Wilmington journal. [volume] (Wilmington, N.C.) 1844-1895, 1848-12-22
CONGRESSES SESSION

TUESDAY, Dec. l2.-In The Senate, larce
snumber OF petitions and resolutions were pre-
Ssented.
The standing committees ofthe Senate werek
aappointed, on motion of Mr.. King. The chair
smen of all the important committees are the
ssame as at last session, and but few chaneesH
have been made at all.
The unfinished business of the last session.
NNaS taken up in order. MIR. Bayley's reso-
s 'u'loh deciaratory of the powers OF the Gener-k
Aai government, under the constitution. on tbak
E,snhJect OF internal improvements, " as laid op
N'he tahle Tor the present, as were also one ors
AIWo other unlmpOTtant resolutions. On mo-
sston OF Mr.. Dix, the bill from the House m
Arelatlon to the improvement of rivers and har.t
eshors, was recommitted to the committee onS
Acommerce. On motion of Mr.. Yulee, the bill
Eprovlding retired list for the navy. was made
Eihe special order for Tuesday next.
a Several messages in writing were received
Atrom the President, by his private Secretary.
Hand on motion Of Mr.. Dix, the Senate proceoI
Eded to the consideration ofexecutive business
q In the House, number Of important bilIs|
sSand resolutions were offered.
81 WEDNESDAY, Dec I3-In the Senate after|
&some unimT ortant business, Mr.. Benton rose
aand presented a petition, received bv himself
sand the Senator from Delaware, (Mr Clavton. n
Isirom convention of the people of New Mex
esico, signed by the president and secretary of
Ithat convention, and dated Santa Fe. Nov
Sl4, 1913, addressed TO the Congress of the u
- and praying that territorial government.
%pUfeIy civil IN lis character, may be provided
Etor them. The petitioners state that the laws
SIn force IN September, 1916, would be accep.
Atable 10 them-protest against acknowledgements
sn 1aVor al Texas, or in any other manner
sAnd express their opposition TO the introduce
1lon OF slavery. They conclude with the re-
Nma'k that, as the territory now contains from
NJ, 900 10 100000 inhabitants, they trust tha
81 thelr prayer may not be deemed unreasonable
y MIR Benton moved that The petition be re
serred TO the territorial committee, and printed.
Mr. Clayton said that as he had labored all
the last session to give civil government toI
sthe new territories, he should do the same all
athe present. and he cordially concurred in the
preference proposed by the Senator from Mis-
sssour.
81 MI. calhoun rose-to express no oppositionE
s55to the reierence-but to protest against the!
$'nS0lent character of this application from the
EPeople OF conquered territory, the property
sallke OF every portion of the United States.
Mr. Benton said that when the application
sof those Tor whom he acted was thus pronoun-
Need !nsoIent, he deemed it his duty to rise and
ssssdlSclalm for them any thing of the kind.
Mr.. Calhoun replied it was not at all strange
Ahat the Senator from Missouri should viewI
81 be subject as he does, and that he (Mr. C.)I
8should also view it differently. He (Mr. c. N
Sconsldered the territory of New Mexico as!
sbeloning TO the U. s., and therefore the com
smon property of all the States.
B Mr. Rusk made no objection 10 the refer
Fence, and lie deemed it proper that civil gov
sernments should be established in the new|
@terrltoncs; but at the same time he must enter
1hs solemn protest against any sAch govern
Sment being established in territory east of the!
q Rio Grande, acquired by the blood and treas
Cure of the State which he represented.
4 MIR. Benton SAID that he had done in thsI
Sjust as little as could be done, and complyI
awlh the parliamentary forms in regard 10 pc i
slitions The Senator from South Cardinal
CHAD declared the petition insolent The petit
9tion was neither insoIent nor disrespectful,I
sbut entitled 10 respectful consideration. TheseE
HpeopIe have used the express words of theE
aVirglnia Legislature TO George i'll before the
Bbreaking out of the Revolution; but thought
george the I'll. did not grant their request, hes
smade no excuse that it was disrespectiul.
y Mr. Calhoun considered the petition dsre-
sof their rights-and it was 70. this reason thatE
Che had termed it anSoIent.
Mr.. Benton again denied the insolence, andE
aasserted the constitutional right, conquered orE
snot conquered by the people of New Mexico,
ato petition Congress for a Civil Government
Gle pronounced the declarations of the Senator
afrom South Carolina gratuitous and unfoun-
aled.
8 Mr.. Calhoun said, that it was not against
SIhe right of petition that he had spoken, butt
she had a right 10 remark upon every word off
E5,he petition presented. He contended thatk
stbat petition attempted TO exclude one half OH
sthe people of the United States from the bene-k
gifts to which the whole were entitled, and ink
Sths he deemed it insoent. What the SENATOR
xtrom Missouri thought on the subject, was tos
Shim a matter of perfect Indifference
After some further remarks, in which,
sMessrs. Wesicott, Benton, Clayton, Calhoun,
sFoote, and Hale took part,
On motion OF Mr.. Benton, the memorial was
sreceved by vote of 33 yeas, II nays TheI
2memorial was then referred to the committed
ION territories, and ordered to he printed
q Mr.. Douglass offered an amendment TO hiss
aCaliforna bill, fixing the number of delegates
Ito the Legislature at Is, 10 be elected by theh
afree white male citizens Of the State.
The bill and amendment were referred toS
sthe judiciary committee.
In the House, Mr.. Pollock offered resolu- I
stion, instructing the committee on public landsf
Sto inquire into the expediency Of altering thes
Claw which requires patents 10 be signed byE
gthe President or private Secretary, and 10 pro-
5vide that they shall be so signed by the Com
8missioneI and Register Of the land office A
Sdopted.
q A resolution 10 pay J. B. Fry extra pay, as
! clerk TO The Sergeant-at-Arms, was rejected i
s72 to 10.
Mr., Greedy introduced his bill TO prevent
speculation IN the public lands, and secure
shomes to actual settlers. Read twice.
MIR. Palfrey asked leave TO introduce bill, (
srepealing all laws establishing or supporting
she slave trade in the District of Columbia.
Mr.. Holmes, of S. c., objected, and leat
swas refused, 60 10 80.
MIR. Goggin's post Office bill was made the I
special order for Wednesday.
( Authority was given 10 the Sergeant at I
ARMS TO remove the remains Of Mr. Black, of
aSouth Carolina.
Mr. Cobb, of Georgia, introduced resolu- !
Elton to amend the rules, SO as TO prevent tbeE
contingent fund from being used except byk
zioint resolution.