Richmond palladium. [volume] (Richmond, IA [i.e. Ind.]) 1839-1854, 1848-01-26
Number >

oiu,ion to be engrass-d and decided in the mega
.ire. 50 tine resolution was Killed.
On motion Of Mr.. Niniop, the House resolved
itself into Committee Of the Whole (Mr. Joseph
K. lngersol in the Chair ard took up tho Prcsi-
dents Message for reference.
Mr.. McCiernaud, of ll..aois, addresed tho
committee at length.
4 He went into general defence Of the meas
ures of Mr.. Polk. the war question aud the veto
OF the harbor and river bill included.
Mr. Stanton, of Tennessee, followed. aud took
ground against the doctrines laid down in the We
TO message by the President. He reviewed tho
arguments of the President, and argued To show
that they We're incorrect. lie replied 70 thu
speech of Mr.. Rhett, made on former day ON
the subject of internal improvements
Mr. Stewart, OF fennsy lvania next obtained
the floor. when nation vas made for iae CONF
miitee TO rise. which was agreed 10.
;, On motion of Mr. Stephens. Of Georgia, tho
House adjourned
Tuesday, January ~.
On melton OF Mr.. Nin,on. the House resolved
itself into committee OF the whole Mr.. Joseph
K. lngersoli in the Chair. and took up the Presi
dents message.
Mr. Andrew Stewart, took the floor and ad.
dressed the committee for an hour in reply 10 the
compliment paid yesterday to Mr.. Polk. a. the
model President. and sn review and dcnuncia-
ton OF Mr.. Waiker's last Treasury report.
Mr.. Nenabie. of North Carroll ma, followed In
the defence OF the Presidents conduct in vetoing
the River and uIlbor bill, and prosecuting the
war.
Mr.. Rockwell of Connecticut, next obtained
the floor. and sPohc a, length, mainly against tho
veto message of the President.
After him. Mr. Lincoln. OF Illinois. took tho
Noor, when, on motion tho committee rose, ana
the House adjourned.
Wednesday,, January ~
The chair announce ed that the resolution rcpor-
ted yesterday from the committee on claims, re-
pecting list of all claims prese nted to Con.
gress since the 18Th Congress. was first in order.
Mr.. billiard, from tho committee on foteiEn
relations; reported bill remodeling our diplo-
matte system. The report presents "a history Of
the dip omatc systems o. the civilized world
down to the sitting of the Congress ut Vienna.
where thee grades were established, to-witi Am
bassadors, Ministers rieni potentiary and Extra.
or,linary and Ministers Reside ut. II gives n his
tory Of own three grades. viz: Ministers
Plenipotentiary aud Extraordinary Ministers
RESIDENT; andChargc de Affairs: aud it propo.
ses AN alteration in the grades, as 10 send oc-
casioualy, Ambassadors to Governme nts where
the spirit of Rcpualicanism is bursting into exis-
tence. 1t recommends Mission To Rome Of
OF the higher grades. aud presents the rea.
therefor. The bill was read and referred 10
in the usual method.
Mr.. Jameson. of Missouri, next obtained the
floor, but gave way for u motion that the Conn
mittee rise, which was carried. and then.
On motion the House adjourned.
Thursday, January -
The reply Of the President to the resolution Of
the House, calling for information aud instruc-
items relating to the return OF General Santa
Anna into Mexico, was taken up and read. IL
refuses to omply With the call inasnuch the
President deems II Incompatible with the public
interest to furnish and wake public the instruc-
lions called for. The Pre- sidert refers to niece.
dents during Washngton's administration, for
his line of conduct in this matter. Negotiations
for peace might be interrupted by the publication
of the document called for. lie states that
although he is in possession Of such information
laJ b.dcn led for al / nl anNln
hejr - ..s,"ro that. in his opinion, it would DO
nicaie il. ="
Mr.. Truman Smith moved 10 refer il to tho
Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mr. John Quincy Adams rose and addressed
the Speaker. Immediately the whole House
crowded around him in breath!ess attention. HIS
moved that the message be referred TO Select
Committee, OF which he wished not to be a menu
ber and hoped report would be made which
would show the Presidcn, that he bound to
communicate information Of tho public nature
which the House Of Represe natives had called
for.
fervor, complimentcd the President upon his
firmness on this occasion. lie hoped lac would,
all his ofic ial acts, he had done in this act,
take Washington for his guide.
Mr.. Schenrk replied. and in indignant tcrms
asked If the President was 10 be the master Of
the people and their rerresentatives--to tell
them that although they had called upon him for
inform alton in relation to some OF his public acts
aud he possessed it, yet he deemed himself moro
capable than they to say whether il Ought TO bs
made public or not--ihat he did consider il incon-
sistent with the public interest TO make il public,
and therefore he should mt communicate il. lilo
should keep it TO himself
Mr.. Houston. OF Alabama, ne 1t took the floor.
and warmly defended tie Pre- side in the mattsr
and replied to the remarks Of Mr.. Schen mex.
Mr.. Toombs Of Georgia, followed, and decar-
ed his preference for the motion 10 refer ths mes
sage TO a select committee.
IIa Sttnr or hal. NtsA MT
would be justified in certain cases IN Withholding
from Congress informaiion in relation 10 public
affairs, which might be called for, but whether
this was one of those cnses.
Mr.. Charles J. Ingersoll (ihe chairman Of the
Committee en- rules, which reported the new
rule for member to address the House, II ho
chose, from the tribune, or clerks desk) next
TO debate the question.
! Some member suggesting that he should take
the Tribune, he did so. and ead from the clerks
desk from Mars,all's Life Of Washington. su-
ihoritv from Livingston, Washington, Madison
and Marshall, for the course Mr.. Polk had eisc.
ted to pursue Ia this matter, and then gave his
views as corresponding with those Of the gentle.
man from Alabama, (Nr. lIouston,) who had
preceded him. Ha replied to Mr.. Toombs and
also TO Mr.. Schcnck, and closed by moving 10
refer the message 10 the committee Of the whole
House. and make it the order Of tho day for
Tuesday next.
Mr.. Coliamer, ofyt, next addressed the House
on tn. subject He stated the magnitude Of tho
great question 10 which the information called
for related to. The power TO declare war was
vested in Congress. The President had taken
this power into his own hands. The House had
called upon him for some important information
in regard to the matter, and therefore il was not
one OF those cases in which the President could
properly withhold the information called for.
Mr.. Tompkins. of Mississippi, next obtained
the floor but gave way for q motion to be made.
The motion to refer the message TO the Com-
mittee Of the Whole, and make it the special OF
der for Tuesday next, was put and carried.
Mr.. TompkiDs has the floor on il, when il
comes up. On motion the House adjourned.
Friday, January ~.
Senate not in seeson-House occupied in IN
important business. Both Houses adjoususd -
/ Monday.
Nsndsy. January II.
At u O'Clock the vics President called the