The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1849-12-25
THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
MONDAY, December "a, ls49.
SENATE
PETITIONS.
FIRST SESSION.


Iowa, DAVIS of Massachusetts,, STURGEON, HAMLrN,
BoRLAND, RusK, WALKER, FooTE, and DICKINSON.
Mr. WALKER presented a memorial from the
state OF Wisconsin, praying change in the mode
consideration of the importance of the subject and
without any reflection upon the Committee on Pub
lie Lands, its reference TO a select committee.
Mr.. BUTLER opposed the reference, and on his
motion the memorial was referred to the Committee
on Public Lands.
Mr.. DICKINSON presented a memorial from the
Chamber of Commerce, of New York. praying Con-
gress to take relating to Whitney's Pa
cifc Railroad.
great many applications were made, and leave
obtained, to Withdraw from the files papers relating
TO cases not acted upon at the last session. and after
the withdrawal, the papers were again referred to
the appropriate committees.
4 RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. NORRIS offered the following resolution:
RESOLVED, That the Committee on Claims be au-
thorized to employ clerk during the session OF
Congress, at the usual rate of compensation here
tofore allowed to clerks of that committee.
MIR. RUSK suggested, and moved that the reso-
luton be referred TO the Committee on Claims. He
thought it advisable that permanent clerk should
be given to the Committee Claims, and he
wished the resolution referred, that the committee
might take action on it. And the resolution was so
referred.
Mr.. BRADBURY offered the following resolu-
ton; which lies
Resolved, That the President of the United States
be requested to to be laid before the Senate all
charges winch nave Deen preferred or ucu III any
Of the departments against individuals who have
been removed from office since the 4th day Of
March last, with specification Of the if any,
in which the officers charged have had an opportu-
nifty to be heard, and a statement of the number of
removals made under each department.
MIR. CASS submitted the following resolution;
which lies over:
Resolved That the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tons be instructed to inquire into the expediency
of suspcnding diplomatic relations with Austria.
Mr.. SEBASTIAN submitted the following reso-
luton; which lies over:
Resolved That the Secretary of War be requested
to communicate to the Senate copies of the report
and map of the survey of the route from Fort Smith,
Arkansas, to Santa Fe, New Mexico made under
authority of the War Department by Lieutenant
Simpson, of the corps of Typographical Engineers,
in lS49.
NOTICES BILLS.
Mr.. YULEE gave notice that he would introduce
bill to provide for the payment OF the militia
called out by the Governor of Florida during the
recent Indian outbreak.
Mr.. WALKER gave notice of the introduction
of bill to authorize change of venue in certain
cases.
Mr. DOUGLAS gave notice of the following bills:
A bill for the benefit of the Territory of Mime
sofa;
A bill granting 100 of the public lands TO
the actual settler, who shall reside thereon, and
cultivate portion thereof, for the period OF four
years;
A bill granting to each of the States in which the
public lands are situated, a quantity OF land equal
to township in each land district, to aid in ma
king geological survey of such State respectively.
Mr. BoRLAND gave notice of the introduction
of the following bills:
A bill to grant to each township i'll the State of
Arkansas additional section OF land, for the use
of common schools and further, the right to ex-
change the worthless 10th section for land OF good
quality;
bill granting pension to Mrs Nancy Feath-
erston
bill for the relief of Cincinnatus Fondsdalc and
John G. Connolly.
ADJOURNMENT TILL THURSDAY.
MIR. BADGER moved, in consequence of TO-
morrow being Christmas, that, when the Senate
adjourn, it adjourn till Wednesday.
A SENATOR. Till Thursday. And the motion
modified.
Mr.. DICKINSON desired some more experienced
Senator to state whether business would be COM
menced before the first of the year. IL had been
the custom, during the holidays, TO suspend bust
ness. Many Senators were DESTROYS to return
home, and wished, before leaving, to know whether
the late delay would occasion an immediate appi-
cation TO business, whether the custom of former
sessions would still be observed.
No response being made, the motion OF Mr..
BADGER was adopted.
MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE.
message was received from the House of Rep
resentatives by Thomas ]. CAMPBELL, esq, the
Clerk, informing the Senate that quorum Of the
House was in attendance on the Sd instant; and
that, ON the odd instant the Hon. HOWELL CoBB, Of
: Georgia, was chosen Speaker. And that the House
ready 10 proceed 10 business.
Mr.. DAVIS, Of Mississippi, offered the following
resolution:
Resolved That committee be appointed to
wait upon the President Of the United States, in
conjunction with a like committee on the part Of
the House, and inform him that quorum Of both
Houses is in attendance, and Congress is ready
TO receive any communication he may have to
make.
The PRESIDING OFFICER appointed Messrs
DAVIS of Mississippi, and GREENE Of Rhode Island,
the committee, who Immediately left the Chamber.
MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE.
! A second message was received from the House Of
: Representative announcing the appointment Of
committee to wait on the President.
After an interval
Mr.. DAVIS of Mississippi, from the committee
appointedon the part Of the Senate TO wait on the
President of the United States and inform him that
a quorum OF both Houses were in attendance, and
ready TO receive any communication from him, re-
ported that they had discharged the duty imposed
upon them, and that the President had said that he
was prepared to communicate 70 Congress his
nual message, and would send il in Immediately.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
After an interval of fifteen minutes
A message from the President of the United States
received by the hands of Colonel Bliss, his pri-
vste secretary, accompanied by the annual reports
Of the Secretaries Of State, War, Navy, and Urea
sury, and Of the Postmaster cneral and Secretary
Of the Home Department.
The MESSAGE was then read by the Secretary,
aud is in the following words:
Feiloto- citizens Of the Senate
and House of Representatives.:
Sixty years have elapsed since the establishment
Of this Government, and the Congress Of the Uni
ted States again assemblies, 10 legislate for en-
pire Of freemcn. The predictions Of evil prophets,
who formerly pretended to foretell the downfall of
our institutions, remembered only 10 be
dcrided, and the United States Of America, at this
moment, present 10 the world the most stable and
. permanent Government on earth.
Such s the result Of the labors Of those who have
h1N.r.
pend the future maintenance Of our system Of free
government, and the transmission Of IL, unm-
paired, TO posterity.
We are at peace with all the other nations Of the
world and seek 10 maintain cherished relations
Of smity with them. During the past year, we have
been blessed, by kind Providence, with an album
dance Of the fruits of the earth; and, although the
destroying angel, for a time, visited extensive por
tons Of our territory with the ravages Of dread
, ful pestilencc, yet, the Almighty has at length
deigned to stay his hand, and 70 restore the inest