The southern press., 1850-10-01
THE SOUTHERN PRESS.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
In SENATE, Monday, September 2S
upx1cAy NDEMNITY.

MEXICAN INDEMNITY
Mr.. DICKINSON. Mr. President, gave no.
tce Yesterday morning that would ask to-day
that the bill providing for the payment OF the
Me.jcan indemnity should be taken up The
.,nronr;ation is specially asked for by the ad-
D,,nistration. II was not put in the civil and
diplomatic appropriation bill with the other ap-
propriations because rule of the House pre-
vented that course from being pursued But it
has been passed by the House as a separate bill,
and ask that it be now taken up.
Mr. HALE. Mr. President, hope it will not
be taken up. ! understand the money will not
be due until the lst of June next, aud there is
an interveni g session of Congress, at which
this matter can be provided for. And, besides
that, we have enough other bills which ought to
be acted upon at this session, without anticipa-
ting the wants of the Government several
months.
Mr. DICKINSON. Mr.. President, it is true
that the money would not be paid now The
object is to give the administration the benefit
Of such premium as they can get on tho money.
1t ought to be appropriated now. This money
is to be used during the fiscal year, and for tina,
it Is perfectly right to appropriate it now.
II is to fulfill an important foreign treaty.
know there is scutile going on out t-of-doors
about it, and want to have no hand in it. J
wish to give the administration the money! and
let them dispose of it in the best way they can,
and let them have the responsibility. The ad-
minstraton have specially communicated with
the Committee on Finance, asking that the ap
preparation may be made hope, therefore, that
the bill will be taken up, and the appropriation
made.
Mr. CLARKE. Mr. President l hope the
appropriation will be made. concur in the
suggestions made by the senator from New
in, ,;tv a
Mexico on the seth of May next, think; and
II the appropriation is made now, the Secretary
of the Treasury will be able to make his ar
rangement for the payment OF the money in the
city Of Mexico at that time. The administra-
ton can then make their own arrangements in a
manner which will secure the interests of the
Government.
MIR HALE, Gin his seat) And secure tht
interests of the stockholders.
The Senate accordingly proceeded to the con
sideration of the bill to provide for carrying into
execution, in further part the 18th article of the
treaty with Mexico, concluded at Guadalupe
IIida,go on the I'd February, l848.
Mr. DICKINSON. hardly think it neces-
sary to occupy the time of the Senate in going
Into any explanation of this NATTER for believe
that senators pretty we'll understand it. The
bill simply appropriates this instnlment of the
money to be paid to Mexico under tho treaty OF
Guadalupe Ilidalgo; it puts it into the hands OF
the Executive, in order that the stipulations OF
ttat treaty may be complied with. 1t is the ap.
propriate business of the Executive to do this
a I'd to do it in the most acceptable manner
am bound in theory to believe that the President
of the United States, though a political oppo
nent will do his duty in the prellises and
have sufficient confidence in his integrity Il
man, and in his ability to discharge this duty
and will not, therefore, lcgisate it out of his
hands.
have heard great deal out Of doors touch
ing this matter but with the conflicting claims
Of competitors we have nothing TO do here. !
have heard of contracts having been made bsthe
Government in relation to the payment of tlis
iastament, and | know it is alleged that there
are more than one. Ii any contracts have been
made by the Government, they must carry them
out but, whether contracts have been made OF
not for this instalmcnt, and whether good or bad,
and whether conflicting or not, it is the business
Of the Executive 10 see that it is paid, and that
the creditand interest of the Government is pro
perly cared for in the matter. | am slightly
acquainted with all thes, questions of contracts
and exchange which have been talked of out
doors but do not deem it proper to trouble
the Senate with them for, upon full consdera-
ton, do not see what we have to do with il
".
who propose to confute, apply to the Executive
and not come here and endeavor to have u
shape legislation with view to scramble foi
what individuals or banking houses can make
out of this appropriation. All we have to do il
to appropriate the money, and let the Executive
pay it. If he does it improvidently or improperly
he will be responsible.
Mr.. PRATT. have heard nothing out 0
doors in relation to this subject; but find OF
my desk this morning the memorial of the par
ties who claim adversely, on a contract to whcl
the senator from New York has adverted 1t i.
the memorial Of Isaac B. Marks, u citizen Of
Louisiana.
Now my object, preliminary to any discus
sion which this measure may draw forth, is t.
arrive at correct information on the subject. l,
must be apparent to my friend from New York
that if the statements of this mcmorast be true
these citizens have entered into an agreement
with the late Administration, by which the me.
lnoralsts were to pay this Mexican indemnity
at Al per cent advance to the government /
it be true that the government of Mexico has
acquiesced in this proposition, and authorized
their minister at New York to receive th
money, | apprchend it cannot be right that tht
bill on your table should pass, by which is giver
to foreign bankers at 81 per cent. the privilege
OF paying indemnity. Under the proposition as
Dl inc IucIloTdllSl, our OWL cIllLcllS, ply
ing to our own Government Al per cent. pre-
MUM, had made IN arrangement with the Hex
lean government by which that indemnity should
be paid in the city of New York ; that this is an
understanding which the late Administration had
entered into with them. If this be true il mus
be clear to every mind that it cannot be right tC
annul this arrangement, and to give to foreign
bankers the privilege of making this payment
l rose for the purpose ofrasking my friend from
Ohio Mr.. EwINe,l who was one of the mem
bers Of the late Administration, whether th
statement is true or not
Mr.. DICKINSON. Before the answer j
given by my friend from Ohio, will he permit m
TO make single observation!
Mr EWING Ccrtnialy.
Mr.. DICKINSON. The very argument whic'
my friend from Maryland has made, shows tn
improPriety of our undertaking to legislatc upol
this subject beyond making the appropriat on
have been cOu,rDunir, ION ,,;tl tha =, y,