The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-12-23
rHIRTY-sECoND CONGRESS.
MoNDAY, December y, 1901
SENATE.
FIRST SESSION.

y
reported a resolution authorizing mat committee
10 appoint clerk; which read and adopted.
RIVER AND HARBoR BILL.
Mr.. MILLER, pursuant 10 notice, introduced a
bin making appropriations for the Improvement oi
certain rivers and hlrbOrs. MIR. NJ said that tins
bill was the same as the one which passed the
House at the last session, and which had ia!leu an
the Senate for want Of time. lie called me a'teh-
ton Of the committee to thus SUBJECT IA oIurr lat
this bill may he reportedearly enough TO prevent
a similar catastrophe. The bill was referred to the
Committee on Commerce
THs PRoMETHEUs AFFAIR.
Ga motion by Mr. CASS. the Presidents mes
sage relating 10 the Prometheus affair was refer
red to the Committee on Foreign Relations
FLoGGISG ~ TIE NAVY.
The resolution submitted by Mr.. HALE calling
upon the Secretary of the Navy for information
whether the law abolishing hogging IN the navy
had been violated by any officer OF the United
States navy, was taken up, and, after amendment,
was agreed 10 ia the following form:
Reso!ptd. That the Secretary of the Navy be III
T5cted 10 inform the Senate whether any charges
preferred by any officer OF United States
frigate Cumberland against William X Lntiner,
while commanding said fngate on her recent
cruise. for Illegal punishment and dlsobedlence OF
orders; and also whether any court OF inquiry was
holden on the conduct OF said Lahmer; and, II 50,
what the finding or recommendation OF SAID
court of inquiry and if any such charges have been
made against said Latmer. or if any such court OF
inquiry has been holden, that he furnish the same
TO the Senate; and that he also inform the senate
what proceeding the Secretary OF the Navy has
taken in the premises both regards said Iatimer
and the officer who preferred said charges.
CONVERSATIONS OF PRIVATE BILLS.
The resolution of Mr.. PRATT, amending the
rules, provide that after the first OF January
next Friday ia each week should be set apart for
the consideration OF private bills, was taken up.
And after debate, in which Messrs. PRATT,
ATCHISON, HAMLlN, and DOWNS supported
the r, solution and Alessrs. DAVIS, MANG UNI,
nd he
adopted-ayes 81, noes 10.
THE CENSUS PRINTING.
MIR. BRIGHT moved that the Senate proceed to
the consideration of the Joint resolution authorizing
contract with Messrs Doneison and Armstrong
for printing the returns OF The seventh census.
MIR. SMITH said that he had an amendment to
offer The resolution, but not expecting the sub
jet u be taken up he had not prepared his amend
ment.
Mr. BRIG 1T said he did not desire to interfere
with the Senator from Texas, who 10 speak on
another subject, and would there iore withdraw his
motion.
THE coMPRoMIsE MEASURES.
The Senate then proceeded TO the consideration
Of the resolution declaring the Compromise acts 10
BE- dehnitiye settlement of the questions growing
out Of the exciting and dangerous subjects they
embraced.
Mr.. HOUSTON said that there could be nothing
equivocal in his position the Compromise
measures. He was the only member of the Senate
at this time who had voted for all of those
Mr.. Sturgeon, of Pennsylvania. had voted for
them all, but he was not now OF the Senate. lie
was opposed 10 making any additional feature IN
the Democratic policy That party recognised
freedom Of opinion. IL allowed difference OF opn-
ion among lie members on several subjects. On
the subject of internal improvements, and on the
tariff, wide differences of opinion existed, and he
thought equal liberty OF sentiment might DO o.
ioweo ON this question. He having voted for all
the measures embraced in the Compromise, was
now disposed 10 leave them with the people Tor
thpir artip 10 nerhi hat
delegated 10 represent the sentiments OF the people,
and not to frame new principles for them. The
Democratic platform had been established; he did
not think il the duty OF Congress TO enlarge 1t or
place upon il new matter. If it be not large
enough, the people, and not their representatives in
Congress- should place new planks on At lie
thought the attempt to crowd it IN with extrane-
Gus Questions would be calculated 10 break II down
This resolution party measure. 1t bad
been offered in the House, and rejected by vote
of 80 to 80 Had il been offered in caucus here it
would not have met with better favor. No man,
therefore, violated his party allegiance by not vot
ing for 1t. He thought II improper to include this
subject part Of the Democratic platform. That
platform was now wide enough TO embrace the
whole Union.
He took up separately the several acts compris
ing the Compromise, and examined them; he gave
the why he had supported them all!
lie had voted for the Oregon bill, notwithstand-
ing it contained the Wimot proyiao because it did
not violate the Missouri compromise line Of 80 3O.
In voting for that bill he had voted for that line.
For doing he had been denounced by some at
the South. He read extracts from the debates in
the Senate TO show that the South abandoned that
line then. In October, lSi9 the Mississippi Con-
vention assembled, and from their proceedings ORR
ginated the Nashville Convention. That conyen
ton adopted their uiimatum the line OF 3Go 3O',
the came line for voting for which he had been de-
nounced.
He read several extracts from speeches of his own,
and others Of Mr. Foote, to show that what he stated
in February, 1850 that the Mississippi Convention
originated by influences in South Carolina, had
been fully sustained by the late speech OF the Sen
ator from Mississippi, Notwithstanding the denial
Of the fact at that time by the Senator.
He again repeated that with respect to the Com
promise measures he stood on no equivocal ground;
he not Only voted for them, but introduced pro
position for committee to report them. But
while they had received his cordial support he pro
tested against any one placing them on the Demo.
cratic plntform The convention of the party might
do SO; bot he protested against the passage OF any
resolution by Congress other than its legitimate
legislation, which was TO bind that any other
party. He would not blacken the journal Of the
Senate by placing there this resolution, any
other which was intended for party or personal
purposes
Discord now existed in the party Differences
Of opinion existed the subject Of internal i'm
proyemenls and upon the tariff Why should that
discord be increased by adding to the platform
resolution upon which the same differences Of opin
ion existed. The platform should not be enlarged
without fret reconcihng differences which already
existed He could vote for no measure which was
calculated TO distract The party to which he belong
ed; and he would not distract that party by forcing
on it any measure extraneous to the established
principles OF the party If he saw any thing in
the resolution which would be advantageous to
the whole country, or 20 his party, he might be
inclined more favorably towards il.
lie alluded to the pcrsonal controversies which
took place last year between himself and certain
South Carolinians, and repeated his declaration
that the constitution OF that State not as libc-
raj in its provisions az II might be.
In 1924, when in the other House he for the first
time heard OF secession dsunion, and resistance 10
the constitutional acts of the Federal Government,
he thought then that, though not technically trea-
con, still treason in the heart Of the speaker.
He heard the same avowed here; though
stripped Of the techucaiitics which would consli
tate that avoWa legal treason, yet il not Wi;h-
out all the moral turpitude vi that crime He
hoped that all such doctrines would sink into the
oblivion they deserved
Mr.. FOOJE said that whether or not the speech
just delivered Fad been prepared with the view Of
being delivered in his absence, was a question he
would leave for others to decide. Rumor had
stated that he was to receive drubbing In the
Senate this morning, and be had staid here pur