The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-01-13
TIE clerks in his Office during the past year laid on the
table and ordered TO be printed ~


Bills and resolutions from the Senate Of the following
titles were severally read twice. and appropriately re
fered
An act concerning certain collection districts and ior
An ct for the relief of the administrative of Elisha L.
Keen, deceased ~
An act for the payment of the claim of Walter r. John
son against the United States.
An act supplementary to the act entitled IAN act to
regulate the exercise Of the appellate jurisdiction of the
supreme court certain and for other purposes
An act for the relief Of Thos. Rhodes.
An for the appointment Of assistant pussrs in the
An act to provide clothing for volunteers the service
An act promote the filling up Of in the vol
corps in the service Of the United States
An act making an additional appropriation for the dry
dock at the Brooklyn navy yard.
resolution in favor OF David Shaw and Solomon L.
Corser
late James Madison, former President OF the United
States.
Mr. BAYLY said that bill for the purchase Of these
papers had been reported the last Congress by his late
colleague, Mr. Dromgoole] and passed both houses by
large maores, and failed only account OF some delay
induced in the Senate In view of this fact he hoped
the House would dispense with the readings and allow
the bill to be now put on It's passage ~,
L % e. ns Whes and made the
order OF the day tor Tomorrow
BARGE CANTON.
The (Senae) bill authorizing the issuing OF register
to the barque Canton was taken up and read twice
On motion of Mr.. GRINNELL, it was read third
time, and passed
BARaUE SARAH AND ELIZA.
The bill authorizing the Secretary OF the Treasury to
grant register to the barque Sarah and Eliza, having
been engrossed, was read a third time and passed,
roRTIrIcArIoNs
Mr. E. HOLMES, in pursuance OF notice, asked and
obtained leave and introduced bill to erect Notifications
and establish military depot at or near the mouth OF the
Genesse river, in the State New York read twice and
referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.
TONNAGE DUTIES.
Mr.. RHETT, in pursuance of notice. introduced bill
declaring the of Congress the acts passed by the
States, laying tonnage duties to improve the navigation
within the States: read twice. and referred to the Com
mee on Commerce.
CLINTON KALAMAZOO CANAL.
Mr.. BINGHAM, pursuant to notice, introduced bill
to apply certain alternate sections OF the public domain
toward the completion OF the Clinton and Kalamazoo
Canal, Michigan: read twice, and referred to the Com
mittee on Public Lands.
BRANCH MINT.
MI. SIMS presented resolutions of the South Carolina
legislature, relative the establishment of branch mint
in Charleston in that State referred to the Committee of
Ways and Means.
VIRGINIA LAND WARRANTS.
MIR. TAYLOR gave notice of motion to introduce a
bill to extend the time for locating Virginia military land
warrants IN the State OF Ohio. and returning surveys
IA message was received from the President of the
United States by J. Knox Walker, esq, his private sec
retary.l
THE Presidents ANNUAL MESSAGE
On motion of Mr.. VINTON, the House resolved itself
into Committee Of the Whole on the state OF the Union
Mr. K lNGERsoLL in the char,) and resumed the
aderaon OF the resolutions in relation the reference
OF the Presidents annual message.
Mr.. LINCOLN addressed the committee at length
Some Of the gentlemen the other side of the House
had complained he sad of the vote given here some ten
days declaring that the President had made the
hlegaiy and nnconstitutonally He would admit that
such vote ought not to be given wantony nor without
sufficient ground He would proceed to give his reasons
in support Of that declaration. When the de-
cared he did not expect that it would last long and he
1 IN rnfPr IN
the justice or injustice OF its origin But the President
had awaited himself of every vote given here in relation
favor OF the war and the jnsce of its origin His COL
league Mr. RIcHARpsoNl had also brought forward a
ysa Bsn ba
said it was proper to doexamne into the question of its
origin He had investigated it, and arrived at conclu
slon-whch might be shaken by future infomaton-hat
the war was originally unjust He had introduced reso
laons here the subject, which intended elicit
the truth as to this matter.
He had proposed inquire in his resolutions, whether
the President was correct in his assertion that American
blood was shed on American soil and he proposed that
transaction took place. The President himself had not
said in 80 many words that the spot referred to
ours That would have settled the question. But the
President seemed to think that the assertion required
argument 10 show that the Rio Grande was The western
ooundsry OF Iexas-tat Texas had exercised jurisdc-
ton between the Nueces and the Rio Grande, &c.
re proceeded to examine these proofs, one by one II
He denied the fact that Texas had always claimed the
Rio Grande as her boundary; She had claimed it, but
not always and Mexico had also put in counter
Texas had made claim on paper, in her constitution
but he did not regard that as any proof Then the
declaration that Santa Anna, by treaty had recognised
the Rio Grande as the boundary Of Texas. That treaty
could be found in Niless Registers and the President
himself had never seen il elsewhere for it not in the
State Department No one would have thought of
bringing up that document and Identifying it as a treaty,
but for present circumstances The document consisted
OF an agreement simply STIMULATING that the Mexican army
should be Withdrawn beyond the Rio Gande, and also that
the Texan army should not 60 within five leagues of that
line. Santa Anna stipulated to take further part per-
sonaly, in the These articles of agreement did
amount TO treaty OF boundaries The President argued
that Texas had exercised jurisdiction between the two
rivers but did not follow that the whole country be-
onged to Texas Congress had extended jurisdiction
the other side OF the Nueces but possible pro-
coed towards the Rio Grande, without going its banks
There was way of covering up and working around
point, which could not positively deny If the Rio
Grande was the boundary OF Texas, the President had
certainly given evidence of it, Texas had rights
territory, under her revolutions but the question was,
what extent of territory that right of revolution
ercised TO the extent TO which the Texans shook of
the old government and put up new one the territory
hers but the people the Rio Gradc never Joined
with them, and did not favor the revolution He would
like to hear what the President would say reply the
inerrogatoes which he had proposed in his resolutions
He desired TO afford the President opportunity
plain this matte and, if he should refuse do it, it
would convince him Mr. L) that the President was con-
of having committed an error making this war