The southern press., 1850-09-10
oNGREs sIoNAL,
IN SENATE.

gs IL MoNDAY, September y, 1850.
The Clerk Of the House reported to the Senate
amendment thereto; and, also, the passage by the
House Of the Senate bills for the admission OF
California, and providing a Territorial Govern
ment for the Territory Of Utah.
MORE RAILROADS.
The Senate passed a bill making grant Of land
and grant Of the right of way to Missouri for a
railroad from st. Louis to her western borders.
And bill of a similar character for the benefit
of Indiana was ordered a third reading.
Also, bill to authorize the Secretary OF the
Treasury to permit vessels from the British North
American provinces to load and unload in American
ports in certain cases. not heretofore specially pro-
vided for by law. @ -.s. rz&a. ...o. -.
"'- TEXAS AND NEW MEXICO. a#
The Texas boundary bill with the House
amendments was taken up.
Mr.. CHASE, moved to amend the House
amendment respecting New Mexico, which pro-
vide that no citizen shall be deprived OF his
life, liberty or property, without a trial by his
peers and the laws of the land, bv striking out
I" Citizen" and inserting "person' and by strik-
ing out the laws of the land, and inserting by
process of law" Tf@ &4at8aN %#.'7. p" .
The two branchesof tI,e amendment were sepa-
rateIy rejected. -'a g.. 3r
The amendment adding the New Mexico bill to
the Texas bill Of the Senate was agreed to, 81 to
TO- as follows, several Southern senator's not vot-
ing upon it. .-T
YEAs.-Messrs. Atchison, Badger, Bell, Bright,
Cass, Clay, Dawson, Dickinson, Dodge, of Iowa,
Douglas, Downs, Felch, Foote, Houston, Jones,
Mangum, Morton, Norris, Pearce, Pratt, Rusk,
Sebastian, Shields, Smith, Spruance, Sturgeon,
Underwood, Wales, Whitcomb--3l. -, - .,-a@.,
NAys.--Messrs Baldwin, Benton, Chase, Davis, ,
Of Mass, Dodge, Of Wis.,, Ewing, Hamlin, Sew
ard, Upham, Winthrop--l0. '..a... .., ,s.
A message from the House. The Speaker had
nod tha Ttah nd Cal.corn;a hills I
GEN. HousroN's DEFENCE OF HIMSELF. b.,
Mr.. HOUSTON, conformably with notice
which he gave to the Senate on Friday last, rose
to a personal explanation. He had been recently
very well abused by member Of the other House.
He, Mr.. HousToN, had, as rule, been regardless
heretofore Of the abuse heaped upon him; but the
relations which he occupied as representative Of
the people, and the official positions which he had
filled heretofore, would not permit him to pass by
this last attack unregarded. He had attacked
the reputation of no man. He was mot the ag-
gressor in this case. He had not been the assail-
ant of any man. His object now was not to at
tack, but to repel the charges made against him
in recent article published in the Southern Press
For twenty-six or twenty-seven years past he had
been, from time to time, member of deliberative
bodies, conventions, and legislatures, and as well
ais his recollection served him, he had never been
called to order for the violation Of the rules Of
order and decorum. Mr.. H., with some other
remarks, proceeded to the consideration Of the di
rect accusation against him, contained in a recent
communication published in the Southern Press.
In the letter Of Mr.. Wallace, published in the
Southern Press of August 17th last he inquiries of
Mr.. HoUsToN If he was not, for malfeasance in
Office, discharged from a sub-lndian agency by
Mr.. CALHOUN, Secretary Of War under President
Monroe-mind, 81 say for malfeasance in Office. !"
Inreply to this allegation, Mr.. HousToN contend
ed that he was never discharged from any Office.
He had caused the public archives to be ransacked
covering period of 80 years past land he had found
that he had left behind him a remarkably smooth
track, not brush in it. From his first entry into
the army in 1913 to the time of his retirement
from it as lieutenant in l8l8 there was not
mark against him; or, if there were mark, it was
the mark of the enemy upon his body; there was
no mark upon his escutcheon. He cited the Off
cial records in support Of his fidelity as a sub
Indian agent under Mr., Monroe. He had met
all his enemies heretofore without Wanting, and
not attack him when his back was turned. Re-
specting the facts in the charge of " mafeasance
in Office, Mr.. HousroN exhibited that when his
salary as ub-lndian agent was reduced from
81 800 to $500 year, he resigned, and went to
Western Tennessee. Some time afterwards, a
suit was instituted against him under the order Of
Mr.. CALHOUN, for balance due to the Govern
ment. But on the trial it was found there was Il
balance due to the accused of $2S7 And this
constitutes the evidence of his malfeasance in Of
fee. After disposing of the other question Of his
exile among the Indians as involving no obloquy,
and from which he has had the honor at length
to appear upon this floor; and expressing his
surprise at the mystery with which this charge
of /" malfeasance" had been nestled away so
long; and after referring to some threats hereto
fore made Of extracts from some distinguished
"diary," and disclaiming any intention to touch
upon the memory Of Mr. CALHOUN, the senator
from Texas turned his attention to South Caro-
lima, and her peculiar institutions. Mr. HoUsroN
concluded with a congratulation of the country
upon the passage Of the California and Territorial
bills, and upon the blessings of the Union, and
contended that he who would strike parricidal
blow to dissolve the Union was more detestable
traitor than Benedict Arnold.
Mr.. BUTLER had nothing to say in this per-
sonal controversy. Respect for his colleage and
for the senator from Texas would forbid it. He
took occasion, however, to deny veryaexplicity
that Gen. Wallace had from any conversation
with Mr.. CALHOUN, or from any information from
Mr.. CALHOUN, directly or indirectly, brought
forward his charges against the senator from Tex
as. The information upon which these charges
were made was derived from Gen. Thomas J.
Green, of Texas.
Mr.. HOUSTON. No, sir, not Of Texas.
Mr.. BUTLER. He is now of California, but
was formerly Of Texas. From that gentlemaa, ]
understand the information was exclusively de-
rived. With regard to the institutions of South
Carolina, Mr.. BUTLER said that every free white
man in the State had the right Of suffrage, land in
ting for the members of the Legislature, they select
ed their agents in the choice Of Governor and
President. And in the conservative institutions
Of South Carolina there a safer guarantee
for the Constitution than in the progressive demo-
cracy Of modern days.
Mr.. HOUSTON did not charge or intend to in
innate anything against Mr.. CALHOUN. As re-
CARDS Gen. Thomas J. Green, he is most noto-
rous man, and is known all the way round from
California to Boston,-a rather roundabout way.
He was in Texas a short time, but left in hurry,
not much regretted by some, and very much re-
GREETED by others. All that have said Of South
Carolina was, that regretted her citizens had not
direct voice in the election Of their Governor and
the President Of the United States.
DAY OF ADJOURNMENT.
On motion of Mr.. JEFFERSON DAVIS, the resou-
ton taken up from the House fixing the Both
Of September the day Of the adjournment of
Congress.
He moved to substitute the 22d.
Mr. WALKER and Mr.. BADGER opposed the mo-
ton, on account Of the pressure Of public business
Mr.. JEFFERSON DAVIS, replied that after the act
that had been passed, he was anxious to 60 home
and turn over the results to the people. If the
session continued much longer, he could almost