The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1850-05-23


was referred 10 the Committee of the Whole on the state
OF the Union, and ordered 70 De printed
/ Mr.. CAMPBELL, from the Committee on Private Land
Claims. reported bill for the relief Of Jas. ShackeI
fsrd.
| The said bill having been read twice,
Mr. BOCOCK moved lis reference 10 the Committee OF
the Whole House.
The question being the engrossment and third read
Ing Of the bill, (under the operation OF the previous
question moved and seconded il was read the third time
MI. CONRAD. rising to privileged question, moved
the reconsideration OF the vote by which the House yes
terday agreed to refer the Committee on the Post Office
and Post Roads the bill 10 authorize the Postmaster Gen.
tween New Orleans and Vera Cruz, and intermediates
points
On this motion, and in its favor, Mr. c. addressed the
House at consderabe length; when
Mr., FEATHERSION, rising to point Of order, OBJ
ected to permitting Mr. c. discuss the merits o the
bill upon motion to reconsider vote for it's reference
The SPEAKER deciding the remarks Of the gentle
man from Louisiana to be in order,
Mr.. CONRAD continued his speech, urging the com
mecia importance OF establishing regular steamboat
mail line between New Orleans and Vera Cruz, and in
ssng that to leave the bill in the hands OF the Post Of
fce Committee would be equivalent to it's rejection.
Mr. POTTER next addressed the House against the
motion to reconsdeT going over the history Of the
tation OF the mails more especially on steamboats,, and
urging to show that the establishment OF such ne
the e. pen Gi the y virtually was not called
New Orleans and Vera Cruz.
Mr. STRONG next moved to suspend the rules, to go
into the Committee Of the Whole on the state Of the
Union; which being agreed TO- the committee tMr. Nc
LANE OF Maryland in the chair) took up the special
ds,he report from the majority q ,he Committee Of
On % moon os of Mr. MGAUGHEY sa the s1 minority report
up and that gentleman proposed amend that tthe mi
noy reporD by addition, providing that its adoption
should not be considered expression Of the House
upon the Texas boundary question
M. STRONG then addressed the Committee on the
New Mexican case, saying that when the case Of the
claim Of Mr.. H N. Smith 70 Be the delegate from New
Mexico was referred to the Committee Of Elections,
Mexico was also referred to the Commiliee on the
His report having previously been read he did not feel
authorized to occupy the House then with complete
ANALYSIS Of the case Before We acquired New Mexico
vulsions Of 1885 and S43, she was admitted into the
Mexican Union as State; She remained in that con.
diton until and indeed, until the treaty OF
Guadalupe Hidago was signed, when she ceeded to
By that act all former political organisation in her
limits ceased on that occasion; she had but Mexican
territory embraced in what was formerly New Mexico
contained 100000 square miles, twothds of which lie
.a. ha H d
after acquired that country the condition OF the peo
pie thereof deporable; did he the committee
believe that proper government (teroria) should NOT
The question before the committee was, whether with
out an Organized civil government without courts, with
hoor.
The military commandant, Iieutenant Colonel Bea)
in September, ls4s. had issued proclamation. in obe
dience to the request OF the people Of that region, by
which he directed convention TO be held, to consider
the subject Of obtaining territorial government from
Congress That convention had elected Hugh N. Smith,
delegate to Congress The question not whether
repeat, but whether Mr. Smith should be admitted to
seat here. The majority OF the committee thought not
regarding the application as departure from all prece
dent No delegate had yet come into Congress any
other term than after his right TO be here had been
secured by antecedent law. As government, We had
ye and
Here Mr. s. reviewed at considerable length the action
Of Congress in according the right OF the inhabitants OF
and so doing, he held that il Mr. Smith admitted,
he would in in violation OF all past law. The
port Of the minority claimed that there was no constitu
onal objection u admitting Mr. Smith This was true.
He did not claim right to seat but to be admitted as
as an act Of grace 10 New Mexico
precedent yet he fell the moral force OF Legislative pre-
cedents, and trusted that the committee would satisfy
themselves clearly Of the necessity OF the case before
striking down the barrier OF past usage in this case
Oregon had organized government before being erect
ed into United States Territory by law, but did not
presume to demand delegate here previous TO that time
Mr.. S. then went on to show the greater necessity
der which Oregon rested before the passage OF the law
making for her territorial government, to have dele
gate admitted. Florida had no delegate here until her
territorial governmentwas organized, had she asked
Tor one.
Heidi not hold the OF Minnesota to be precedent
jusufyng the granting OF the prayer OF Hugh ~ Smith
Had the House supposed that the delegate from Mime
sofa, when first admitted, not clothed with power
from organised territorial government, he Mr. SB
LEYl would not have been admitted. Such organza-
ton in this had been made, in law In fact
The convention eecting Mr. Smith had not pretended TO
make any such government was requisite 10 ente
Mr. Smith to be received. That convention had merely
laid down the principles which the people Of the Ter
rtory wished Congress to make one for them. He
not OF the existence Of any other than military
government on either bank Of the Rio Grande, in New
Mexico. He did not know that the President was en-
gagged (f SOY in exercising civil functions through h,s
military commander In ne he desired to be understood
denying that there civil government existing IN
conceded that Mr.. H. NJ Smith did not come as
the representative OF government, but OF the people,
who are without any form oil civil government TO
admit delegate not elected under the forms OF and
pursuant To- the provisions OF law was improper and dan
eerous Was il contended that any number OF lnhab-
anis Of any portion Of the territory Of the United States
could demand seat for OF their number TO assent
TO this doctrine would be TO act with sound discre
ton The principle would lead TO the admission OF a
delegate from town meeting Of the people OF George
town, in this District, from meeting OF squaers In
Nebraska The time unfortunate Tor essaying any
such innovation Though there were some 100000 per-
sons in all New Mexico il Texas made good her claim
10 the territory OF the rver there would be but about
30 900 persons in the then remaining Territory OF New
Mexico half Of whom were Of Indian descent Having
delegate here without an organized government would
fail to single disability resting upon the
people OF the Territory,
Mr. s. next went on to show that the constitution only
a. -L.L.s r. 49,. thor