The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-07-26
IN CONGRESS OF THE U. STATES.
Thirtieth Conxress-EIrst Session.
MONDAY, JULY "a, Is4s.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.
The journal having been read


Mr. CLINGMAN asked for the unanimous consent of
the House TO Introduce JOINT resolution authorizing the
President OF the Senate and Speaker of the House Of
Representatives to adjourn their respective houses on
Monday, the 7h OF August next; but objection being
made he moved suspension of the rules for this pur-
pose.
now received by the hand of his private secretary,
nouncng his approval of certain bills originating this
House, and communicating a message IN writing.
Mr. COBB OF Georgia moved that the said message IN
Mr.. CLINGMAN objected and demanded the yeas
his to a tier s
relative to point OF order raised upon the question,
whether another resolution for the adjournment of the
session could be offered before the former resolution of
the House 10 the effect has been disposed of by the
Senate, the yeas and nays ordered by the House,
and being taken, resulted-yeas ITO, nays 81,
So, othds voting in the affirmative, the Joint
luton considered and twice read
Mr. CLlNGMAN moved that the said joint resolution
be put upon its passage Upon this question, also,
he demanded the and and the previous ques
ton hereon and there being second and the yeas and
nays being taken, the vote stoodyeas 1876, nays 40.
So the joint resolution adopted and sent into the
Senate.
On motion by Mr. PILSBURY, sundry joint
lutons of the legislature of the State OF Texas were
received and referred
THE TEMPORARY OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF TEXAS.
On motion by Mr.. COBB OF Georgia, the consideration
of the Presidents message, just communicated was now
taken up, and the paper read by the Clerk
The message having been read
mee Territories that the usual number be ordered to
be printed and that the Committee on Printing inquire
% the OF printing ten M m eH co pS
ing TO the instructions an inquiry into the poprlety OF
printing ten thousand extra copies of the Presidents mes
sage communicating the treaty of peace.
Mr. billiard said the present message, taken IN con-
nexion with the message communicating the treaty here
tofore transmitted exhibited discrepancies too garng and
important to be permitted to through the the
House without discussion. 1t was impossible to
look with indifference upon the present aspect of pub
lie affairs; and he must be but superficial observer who
can look and regard it without feelings of the most in
tense interest 1t the fortune of Mr. H. to have been
member of this body when the war was begun, as well
as when it brought to close. The war had devel-
oped circumstances and results so remarkable, that no
one who aspred to the reputation of even an ordinary
observer of political events can permit them to go by
without some expression of his concern.
Mr. II. would look first at the message transmitted
few days since That message he characterized being
destitute of any OF the truly elevated and noble
characteristics which should always distinguish such
document 1t was boastful in its tone, while treating of
our own exploits All must have observed the indecent
haste with which the President, in his treaty message
passing by all reference to the calamties which the
has entaed upon u.s. and forbearng all auson to the
unsurpassed bravery of troops rushes to the concu
sion that he had made good bargain Passing all
the cost and caames Of war, he seemed anxious to
boast of stripping our feeble Of the airest por
ton of her territory.
Mr. H. read extract from the message to which he
referred, touching the value and importance of the
QUESTIONS of Mexican territory; and he declared his
victons that there was ground whatever for such
van-g glorious boastng One OF three propositions was
true either Mexico has lost by the treaty. OF we have
lost by the treaty. or it is drawn bargain. If we have
lost by the war, all boasting is certainly excluded If
we have gained by it advantage feeble neigh
bor it way credtabe to the character of peace
full and glorious nation like ours. And if it were
drawn bargainin either case he asked, how the Pres
dent could answer to us, and to mankind, for pungng
his country in war of such results?
In accordance with the suggestions of the peace
message, upon review of the present aspect of af
fairs to recur freely to the events OF the past to look
narrowly at current and passing events and profit by
these lessons in contempatons of the future, Mr.
n. said he would first consider the condition of the
finances of the country at the time OF the commencement
of the war. The comparatively small public debt was
fast being discharged under the operation of the wise and
vigorous measures adopted by wing Congress He re-
fered to the tariff of 1s42 and said that protective tariff
might be wise measure if the object were to disbur
den the government OF debt
Amongst his propositions were-frst, that Congress
possesses exclusive power to egsae for the Territories
of the United States; and secondly, whilst this power
was exclusive, it was by no means unlimited. 1t was ex
elusive, in that there was acknowledged no coordinate
jurisdiction but was restricted We're an the functions
son of the gentleman from Massachusetts, Mr.. MANN,
that Congress should egsae for the good of the people
of the Territory, and maintained that Legislation should
be had rather with eye to the good OF the of
the Territories.
With reference to the compromise this subject
started in the Senate, amongst his objections to its pro-
Visions he stated that it left to the Territory of Oregon
which denied to California and New
Mexco and that it would have tendency to allay the
existing agltahOns preferred 10 come d once
the direct line of division, and abide by it.
Mr. BlRDSALL succeeded to the floor, and delivered
prepared speech upon the of this government to
legisate for the territories of the United States He
avaied himself OF the opportunity to state the platform
upon which, northern democrat, he was willing to
stand and took the ground of non intervention upon
the subject of slavery in the territories, sustaining him
self upon this position by elaborate constitutional ar
gument, according fully with the published views OF
Gen. Cass.
Mr. LINCOLN next obtained the floor, but being desi
rous only of making general speech on the state of the
Union, he gave way to others who might desire to ad
here to the question Immediately before the House
Mr. VINTON said that every message which had late
ly emanated from the Executive of the United States
contained some new assumption OF executive power In
derogaton of the rights of Congress but amongst them
message Just read. He referred particularly to the
SUMPTION he understood the message, of executive
right to settle the boundary of a sovereign State and
surrender sixty seventy millions OF property to the
State of Texas.
Mr. CLARKE, of Kentucky, (interposing) Does the
gentleman that the part of New Mexico east OF
the Rio Grande.s worth sixty seventy millions OF
dollars?
MT. VINTON If there was any reliance to be placed
upon the Presidents estimates of the territory west OF
the river such might be fair valuation of the territory
east of it.
Mr.. McCLERNAND. Does the gentleman from Ohio
mean to be understood stating that the President as
sumes to settle the boundary for the State of Texas
Mr. VINTON. understand him telling the authori-
ties of Texas that their boundary extends to the Rio
(,rande from its mouth to its source which comes OF
course, with the authority of decision.
Mr. McCLERNAND understood the very reverse. He
the President TO refer the adjustment OF the
question of boundary to Congress and if such was the
hypothesis upon which the gentleman about to pro-