The daily crescent., 1850-01-17
Debaten 81 ths U. s. senate, on the Cans

Alabama, called up his resolution, previously Of
fsred, ton the 9Th ult calling upon the President
10 communicate to the Senate copies of all cores
pondence between the Government and its agents
in California, touching the holding of a convention
in that place TO frame a constitution; whether any
(, person had been appointed civil or military Gov
ernor Of the territory, and his compensation, and
the date of appointment; whether any person had
been sent there by The President or any of the de-
partments, with instructions authority to orga-
nize State government; whether the Government
has taken any steps to organize State government
there and further, that he state his reasons for
stating in his message that the people of New Mex,
leo will " at no distant period present themselves
for admission into the Union"
Mr.. DaDson moved to amend by inserting-and
the acts of the late administration in the same mat
ter !; which amendment was accepted.
1fr. Miller hoped the resolution would be allowed
4 to lay over for few days. He was opposed tothe
last clause, calling upon the President to give his
reasons for the statement in his message.
Mr. Foote hoped the request would not be acce-
ded to-
&. Mr.. Clemens would like action upon the resolu-
tion now. He had no objection to strike out the
last clause.
Mr.. Rusk saw no reason why the clause should
be stricken out. The Information asked for was
important There were great questions involved
IN lil6 reports the papers and Oth-
erwise, it had been learned that the people of New
Mexico and California had by express direction of
! the President moved for admission into the Union
| The questions of boundary between Texas and
those territories were unsettled and the great ques-
| tlon whether one branch of the Government can
by its direction urge the people to rise against the
authority of sovereign State was involved in the
| issue.
Mr.. Douglass expressed a desire that the resolu.
ton, leading TO debate, might lay over.
eaaid fho Oiufinr Lofo
the Senates and he intended to have vote upon it
if possible The subject one in which his con-
stituents felt an interest it had been specially
called to his attention by the Governor of Alabama
| There was nothing in the resolution to which the
President could object. There was nothing asked
for by the resolution but what should have been in
his message and if the President had put in his
message all that should have been there this reso-
| luton would not now be on the table, The resolu-
tion had not been got up for partisan purposes. 1t
was offered to obtain information which his con-
/ stlluents desired He wished to have no disguise
They were told that they should not have the Will
mot Proviso forced upon them; but he wished that
that proviso should not be presented in an indirect
way. If they we're obliged to take medicine in
the shape of the Wilmot Proviso, very well ;-but
don't take the medicine and roll it up in sugar can
kdy, and ask us to swallow it. Let it come openly
Would any Senator get up here any say that CALI.
fornia would be ready to be admitted into this Union
if it had not been for the slavery question Would
any Senator vote for her admission, save on the
ground of avoiding the slavery question? Well,
he was opposed TO doing that indirectly which could
not have been done directly. He intended no war
on the President nor on the whig party; all he de-
sired was 10 defend the rights of the South.
Mr.. Douglass said, in moving to postpone the
prior orders, it his intention that only those
resolutions which would lead to no debate should
be taken up. He moved that the resolution lie on
the table.
| Mr.. Mason hoped the motion would be with
drawn there might as well be vote upon it now
as at any time
Mr.. Douglass was explaining his reasons for the
motion, when
Mr.. Butltr called him to order.
Mr.. Douglass asked why he had not called the
Senator from Virginia 10 order
Mr.. Butler again called to order. The rules of
the Senate were his answer to the question
The question on laying the resolution on the ia
BILE was taken by yeas and nays, and resulted
yeas ~, nays 29; and the Vice President voting in
the affirmative, the motion was adopted.
The resolution offered by Mr.. Dickinson some
days ago. calling upon the Postmaster General to
communicate to the Senate whether he has removed
or attempted to remove any person whose appoint
ment removal properly belongs to the President,
with the advice and consent of the Senate ETC. etc.,
then came up.
Mr.. Phelps would like to have time to examine
this.resolution He hoped it would be passed over
informally
Mr.. Dickinson asked if it was the intention of
the Senator to oppose the inquiry into the official
acts of the Postmaster General?
Mr.. Phelps meant to oppose the resolution if
satisfied 1t was unconstitutional
Mr. DGckiNSoR-lf anything is unconstitutional
it is in the acts of the Postmaster General
Mr.. Da1cSow inquired if he correctly understood
the Senator from New York charging that the
Postmaster General had undertaken to discharge
duties which properly belonged to the President;
and that the President has allowed another to per-
form duties properly belonging to himself If this
be what the Senator charges why direct the inquiry
to the Postmaster General, and not the President
Why not ask the President if he has allowed
another to assume his duties Or, is this reso-
luton containing attack upon the Chief Execu-
tive of the nation, indirectly charging him with
yielding his authority to subordinate If So it is
very far from being that course of action calculated
to produce harmony between the different depart
ments Of the Government.
Mr.. Dickinson said the resolution would speak
for itself, and the Senator from Georgia could
examine it. In his experience in the legislation of
the country, he had found that the best way to OBJ
tain information to direct inquiry to the per-
whom it is presumed knows something about |
the matter. He would not ask the Postmaster
General for information in possession of the Secre
tary OF the Treasury, and would not ask the Pres-
dent for information in possession of the Postmas-
ter General If the Senator from Georgia presented
himself as a champion in advance for this Admin
do during the session.
Mr.. DGlCSon was no champion, but when he |
was, his mode of attack was to march right up to |
the point of attack, and not make indirect |
charge The Senator has announced that the Post |
master General has exercised executive authority
and that the President has permitted it. Now, he |
submitted whether il not better it it was not
more in accordance with propriety to ask the Pres
ident himself if he has permitted subordinate |
officer of the government to discharge duties be-
lot,Frt 60 L. Al Al
most proper mode of getting the information
Mr.. Seloard had examined the resolution, and
saw nothing in it Objectionable. 1t might have |
been so framed as to specify the particular cases
but il his colleague thought it proper to leave it in
its present shape, he satisfied As to the ques-
tion OF passing it to-day or tomorrow, he'thought
il might be passed now. ..nsHf-
Mr.. Hale saw something in the resolution highly |
indecorOus. He had no feeling OF sympathy with !
the Administration its assaants, but it was |
probable that shortly there would be an adminisra-
ton with which he could feel sympathy !; and he |
wished to have such precedent established 1t |
was not proper matter OF inquiry in the mode pro-
posed. The Senate had no right to ask public |
officer II he had violated the Constitutional he has
exceeded his powers-if he is not guilty of an |
impeachabe offence He was in favor of all move
ments for information. A little information would |
not hurt the Senate. But he wanted it to come in |
proper way. He-would be glad to have the infor-
nation, and he thought the Senate should have it, |
that they might impeach the guilty officer. He |
was opposed to establishing such precedent. He |
begged pardon of the champions of the Admins |
tration for volunteering in their cause-as he was