Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1850-08-09
NEpNEspAy, AuGcsT q, 1856
SE>, ATE

NJ. Dickinson, llGn the committee on Finance, reported
back ,hc oils from lie House. making appropriations ior The
a.ny ad naval pensions.
the committee on the library 10 examine a medal OF General
Taylor, made by N. Geyelot, and ii satisfactory, to purchase
COPIES Of il Tor The public departments. LAID over.
Mr.. Pcarcc'a bill Ter the settlement ei the lexan oouhaa-
~, was taken up.
SIR. Underwood addressed the Senate for about ffteon mi
nutcs in opposition 10 some features ol Inc onl. Hi'hohl
concluding, he gave way 10 Dir. Douglas, on whose motion
The bill was postponed Iii. to.morro", and the California ON
was resumed.
Mr. ynle. resumed his speech upon the amendment SUBJ
mi;:ed by him Yesterday, in which he proposed {" chang:
H.. existing cove. nmca, in California inIoa provisional gov,
crlrnent, II tir nature ri a territorial organization.
81 ihrcc o'c:1ca. h, BEING h!gch exhausted. gave way u"
= mc,,pu 10 pu.tJcne Inc Ill. Ill, tomorrow. 1he Schd;c re-
fused IL postpone the %hll-ycas II, nays ol.
NJ. Yuitc continued his remarks. ana al four O'Clock gave
Mr. Badger, who moved The Senate adjourn. Lost-yeas
~, nays -.
MIR. Butler stated that il was The apparent design TO force
n yo;e lliJ evening. Scyera! Senators desired ~ b. heard
H. ulJytd, win Il view To give breathing tame 10 the S"la-
Tor f,om flor:ta, The bill! be postponed ill tomorrow; and
IN :ha, motion called for the yeas and nays, which were o.
decd. ~,
Nr !;e,ricE followed in support Of the postponement, and
the question being taken. Tie motion va rr~lec'ed-yeas IS,
na: = -.
fo.r-anG-a-hc1 octoG.-Mr. itc.liSon moved the bill be
Alter ter Jc5 rIs 5y Messrs. Dlyt,n, BasGis" OF Miss, and
Douglas, the postroncnent OF the bill ill tomorrow was
c~arricd-21 10 p, and ne Senate Adjourned;
BilSh Vi hf.ltEo FGN ltllN ES.
Mr.. Holmes submitted 4 resolution calling upon the Pre-
,iden; Of the United States 10 communicate 10 The House, if
it be not incompatible with the public interest, the amount
of the several claims Of the T.. States against Portugal. the
nature of those claims, the cores pondcncc upon the subject
both I'll Washington and Lisbon. between the two Govern
mcnis; also the amount and nature Of the claims preferred
hy Portugal agaiEat :hc United States, and all the cores
ponioncc between the two Governments.
Mr McClernand said that 4 rcpor, had been put In circula-
lion BY letter writer's. and (which had been endorsed Ia
some extent by the newspapers, tina, this government had
sent a teet up the Tagus, 10 enforce, II the mouth OF the
Canon, the payment Of these claims. He had seen it stated
in seycra! oi The lapers that m American squadron had been
sent To Lisbon for Tie purpose Of enforcing the demand. He
(Mr. Mct,lcrnandl considered the run:or 50 IreposleroGs that
he had not deemed it necessary TO move in the House any
serious inquiry upon The subject. The power Of making war
resided in Congress alone. The exercise IF il in any degree
hy tie Executive branch Of the Government would be such
an assumption .; power as 10 demand tile highest ccn-ure
OF Congress and the country.
HENCE he had concluded lha, there had been no such as.
SUMPTION OF power by the Executive, and had not proposed
an? inquiry into the matter. He believed ,ha; there was no
ground Tor the ruiaor thar Il fleet had been sent ~ Lisbon 10
intimidatc o. threaten the government of Portugal. 1t
might be that there was one vessel there 10 bring home our
Charge. in the contingency Of Il difficulty, or %pcrcmp,ive re-
fnsal on the part o! that government ID pay our Just claims.
lie was not authorized 10 presume that any extreme nea-
surcs had been authorized by Tho President Of the United
States.
After some further debate, in which Messis. King of N. j.,
.Astinun, Holmes and billiard took part, the resolution vas
passed.
committee OF the whole, (Mr. Boyd il the Chair mud rc-
>rnci tic consideration ot the Post Office Appropriation
Bill.
Some cen siderable debate took place in regard the propri-
ETY. oi placing the department entirely upon lis own resour-
ces for support; aIso in regard 10 the reduction of HE letter
postage, with The view of increasing tile revenues of that &C.
plr.Iacnt. The committee rose and The bill was reported 10
the House.
The amendment of the committee OF the whole, allowing
fifteen additional Clerks, VAS concurred in-ycas IS, nays
%.
Tic amendment If Mr. Potter. placing the Post office De-
paftmsnt upon the common treasury, was concurred in, BY
yeas %, nays ~.
Tic bill was then finally passed under the operltiun of the
previous question, by Yeas III, NAYS IL.
The House then, at 3: O'Clock, adjourned.