The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-02-04
In CONGRESS OF THE U. STATES
Thirtieth Con xress--trrst Session
WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 2. ISIS.


Gt NJ, IL was
Resolved That the honorable David X Atehson be APP
pointed President OF the Senate, pro fe"'p0's'
RESOLUTIONS, ETC THE LEGISLATURE OF LOUISIANA.
Mr. JOHNSON, Of LOUISIANA ana. presented resolution i9
nassed nv the Legislature of that State, IN favor OF the
axsaga ~ law granting portion OF public lands 10
zach ri The officers and soldiers, their legal represen
90 ,Ybich was read, referred to the Committee Mill
tary Affairs and ordered to be printed
Also resolution of the said legislature, IN favor OF
the passage of act TO indemnify citizens OF the United
States for losses by French spoations prior to 1900
which read, referred to the Committee Foreign
Relations, and ordered TO be printed
Also, Resolutions OF the said legislature, In favor OF
the passage of law authorizing the State OF Louisiana
select other school lands in lieu OF such unfit for
cultivation; which read, referred TO the Committee
Public Lands, and ordered to be pnned
Also, a memorial OF the said legislature, praying an
enlargement of the powers of said legislature IN refer
ence to the selection and disposition Of the 10th sections
or school lands which referred to the COMMITTEE
Public Lands, and ordered to be printed
MEXICAN spoILATIoNs
I'm presenting the memorial Of Pho b. Johnson, pray
ing indemnity for injuries TO his person ana property
committed BY Mexican citizens .
Mr. NILES said, that though the memorial went
some what into detail yet he should request that y be
read He would state briefly the substance OF IT, The
memoriast OF the claimants for spoiatIons by
the Mexican government. He had been subjected to
gross outrages the year 1884, at or near Iobasco He
was an old captain, now resident OF New York
but native of the State which he (Mr. NJ represented
His whole life had been spent on the high and
having unfortunately lost all his property has presented
himself as claimant for redress account of the nju
es which he had sustained at the hands of the lawess
agents the Mexican government The subject had some
bearing on the great question before that body and the
country regard the character of claims OF citizens of
the United States against Mexico, of which they heard
80 much 1t would to be admitted all hands, that
il has become the duty OF this government to take care OF
those who had Just and honest claims against Mexico.
This question had become one OF some importance In re-
ation to the present war with Mexico 1t was in part
perhaps, especial part of the indemnity claimed from
Mexico 1t had been contended however amongst
others, by honorable and distinguished gentleman
who had written pamphlet the subject and who had
been long in Office under this government-that these
claims being merely debt, could not, according to the
usages of nations, be made the subject of war; even
if he Mr NJ was not mistaken, enter into the consider
these transactions took place years ago. The public
mind was not perhaps, much informed on the subject
But these claims had been in part acted uponso far
at least they had come under the adjudication OF
the convention to which they were referred and
whether they had OF had not assumed the shape and
form Of debts, in their original character they were
not debts-not at all. OF course, by the law of ma
tons they could not interfere to provide for the set
Element OF debt which any citizen of the United
States might have against he M t OF Mexeo
But these claims arising under treaties with Mex
co and under the laws of nations, for spoatons
and for the robbery and plumber OF the prop
erty of our citizens, who doing business in Mexi
co-thus involving the grossest violation of our flag
The present the vessel in charge
of the meinoriast violently seized and taken pos
session Of He himself violently seized, put in the
stocks, and incarcerated in prison lie was compelled
at The point OF the bayonet 10 carry IN his own vessel
military aid in the civil wars OF the country, first
BY one party, and then by the other. This fair
sample OF the general character OF these claims They
from violence from spoliaon, from gross disre
OF these claims afforded in ITSELF distinctly considered
not promptly met and redressed, justifable cause OF
war He did not say that this war arose from those
claims at all but he did say, that this and others
ghowed that the conduct of the Mexican government TO-
wards the United States had been not only unfrendy,
but had been marked BY every species OF injustice, vio
lsnce and rapacity, examped in the commercial inter-
of any people making the slightest claim TO civi
zation It was not necessary to say anything more on
wrongs might be read, he would conclude by moving
that it be read
The memorial, having been read, was referred to the
Committee on Foreign Relations
Mr. BENTON submitted the following resolution;
which was ordered to be printed:
Resolved That the President be requested to cause the
Senate be informed Of the order law, by virtue Of
which the following words in relation to the promotion Of
red States, page IS, for the year 1877
Cadets acting as supernHpmerary officers in the army
vacancies of the lowest grade which may first happen in
the particular to which they may have been attached,
Academy"
LIGHTING THE CAPITOL.
MIR HUNTER, from the Committee on Public Build
ngs reported bill to James cuchs,t two thousand
which read, and passed to a second reading
Mr. H. asked the unanimous OF the Senate that
The Dill might have a second reading now.
Mr.. NILES objected to the second reading, pronoun-
cling the plan by which the Capitol grounds lighted
to be humbug.
After an explanation by Mr. HUNTER that the bill
merely 10 meet present emergency, MI. NILES
withdrew his objection, and said that he should defer
what he wished say until the subject should up
on its merits.
The bill was then read a second time, by unanimous
consent and considered committee Of the whole
and no amendment being made, was reported to the
Senate, read third time, and passed
BRIG DOUGLASS.
Mr. WESTCOTT, from the Committee on Claims, to
whom was referred the memorial of A. A. Frazier, for
himself and Alvin Baker, reported the following resou
ton which considered, by unanimous consent, and
agreed to:
Resolusd, That the memorial of A. A. Frazier for himself
and Alvin Baker, of the brig Douglass, praying
demnty for the losses caused by the alleged wrongful sell
by British cruiser be referred the Secretary of
munca,e TO the Senate the originals copies of all depo
stons and other documents and papers his department
relating to said and likewise such correspondence
may have been had with the British government its Of
fcers, and own in relation thereto, which, in his
opinion, may be made public consistent with the public
interests and that the Secretary Of State do also
report said case presented to his department
PRIVATE BILLS.
Mr.. WESTCOTT, from the Committee on the Judicial
ny, to whom referred the petition of Joseph De la
Francla, submitted report, accompanied by bill sup
Elementary An act 10 authorize the Secretary OF State
TO qudate certain claims therein mentioned passed the
18th OF April, 1914.
Mr.. WESTCOTT, from the committee, TO whom
was referred the petition of l. Bigelow, administrator
the estate OF Francois Cazeau, submitted report
panied by bill for the relief OF the legal representatives