The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-09-26


turned from the House with an amendment ma
king the corporators individually liable, was
taken up. A motion to disagree to the amend.
ment was rejected-yeas %, nays 24-Benton
Butler, and Mason Democrats. Hale, Free-Soiler
voting yea with the Wings, Underwood, nay with
the Democrats
Mr.. Pratt moved to take up his Slave Abduc-
ton bill, and Mr.. Chase moved to lay that motion
on the table. This was lost-yeas 20, nays IS,
Dodge of Iowa being the only Senator from free
State in favor Of the motion
The bill creating the Office Of Surveyor Gene
raj in Oregon was passed.
The Civil ana Diplomatic Appropriation bill,
with various amendments from the Committee Of
Finance, was taken up, and the amendments were
agreed TO. An amendment reported from the
Committee on Foreign Relations, appropriating
$4,000 for the expenses Of the agent Of the Grand
Turk, to be disbursed under the direction of the
Secretary Of State, was adopted after consider
able discussion. The object of the agent is, to
obtain all the information he can, concerning the
United States, their resources, institutions. &c
Mr. Douglas, from the Committee on Finance,
reported three amendments, one approprating
$4,000 for the erection Of custom house, &c, at
Nc Louis, another, $4,000 for one at Cincinnati,
another, $4,000 for one at Bangor, Maine. The
last was adopted, the other two rejected. Justice
TO the West ia not yet one Of the articles in the
creed Of Eastern Senator'S.
Mr.. Davis of Mississippi from the Committee
on Public Buildings, submitted an amendment
appropriating two hundred thousand dollars for
the enlargement of the Capitol by extending the
north and south wings--the money TO be ex-
pended under the direction of the President Of
the United States, and the work to be constructed
according to plan to be adopted hereafter by the
two committees Of Congress-and the same was
agreed to-
This does not look much like Disunion, or re-
mOval Of the seat of Government We hope the
| House will concur in the amendment The Senate
Chamber has miserable accommodations for spec
tators, and the hall Of the House is confusion
worse confounded" Ii seems to have been con-
structed with view TO prevent members from
hearing each other, except when, speaking conf
dentially to each other in whispers, they would
not wish to be heard by everybody
Amendments SNhmitted by Mr.. Gwin, apprS
priatng moneys for the erection Of custom house
and marine hospital at San Francisco, wer,
agreed TO-
FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 20, 1850.
The bill granting public lands to aid in the con
struction of a railroad in Florida, was reconsd
cred, amended so as to include grant for a branc
running through Georgia, read third time, ant
then passed
The motion to disagree to the individual liabil
ity clause in the Potomac Fire Insurance Com
pany BILL which was adopted yesterday, was re
considered to-day, and the bill laid on the table
A bill establishing certain post routes in th
United States was taken up, considered an
passed
A bill providing for the extension Of the law
and judicial system of the United States to Cal
fornia was read a third time, and passed.
A bill establishing collection districts in Cal
fornia was ordered to be engrossed for a thir
reading
Ordered, That Monday next, and every da
thereafter, the Senate meet at ten o'clock in tn
forenoon.
SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 81, 1850
The Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill
being taken up, an amendment offered by MI
Underwood, appropriating 100000 for the pur
pose of exploration and surveys on the Obi
river was adopted
Mr. Dickinson moved to strike out the follow
ing proviso in the bill:
{" Prouided, That the mileage of Senators ReI
resentatives, and Delegates, shall hereafter b
computed on the route by which the mails ar
transported from the capital to the residence O
such Senator, Representative, or Delegate An
, prorided, further, That no such member Of eths
, brsnoh vr Congress, rcsidfng east Of the iiock
mountains, shall receive more than one thousan
Der or delegate residing west Of the Rocky moul
tains shall receive more than two thousand dolla
mileage for each session.
After some debate, the first clause of the pr
viso was stricken out, by "a to %. The secon
was stricken out, by 3s to 10.
Mr.. Badger moved to amend the bill by strikin
out the following part Of the bill as 1t came frol
the House
Nor shall any member of the Senate receiy
mileage for any session of that body which ma
be called within thirty days after the adjourn
ment of both Houses of Congress, unless tn
travel for which such mileage is charged has bee
actually performed"
This very reasonable provision met with littl
favor in some quarters, but 1t was at last assente
TO, Mr. Badgers motion failng-yeas q, nays q
SO constructive mileage is abolished.
MIR Mason proposed an amendment appropria
ting 81 800 to enable the Secretary of War L
have survey made with a view to ascertain tn
practicability of supplying the city Of Washing
ton with pure water. After debate, this was re
jected.
Rather mean, this II is discreditable to Con
gress that the capital city of the Republic should
be left without any adequate provision for pure
water u can waste thousands Of dollars, fur
- L. - - -
never read but is shocked at the idea of laying
out q few thousands in the noble work of provid
ing the city of which it is the sole Legislature
with good water
MONDAY, SEPTEMBER %, 1850
A resolution directing the purchase of 000C
copies of Hickeys edition Of the Constitution
heretofore ordered to be engrossed for n third
reading, after some discussion was adopted-yeai
22, nays 49,
1t appropriates SO 900 for the purchase of What
probably does not cost ~ 900. This is one way
The Senate has of replenishing the pockets Of its
employees
The civil and diplomatic appropriation bill being
| under consideration numerous amendments were
offered, many adopted, several rejected.
One of the former class appropriates 500 900
for the purchase of the Works Of John Adams.
A proposition TO pay 81, 900 mileage to the Sen
ator elect from New Mexico was rejected-ycas
%, nays "a.
Mr. Bright moved to add, an additional Sec
ton to the bill, the following provisions:
l. For the abrogation Of the contract with the
| pnblic printer.
g. That, for the work already done under the
contract, the public printer shall be allowed a
compensation forty-hve per cent lees than the
pricesfor printing established by the act Of 1919.
g. That the printing for the remainder Of this
Congress shall be done under the direction Of the
Secretary Of the Senate, and Clerk Of the House,
at price thirty per cent less than the prices
under the act Of 1919.
A long debate ensued, in which the conduct Of
| the present contractors for the public printing
| was freely commented upon and discussed