The republic., 1851-12-22
rHlRTY-SECOND CONGRESS,
FIRST SESSION.
sAruRpAv, peeember 2O, ls5l.
SENATE.

Mr. SEWARD presented the memorial of the
Industrial Congress Of New York, praying that
the foreign policy Of the United Siates be so
changed as TO allow the power Of the Government
10 be extended in behalf and in protection Of peo
Die struggling for freedom against despoilsm auH
tyranny. Referred 10 the Committee on Foreign
Relations.
After the presentation of numerous petitions and
memorials, the Senate took up JOINT resolution
from the House making an alteration IN the pihl
ing of certain Congressional documents which'
after some debate by Mr.. BORLAND IN opposl.loi;
and Mr.. HAMLIN in support, was postponed III
Monday, 29th inst.
MIR WALKER said that some misapprehensons
cxstrd as 10 the purport and object OF the resolu-
tions of inquiry submitted by him to the Senate
on the I7th instant and he therefore moved that
they be printed which motion was sgrecd to.
THE IRISH PATRIoTs-ABD-EL -KADER.
The joint resolution, expressing the sympathy
of Congress for the cxiled Irish patriots, O'Brien,
Meagher, and Others and authorizing a corre-
spondence by the President with the British gov
ernment, In order 10 obtain their release; and
Joint resolution expressing the sympathy Of Con-
gress for and authorizing a correspondence by the
President with the Frencn republic, TO obtain the
release of Abd el- Kader, seyerally taken up,
and, on motion, laid on the table
AssIdEMENT OF LAND WARRANTS.
The Senate then proceeded to the consideration
of the joint resolution explanatory OF the act ol
1850, granting bounty land to officers and soldiers
who have been engaged III the military service OF
the United States.
adding thereto the following;
BE Il further rtsolrsd, That in all cases where the
militia, or volunteers or Stale troops, were called
out under the requisiton of the Secretary OF War,
or of any officer OF the United States army duly
authorized, and whose services have been recog-
nsed and paid by the United States, shall be con
sidered having been in The service Of the United
States and shall be entitled to the beneht OF me
act of which these resolutions are explanatory
Mr. WALKER moved to amend the amendment
by adding thereto the following:
Nfraf fhnVt ItKyg md
Of one hundred and sixty acres each, or their
equivalent in warrants Of less denominations, shall
be located by in the name OF the same individual
upon any of the public lands.
And then on motion. the Joint resolution and pro-
posed amendments were referred to the Committee
Public Lands.
THE COMPROMISE MEASURES.
The Senate then proceeded 10 the consideration
Of the resolution declaring the Compromise acts TO
be detinitive settlement Of all the exciting and
dangerous questions which they embraced.
Mr.. FoOrE read further extracts from speech
by the Senator from South Carolina, In 1888, he
then, under the name of X. BARNwELL SMITH be-
ing member of the South Carolina State Conven
ton, to show that at that time the Senator was a
secessionist.
MIR. RHETT said that il was no sort of
quence to him when the gentleman considered he
became a secessionist; he was one now. In 1888
lac struggling to obtain reform IN the admin
istration OF the Government; and in 1915 he de.
SPARED of any reform taking place. and looked
upon secession as the only hope OF his State
He desired alteration with the Senator; since
ne had been in the Senate, and during the twelve
years he member of the other House, he had
had no personal alteration with any one, But The
Senator, since his term in the Senate, had had
more alterations than any one else ever had
there.
Mr.. FooTE called the Senator to order.
The CHAIR did not regard the Senator from
South Carolina out of order.
MIR. FOOTE said that all he desired was to know
il he could reply 10 what had been said.
had stated any thing more than fact which every
one knew. When he said the other day that the
Senator from Mississippi had hurried Mir Calhoun
~ his grave he had stated only what he had heard
and he had not said that the Senator from Alissis-
eppi had done Intentionally. 1t was an effect
produced by the Senator's course, though not SO
designed by the Senator. He heard of IL shortiy
after it took place tho Senator himself admitted
that il had got in the newspapers. Upon his arrival
here he had been informed by two Senators, and
by three members of the other House, that the ct
feet Of what the Senator from Mississippi had done
in attacking Mr.. Calhoun 10 hasten his depar
ture from this world.
He saw nothing SO extraordinary in the mere
proposal of an amendment TO the Constitution to
cali out the Senator in reply to MIR. Calhoun on that
occasion, and alarm him so much as to attack hlm
in a manncnso extraordinary. he (Mr X. was
member of the Nashville Convention, and during
the whole time he there he had never heard OF
any amendments 10 the Constitution proposed, or
intended 10 be proposed
Mr. FOOTE said that about that time a certain
Mr. Wlgfall of Texas, South Caroiniau by birth,
and held in high estmaton by certain class OF
politicians in that State, had published manifesto
In which contained no less than seven proposed
amendments TO the Constitution.
Mr. RHETT said that while he was at Nashville
he never heard of any amendment to the Consttu
ton, and he had doubt but the gentleman be-
fore him, Mr. McRAE,) who was a so member OF
that convention, would say the same
Personally he desired no amendment to the Con
stitutiun. fe satisfied with the Constitution
as il was. The Constitution all that he de-
cd mat ion al
ton agitation in Congress; nor does 1t authorize
unequal taxation. The Constitution waa not ad
hered to. The North totally dsrcgarded H. The
practical Constitution at this day was the will u
the North expressed by The majority, who made It
whatever suited their interests or designa The
administration Of ths Government could never be
brought back TO proper observance OF the Consii
tuition SO long as the majority had full power TO DO
what they pleased.
The late Senator from Missouri (Mr. Benton)
told him that the Senator from &lississippi bad
thrust Mr. Calhoun into bis grave, aud that be Mr..
Benton) would as soon have thought OF attacking q
corpse as 10 attack Mr.. Calhoun.
The Senator from Mississippi had charged him
with being political rival OF MIR. Calhoun. II was
true he had differed from that great man. He diff
fered from him IN the Mexican war, and he differ
ed from him in supporting the Senator from Mich
igan for the Presidency. In these two particulars
he differed from MIR. Calhoun, but agreed with the
Senator from Mississippi. u this difference VI
opinion amounted to political rivalry, II was one
which the Senator from Mississippi should have
ence with MIR. Calhoun. lie had been appointed
by the Legislature of South Carolina to deliver an
eulogy on MIR. Calhoun; he had in various ways,
in speeches and by his pen, defended MIR. Calhoun;
and he ven;ured TO say he had spent more ink in
defence OF Mir. Calhoun personally and politically
than any other man living But there was no sat
sfying tho Senator from Mississippi; if you OPP
pose him he denounces you, and if you agree with
him he attacks your motives
The Senator had denounced all those who bad
supported the line of 3bo 80, and yet at that very
same session had united in supporting propCs
lion TO divide California by the line Of 35' 30
degree less than those whom he denounced had
asked for.
He had never charged that the judges appointed
for the Territories held opinions favorable to the
Wilmit proYiso; what he had said was that
iority Of them held tho opinion that the Mexican
laws abolishing slavery were in force in the Terri
tories.
Mr. FOOTE said that Judge Baker had shown
that he held no such opinions.
Mr. RHETT said that he informed yester-
day that on the stump in Mississippi Judge Baker
had taken the ground that the Mexican laws nbol.
fIsr t.,rte-