The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-15
THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS,
FIRST SESSION.
MONDAY, January Ia, 1850.
SENATE.

SENATE.
FRENCH sPoLIATIoNs
Memorials praying indemnity for losses sus-
tanned by French spoliatons were presented by
Messrs WEBSTER, STEWART, SEWARD, and PEARcE
Petitions of private import were presented by by
Messrs. CAss, DICKINSON, STURGEON, MoRToS, Sc
BAsTIAN, ArcHIsoN, and CLEMENS.
Leave to withdraw papers on file was granted, on
motions by Messrs. HUNTER, PEARcE, BALDWIN,
BADGER, STEWART, CLARKE, Bradbury, WALES,
CLEMENs, and DAVIS of Mississippi.
MIR. STEWART asked the unanimous consent Of
the Senate, in consequence of his successor being
about to have his credentials offered to report two
bills conhded TO him some days ago by the Com
mittee on Claims; and the leave being granted, he
reported favoraby bill for the relief of Charles
Reeder and Walter r. Johnson, executors Of Thos
r. Jones, and bill for the relief Of John X Mack
intosh.
MIR. PEARCE then presented the credentials of
the Hon. THOMAS G. PRATT, elected by the Legis-
lature of Maryland TO fill the vacancy created by
the resignation of the Hon. Reverdy Johnson
The unfinished business, being the motion to
print the resolutions of the State Of Vermont the
subject OF slavery, being next in order,
MIR. DOUGLAS moved to postpone 1t for one
hour; which motion prevailed.
MIR. SMITH submitted the following resolutions,
which lie over:
Resolped, That the Secretary of the Navy be re-
quired TO communicate copy of so much of the
accounts of Prosper M. Wetmore late navy agent
at New York, as remains unadjusted, with all the
items OF debt and credit, as to show the balance
which appears to be due to the United States from
SAID agent on the DOCKS the ourul hudltOr,
gether with copies of all letters, and an abstract of
all vouchers appertaining to said account.
Resolped, That the Secretary of War be, and he
hereby is, required to Communicate to the Senate
abstract OF all accounts filed against the United
States under the act of the I'd june 1S4S entitled
Gan act to refund money for expenses incurred in
subsistence transportation furnished for the use
OF volunteers, during the present war. before being
mustered into the service of the United States"
specifying in said abstract which have been and
which have not been paid; and in the former case,
| the person for, and to whom, and for what paid;
and in both, the date and amount of each account.
Mr. DOUGLAS submitted the following, which
1 lies over:
| Resolved That the Committee on the District Of
Columbia be instructed to inquire into the expe-
dency of retroceding to the State of Maryland all
that portion of said District which is not embraced
in the corporate limits of the city of Washington;
and, also, into the expediency of amending the
charter of the said city of Washington to author
izcthe corporation thereof to exercise the powers
of legislation usually exercised by the regularly
ganzed Territories of the United States under their
| respective organic laws.
| Mr.. HOUSTON offered the following resolution,
| which lies over
| Whereas, The Congress of the United States, pos
| sessng only delegated authority, have no power
over the subject Of negro slavery within the limits
of the United States, either to prohibit interfere
with it in the States, Territories district where
by municipal law, it now exists, to establish il
in any State Territory where it does not exist;
but.as an assurance and guarantee to promote har-
L
prejudices, which, by possibility, might impair or
| weaken love and devotion to the Union in any part
of the country, it is hereby
Resolved, That, as people in the Territories have
the same inherent rights of self government the
people in the States that it, in the exercise Of such
inherent right, the people in the newly acquired
Territories, by the annexation OF Texas and the ac-
QUESTION of California and New Mexico, south Of
the parallel of SO degrees and 80 minutes Of north
! latitude, extending to the Pacific ocean, shall
establish negro slavery prohibit H. that such
adjustment or prohibition of negro slavery, in the
formation of their State governments, shall be
| deemed no objection to their admission State
| or States into the Union, in accordance with the
| Constitution of the United States
! ON LEAVE.
Mr.. KING introduced bill granting to the State
of Alabama the right of way over public lands for
| a railroad from Selma to the Tennessee river
| Mr.. CLARKE introduced bill TO authorize the
! payment of invalid pensions in certain cases.
Mr.. DOWNS introduced bill for the relief Of
| William Darby.
Messrs COOPER, SEBASTIAN, YULEE, and
| SEWARD, also introduced bills of private char.
| acter
| Mr.. MASON, from the Committee on the Dis
trct Of Columbia, reported bill TO the char
ter of the Potomac Insurance Company of George
| town.
Mr. DODGE offered resolution, which lies over,
directing that the Rev Henry Slicer be paid for
| acting as chaplain to the Senate from the COM
mencemcnt Of the session, at the same rate as
| usually paid for such services.
| Mr.. CLEMENS, pursuant 10 notice, introduced a
joint resolution to amend the Constitution by max
ing the Senators elective by the people instead OF
| by the State Legislatures.
| The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a
communication from the War Department which
ordered TO be printed.
message was received from the President of the
United States, in answer to resolution of the SEN
ate calling upon him for copies of all papers, &c,
in possession of the Government, touching the af-
| fair of the abduction OF Rey.
| m I'd 10 n
| Of proclamation by the President, dated January
4, 1850, revoking and annulling the Exequatur
heretofore granted Signor Garcia as the Spanish
| Consul at New Orleans.
Mr.. PEARCE moved TO take up the Joint rcso-
luton reported by the Committee on Finance with
amendments, suspending so much Of the act OF
March g. 1549, as limits the expenses of collecting
| the revenue from customs 10 s $50 900
| Mr.. p. said this a subject earnestly and
prossngly urged upon Congress, and required
| Its immediate attention. There was n great neces-
| sty for its immediate passage. The act Of March
3, ls49, contained proviso limiting the expenses
Of collecting the revenue 70 the sum of $50 600
That provision went into force the LIST of Jan
uary, 1850 The Secretary Of the Treasury had
already issued circular, in order 10 limit the ex-
pcnscs Of collecting the revenue, by which il was
required that all the revenue should be laid up
and the seamen discharged, by which the expenses OF
that branch ofthe service would be curailed lie also
required that the weighing, measuring, gauging,
and appraiscmcnt Of goods imported the expenses
Of which had heretofore been betrayed by the Gov
eminent, should now be paid by the importer, thus
making up another deduction in the expense He
had required that the payment Of a certain per
centagc of the salaries Of officers should also be
suspended, till such time il could be ascertaincd
whether the limitation imposed by this act would
allow It's payment. The expenses attending the
warehouse system had also been curtaed and Ger.
tain expenses heretofore paid by the Government
| we're now to be borne by the importers The OK
pcnscs Of collecting the revenue were limited 10
$50 900; but with all these curtailmcns il was
| impossible that that was sufficient The bill
containing this provision was introduced and passed
in the other House in 1888, and not acted upon
by the Senate at that session. During the last ses-
SON. and its close, IL had been called up; and.
| without receiving that careful examination which
il should have received, " WIS passed, and became
| law. Under the circumstances, he thought IL the
duty Of Congress TO suspend it, for the present scs
sion, at least, and until Congress was ready and
prepared, by a careful examination into the proper
modes Of reducing the expenses, 10 provide by
specific appropriations, for the expenses Of the
customs.
The joint resolution was then taken up and read
| as follows
Resolved by the Senate, Sc, That the operation of
30 much Of the act approved March 3, 1919 entitled
AN act requiring all moneys receivable from Gus
toms, and from all other sources, to be paid immc
diatey into the Treasury without abatement or re-