The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-03-07
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.


The Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr.. MCQUEEN, from the Committee on Nava
Affairs, reported bill for the relief of Thoma,
| Dennis of Pennsylvania giving him thirty dol
lars month during his natural life. While en-
| gagged in the discharge of his duty, in September
| lS47 on board the steamer Princeton, in the por
of Gibraltar, while firing salute he had his arms
blown off.
Mr. PRESTON KING moved to refer the bill t.
the Committee of the Whole on the state of the
| Union.
! Mr.. MCQUEEN said that Dennis was unable
even to feed himself, and his condition was such
| TO require an attendant to be constantly with him
The papers accompanying the application for a
pension were from gentlemen of the highest re-
spectabty, who spoke of the afflicted one IN terms
| of communication.
Mr.. PRESTON KING remarked that he had
made the motion of reference without regard TO the
character OF the application. AS the bill involved
an expenditure OF money, il should be referred tc
| the Committee Of the Whole the state of the
Uniou.
Mr.. STANTON, of Tennessee, said that this was
| case of peculiar hardship. A man in the service
| Of his country had both arms shot off. He cannot
| drink or take mouthful of food without somebody
| to give it 10 him. He cannot put on his clothes
Every one knows that he is entitled to a pension
The House will scarcely delay relieving person SC
circumstance
Mr.. CONGER desired to see the bill referred to
| the Committee of the Whole on the state of the
Union More than three months of the session have
passed, and yet but the part of one day has been
given to the consideration of private bills and not
bill has been passed. except it has gone through
| as 1t Is now proposed 10 carry this, He desired to
see all bills referred to the Committee of the Whole,
and he would be found ready to act upon them
promptly He was opposed to the passage of any
| bull IN the manner proposed. When the House
go into committee on private bills, sometimes there
IS less than quorum of members present Last
Friday, number of bills were considered in com
mittee, but not one OF them was afterwards acted
| on in the House. There were, he ventured to say
a hundred meritorious bills this, but he
wanted them all disposed Of according to the regular
| order.
Mr. STANLY understood the argument of the
gentleman to be, because the House have not passed
private bills, therefore he opposed to that now
1 before them. There strong why il
should be passed. Suppose justice has not been
done 10 others, Is this reason why justice should
not be done to Dennis2 He demanded the previous
question.
MIR. VAN DYKE inquired whether the bill did
not make appropriation; and whether, therefore,
| il proper for il to GO to the Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union?
| The SPEAKER replied that the bill simply pro-
posed to place the name of Dennis the navy
| pension roll.
Under the operation of the previous question the
| Mr.. FREEDLEY, from the Committee on Revo-
| utienary Pensions, reported a joint resolution,
constituting the act of eighteen hundred and forty
nine, granting five years haf-pay to certain Wild
owe OF officers, non commssioned officers, must
clans and privates, regulars and prvates, 30 to
embrace all widows and orphans Of officers, nom
| commissioned officers, musicians, and privates,
who died in the military service, without regard to
the causes Of their death, and of those who after
| receiving honorable discharge, died Of wounds
received and disease contracted in the service while
| on duty
| A brief debate ensued at the termination OF
which, the resolution referred back to the Com
| mttee on Revolutionary Pensions.
| Several other reports were made from standing
| committees, when
| The House resolved itself into Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, (Mr BOYD in the
chair) and resumed the consideration of the Presi-
| dents message in relation to
CALIFORNIA AND NEW MEXICO
Mr.. FEATHERsTON, of Mississippi, had chosen
to speak the subject Of the admission of Calior
MIA into the Union a State, because this the
first question which they would be called 10 cas-
their votes. If California, he said, be admitted
with her present boundaries under her present con.
| stitution, precedent would be set by which tho
remainder Of the territory would come in under
| similar constitutions and under the same policy.
| He believed that the perpetuity Of the Union DC
pended upon the action of the thirty first Congress
He who asserts that this Union s in no danger la.
paid but little attention 10 the evidences around
him. His vote on this question would be influenced
| by the policy which developed. IL had
gone forth the settled determination Of the North
that no more slave States shall be admitted. Are
the South expected to carry out such policy, de-
signed by the northern States PROSTATE the South!
II they vote for the admission Of that State il would
be aiding the northern people in effecting their
objects, and surrounding the slave States with a
Gordon Of free States in the language Of gentle
man who had addressed the committee, 10 starvt
out the institution in the States where II exists
he would not give his approval 10 any measure
which will not settle the whole question. He be-
lieved that we had arrived at the point when the
question as TO the preservation Of the Union should
be adjusted. He accused President Taylor Of hav.
ing advised the movements in California which
| resulted in the formation Of the constitution tn,
effect was TO absorb all the territory for the NORTH
more ehectually than the Wilmot proviso would
have done. IL was cunning and ingenious scheme
There was not in the history Of all tie States
precedent for the admission Of California. To ad
init her would be without precedent and without
Authority Of law, and in violation of the Constitu
ton Of the United States itself The honorabl,
gentleman made points other than arc hastily
glanced at in the above; and when he had OK
hausted his hour
Mr.. STANLY, Of North Carolina, succeeded q
the floor His desire was 10 say a few words in
plain way. If gentlemen did not with TO hear him
they had better depart 10 a more comfortable plao,
ON this rainy day INSTEAD Of leaving the hall
members drew up their chairs 10 where th'
gentleman was speaking, and the area was crowd
ed With auditors. lie said that they had heard o
sggressons and encroachments on the rights Of th,
South; he had listened 70 speeches from the Demo.
cratic side, in which reflections were cast or a stall
directed at the President. Not one Of these gentle
men who had spoken had failed 10 attack the Pre-
sident and the Wing administration. He then pro
ceeded TO show that the agitation Of the slavery
question was for party purposes, and that in 1898
the Democrats commenced it, 10 make votes a
home. A we intend in day or two TO publish
Mr.. STANLY's speech entire, mere glance at a few
Of the points only follows. At that day hundre,
thousand petitions on the subject Of slavery ha,
been presented; bot the number since had great,
decreased lie did not recolect Of seeing one now
Therefore, there was no occasion 10 dissolve th
Union-the aggression has ceased. The Quaker
in North Carolina, every year, ask for the abolition
Of slavery. Why not stop these people at home
Nobody supposes that slavery will be abolished il
the District Of Columbia Hence, the threat to dis
solve the Union on this account is preposterous
lie noticed remarks made by his colleague, (Mr
VESAnLE,) and said that he would pay his respect
20 the gentleman from Alabama, (Mr. HILLIkRD,
aud was understood 10 express the hope that, whci
he did So he would not desecrate the Scriptures {
induce citizens Of the United States to shed blood
Tor words similarly
Mr.. billiard, (rising.) ] never said 20.
the gentleman charges that ever dcsecrated tn
Scriptures TO justify the shedding Of blood, il is vt
. terly false.
. Mr.. STANLY made a remark which was lost q
tho confusion.
Mr.. UII,IJARD IcaII the oentIetnan IN order