The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1848-07-29
WASHINGTON, July n, 1913.
The TncutU-Cne Hours Npssi0n


The Senate met yesterday at IL A. NJ, and,
without recess, without pause in the pro-
ceedings, the thermometer at 80, they continued
upon the Territorial Bill till 8 A. NJ to-day, when
1t was passed, being an unbroken session in mid
summer of twenty-one hours.
1t Is unexampled in the history of American le-
gslauon. We venture to say that it Is the largest
continuous sitting in record since the landing
Columbus on San Salvador.
Let us briefly recapitulate from memory the
doings of this long heat on the legislative anvil
Mr.. Johnson of Md, led off in support of the
bill, beginning at half past H. and spoke about two
hours.
against the bill 1t was an absolute surrender on
the part of tha Smith. Say two hours and a halt.
Mr.. Dix, in a stronS historical argument for the
Wllmot proviso-one hour and half.
Mr.. Dayton, on the same side, in capital
speech, indicative of "A strong, well trained mind
one hour and half.
Mr.. Upham, in an unconditional attack upon
slavery-one hour
Mr.. Bell, In new, comprehensive, eloquent
and most interesting speech against the bill,
second only to Mr.. Corwin's-two hours and a
half.
Mr.. Berren, in MASSIVE and well compacted
legal argument, IN support OF the bill and Southern
slaveTy-say two hours and half
This brings down to about one o'clock, A. M.
Of Thursday, an aggregate of some thirteen hours
discussion.
Mr. Baldwin savage against the blll-one hour
Mr. Bradbury, IN opposition to it,-one half hour.
Half past 2, AM-An effort several times repeated
to adjourn. No go.
z So that at about half past two, A. NJ, Mr. Niles
took the floor with the distinct avowai that he
should speak for two or three hours. Like Mr.
Baldwin, he spoke to empty chairs, there being at
one time only five Senators present But in two
instances he soon called in htty-odd Senators to
their places on motion to adjourn, and then he
would tear away again for half an hour until the
Senate was depopuated, when he would proceed
very quietly, and with good deal of humor-his
evident object being the consumption of time.
He spoke, as Mr.. Foote said, till
" Meek Aurora, daughter of the dawn,
Sprinkled with rosy light the dewy lawn
or about two hours. Mr.. Atkinson, Mr.. Bright,
and Mr.. Dickinson, in defence of the commit
tee, sustained the debate till six o'clock, A. NJ,
when the work upon the amendments commenced.
Mr. Benton here came in, fresh as the morning,
having gone Otto his comfortable bed at home
sometime In the night, with the express declaration
that though he could sit out the dog days, he
was not going to sit out the dog nights. He
made brief speech for the bill because it would
give governments to the territories, which they
wanted above all things.
the oldest members, weathered the long hot night
through. The day and the night were most OPP
pressiyely hot and sultry.
Mr.. Bright, in his speech, said that if under this
bill the South choose to take their slaves to Cali
iornia, let them 60 there.
Mr.. annegan-(Very emphatically) let
them go there.
Mr.. Bright-Yes sir, let them go there.
This had good effect on Southern members,
but II remains how this declaration and the votes
of Messrs flanagan and Bright, Dickinson,
Douglass, and Breese, against the provisO tor Ore
gon, will tell at home.
MIR. Benton put in round aye for this proviso.
He is the man to take the responsibility Mr. Al
len is with him.
The bill was finally passed, and the Senate adj
journed at o'clock this morning, after, as we have
SAID, an unexamplad sitting of twenty-one hours
We sat them through it was a severe expert
ment, but we came off only with the adjournment
The Vice President, we believe, weathered the
entire campa ign, with an interval of an hour, now
and then, for refreshment and rest. Good night
and now for solid, substantial sleep of ten hours
TIE DOcTOR