Wheeling times and advertiser. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1839-1849, 1848-05-13
THlETIETH CONGRESS. First Session
Ws-hjngioY May, ., ISIS.
SENATE


The Vie President ist4 before ihs Senate
/ H.essaEe .fum ihe President. enclosing d
urul rom llp Secretary I'd war. communion
ing The Information in relation to the Choc-
iaVs cslie.. iof by resolution OF the Sen.
ale
Petitions and memorials were presented,
reports anH tlum COMMITTEES were made. and
resolutions introluced-none of which were
oi general inleust-By Messrs Yul-e. Dies
enson, Badger, Moor. Sturgeon, Westcott,
Dix. Johnson, Of Louisiana, Borland Dayton
aud Houston.
Nh Dix introduced bill concerning the
pay Department of The Army" which was
twice read and referred to lie Military Conn
miusc.
The resolution submitted several days
| since by Mf Johnston, of Maryland, requesting
the President to inform the Senate, whether
any commissions from the President, civil or
military. are be ID by anyone, which have not
been submitted to he Senate for is approval,
and it SO, why have they 50 been with
held.
Mr. Johnston proposed to strike ont the lat
ter part Of the resolution. SO as 10 merely call
on tde President, Tor the Tact, is to whether
thera are OF are not such officers in the public
service.
Mr. Allen said this removed but partially
his objection to the resolution. lie thought
is would be inst as proper tor The fry aldrHt
to c4Ii un the Senate for Information in regard
to their acts, as for the Senate 10 call upon
the President to call upon the President iur
such statement. He therefore, moved to
lay the resolution on the table.
Mr.. Johnson conieuded that there was moth
ing either unconstitutional or irregular in the
call lie referred TO the appointments. in
the recess OF the Senate, of Generals PILLOW
and Gushing, as the cases intended particu
idrly TO be reached by this resoluton-the
latter OF whom, he said, holding his commits
sion by the will OF the President, was now
actually sitting in judgment on one OF the
aOlest and creates. captains OF the day. Was
il that the President feared to submit the nom
e in5ton OF The former l. The Senate, that it
had been 50 long withheld? Was il the Pres
e idents design to withhold these nominations
h until near the close OF the session, with the
e view. il rejected, to have it in his power, to
, appoint two other such men-l ii were pos
1 slblc to find two such? IL insisted that The
; Senate had "a right 10 know the facts and the
= cause OF the delay.
e Mr.. Allen bad no idea, By condemnation
: here OF the Court OF Inquiry now sitting in
: Mexico, To PREJUDICE the proceedings Of that
court before they ara concluded. W hen those
proceedings were before them, would bt the
time 10 discuss that question. The Senate had
/ supposed a case in which, by delay the Pies
5 ident might abuse his power, and Tor which
e he would be justly censurabe; but that would
d not enlarge the powers OF the Senate-that
4, would not give to II powers not conferred by
) the constitution. The President might with
infinitely more pfopriety Gail on Congress to
know why they had not passed the ten regi
IS ment bill, any other particular measure,
u and when they expected to pass it.
= 1t was proposed by this resolution to do
/ virtually to- ards the President the same thing.
Ii was call on the Executive to know why
, he has not sent in certain appointments. He
!. was opposed 10 establishing any such system
y OF tIu ual inqui-ition Where the consitu-
% ton had prescribed the duties oil the several
: departments OF the government, Congress had
! no power 10 interfere, and this was clearly a
III case OF tina kind. II was for watching close
ly all attempts at all usurpation OF power, but
the tendency to such usurpations was much
greater in the Legislative than i'll the Execu-
tive Department OF the government.
y At the conclusion OF Mr. Aliens remarks.
= the resolution was passed over at the sug-
! sasliun OF Ms. Ilannegan, ana the Senate re-
y stunned the consideration OF the Nucaian hi l..
Mr.. Lewis addressed the Sc in opposi-
ton to the bill IN lis present shape, and pro-
:: posed aud amendment, III the form OF prealn
- bic to Mr.. DAVIS, amendment, aud which Mr..
/ ,.
~ tally that whereas an eXtermlnatng war is
~ now waged by the indians OF Yucatan against
-" the white population; and whereas Mexico, OF
which Iucdtdn Is d State, has been rendered
V incapable. by reason OF the war with the Uni
i te States, To render the necessary protection
=, TO Yucatan; and whereas, in th. existing state
mr. oil things, humanity and our duty TO Mexico
rl require that protection should be afforded &c
- Nlcatau by the United States, until Mexico
nd sualI be iii a ailuuG ii to extend that pfoec-
m ZION herself: therefore, the President is auhofl-
\ SD, &c, provided that Our protection shall
~ not beWilhlraWu until Congress is satisfied
that Mexico is in Condit ion to afford pro-
H. lection, and provided iurher, that nothing
r herein shall be construed 10 warrant tlie per-
he maueut occupation or annexation OF lucatan
Al 10 the UaileJ States.
~. Mr.. Mics followed. lie expressed his sur
A.. prise atJhe urgency with waichlmnedldtt ac-
Iiuu Oh tala t!u wds pressed, anl commented
at some ieugth on Tie message o! the Presl-
lr dent, ana the proposition OF lucaian to dell
tie yer up sovereignty To y States. Whether the
IS humanity OF the measures suggested by the
d. Executive was excited by the prutler OF sover-
eighty on The pert OF lucaIan, he would not
OF pretend to say.
Mr. n thea proceeded to discuss the mrr-
ce its OF the bill, drawing distinction between
ch the bill and the message, the former which,
he he said, did not cover the whole ground EN-
braced in the latter. The bill was Tor particu-
q lar purpose but the message Went much tar
of Their. He contended that neither the decara
ton of Mr. Munroe, the peculiar position of
he people OF luCalau, nor the principle of
nj non intervention, warranted the interference
n proposed. He was, Tor one, unwilling 10 take
ii lhv responsibility OF eXtermlnaung the Indian
1t population OF fucatan, Independent OF other