The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-21

~ SENATE.
FRIDAY, Sept. 20, 1850.
MORNING HOUR

~ SENATE.
FRIDAY, Sept 20, 1850,
MORNING HOUR.
| A good deal Of miscellaneous business was IN
cidentally considered during the morning hour
| The Florida and Alabama Rail Road bill was
read third time and PASSED.
| On motion OF Mr.. CLAY, a hundred dollars
were voted to the compensation of the clerk of the
late Committee of Thirteen.
INDIVIDUAL LIABILITY.
! On motion of Mr. MASON, the vote by which
the Senate yesterday concurred in House amend
ment making the stockholders of the Potomac In
surahce Company Individually responsible for the
debts of the Company, reconsidered and
then, owing TO some Imperfections in the bill, it
was laid with the amendment the table, till the
first Monday in December next
CANADIAN RECIPROCITY.
| Mr.. fIAMLIN moved to take up the bill pro-
vidng for the free navigation Of the ST. Lawrence,
and the free interchange of domestic products be-
tween Canada and the United States but the mo-
ton was not agreed to.
ROUTE BILL.
| On motion of Mr.. RUSK, the Senate took up
the bill for the establishment of certain rev post
routes throughout the United States, including a
considerable number for Oregon and California
Mr. RUSk moved an amendment providing a
Deputy Postmaster General for Oregon and Cali
division OF the United States
! Mr. TURNEY and Mr. WALKER earnestly
resisted this proposition highly dangerous
innovation; and the amendment Withdrawn
! The bill was quickly considered and read third
time and passed.
j The day having been set apart for the consider
alton of business appertaining to California, the
Senate proceeded to take up the California cal
endar.
The first bill taken up was bill to provide for
extending the laws and the Judicial system of the
United States over the State of California, pro-
vlding for the appointment of two District Judges
among other things, at $500 compensation per
annum.
Mr.. FREMONT moved to increase the com
pensation to Sc 900.
Debated by Messrs. FREMoNr, GwIN, Butler,
DAYTON, SMITH, MANcuM, ArcHsoN, Wmr-
COMB, and FoorE, and rejected
The bill being reported from committee,
! Mr.. GWlN renewed the amendment of Mr..
FREMONT, which after debate rejected--l7
to 81.
Mr.. wHITcoMB moved to reduce the COM
pensation Of the Judges from $500 to $4,000
Rejected--9 to 80.
i Mr.. WHITCOMB moved to recommit the bill
with instructions to report it back with only one
District Judge for the Stale, instead Of two Re-
jected; and
The bill was read third time and passed.
/ COLLECTION DISTRICTS
The Senate next took up a bill from the Com
mIttee OF Commerce, substitute for Mr..
Owns original bill, establishing certain collection
districts in California.
| The bill provides that San Francisco, San
Diego, Monterey, Sacramento city, Stockton, and
| Benicia, in California, shall be ports of entry,
and that Santa Barbara and other smaller ports,
shall be ports of delivery.
! The collector at San Francisco to receive SO 900
| annum and for the other norta az OOO each
collector. Naval officer at San Francisco, SS, 900;
Surveyor of the port, ~ 900; chief Appraisers,
$1,000; and the other revenue officers at cores
ponding salaries.
Mr.. JOHN DAVIS was opposed to the making
Of Sacramento City, away upon the Sacramento
river, and the city of Stockton up the San Joa-
quinn, ports Of entry. He thought it would be a
useless expense to the Treasury.
/ Mr.. GWlN appealed for tie ports of entry
proposed. Sacramento City, only Is months
old, has u population of 10000, with GO or 10
vessels often In port, some of 500 tons burthen.
The port of San Francisco was blocked up with
600 ships. This created delay in waiting for the
custom house examinations, whereas if Stockton
and Sacramento City made ports of entry,
ships pass right up without delay; and de-
l spatch is necessary, when consider that
large part OF the commerce Of the upper ports is
in provisions and vegetables, which will spoil by
detention at San Francisco, or Bencia, while their
| destination is for the ports above.
Inc uepate was Iurther continued ny Messrs.
JOHN DAVIS, SoULE, and GwIN, and the amend
ment Of Mr.. DAVIS, for making Stockton and
Sacramento City ports Of delivery instead Of ports
of entry, was agreed to--29 to II.
Mr. GWIN then proposed that Benicia, stuat-
! ed between the two ports aforesaid, and San
Francisco, be also reduced to mere port Of de-
| livery. Benicia not Of one half the impor-
lance Of Stockton and Sacramento City. There
was comparatively no business and popula-
ton at Benicia
Mr.. WALKER took different view of the sub
/ ject.
Mr.. sOULE strongly presented the advantages
of Bencia altogether eligible and proper for
making that place port Of entry.
| Mr.. FREMONT and Mr.. GWIN opposed the
proposition to make Benicia port Of entry when
Stockton and Sacramento city were rejected.
Mr.. DAWSON briefly replied.
Mr.. SOULE presented very forciby the geo.
graphical advantages of Benica, there being thirty
feet OF water at low tide all the way down from
the very bank Of the bay to the sea. Benicia was
even a safer place than San Francisco, for there
were dangerous rocks and shoals around that
port.
Mr.. GWIN defended San Francisco Twelve
hundred vessels had entered that port within q
year, and only two lost. Six hundred YES
sells were lying now in that port, and there was
room for thousand more. That bay was the
finest sheet of water in the world.
The amendment, after further debate by Mr. |
SouLE, JEFFERSON DAVIS, FREMoNE, GwIN, and
others, was rejected, Is to 80. So that Denicia
was retained as a port of entry.
| On motion of Mr.. SOULE, the country and
parts of Sacramento city and Stockton were made
tributary TO the port Of entry Of Benicia-29 to
| II.
And after further incidental amendments, the
bill was ordered to third reading.
TEN O'clock.
| On motion of Mr.. HAML.IN the Senate re-
solved to meet from and after Monday next at 10
o o'clock in the morning. Adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
FRDAv, September 20, 1850
The House resolved itself into Committee of
the Whole on the state of the Union--Mr. DIS
NEY, of Ohio, in the Chair, and took up the naval
appropriation bill.
Mr.. EWING, of Tennessee, addressed the |