The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-07-09

TOR reasons FULLY satisfactory 70 me, and which have
heretofore expressed and can ~, explain again
MIR HOUSTON The resolution Is one which SIMPLY
asks for information, and did not bring Il up with
view to any discussion or with any intention Of entering
into H. But there is certainly difficulty in Indians OF
maauders OF any description marching past Fort Polk
and Fort Brown al any time, or in marching between and
county and il troops that have been already taken be-
low them at and Fort Brown gave no protection TO
the lower part Of the Rio Grande being easy for them
Al any time to march around, and. il polite, make at
tack upon the custom house at Point Isabel cannot
see as The country is entirely open 10 maauders and In
dams mat gives any security, unless troops located
q ronI Isabel where they can epel any aggression that
Mr.. DAVIS, Of Mississippi / am surprised again.
President at the remarks Of the senator from Texas
raud Brownsville, opposite the old town Of Matamoras
s the point where cultivation begins and there are no
custo-house at Point Isabel was bad thing in itself,
being al point which was destitute OF popalaon--so
much that little garrison was necessary 10 be kept up
TO keep the Indians from attacking II.
Mr. HOUSTON. | should lmagine, il troops are ne
cessary give protection to Point Isabel, being little
place not surrounded with populaonthat il Is very
miserable alternative TO abandon place unprotected by
population, and march troops 10 Brownsville where there
is large popu ton Of several thousand souls IL would
leave the place where all the goods deposited in the
custom house entirely destitute OF protection II is
mud fiat with nothing to render IL attractve much the
the necessity OF having troops there 10 preserve
And as to the policy Of locating custom house al Point
Isabel defer to the superior Judgment Of the senator
from Mississippi He has differed from the course Of pro-
ceedng Of the officers controlling that department. and
am not going to nterpose ny judgment e sustain theirs
of the representatives Of Texas-eavirg myself out Of
the question have never seen that place and Of course
to Be much the most eligible Place for "a custom
80 than Fort Brown leaving the country for twenty
miles more open 10 smuggling, and every imposition
that can be thought Of
u Mr. DAVIS r must make still further remark. III
house is to be placed the sea- then place for
titcaton at the mouth OF the river If It's to be placed
where the population exists then place higher up ut
Brownsville But it is known fact that vessel Of
heavy draught can easier 80 to the mouth OF the river
than to Point Isabel and when at the mouth OF the river
it Is the highway 10 the interior Al BrasOs Santiago
is the only place where vessel oil ordinary draugh
above the size Of sloop co. and there, in my
opinion the custom house should be placed for there
with the protection OF the wall might have bet
protection for our commerce than Al any other place
Mr. RUSK. do not desire to interfere in this matter;
enough inquire whether il ought not 10 be protected
This resolution simply inquiries if the troops
ed there for the protection Of the custom house at Point
Isabel The custom house there, and it is said by in
dviduaIs from that country that is in an exposed cond-
ton 1t may be in the wrong place, but long is
there il is very poor Judgment in my opinion to leave
the commerce. which amounted in the last year to five
millions Of doilars-sometimes high 100000
2s0,O00 in specie remaining there at once-exposed TO
Indian depredatons, when they are committing them
Mr. DAVIS Not on the custom house
Mr. RUSk Not on the custom house. but on the SET
dement's. where temptation exists for them to 80 un-
iNi
large number OF shipments are made at the place So
have been told Information is called for BY the reson
no objection to inquirng Of the Secretary for information
why he took the troops away He ought, think, to in
form US why that entire frontier, lar il is settled. is
mediate neghberhool OF Point Isabel but all the way
up and down the Rio Grande and every day when the
mail comes from there Indian depredations have been
committed along that route Under these circumstances
the resolution is offered simply to ask why these troops
have been removed. II there is reason for IT, it ends
'her. ( 19i il puts Us in possession o. The information
manned on the table, and the thing been left as il 10,
shoudnot have made the remarks which have; but |
ts bound e reply TO fine. The senator from Is.a
Mr. RUsK,l who is usually very Discreet has not touch
ed the at issue at ALL II has been the issue that
strange place for Indians attack is the caravans
going from the custom house to other places that TO
be projected, and that senator knows too much Of that
country understand that better protection could be
given at Brownsville than at Point Isabel and that no
adequate protection could be afforded TO those
except by troops marching with them. Either at
place the other would II be necessary to have their
presence to check the Indians between the two points It
would only be movable force that could give that pro-
Nj HOUSTON. If there is any object in protecting
Point Isabel at all. the only way to attain that object
will be to station troops there The caravans in moving
between the places will leave Il exposed Indians have
gone down to the chappara in large numbers and
years ago they sacked the village Of 49,, robbed the
stores, and took everything They did not pass by SIM
gle habltaon until thew had reached the Immediate point
OF attack The country not populated, and there
were chapparas to give the Indians protection and
them from observation until they were directly upon the
place. They might easily pass five, ten twenty miles,
the case may be, and advance at any time TO Point s
bel, and take the house. and dives il OF all the
property. The resolution has lain the table for
time, and it's entire object is 10 obtain information and
not TO find which the polite place Tor locating
custom-house because s the interest OF the senators
and representatives OF that country render the greatest
good TO the inhabitants there and promote the public
and nj npr
on that line OF the Rio Grande Point Isabel, under
stand, is the FIRST place situated on the Rio Grande
which custom house can be securely established.
Mr. DAVIS Ii is not on the Rio Grande It all.
Mr.. HOUSTON. IL is not on the RIO Grsnde; but II
is the borders OF IT, and connected with the
)f the Rio Grande; and when the wall is built il will
perhaps be very proper 10 change the customhouse to
some other point. wish the resolution 10 be adopted
Tor other purpose than 10 obtain the requisite inorma
sufficient to counterva the suggestions OF the command
ing general, now President OF the United States.
The resolution was then agreed 10.
ROADS IN MINNESOTA.
Mr. BADGER moved to take up House bill No. al
being the bill for the construction OF certain roads the
Territory OF Minnesota, and for othe rpurposeswhch
ast
The bill having been read third tme the question
was stated upon its passage.
MIR. DAVIS, OF Mississippi | wish to ask the char.
nan OF the Committee on Territories, who believe re-
ported this bill, upon what authority these amounts have
been estimated, and why these roads required Tor
military purposes, "a set forth in the bill
Mr.. DOUGLAS. AS 10 the amounts, the Committee
On Territories took them they fouad them in the bill
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