The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1849-03-21
IN SENATE OF THE U. STATES.
TUESDAY, MARCH 20, 1s49.

copies OF the opinions Of the
Of the Supreme Cour, in the of Norris the City OF
Boston,, and mith Turner" be printed for the OF
same style and manner as the decisions of the Supreme
Court are usually executed
Mr. BENTON said this was a resolution which pro-
posed to take money from the contingent fund OF the
Senate Some years ago the Senate adopted rule for
the purpose OF preventing the expenditure OF It's contn
gent fund without ample consideration; but neyerhe-
less the expenditures from that fund had got up to an
enormous amount The rule which the Senate adopted
to put restraint upon the drawing of money from the
contingent fund first spoke OF bills, but afterwards OF res
olutons and put them precisely the same footing as
bills which passed that body appropriang money The
26lh rule OF the Senate was in these words:
Every bill shall receive three readings previous to its
being passed and The President shall give notice AT EACH
whether be the FIRST second third which readings shall
be on three different days unless the Senate unanimously
ments to the constitution, which the appreciation and
signature OF the President may be requisite which grant
all respects In the nroducon and form of proceedings
them in The Senate IN similar manner with bills, and all
other resolutions shall lie the table day for consde-
ration, ana also reports OF committees"
Such was the rule which the Senate some time since
adopted ana at this extra session he thought behooved
them to conne themselves to executive business, and by
means TO adventure upon anything that legisla
tve or even quasi legislative But above all, they
should conform TO the rule which prohibits the taking of
money IRON the contingent fund by simple resolution,
With these views, he had been here the time when
resolution passed by this body ordering the purchase
OF certain books, he should have opposed it. 1.-THE honor
able senator supposed TO refer to Mayos work the
treasury ie was not here at that time, and now, he
had already said to the Senate he wished be considered
as making permanent objection to the deviation Of
one ota IRON what the rule requed respecting the taking
OF money out of the contingent fund Of the Senate the
expenditures from which enormous, and beyond all
precedent He therefore asked the Chair to require the
rule TO be enforced In this in all others The rule
required that any resolution which granted money out of
the contingent fund should be treated in all respects
the introduction and form of proceeding it, in SINH
lar manner with bills. Now they knew that bills were
introduced on leave after notice. and that they must have
first and second readings they then referred to
committee, and afterwards read third time and
passed He objected to this resolution and to all others
OF similar kind, because first it was legislative, mas
much as took money out OF the contingent fund and,
in the next place. because this resolution had not been
brought in in conformity with the rule which governs the
introduction of bills and the action OF this body upon
them
Mr.. WEBSTER remarked that an order passed the
Senate about month ago. directing the Secretary of the
Senate TO have these opinions printed and that order he
supposed had been executedj the progress of
execution, and that the resolution OF the senator from
Mississippi was simply designed to order extra num-
ber The opinions 10 which the resolution referred were
very interesting opinions of the Judges of the Supreme
Court on an important constitutional question, upon
which the Court very much divided, and on which
several very elaborate opinions had been written by the
Judges, which involved much constitutional learning and
were therefore, valuable to every part of the United
States: He was aware that these opinions would be
published in the ordinary annual volume OF reports
OF the Supreme Court but, if the Senate made an
exception BY ordering the separate printing of the
opinions in these cases. it would be found to be be-
of the vast importance OF the subject, and be-
cause the reports of the Supreme Court reached but
small part of the profession, and scarcely any part OF the
people OF the United States These opinions valu
able and interesting to every who wished to possess
knowledge questions OF constitutional law, and il the
object contemplated could be obtained in conformity with
rule, he should be glad if the Senate would concur in
this resolution. 1t struck him that the Senate had not
followed the rule quoted by the senator from Missouri
in such and hence he trusted the rule would not
be applied here
MIR. SEWARD said the city of New York was the port
at which the great tide of immigration from foreign
tries was received, and the expense chargeabe the
city had been excessive, and the frauds which had been
years ago the State OF New York adopted system for
the protection OF the immigrants against imposition, and
also for the protection of the city of New York from the
expense incurred in taking of the sick and disabled
immigrants, who poured into that port a, the rate
OF 1000, 5000, 4,ooo and even 5000 day. from Ger
many, Ireland and England class of people that
were commended to the sympathies Of the people here
by the suHerings they had endured in their native
land BY the operation OF the decision of the Supreme
Court IN the just decided, that whole system had
been subverted, and the Immigrant were left in state OF
hopeless desttution. The legislature Of the State of
New York still in session, and they DESTROYS to
know how they could repair and rebuild SYSTEM it be-
onged 10 them to do that duty, which would accomplish
the great object contemplated by the system that had been
SO Unexpectedly subsered They were also DESTROYS 10
should be done, and in what application should
be made 10 the Congress of the United States TO pro-
vide such system will accomplish that important pur
pose When he here he had it in charge ascertain
if possible what relief could be given 10 the immigrants
and also the city and State of New York That could
not be ascertaned accurately until the Legislature OF that
State should be possession of the opinions of the SUI
preme Court, on which its judgment was based This,
then, was patriotic and humane object, which the
legislature OF New York desired to accomplish. He was
not consulted about the Introduction of this resolution
but when he it introduced he purposed TO give his
sanction, because it would enable him TO transmit to
New York at an early day that information which was
not only OF great value and Importance but indspensa
BILE He hoped the importance of the subject would be
sufficient inducement with the Senate to acquesce the
passage OF the resolution, although in general, he
CURED in the views of the senator from Missouri.
MIR. FOOTE was not so conversant with the rules and
usages OF the Senate many other senator's and there
fore he should not undertake to discuss questions of par
amenary order He would do so for another reason
and that was that he believed the judgment of the most
experienced members of the body, with but few excep
lions, would be found to be in favor Of the resolution
which he had introduced The importance of the object
stated by the senator from New York. and he should there
fore offer additional suggestion that head But with
respect to the undue waste of the contingent fund of the
Senate he trusted he entertained proper sentiments in
relation to that matter. He not much in the habit
of introducing resolutions of this character but that
the contingent fund of the Senate all who knew the his
tory of the Senate for the last two years must be well
aware and would not be very difficult to designate the
person or persons who were most responsible before the
country for the expenditure of this particular fund He
Mr. FooTEl not responsible, and he who wa. might
eman to regulate his proceedings here according to his
own taste Some preferred Reconnaissance and the print
ing of maps while others preferred the printing of
stutional decisions in which the people deeply
interested He should not stay to argue parliamentary
questions. He should leave such discussions to those
who felt disposition to engage in them; contentng him
self with making PLAIN, proper spirit, that he had
not introduced this resolution unduly TO waste the contn