The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-01-11
THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
THuRsDAY, January 10. 1850.
SENATE.
FIRST SESSION.

rails and petitions,
| Mr.. CLAY presented the petition of William A.
Secley, praying Congress TO interfere in his behalf
to effect the recovery of $4,000 due him by the
| government of Holland.
| The circumstances OF the claim were stated 10
be, that in September, 1922 the palace OF William,
Prince of Orange, and of the princess his wife, sit
uated near Brussels, was burglariously entered
and robbed of all the royal plate, dadems, insignia,
diamonds, crown jewels, and other rich and splen-
did articles ofvalue in all, amounting in value,
as was said by the charge of the Netherlands, then
in this country, TO probably one million OF dollars
The police Of all Europe were invoked to discover
| Netherlands sent to all the nations OF the world
particular description of the articles lost, with
request that custom house officers and others might
be on the look out for them On the 9Th OF Novem-
Der following, the government of the Netherlands
authorized its ministers and agents to offer a re-
| ward of fifty thousand horins. This was done IL
appeared that one Constant Polari was the robber,
and that after taking the articles he found IT i'm
possible to do any thing with them, and had buried
them. In 1891 he took up with ewd woman and
her child, and with them dug up large portion OF
the articles, slowed them away, and, on foot, lett
Brussels and entered France. Here they disposed
of portion of them, and, with the residue placed
| in hollow cane, a hollow umbrella stick, and
hollow toy for the child, reached America, and
passed the custom house without detection. They
| put up at a respectable French boarding house IN
New York, where at that time dwelt enc John
Rowmagc, a Frcnchman. Rowmage soon got on
terms OF intimacy with the woman, and lnveigled
her out of the secret. Chevalcr Higgins, the
/ charge from the Netherlands, and the petitioner
became apprized Of these facts, and after the most
extraordinary efforts during period OF three years.
the petitioner succeeded recovering the whole OF
the lost jewels. During the time between the loss
and the arrival of the rogue in this country the IN
terest in the loss had become considerably height
cncd from the rumors, and afterwards the direct
charge, that the prince was his own robber The
royal family, consequently, were more deeply IN
terested in the recovery, and Inducements OF the
most extravagant character were held forward Tor
tb,. If th So
feeling that Cheyaler Huggins declared that the IN
trnsic value ofthe articles considered as nothing
in comparison to the stain upon the character OF the
prince. After the conviction OF POLAR, and his
execution, instead of the reward promised, the Pc
ttioner was offered small token, which he lndig
nantly refused. Since that time he has never re-
ccived any thing from Holland
He now prays Congress to interfere, and 10 de-
duct from the moneys due by the United States. to
Holland the SO justly belonging to him.
MIR. CLAY said there was much in the claim that
recommended tself to the favorable consideration
of the Senate, and the documents accompanying
the petition were full and conclusive in the estab-
shment of the facts set forth He moved its refer
. renee to the Committee on Foreign Relations
Mr. KING remembered the circumstances well.
| He doubted the right of the Government to stop
moneys due private citizens of Holland, TO pay u
claim of one of our citizens The creditors OF
the United States in Holland were no parties to the
matter.
? Mr. CLAY admitted the Senator right. But
there not part of the debt due by us owing to
the government Of Holland? II so, why should not
the citizen have n good lien upon that! He would
however, move the reference to the Committee on
| Finance; and the reference was ordered.
| Mr.. MANG UNI presented the petition OF certain
persons in New York who had signed, as surcties,
the bond given 10 the United States IN relation to
the steamer United States.
sLAvERY-vERMosT RESOLUTIONS.
The motion TO print the resolutions presented by
Mr. UPHAM on Tuesday of the Legislature of the
State of Vermont on the subject of slavery in the
District of Columbia and the Territories, being now
up for consideration
Mr.. CHASE said that he had no very great desire
participate in the debate but thought from what
had already been said, that a few words were re-
qured Of him. IL he had correctly understood what
took place the other day, 1t was, that this motion
would be supported by the whole Senate, with but
a few exceptions. He rejoiced that the decision
made some years ago, with respect to printing the
versed and that hereafter the resolutions Of every
State Legislature were to be treated with the same
respect. He would be glad il the change was not
confined to the memorials OF the sovereign States,
but that il would embrace also the memorials OF
the people who composed those sovereign States.
He understood there was practise IN the Senate
tons, and then lay that question OF reception on the
table. This practise, IL seemed 10 him, would be
far "more honored in the breach than in the OBJ
servance." He agreed with the sentiments ex-
pressed by the Senators from South Carolina, that
il was better the sentiments Of the several States
should become known 10 the whole country; and
he wanted also, that the sentiments of the people.
as expressed in their petitions, should also be
known When there had been free interchange
of sentiment-when each poyion Of the country
were informed of the feelings and sentiments Of the
other portions-then there could be a better under
standing, and they would be better prepared TO
carry out the wishes Of the nation. Let all define
their several positions, and have thorough under
standing on the subject and then the proper course
TO be pursued would be more easily ascertained.
lie would take occasion to say, in behalf oft pco-
pie of the State he in part represented, that no
threats Of disunion, denunciations, no resolves
by State governments announcing determination
TO dissolve the Union, will ever deter them in
carrying out their sentiments. They will never
be moved from their course by any such proceed
ings They, conscious Of the rectitudc of their
course, would pursue II unwavcringly, and would
not be deferred by any such conduct. IL had been
intimated that the South had been oppressed, and
that she has much TO complain Of. OF what has she
be examined calmly, and IT, in the past history
Of the country, there is any event Of which she can
complain. Has not the South always had her
share in the Offices, in the honors, and In the power
of the nation, Does not the South now hold the
power in this body, and in Congress' Who pre-
sides now in the House? southern Speaker.
Look at the way in which the committees there and
tho committees here have been organized, and say
IL the South has been wanting in power. And are
they not expressly framed with view to her par
ticular protcctionf
7 He was free TO say, that in his political senti-
ments he belonged TO the free Dcmocracy-to the
party called the free Democracy. II was a par
ty no longer n sectional one; for any observer
Of the last political contest must have perceived
that that party had friends in every State in the
! Union-not organizations but friends in every
State They were the vast majority Of the people.
He was willing TO act upon all subjects with the
southern Democracy when that party would unite
upon the platform Of freedom, and carry out the
principles OF the ordinance Of 1881 Whenever that
party would avow themselves willing 10 support
the true principles Of Democracy, he would be
found acting with them. Every man who did not
hold doctrines In accordance with those entertained
at the South was excluded from the party; and II
was made test Of mans political creed did he
hold sentiments in favor Of The extension Of slavery
Was il fair 10 exclude all Democrats who enter
taincd the principles Of freedom, when that was
, the very foundation Of their creedY
What were the grounds Of apprehension the
part Of the South One ofthem is, that this Congress
will apply the ordinance Of 1857 10 the territory
noto free, which very ordinance applied by the
unanimous consent Of all the States 10 the territory
northwest Of the Ohio river, which was then free.
Was there any thing in this TO alarm the South Z
Another ground of apprehension was, that slavery
would be abolished in the District Of Columbia.
To do this, the Constitution gives Congress the
direct power and is there any thing 70 be appre.