Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1848-12-15
THIRTIETH CONGREss--2d Session
MoNnAY DECEMBER II, lS48.
SENATE

THIRTIETH C0NGREss--2d Session
MoNnAY, DECEMBER II, lS48.
SENATE
The Vice President laid before The Senate
Report, (unimporlanD from the Navy Depar;
ment.
Mr.. King presented the credentials Of Mr.
Fitzpatrick OF Alabama Mr. Fetch, those o
Mr.. Borland of Arkansas, and both gentlemen
took the customary oath 10 support The Consitu
tion.
Mr.. Dickinson offered resolution of inquiry
as TO whether any alterations are necessary il
the public stores in New York, &c. Adopted
The annual report OF The Secretary oil the Urea
sury was received, bot The reading dispensed will
ON motion Of Mr.. Turney.
Mr. Jefferson Davis moved the printing o.
10000 extra copies. He regarded The Report al
embodying the evidence in favor OF The new system
oil finance which had gone into operation unde
the present Secretary's administration Of tht
Treasury Department.
Mr. Cameron was opposed 10 the printing OF
greater number Than was ordered OF The Presi
dents Message, 900 extra copies) As regar
ded the allusion OF the Senator from Mississippi
to the evidence In favor of the Secretary's new
system OF finance, he considered The Secretary
entirely behind the age, and his system as con.
demned by the people in the result oil the recen
Presidential election.
Mr.. King dissenied entirely from The views Of
the Senator from Pennsylvania, and was in favor
of printing The largest number, and OF spreading
The whole subject before the country.
MIR. Cameron said that in his own State the
issue bad been distinctly made-lhis system had
gone before The people, and been condemned.
A Senator inquired, for which candidate the
SopoinY frnrn PENNSYLVANIA had vntpd
MIR Cameron replied that he had voted for the
candidate OF the Democratic party, and that par
~ had been defeated in Pennsylvania because it
advocated This system.
MIR. j. Davis remarked, that il this were SO, il
would be unfair TO allow the testimony 10 go
before the country.
MIR. Allen was also in favor OF printing the
largest number mentioned, because he believed
the expense nothing, in comparison with the i'm
poriance OF the information. At The close of The
war, the financial condition Of The country was
the most important parI Of the public concerns.
He should mol declare what had been decided by
the recent elecIon,-he would leave that 10 the
powers that were to be-but The report should
be widely and fully spread before The country.
An administration is about 10 expire, and new
administration 10 come in. II was due 10 The
present administration and 10 the American peo-
the country, that il might be seen whether The pc l.
cy of The Democratic party was really condemned.
MIR. Niles was disposed 10 act on this, as on
every olher similar occasion. Without knowing
the contents OF the document, he could no, say
whether he should support or oppose its doctrines.
He was not, however, disposed to treat subor-
dinate officer OF The government, with more res
pee, Than they treated The President. But 10, 900
copies OF the Presidents Message had been or
dered, and he thought that would be sufficient in
the present case. Ii the Secretary defends the
particular system heretofore advocated by him,
his arguments had long been te:ore the country.
He thought that it might appear that his argu-
ment had not entirely established The infallibil-
ty OF bis system.
Mr.. ]. Davis desiring the printing, not with a
view 10 treat the Secretary With more respect than
The President, but because OF The importance Of
the communicalion-lhe facts embraced were ne
cessary 10 full elucidalon OF our financial cond-
for the information Of the public.
Mr.. Foole said that the only good reason for
printing The extra number was, that The informa.
lion contained might be spread before The country.
This particular report OF the Secretary, at this
particular time was oil incalculable value not on.
ly TO this but 10 all countries infinitely more i'm
portanl even than the former productions OF his
pen. 1t had been stated by The Senator from
Pennsylvania, that the people, in The recent elec-
ton, had settled the question of free trade. Ifso,
it was still more important that the document
should be spread before lhem-that the largest
number should be prinied-lhey want iHumina-
tion on the subject. But he thonsh. ~ se"a,r,
mistaken. in twos.hirds OF the States which
had voted for Taylor and Fillmore The doctrine
OF tree trade had mol been sainsayed.
The Senator had mistaken his own State for
L. 10 ITp;o Ard hol
even that Pennsylvania had made rhe egregious
blunder suegested-lhal the noble people of that
State had been acluated, in The recent election,
by The sordid love of pecuniary gain.
Mr.. Hale opposed The printing OF an extra
number, because OF the prevailing disposition 10
multiply The number Of unnecessary publications.
He did not think the free trade question had en-
tered into the canvass, al the North, SO much as
the question whether Mr.. Van Buren, or General.
Taylor was the true genuine tree soil candidate
That question had been decided in favor OF Gen.
Taylor, and be trusted that il would not be herel
after commended that the advocates OF free soil
were not in The majority.
Mr. Foote siad that Senator from New Hamp-
shire had certainly made great mistake-tor in
the South, he could assure him that Gen. Taylor
was run as The opponent oil free soil
Mr.. Cameron thought the Senator from Mis-
sissppi mistaken, certainly in part. In Missis
sippi he had been run as The free soil candidate
and The result had been almost az disastrous a:
in Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Wescott make few remarks, express.
ing his qualification al the evidences Of a dispo-
silion TO economist on the pan of the friends o
the incoming administration and seemed 10 think
thai The course OF the Senators from Pennsylva-
mia and Connecticut, might arise from desire
TO court il.
Mr.. Metcalic thought there were other sources
OF information than The documents emanatine
from this body, and that the public were becom-
ing sick OF this multiplication here OF these large
documents He concurred with the Senator from
Connecticut, in his views, and should vote agains
the 10000.
The question was then taken, by yeas and
nays on The question OF printing 10000 copies, and
it was decided in the affirmative, % 10 81.
Mr.. Douglass presented a memorial from Mes
sieurs Aspinwall, &C., OF New York, setting forth
that they had obtained from The government Of
New Grenada, charter for SO years, Tor rail.
road across the Islhmus oil Panama, and asking
The government to contract with them al reaso-
natle price, for the transportation, when The road
shall have been completed, Of The mails, NUM-
tions war, &c.
Mr.. Douglass gave notice of his intention ic
introduce bill granting the right of way, &c. fol
railroad TO connect the Mississippi with the UP.
per Lakes.
MIR. Douglass agreeable 10 previous notice, in.
troduced his bill for the admission of California
and New Mexico as one Stale, into the Union
The bill was read and ordered 10 be printed. lis
prominent aures are correctly stated in my lei
ter.
MIR. Davis, of Mississippi, submitted join
resolution for filling The vacancies in The Board
of Regents OF the Smithsonian Institution, by the
re-appoin'men, ofthe present incumbents. Messrs
Rufas Choste and Gideon Hawley. Passed
[The House subsequently concurred
Mr.. Badger presented a memorial from The
Ministers and Churches OF the Primitive Bap
tist Association, lately assembled in North Caro-
lima, praying The adjustment OF all laws BY
which ,chaplains in Congress, in the Army, and