatory
the city of Washington, and for these military peramhu
laory observatores by which men go all over the cou
try and make observations from various points IheTt
might be some difference in the expense OF the two OBJ
lects of appropriation but in purpose OBJECT ana pnc
pie, there no difference.
Mr. s continued for some time TO Justify his course
with reference TO these and other appropriations Tor the
advancement of science and the improvement OF the Ia
ctes for commerce; and to state how he had been sus
tanned his course notwithstanding the point OF his op
position to the Presidents veto of the river and harbo
appropriation bill had been fairly and fully made and me
before his constituents.
When he had concluded
Mr. ATKINSON obtained the floor, and proceeded tc
reply He professed to be man of peace In speaking
of the course of the gentleman IRON Tennessee he init
mated his belief that that gentleman was very careful
of little things as to expose himself to the danger of neg
lectng matters of serious weight and moment He
dscained any feeling of personal hostility to the gentle
man from Tennessee He wholly disavowed the inten
ton of making any attack upon that gentleman IN Com
mtee of the Whole; and proceeded to recapuiate VIVA
by appeals to the acts of the democratic Congress OF 1881
and other historical sources.
When Mr. A. had concluded .
Mr. VINfON said he believed the state OF the forl
cations now very well UNDERSTOOD and ne move
therefore that the committee rise Tor the purpose
taking measures for terminating the debate; which mo
hon agreed to-
Mr. " then submitted resolution, which was agree
to, terminating the debate in hall an hour; which wa