The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1850-08-15
HOUSE OF REPR EsENTATIvEs.
Tursn.v Auausr 6. 1850,

The Senate adJourned
HOUSE OF REPR EsENTATIvEs.
TUESDAY, AUGusT 6, 1850.
The House, on motion of Mr.. Bayly, agreed to
close debate on the Post Office Appropriation bill
fifteen minutes after it should take it up in Com
mit,ee of the Whole on the state Of the Uo,Ge
The bill was then taken up in Committee of the
Whole; debate was resumed; the Committee
rose the message Of the President concerning
Texas and Ne~ixezSeo was fca6 and after being
denounced by Mr. Howard of Texas and MIR
Morse of Louisiana, was referred to the Com
mittee Of the Whole on the state Of the Union
The House then resolved itself into Committee
of the Whole on the state Of the Union The
Post Office bill was again considered, but, with
out coming to any conclusion, the Committee
rose, and the House adjourned.
WEDNESDAY, AueusT 7, 1850
Mr.. Holmes obtained leave to offer a resolu-
ton calling upon the President for information
respecting our relations with Portugal 1t gave
rise to some debate, in which the late Admins
tration and the existing one was mainly vindi-
Gated by Mr.. Ashmun of Massachusetts, and Mr..
billiard of Alabama. Under the operation of
the previous question, the resolution was then
adopted.
The House resolved itself into Committee
of the Whole on the state of the Union and re-
sumed the consideration Of the bill making APP
preparations for the support Of the Post Office
Department for the year ending June 80, 1851.
After some time spent therein, the amendments
agreed upon were reported to the House. That
appropriating money for the support Of the De-
pertinent out of the public treasury, instead of
from it's own revenues, was conourred in-yeas
95, nays 10.
The amendment increasing the number of tenn
porary clerks to be employed, from ten to fifteen,
was concurred in-yeas SO, nays 70.
The remaining amendments having been dis
posed of, the bill was passed--yeas 1T, nays Al
And the House adjourned
THURSDAY, AUGUST s, 1850.
After SOME unimportant business, Mr.. Bissell
from the select committee heretofore appointed
on the memorial Of Miss Dix, reported q bill
making grant OF public lands to the severa
States of the Union for the benefit of the indi
gent insane. The amount proposed to be appro
priated Is ten millions Of acres, to be appOr
toned among the States according to the repre-
sentation in Congress, under the census Of 1850
He proposed to make the bill the special order o
the day for Thursday next; but objection wa
made.
The House resolved itself into Committee o
the Whole on the state ofthe Union, Mr. Stronl
in the chair
Mr.. Bsyly moved that the California messsg
be laid aside and the question being taken,
was decided in the affirmative.
Mr.. Thurston moved to resume the considera
ton of the Oregon land bill.
The Committee agreed to the motion, and tool
up the bill, which creates the Office Of Surveyor
General Of the public lands in Oregon, TO pro
vide for the survey, and TO make donations t
settlers of the said public lands Amendment.
were made; when the Committee rose and they
having been concurred in, the bin was passed.
The House again went into Committee Of the
Whole on the state Of the Union, tMr. Burt in
the chair
On motion Of Mr. Bayly, the California mes
sage was laid aside; and he moved to take up the
bin making appropriations for the civil and d.
plomatic expenses Of the Government for the
year ending June 80, 1851.
Mr.. Brown of Mississippi addressed the Com
mittee in opposition to the Presidents message
respecting New Mexico and Texas
Mr. Stephens of Georgia obtained the floor,
the Committee arose, and the House adjourned.
FRIDAY, AUeusr o, 1850.
The House was occupied in Committee Of the
Whole on the state Of the Union, with the civil
and diplomatic appropriation bill.
slavery question, censuring the message Of the
President respecting New Mexico, charging the
North with aggression, and assuming the pur-
pose Of the South to resist.
Mr.. Savage of Tennessee spoke for an hour on
the same question, denounciDg the message rs
revolutionary in its aim, hypocritcal in Its COM
positionn
MIR. wilisms Of Tennessee sustained the Pres
ident, and advocated moderate views. What in
terest, he asked, has Virginia or Tennessee In the
question to whether the two degrees Of latitude
shall he In Texss7 And for this must we de-
stroy this Union Great God shall the people
who have lived 80 happily break up this Govern
ment, the freest in the world, and under such cir
This territory was acquired with
an understanding that It should be free. For his
own part, he never wanted . solitary foot Of 1t.
What are we talking about, when We speak Of
Southern rights in New Mexico7 The oelebra-
ted Senate Compromise bill was Defeated by
So1saern votes They know that slavery cannot
exist there, and yet they insist on II What do
they design or desire lie assigned To every
man honesty Of purpose. Talk about Gordon Of
free Statesi Have gentlemen ever cast their
eyes upon the map, and made calculation that
they put all the slaves Of the South into Tex
as, and che would not be crowded. IL would
take two hundred years 10 crowd her, taking the
present Increase Of Dldck popuihtiob, huu nc Was
understood TO say there was room enough for
forty millions Of people II, for causes like this
the disunion Gag was to be displayed, be would
splist under the stsr-spangled banner He was
not willing to fan flame Of disoord on question
which, II you touch Il, vanishes In q moment
Would disunion protect your slaves any better
The day may come when the South can no longer
stand Il. The day may come, for there are men
here whom he could name, who will endeavor to
ride rough. shod over the Constitution, and de-
stroy the property which they condemn. He
Knew that there was deep-rooted feeling at the
North against slavery, bat he did not believe
hat II prevailed to such an extent a. TO affect
he right Of slavery In the States
Mr. Houston Of Delaware spoke for an hour on
he same subject opposing all projects Of dsunion,
kc.
The Committee rose, and the House adjourned.
SATURDAY, AuoUsr 10, 1850.
The Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill
icing taken mp In Committee Of the Whole on
hs state Of the Union, Mr.. Moore Of Psnnsyl-.
vspis obtained he floor, and defended the mes
ago Of the p011eat CONCERNING New Mexico.
Hs was follov - Mr.. Harslson Of Georgia,
said, In the event Of the admission Of Call
ornis, the Governor Of Georgia 10 authorised TO
all convention, to determine what course that
,tats sbslI pureue One Of his highest dutiea