The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1848-05-23
CONGRESS.
Thursday, Nav IL.

Thursday, May III.
SENATE.-After sundry memorials and
reports of Committees had been presented,
the consideration of the Yucatan bill was
renewed
Mr.. Davis, OF Mass, addressed the Sem
ate in opposition to the general principles
contained in the message Of the President
on the subject. He hoped the Senate
and the country would ponder ,ceH before
entering upon a policy which might in
volve us in war with nations more pow.
erful than the imbecile Yucatanese.-Ad-
journcd.
HousE.--Thc bill for the admission of
Wisconsin into the Union was taken up
and passed.
Friday, May IL.
SrNATE.-The bill for the admission of
Wisconsin into the Union was reed twice
and referred to the Committee ON Terri>
tories.
After some other unimportant business,
Mr.. Reverdy johnson, of Md moved to
take up his resolution, calling upon the
President to communicate the names Of
officers serving in the army, whose nomi-
nations had been withheld, and his reasons
for doing so. After he had spoken at
some length, lin reply to Mr.. Allen,) in
defence of what he conceived to be the
Constitutional rights of the Senate, and Of
the limitations of the Executive authority,
the subject was deferred.
After some time spent in Executive
Session. the Senate adjourned.
HousE--The House was mainly en-
ployed, in Committee of the Whole OH the
state of the Union, upon the private Cal
endar.
The bill for the reliefo Mr.. Meade was
passed.
Saturday, May l3.
SENATE. the presentation of sun
dry petitions, the Yucatan Till was taken
up, and an able speech in opposition to it
was made by Mr.. Miller, of New Jersey,
after which the bill was laid on the table,
and the Senate adjourned.
HoUsE.-Afier some unimportant morn-
ing business, the private calendar was
taken up and an exciting slavery discus
sion ensued, on bill granting indemnity
to the heirs Of Benjamin Hodges. deceased,
for negroes lost in the last war with
Great Britain, carried offby the enemy.
The speakers were Messrs Chapman,
Tuck, Rhett, Burt, Woodward, Giddings.
Bayley, Atkinson, and Holmes, of South
Carolina Mr.. Giddings was never more We
hement He dared any Sou thern member
on that floor--dared HIM over and over a.
gain-to' meet the question whether slaves
were or were not property. He said no
one ever had, no one dared to take the
position. Mr.. Woodward and Mr.. Holmes
replied, and stated the case as they under
stood it. MIR. Giddings said they were
on the fence, ready to jump on either
side.
Without action on the bill, the House
adjourned.
Monday, May Is.
SENATE resolution of Mr.. John
son, respecting the army appointments,
was called up, and, after some remarks
by Mr.. Borland, Of Arkansas, was in
formally laid aside.
The Yucatan bill was then taken up,
when Mr.. Calhoun addressed the Senate
in opposition TO the bill.
House The bill for refunding mon
les advanced to volunteers in fitting them
out TOR Mexico, and the bill for continu-
ing the charter of the city of Washing
ton, were taken up in order. and passed.
Mr. Andrew Stewart of Pennsylvania,
submitted resolution calling upon the
Secretary of the Treasury for report of
the amount of breadstufs and cotton ex-
ported to England during the two last
specified periods, showing whether they
were increased by the Tariff of lS46.
On this molten debate sprung up, in which
Messrs. C. j. Ingersoll, Stewart. Bayley
of Virginia, 81 others, participated. Mr..
Baylev moved an amendment to the res
olution in favor Of including specie and
breadstnffs for the last twenty years. The
resolution was then adopted. and on mo- !
ton the House adjourned.
Tuesday, May I6.
SENATE.-The Yucatan bill was the
chief subject of consideration. Mr.. Bag
by, of Alabama, spoke at length in sup
port of the bill.
HoUsE.-The bill from the Senate,
extending certain privileges to American
trading vessels, and the Pension bill in
favor of revolutionary soldiers. were read
the third time, and passed.
The House took up the Naval Pension
bill, and Mr.. Bayley addressed the Com
mittee, not ON the bill, but on the rights
of Territories.
Mr.. Jas. S. Wiley, Of Maine, read a
speech, in which he favored the Mexican
War, and defended the administration,
When he concluded. the Committee rose,
and the House adjourned