The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-02-26
THIRTY-FIRsT CONGRESS.
TUESDAY, FrsauAny rs, 1851.
S 4 NATE.
SECOND SESSION.


Mr.. CLARKE presented two petitions from citi-
zens Of Rhode Island praying the repeal OF the Flu
Mr.. HALE presented petition from citizens Of
New Hampshire praying like object, and petit
ton praying the abolition Of slavery In the District
of Columbia; all of which petitions were laid ON
the table.
RIysR AND HARBoR BILL.
MIR. DAVIS of Massac husetts, from the Com
mittee on Commerce, reported back the biil from
the House making appropriations ior the improve
ment Of certain rivers and nnroors' ana gave no
tice that he would move at early day to take up
the bill.
PRIVATE ~ ~
The following bills were reported from commit
tees, and, motion, were taken up, considered,
and ordered to be engrossed for third reading,
and passed
House bill for the relief of sayles J. Bowen.
House bill for the relief of the widow Of the late
Lieutenant Colonel William Gray.
House bill for the relief of Dunning X. McNair
House joint resolution providing for the adjust
ment of the accounts Of John ID. Colmesnil, Presi
dent Of the Ohio and Mssissippi Mail Line Com
pany.
AUDIT rRINrERS AcoouNrs-
Mr. BORLAND. from the Committee on Printing.
reported joint resolution authorizing the Secretary
OF the Senate and the Clerk Of the House and the
settle the account. of the printers to Congress du
ring the recess; which was considered and ordered
TO be engrossed.
MILITARY ASYLUM.
MIR. DAVIS, of Mississippi, moved. and after
debate the Senate took up the bill to found mil
itary asylum for the relief and support of invalid
and disabled soldiers of the United States. The
bill was read, and briefly explained, and was then
ordered to be engrossed.
NAVY YARD In CALIFORNIA.
Mr.. GWIN submitted resolution directing an
inquiry by the Committee ON Naval Affairs into
the expcdiency Of providing for navy yard on
San Francisco bay, which was adopted.
DUTIES COLLECTED IN CALIFORNIA.
v1rS rNrvV,- A. L q
the consideration Of the bill in addition to and
amendatory OF an act entitled can act TO provide
for the settlement of the accounts of public officers
and others who may have received moneys arising
from military contributions tor other wise in Mexi
CO.." approved March 3, l849. And, after debate,
the motion was agreed to.
MIR. p. explained the bill. II directs that all the
provisions Of the act of March 3, lS49 recited in
the title, be, and are hereby, applied to any officer
of the United States, army or navy, or any other
person persons appointed by, or acting under,
the authority of any such officer or officers, who
may have received moneys raised and collected in
Upper California New Mexico, for contributions,
penalties, internal assessments, duties other OBJ
jects, pending the late war with the republic Of
Mexico, prior to the establishment and prOmulga-
| ton, a. we'll as during the continuation and ope-
ration ofthe regulations prescribed by the President
of the United States, bearing date 3lst March, l84
a. likewise all moneys received by any officer or
other person. subsequently to the discontinuance OF
the Presidents regulations aforesaid, by Of
the cessation Of hostilities, and ratification Of the
| treaty Of peace with Mexico, and prior to the
twelfth day Of November, eighteen hundred and
forty nine, the day which the collector Of the
district of Upper California entered upon the dis
charge of his duties, under the act extending the
revenue laws of the United States said Terri
tory, approved the third Of March, eighteen hun
drcd and for nine and each and every such Off
other person, shall account for settle, and
pay into the treasury OF the United States, for
general purposes, any balance of moneys shown to
Be in his hands upon such settlement made in con-
formity with the requirements and provisions of the
act hcreinbefore referred to- who shall become
titled TO the compcnsations and allowances author
lied by said act except 10 hereinafter provided
and on failure to account for or pay over any mo-
neys received by them. said officers, or other per-
sons, shall be liable to the penalties imposed by
isting laws in cases of discussing officers Of the
United States who neglect or refuse to account for
money drawn from the treasury ofthe United States
The bill provides further that any officer of the
army navy of the United States who may havo
received duties on goods imported into California,
after the cessation Of hostilities with Mexico and
prior TO the said 18th of November, lS49, may, up
on settlement Of his accounts, be allowed COM
mission Of two per centum, provided the compen-
eaton thus allowed shall not exceed s 500 per
annum. That in the settlement of the accounts Of
such persons they shall be allowed and credited
with any sum OF money paid or advanced by them
/ for dcfraying the expenses Of the convention of
California, called to form State constitution pro-
| vided that more than Sl75O0O shall not be allow
given for any sum paid and advanced by such per-
for the relief of destitute overland emgrants
to California; provided this last shall not
coed s 100000.
Mr.. WIN moved to amend the bill by adding
thereto the following
That the funds collected from the date of the rati
cation of the treaty Of peace with Mexico, TO tho
twelfth Of November, l649 when the collector ap-
pointed under the act OF the third of March, eigh
teen hundred and forty nine entered upon the du-
tea of his office. be paid to the State Of California,
after the payments provided Tor in this act de-
Quoted from the same.
| debate ensued on this amendment, in which
Messrs PEARCE, EWING, DAVIS Of Massachu-
sets, and WALKER opposed the amendment; and
Mr.. GWIN supported 1t. The amendment was
Mr.. WIN moved to amend the bill by directing
that Of the sums collected in the ports Of California,
upon goods imported, there shall be paid to the
State $500. 900 to defray the expenses of the State
government to the time of her admission into the
Union
Mss.r.: 6 WIN. PEARcE. BELL. cAss, DOUG
! amendment; and Messrs BORLAND, CHASE,
DAVIS Of Mississippi, and BUTLER, opposed it.
The amendment was then agreed to-yeas "a,
| YEAS.-Messrs. Baldwin, Bell, Berrien, Brad
| bury, Bright, Cass, Cooper. Dayton, Dickinson,
| Dodge Of Iowa, Douglas Downs. Ewing, Felch,
shsd s.h a pssFSs Ra'k Be-
| NAYS.-Messrs. Borland, Chase, Clarke, Davis
OF Mississippi, Dawson, Hamlin, Hunter. King,
Mason, Norris, Sebastian, Spruance, Turney. I'm
dcrwood, Wales, and Yulec--16
The bill was then reported to the Senate, the
amendments concurred in, and then it was ordered
| to be engrossed.
POSTAGE BILL.
Tho Senate took up the engrossed bill to provide
for reduction of postage, and it WINS read a third
| time
| Mr.. BORLAND desired to speak the passage
OF the bill; but the hour was late, was willing
to postpone his remarks till tomorrow. After
some debate, the bill postponed.
| The Senate then proceeded to the consideration
of Executive business, and after some time the
doors were opened, and
! The Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
DOCK CALIFORNIA.
| Mr. STANTON, of Tennessee, from the Com
| mitiec on Naval Affairs made report a rcsolu-
ton heretofore referred TO them in which they say
that the Government cannot absolve itself from the
contract with Dakin and Moody, Gilbert and Se-
cor, for the construction of floating dock, basin,
and railway at San Francisco. The work Is under