The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1850-09-23
CO N q X Els SION Al


MORNING AiscaiI ANiEs.
The Pres.dinx oaaoer laid before the Senate
communication from che Treasury Department.
MIR DICKINSON presented a petition from |
volunteers Of the MAR of lsi2. Jogging the memo
~ of the Senate ia regard 20 those bounty lands.
The Senate passed bill aaihorizing the ex- |
change of government lot az Fort Hamilton, |
New York, for more available ground for that
military post.
Mir. COOPER offered a resolution making GER
tain inquiries of the Secretary 81 the Treasury,
respecting the collection Of the ieyenues. Lies
over.
On motion of MIR. FREMONT the, California
bills were made she special order for Tuesday
next at ~ o'clock.
Ga motion Of Mr.. YuLEE the Senate took up
and passed the b,ll Cor the relief Of the widows
and orphans of the officers and seamen of The
United States brig Washington, lost OF the coast
OF Virgins, September 1886.
cAsApiss RECIPROCITY.
Mr.. DOUGLAS moved 10 tske up the ban pro-
vding for the free navigation of the St Lawrence,
and for reciprocity Of domestic trade between the
United States and Canada.
Mr.. PEARcE hoped the bill wonld GO over TO
the next session. An agent of the Treasury
Department had been engaged Cor n !, ear past
In collecting statistics upon this subject; and he
hoped the bill would he postponed with The view
of first obtaining this official information.
MIR. DOUGLAS replied that The subject had
been before the Senate for two years, and that
some action ought io be had upon h..
MIR. EWING opposed io this measure
He considered II Ia be scheme fall Of mischief
The ST. Lawrence was of no value us. being
bu, little used by the Canadians themselves, con
siderng the amount of their domestic trade.
| cAIiroRNiA.
! The bill providing certain collection districts in
California, was taken up on its third reading.
Mr. GWIN moved 10 recommit the BILL
Mr.. DICKINSON moved 10 lay the motion on
the table, with a view of proceeding to the appro-
priaiion bills. Bill laid upon the table
ARTIFICIAL RESERVOIRS ron rnE ONO gVER.
The Senate took up the resolution appropriat-
ing $50 900 tn Professor Elliott, with The of
compromising him Tor survey Of the Ohio and It's
tributaries, TO aseesiin the practicabiI,y OF keep
ing upa good summer supply OF water IN the Ohio,
by the construction of reservoirs ht the heads of
its rncipal tributaries 10 be turned loose into
the river in the dry
The project being heretofore objected to as n
humbug,
Mr. CLAY rose in defence Of its practicabiiy.
He contended that the thing was practicable
that reservoirs might be constructed AT the heads Of
the principal streams of the Ohio, which would
furnish navigating supply To the main stream in
the dry season. As To It's being humbug, the
great application Of steam 10 navigation by Fulton,
was once pronounced humbug--the notion of
Columbus, that there was a new world 10 the west
of the Atlantic, was once pronounced a humbug.
The way to test the truth Of any theory is TO
try it, to investigate IL, and that IL all which we
propose to do--simply 10 authorize an examiua
ton into the praccabiliiy OF this theory
Mr.. BRIGHT concurred in the views OF Mr..
Clay.
Mr.. BENTON asked how many feet rise at
Pittsburgh it would require to give one inch rise
at the mouth If the Ohio
Mr.. UNDERWOOD explained that the fall of
the river at Pittsburgh three fee, per mile, and
at the mouth only -four inches, and the difference
in the velocity would show that rise of four feet
at Pittsburgh would occasion rise at the mouth
Of the river, because what was lost in the expan-
sion Of the current would be gained ia the reduc
ton of it's velocity.
Messrs. BENTON, UsDERwoop, Jous DAVIS,
JEFFERSON DAVIS, and Dickinson further dis
cussed the project and its feasibility, when the
question taken, and the resolution agreed
to, g to l6.
CIVIL AND DIPLOMATIC APPROPRIATIONS.
The Senate resumed the consideration of the
House bill making the civil and diplomatic appro-
priations for the support OF those branches of the
Government, for the fiscal year ending june 80,
1851.
Several amendments were agreed to-
Mr.. DICKINSON moved TO reduce the rent for
Winder's building FUSED for pension Offices, &c.)
from S2l ,S75, as proposed by the House, to Sl6,-
342 50, which was agreed TO.
THE OLD MILEAGE QUESTION.
Mr. DICKINSON moved to strike out the
House proyiso, which limits the mileage to 81 900
for each session. to each member residing this side
of the Rocky mountains and to g., 900 for mem
bers residing west Of the Rocky mountains.
Mr.. CHASE called for the ayes and noes.
Mr.. BADGER considered this House proviso
as vicious and arbitrary in principle, and unjust
in its operation, and argued IN favor Of striking it
out He in favor of large mileage, one
of the means of retaining the seat of Government
where it has been established under the Consti,u-
ton. He wanted 1t to stand here for all time,
the seat Of our General Government, as esab
ished by our forefathers.
MIR. CHASE argued in favor of the reduction
proposed by the House
Mr. HALE was opposed to the arbitrary linn
itations of the House provso.
Mr.. EWING was in favor OF striking them
out.
Mr.. BUTLER suggested modification to so |
much per one hundred miles.
Mr.. CASS was opposed to the arbitrary re-
srictions of the House proviso, but in favor of
aboishing the constructive mileage of the Senate.
The question was first taken on striking out so
much of the House amendment as limits the mem.
bers to the mail route in their charges Of mileage.
Struck out--24 TO 3D.
The question was next taken on striking out
the House limitation of 81 600 to members re-
siding East of the Rocky mountains, and of 50 900
to members residing west of those mountains. |
Stricken OUTS to II.
CONSTRUCTIVE MILEAGE.
The House proviso furlhes ordains-
Nor shall any member of the Senate receive
mileage for any session of that body which may
be called within thirty days after the adjournn eDt
of both Houses of Congress, unless the travel for
which such mileage is charged has been actually
performed"
Mr. BADGER boldly took up his argument
against the demagogiIism of thiy amendment OF
the House, and in support of the justice of this
constructive mileage. As 1t was, the members
could hardly make both ends meet.
Mr.. CLAY did not know whether he was in
cluded in the charge of demagoguism or not,
Mr.. BADGER. Present company always ex-
copied
Mr. CLAY. But | think, sir, this constructive
mileage is a gross abuse, and ought TO be abol-
ished. Whatever may be the technicaliiy of the
law, it to be perfectly conclusive TO me that
the allowance of mileage was intended to meet the
actual expenses of travelling. With respect to
making both ends meet, Mr.. CLAY related an
anecdote of his own experience, which sug-
gested the exercise of little economy in our ex-
penses a virtue which he also desired to see more