The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1851-01-01

III pIsi.N, Nih n"hi 10 ovsf " EHosy
NJ, WALKER. Mr., President il is in view of va.
tious special orders that think We had better sit
Thursday; for il adjourn to Friday II operates the
same adjournment to Monday, II we mcet ON
Thursday, we may work on Friday and Saturday The
senators from North Carolina with the assistance OF the
distinguished senator from Kentucky. have been very
successful in regard to this matter thus far but beg OF
them shorten their aspirations for an adjournment
for one day II least
Mr. BADGER | do assure my friend that the whole
American people perfectly satisfied OF his exceedlng
anxiety meet and do business but beg hm TO believe
that the meeting ol the Senate Thursday the first day
after New Years will not tend 10 the transaction Of bush
ness The Senate mol ordinarily do III the Senate
is not going 10 do H. The senator has tried II once aud
had the motion TO adjourn voted down. but there
single subject which the Senate was willing to
take up and dispose Of There will be no business done
Of the epe5S for to here sSd DO nothing W.
might as well stay at home and do something. a
The question being taken on the amendment It was d.
cided in the affrmatve--ayes 10, noes II.
The question recurring on the motion as amended, It
was agreed to-ayes 10, noes 10.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
The Senate proceeded the consideration Of the iol
lowing resolution offered by Mr. DAVIS OF Mississippi.
| on the 30th inst, which was agreed TO;
Resoiusd. That the Committee Commerce be Instruct
Cd inquire into the expedency OF AMENDING the provs
ions the law relation to granting registers, enrolmen
and Licenses to vessels
COAST SURVEY.
The Senate proceeded the consideration OF the fol-
lowing resolution, offered by Mr. BENTON on the 3Oth
instant
Rssoipsd, Tha tho secreMry Of Navy be directed TO
report 10 the senate what van,ages the public service
Would be derived from tran -erria survey of the
from the Treasury The Navy department. and what aa
donal leg station, II any, would be necessary.
Mr.. DAVIS, of mississippi have some doubt Of the
propriely of the Senates adopting that resolution A
paragraph may certainly be found in the report OF the
Secretary OF the Navy upon the subject; but all
that portion OF his report which relates the naval al
fairs OF the country has been referred 10 the commlee
having charge OF that branch OF the subject The report
fore before the Committee on Naval Affairs and they
call upon the Secretary OF the Navy or any inlor
nation which may be required But Il y DC insisted
lished shall then offer amendment TO the resolution,
by which shall call upon the Secretary ot me iTeasusy
to communicate his reasons why me WORK snoulo 20. Oe
charge of it, and which, from his report we learn that
he is not willing surrender hope it was done BY the
senator from Missouri from emitting to reflect that this
has been referred to that committee. However, II ne
presses it, shall offer the amendment have indicaled.
MI, CAsS. As have some knowledge OF thus SUB
ect will say that shall vote TOR the resolution a.
though do not think is very important to whom lhis
work belongs. We have scientific men both in our army
and navy, who capable OF supenntending tnis
whole matter but we have no men Responsible except
the superintendent who does the work. believe every
nation the world which has performed any work OF
this kind has committed 1t to scienhnc ooard VINO are
bs esneraI onerations of The survey The head of
OF the cannot be expected TO enter INTO the
soicHtiic facts connected with such an investRauon
This board should be responsible to the department OF
but the whole matter should be under their con-
troll Ii is vastly important to decide that question
than decide to what particular department this belongs
j Mr. BENTON. expected this resolution to pass, ~
matter oil course The Secretary of the Navy, in his
port has recommended that the coast survey should be put
under the direction OF the navy BY the resolution ne II
asked for his reasons his arguments IN support Of thst
recommendation The Secretary o the Treasury has made
argument upon the other side. We have that a all
evenis-io it is already printed moved this question
year two ago. but without much hope OF success then
When came here irs sir, | was accustomed to learn
wisdom iron the lips OF wise and made some move
m L II.
Macon, of North Carolina, told me that member OF
Congress must never attempt any reform IN what con.
do nothing unless supported by the administration the
department have found that true for thirty years
Now ha that the Ssss 81 Ne
mends that this work be placed under the direction OF our
naval officers. am glad TO see II, SIR II has revived
my hopes; and the Secretary in that recommendation
does give reasons. wish him to have an opportunity
to do 50. - !.
With respect to board to do this work. believe
can state that in the government which, OF all the gov
ernmens in this world has had coast survey than
any oherI speak of the government OF Great Britain
which, besides surveying all its possessions IN the four
quarters of the globe also surveys the coasts OF all coun
tries with which they have commerce or anticipate war
in that county it is done by the navy, and ty the navy
alone. II is done by that branch OF service called
:" ordnance and photography" The service has been
pursued for and twenty years by rear admiral;
and if anybody will take the pains 10 look a. the OK.
animation which he underwent from the House OF
Commons one year ago. they will that he understands
bis work. and that those who inerrogated him understood
the business also The survey in Great Britain s
carried on skully enough Tor their thousand shpsof
and their twenty thousand merchant vessels and al
! by their own officers. Now, am not willing to admit
that British naval officers do what American naval
officers do rather that American naval 0uacorp
cannot do what British naval officers can DO, cannot
admit sir An Issue is now fairly made up ~ the public
mind upon the competency OF the American omcess 20 90
this work That issue made up in the face OF the fact
thai wherever the naval officer employed he is dong his
work. and his work celebrated by the head OF the whole
coast survey. Why, sir, II is but the other day tnat
read the wsapers here that the survey oil the COAST n
California is conducted by Lieutenant Commanding w.
P Macarthur, OF The United States navy. He has done
the work, and his works received with just and
proper by the superintendent OF the coast
survey Yet, in the face Of this the American psopc
are to be told that American officer cannot do IT, and
that il all be put under superintendent The navy
are actually doing il and yet the whole American navy
are stand dsparaged before the country as ncompe-
tent for this work do not admit IT, want 70 see
what the Secretary may say upon that point, ~ wen ss
upon points II said that rs not proper fof the
navy or for naval officers. ] know how deeply their
feelings grated by having put before the public and
for the Congress of the United States to act upon It, that
they are incompetent for this work. know how deeply
come them to stand up and make remonstrance agana
the policy of the government s their business to sub
nit and to carry out the policy OF the government what
ever il may be- But know not one OF them all who
WILL for moment, admit the incompetency of the
navy--who will admit that they canno, do what British
officers are doing. q
Mr. DAVIS. shall vote against the resolution, be-
cause do not want the subject to come up again has
been up here before, 1t has been debated ~ srfenso
The same arguments, and much more extensively than
to-day, have been urged before The Senate came q