The southern press., 1850-10-02

Ohio Mr EWING whether he knew OF any sucl
contract being made. lie says he knows Of sucl
contract being talked of--that this gentleman
1 whose memorial was offered here, did talk with
members OF the Cabinet in reference TO such
contract. Now, have been informed, since las
addressed the Senate, that these gentleman are
prepared TO show, if it is permitted TO them, that
such an early agreement was entered into, and that
promise was made To them by the former Cablnef,
portion Of it, that if they could get the assent
! of the Mexican government for this indemnity To
be paid through them IN the city of New York,
! they should have contract on the part of this
Government accordingly, and that they would APP
! ply TO Congress for the money TO enable them TO
get the appropriation with which to pay 1t. Now,
| ask the senator from New York; ask every
man who hears me-whether 1t rs unreasonable TO
ask, when this appropriation Is not necessary TO
the Government, that these American citizens may
have an opportunity to prove that they had en-
tered into such oral contract! Now, II the
contract were absolutely consummated, 1t would
have been reduced to writing, and, II consummaied
and reduced to writing, would have been found
| among the archives of the Government, But II
1 the Cabinet--f the President and his Cabinet, or
the President and portion OF his Cabnet-whose
duty II would have been to make this negotiation,
had laid the matter Before these American citzens
and said, $50 to the Mexican government and
| consummatc this arrangement with that govern
ment,- and we say to you that we will apply to
Congress for an appropriation 10 enable you 10
carry it out''-w you not allow time to these
citizens to prove that 1t WAS so What is the ne
ces sity of forcing this bill through now We
have before naval appropriation bill, which
has come in upon us--we have before large
amount Of legislation necessary for California,
and a variety Of other legisaton, which we all
1 know is necessary TO the country. And we all
know too, that the passage of this bill is moi ne
cessary either to assist the Government III It's pot
/ icy or to meet its demands when they become
due
/ Mr.. DICKINSON. wish to-propound ques-
ton to my friend from Maryland: Does not the
Committee on Finance propose to give the Exc
cutive Government all this time to look this matter
over, so as to do justice TO AN parties
u Mr. PRATT. do not consider the question a
very pertinent one. aat
] Mr.. DICKINSON. Very well, then.
! Mr.. PRATT. The contract was entered upon
| by the American Government. The American
citizens who your petitioners here say they
made the contract with the then Executive Gov
ernment.
Mr. FOOTE. Mr. Webster contradcts that
Mr. PRATT. Mr.. Webster says there is no
such contract on record; but he cannot say that
there oral contract.
Mr. FOOTE. | understand him to contradict It,
| Mr. PRATT. He cannot contradict 1t, because
| he did not know of it. did not say that MIR.
Webster had anything to do with this matter.
do not attach any blame to Mr.. Webster or to any
department of the Government In reference to this
matter. All say is, after the present Government
has said that such oral contract was made, they
could not IN the nature of things, have known 1t,
for it must have taken place without their knowl-
| edge. We have good proof that such was the
case and, further than that, believe that if you
will postpone this bill till day after tomorrow,
can produce satisfactory evidence, If the Senate
desire it. Now, suppose that this be true, and
can show on the part ofthese petitioners here that
such an arrangement entered into by them,
and that in consequence of that arrangements they
did send to Mexico for the purpose of making this
contract, would those st natora who are now IN ia
vor of this bill be so If had this fact established
that these American citizens had made such an
arrangement with the American Government, and
in consequence of it had sent their agent to Mex
= leo to make an arrangement with that government
for the payment of money in New York, would
you then say, if that proved here, that this
: bill ought to pass Now, | say that believe It,
say here, as an American senator, that believe
if we would delay this matter, could furnish
proof for the satisfaction of every member of, the
Senate, that such an arrangement was made.
i Mr.. CLAY. ! wish to detain the Senate but
for few moments. Having heard of this trans
action out OF doors, had some doubts before
came to the Senate as to how | should vote upon
it, But after hearing all that has been said,
: think the bill ought to pass. 1t Is the duty
of Congress to make the appropriation---to fur
S nish the ways and means; and it is duty of the
Executive lo make remittances to pay the debt
G ana we ought 10 nOlu lne Executive Responsible
for making payment IN the most advantageous
manner to the country.
Ii has been said that verbal contract has been
r made by the former Administration. BE il so: il
there be contract which was binding on the for
mer Administration, whether in writing or orally,
are we to anticipate that the present Administration
will neglect its duty far not to give all proper
| effect to that contract? We make an appropria-
| ton, but we say not how it shall be remitted
We do not say who shall have the advantage of
making the transfer; but we leave it to the Ex-
ecutive; and if hereafter it be shown that bet
ter terms could have been got, or that contract
had been made binding upon the President or the
| Administration, it would then be matter of re-
proach against the present Administration.
When you come to examine this matter, there
| is one point of objection, and only One that has
created in my niind some hesitation; and that is, we
! make this appropriation now, and the payment is
to be made on the last day of May next. But
there is reason for it perfectly obvious, which
has not, at least in my hearing, been sufficiently
distinctly stated. The payment is to be made in
Mexico and the mode Of payment, according to
! the course and operation of exchange, will be
this: Bills will be drawn in Mexico on London,
| or on New York, and sold in Mexico to suit the
wants of the market. And when these bills, If
drawn upon London, are matured, IN order to
meet them, money will be transferred to London,
bills purchased in the United States to be trans
ferred to Europe. This requires some time.
change in Mexico, that If this exchange were put
into market there at greater rate than about half
a million per month, the consequence would be a
great loss to those ho TO take the specie to
| the Mexican market. By giving time, therefore,
| you enable the bankers to give you better terms
| than you would get if you were to draw on the
! 3Sth of August, to allow but just time
enough to make the payment on that day, by
throwing upon the market amount of exchange
which it could not absorb, and consequently eau
sing great loss to be sustained on the part of the
Government, or on the part Of the bankers, if
they made the operation. This, then, is suff-
cient consideration to my mind to authorize the
present appropriation OF money, in order that the
eight nine months may be employed in these
operations of exchange which will be essential in
placing the money upon the best terms, when it Is
to be received in the city of Mexico. That is the
view which take of this matter
| Mr.. SOULE. | wish to correct a misappre-
henson the part of the senator from New
| York. He stated, in opposition to the fact that