The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-13

q lisbment OF Lunhtic Asylum IN The District o
( Columbia.
COAST SURVEY REPORT.
} MIR. BORLAND, from the Committee on Print
ing, to which was referred resolution providing
for the printing of $500 copies of the Coast Sur
: yey Report, reported the with an amend
ment increasing the number TO l0,000-5 900 fol
the use of the superintendent. The amendment
was agreed to, and the resolution adopted.
BILLS, &C, INTRODUCED, READ TWICE, AND RE
FERRED.
by Mr.. HALE, bill increasing the salary OF
the District Judge of New Hampshire by Mr.
BRIGHr, resolution repeating an act relating to
United States bonds held by States by Mr.. Hun.
TER, blu to provide for the unpaid claims OF
continental officers and soldiers in Virginia IA bill
relinqn'shng certain lands to the State of Iowa
bill in addition to the act of Sept. %, 1850, au-
thorizing the transfer of bounty land warrants.
THE PRoMErHEUs AFFAIR.
The resolution introduced by Mr. CAss, re-
questing the President to communicate any infor-
nation in his possession relative to the firing into
the United States steamer Prometheus by a Brit
ish armed vessel, near the coast Of Nicaragua,
was taken up
| Mr.. CASS did not anticipate any opposition to
the resolution. Still he could permit the pres
ent occasion TO pass without making a few re-
marks respecting the affair respecting which this
resolution asks information. He knew not the
precise location of the afar-whether it was upon
the high seas or within the limits of the Mosqu-
to King IS domnon--but he did consider il a
gross outrage which calls for prompt explanation
and redress. He did not believe that it was pos
sible for the British government to recognize the
| conduct of their naval officers in this matter If
the outrage committed within the dom non
ofhe Mosquito King, defined in its limits by
the recent treaty, II cannot be defended and if it
took place on the high seas, it was still more cul-
pable. Let us show that an American Congress
watches the interests of our commerce and the
| lights of our seamen, both upon the main ocean
and in the most secluded bays and hooks
which they visit, in the same manner that Great
Britain does her own. They should be protected
| not only by the pen, but, If necessary by an
iron hand. No power on earth, in time of peace,
has any right to board one of our ships, ana only
| a begerent one in time Of war Both our flag
and soil should be held equally sacred and If
this act is approved by the government of Great
Britain, he Mr.. c. hoped that it would be con-
sidered an act of war. In regard to the right of
search, the pretensions Of France and Great Brit
ain have recently taken new form whether based
upon some secret, temporary, diplomatic arrange
| ment, or one more permanent he was not prepared
| to say He hoped that our government did not
intend to trust Eng land and France to assume the
duty of taking American sailors from American
ships. The sentiment not long since promulgated
by the London Times, that (as 1t said) " all we
want is to occasionally send our constabes
aboard foreign vessels, was one which should
never be forgotten by any American. Those in
terested in our vessels and commerce are respon-
sible only to their own government, except in
| those cases where piracy is committed. The right
which Great Britain and France claim to protect
Cuba, is virtually claim of the right to board
| every vessel crulzlng in thatvlcinity. This claim
of the right of search will eventually, if permitted
by us, give them the control of the whole Gulf of
Mexico, well as the mouth OF the Mississippi.
True it is that Lord Pamerston assures that
we shall rot be disturbed, but still g tmeo
Danaos" should be motto-it behoves us to
be on our guard against every ercroachmen; par |
cularly since Great Britain has claimed the right
TO search ships, under the pretence of sup
pressing the slave trade He (Mr. c. could but
express his gratitude to Mr.. CRiTTENpEN in a |
late diplomatic correi pondence with the British
government, and he trusted that the administra-
| ton would follow up the matter
| The resolution was adopted.
WELCOME TO KossurH.
| The Senate took up the special order, being the
resolution extending welcome to Louis Kossuth
introduced by Mr.. SEWARD, the pending question
being on Mr. BERRIEN's amendment, welcoming
| also Kossuth's companions, and providing that
nothing contained in the resolution should be con-
strued into intervention, on the part OF the
United States, as between Hungary and any other
| foreign power
MR. HALE stated thai, the honorable senator
from Georgia MIR. BERRmNl having been called
away from the city on account of sickness in his
family, he Mr.. II had agreed to pair Off with
him in voting upon the question.
| Mr. BADGER, who entitled to the floor,
said that the senator from Florida Mr.. MALLo-
Ryl being present. and desiring, on account Of
indisposition, to give his views on the question at
an early hour of to-days session, he Mr.. b
would with pleasure yield the floor to him.
Mr. MALLORY then proceeded to state the
reasons why he should support the original reso- /
luton Of the senator from New York, (Mr SEW |
ARp.) He regretted that 1t should be opposed by |
senator's whose simple negative carries with it a
very strong influence throughout the country. In |
his opinion, the man whom we propose 10 greet |
is a man entitled to high honor, The struggling |
masses Of the globe regard him as their "fOrorn
hope" in aspiring for freedom. He (Mr. M |
was prepared to sympathise with Kossuth, be- |
he had had the sagaclty to point out to his |
people own form OF government, and courage |
to lead them by our example. He differed with |
those gentlemen who looked upon our paying re-
spect to Kossuth act Of Intervention. Were |
it so, he (Mr Nd would not vote for this resou- |
tlon-but he had failed TO hear the first argument
that il act OF intervention. II contains no |
just cause for taking offence, although he had no |
doubt that offence would be taken by certain gov |
ernments. Its passage will be borne the wings Of
the wilma the WI ole globe, and every petty |
tyrant will know tEat sympathise with the |
cause of Hungary. And for this reason alone, he |
MIR M would support IL. Ii is our own honor |
which we have in charge, and not the opinions
of despots What ifthey DO take ohencei Why, |
the very birth Of this nation grew out of giving |
offence to the mother country This country il |
monument TO foretell the destruction Of despot- |
ism and it is only question Of time when that
destruction will take place, take place il finally
must. Intervention must be moral, and not ply
steal Our ships have brought to this country
thouss nds Of emgrants from the old world, gwen
them lands, &c. and thus effected more morally |
than any armed Intervention possibly could. IL
has been said that protest would Lave the same
effect but il seemed to him that the very idea of
protesting pre-supposed force-for what would
protest amount to without being backed by force 2
1t would simply be laughed Mt by foreign poten-
tates. In concluding, MIR NJ alluded TO a re-
mark Of Mr. HALE's, to which he fully assented |
that should receive every gentleman cordi |
ally, or not at all If Mr.. II should visit his State
(Florida) even he would be taken cordially by the
hand, without reference to his peculiar idiosyn-
cracies Laughter
Mr.. BADGER then took the aoor and spoke |
at length against the resolution the discussion Of
which, he contended, was not chargeable To its OPP