The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1850-12-18
THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
TUESDAY, DEcEMBER II, 1850.
SENATE.

resolutions of the Senate September 81, $780,
directing an inquiry into the exPediency oil Great,
inc nm additional rank in the army OF the United
States and concerning what provisions are neces-
sary 10 restrain officers OF the army from assuming
the duties of civic statlons.
AIR ID AVIS of Mississippi moved, and the com
,nunicaton was referred to the Committee on Mill
terry Affairs, and was ordered to be printed
MISSISSIPPI STATE RESOLUTIONS.
Mr. FOOTE said that he held in his hands GER
tain resolutions OF censure upon himself, winch had
been passed by the Legislature OF his State, and had
been sent TO him with request that they be pre-,
sented to the Senate. He desired now to present
them and, in doing so, TO say single word lie
had no feeling with regard TO the subject The
members of the Legislature of the State OF Missis
sppi was composed, doubtless, OF very respectable
gentlemen, but he considered they had wholly mis-
taken the public sentiment of the State, and that
by next autumn thew and all the world viii be sat
ised that the censurc contained IN these solutions
was wholly undeserved.
The CHAIR asked what disposition OF the papers
the Senator desired.
Mr.. FoOTE said that the resolutions had been
sent to him with a request that he would present
them to the Senate. He had done 50. lie had
nothing further to say regarding them.
Mr.. DAVIS, of Mississippi, moved that the reso-
utions be read, and that they be printed
The Secretary commenced reading portion OF
the apers sent 10 the desk.
MIR. DAVIS suggested that the resolutions the
Secretary reading were those presented to the
Senate al the last session by his colleagues those
which he moved TO be read were those following.
Mr.. FOOTE said that he was sorry any mistake
had been made. He had received the resolutions,
along with an interesting epistie from General
Quitnan the Governor of Mississippi. He had
read the letter but not the resolutions.
The resolutions were then read, and ordered to
be printed.
REPORT OF THE SECRETARY OF THE TREASURY.
Mr. BORLAND from the Committee on Print
ing reported favorably the motion to print the
report of the Secretary of the Treasury.
And, on motion OF Mr. SEW ARD, lO,OOo extra
copies ordered to be printed
AMENDMENT RULES.
Mr. HUNTER, from the Committee on Finance.
reported the following resolution as an amend
ment to the rules:
"No amendment shall be received to any gene
raj appropriation bill unless It be made to carry
outthe provisions Of some existing law. some
act resolution previously passed by the Senate
during that session. in pursuance OF an estimate
from the head of some of the departments; and no
amendment shall be received whose object is to
provide for a private claim, although the same
may have been previously sanctioned by the
Senate.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
MI DAVIS, of Mississippi, from the Committee
on Military Affairs reported back the bill 10 in
demnify the State Of South Carolina for money ex-
pended for the United States in the war IN Florida
with the Seminole Indians.
Al.o the bill TO authorize the President TO select
and procure site for western armory, and to COM
mence the building thereof with two amendments
THE SLAVE
The CHAIR laid before the Senate message
from the President, enclosing report by the Sc
cretary of State, in compliance with resolution oil
the Senate in relation the African slave tradej
which read, and ordered to be printed
SALARY OF JUDGE OF CRIMINAL COURT OF THE
DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.
Mr. PRATT gave notice that he would hereafter
ask leave TO introduce bill 10 increase the salary OF
the Judge Of the criminal court of the District Of
Columbia.
THE PRESIDENTS MESSAGE IN SPANISH
Mr. GwIN moved and the Senate took up the
resolution offered some days since, directing that
three thousand copies OF the Presidents message
be printed in the Spanish language.
MIR. WALKER moved to amend the resolution
by providing for the printing of like number in
the German, and like number in the Norwegian
languages.
debate ensued in which Messrs. GWIN,
BADGER and FOOTE supported the resolution,
and opposed the amendment, and Messrs. DODGE,
DAYTON and BRADBURY opposed both.
Mr.. CHASE moved to amend the amendment by
striking out that relating to the Norwegian Ian
guage, and the motion was agreed to-
The question recurring on the amendment as
Mr. BRADBURY moved to lay the whole sub
ject the table, which motion was agreed 10.
follows:
YEAs-Messrs. Atchison, Bell, Borland, Brad
bury, Butler, Clarke, Clay, Davis. of Mississippi,
Dayton, Dodge, Of Wis, Dodge, Of Iowa, Downs,
Fetch, Greene Hamlin, Hunter, Jones, King,
Miller, Norris, Pratt Smith, spruance, Sturgeon,
Turney. Underwood. and Walker-27.
NAYs-Messrs. Badger, Baldwin, Benton, Ber
X D
Foote, G win, Phelps, Seward, Shields, Wales, and
Whitcomb-l6.
DEATH OF THE HON. } II. HARMASsoS.
message was received from the House, an
nouncing the death OF the Hon. JoHs HARMANsoS,
and the proceedings Of that House thereon.
Mr.. DOWNS and said Mr.. President, in
announcing az now do, the death Of the Hon. JOHS
III. HARMASsoS, late a Representative from the
Third Congressional District Of Louisiana, per
form not merely an assigned duty in a formal cere-
m6ny unmoved and without sorrow, but DIP IL
under sense Of bereavement and regret second
only to that Of his family and nearest relatives.
During many years was his most intimate friend
and associate. For more than thirty yearswe were
in the most cordial relations Of friendship. I'M
dimmed by single shadow Of coldness or estrange-
rncnt. Our sports and Amuscments Of youth and
early manhood were much together, and some Of
our sorrows and our trials common 10 both. In
the active pursuits OF life and in politics pursued
the same general course, and we're Of the same
party. knew the purity, and warmth, and noble
Of his heart, for he stood by firmly in some
Of those dangers and vicissiudes Of life " that try
meme souls" and prove their hrmness and disin-
tercstedncss. How strong illustration Of the
uncertainty Of human life and the destiny Of men
. does an incident in his history afford.
Twenty three years since, cold December
day with the north wind drifting the sands Of the
beach, like those Of the deserts OF the Old World,
island in the Mississippi river, famous half a
century before in border romance and story, and
under the Jurisdiction Of the state Of the
were 10 be seen eight persons. hostile meeting
had taken place, and one Of the combatants had
wounded. The other seven were in the yigor OF
early manhood, with the prospect Of long life be-
fore them; and the most vigorous and the youngest
of these was the individual whose death we now
mourn. Five Of the eight had departed before him,
and but two survive-onc OF each antagonist par
ty-snd one Of these the individual whose end, II
vas then thought, was 80 near that / wac doubtful
whether be would survive until be could be carried,
in their boat half mile Ia the Louisiana shore,
Such IL the uncertainty Of human life,
Dir HARMASsoS was born in Norfolk, Virginia,
In January, 1903. and his father removed 10 Louis
lana With his family, when the deceased eleven
years Of age, He educated, in part, at Jeffer-
con College, Washington, Mississippi, one Of the
present Senators Of that State (Mr. DAvIs) being
Mt the same time in that institution. HE father
died in Louisiana before the subject Of this notice,
though the oldest Of the family, Of age his
education completed; leaving the widowed mother
and several children with means inadequate "a
their support and proper education 30 that John
the Oldest not only left at a very tender age "a
depend on biz own resources In great measure for
his support but aso found IL necessary assist ir
eunnortfno and educatiuv the other members Of the