Semi-weekly Camden journal. [volume] (Camden, South-Carolina) 1851-1852, 1851-02-11
Correspondence Of the News.
WasuINGToN, FEB. |,


Rusk granting the right Of way for telegraph
from the Mississippi to the Pacific ocean. 1t
appears that company sready to establish
sthe linesprovided they yscan be- secured from all
competition fora certain number OF years =,
Mr.. Masoh jttfeauced a bill providing for
the fnrthsS safsfacficn of Virginia military
land warrants, Which was referred.
.Aft EurneS introduced resolution, by way
or ansendment to. the one heretofore offered, so
as to ahthorise he@presenting OF swords to the
seveml Major. Generals and Brisadier Generals
of.tte army who served in Mexico.
The Seuate then took up the resolution ot
Mr.. Mason, instructing the Committee on For.
eign relations to inquire into the expedency ol
providing BY law, pursuant to the reconmen,
dation Of President Polk, for the payment OF
the claim of certain Spaniards arising out OF
the "AmistaP case.
Mr.. Chase went into the particulars of the
Amistad affair, and denied that the owners
have any just claiiff for compensation arising
out of the condemnation Of the vessel.
Mr.. Hale followed, on the same side, anu
argued that the claims of the owners oil the yes
sci were wholly groundless He did not think
the idea of making the Government an insurer,
10 all engagedin the slave trade, could be enter
tanned. Besides, this question revived the dis
cussion on the subject of slavery, uotwiihstand-
ing the powerful narcotic administered by the
compromise bills of last session. Senators
new declared, that agtators had been put
down, and that the country was in peace, but
such propositions as these would show there
was a great mistake. Although a calm might
appear on the surface, yet the hig moral feel
ing of large portion Of the people against the
existence of slavery still dwelt at the bottom
with ailsits strength, if such resolutions as
these were to be called up for consideration.
Mr. Clay said the resolution was one OF III
,.qniry only. He was not at present favorable
to the payment of these claims. On the con-
trary,s bis opinicns inclined the other way, al
though his mind was not fully made up. He
was not, however, surprised at the opposition
to the resolution. The fact was, the Senator
who had Just spoken and his friends, knew that
all agitation on the subject Of domestic slavery
was at an end. They therefore seized upon
every topic connected with foreign slavery
which they could in order to renew the agita.
ton; and it was obvious that they did not care
about questions affecting the foreign slave
trade unless they could connect domestic slave
ry with them. He concluded by expressing
his belief, that by the compromise bills of the
last session, the Senator and all his coadjutors
had been destined to remain at the s'bottom
forever. .-ss .-tr -a '
q Mr. Hale rejoined, and said Mr.. Clay could
speak feelingly about people being at The 'bot-
tom," having had experience in the matter him
self He theu declared it as his firm opinion
that any man who should present himself as n
oI,,;,, uut
ship of the Compromise bills of last session,
such man would find himself in the position
of the man mentioned in the Greek fable, who
being shipwrecked, instead OF catching hold OF
apiank to keep him from going to the bottom,
seized aud leaped overheard with the anchor!
Such fate, he prophesied was in reserve for
the Senator from Kentucky.
The Chair here intericrcd. and said the de-
bate could not proceed, as the Compromise
bills were not before the Senate. He must
therefore arrest the discussion OF all matters
connected with them.
'e' After an Intellectual motion to lay the rcsolu-
ton on the table, it was adoptcd-yeas 43,
nays6.
The bill providing for the settlement OF Cali.
fornia land titles, was discussed during the re.
mainder of the day.
In the House the bill to establish Branch
Mint at New York, and an Assaycrs Office at
San Francisco, was again taken up in Commit
tee of the Whole The debate on the rcspec-
tive merits of New York and Philadelphia WAS
resumed and continued until three o'clock,
when, in accordance with previous resolution,
the discussion ceased.
The question on the motion of Mr. Van
Dyke, To- locate the Mat ia Jersey City, instead
of at New York, was put and negaiyed.
On motion Of Mr. Gable, an amendment was
adopted requiring the gold coinage to consist
of u greater proportion OF small coins than
largeones, as had hitherto been the case. He
said the report ofthe last year would show that
the coinage Of the year was 52S,900,000 were
il double eagles, s2,600,OOO in eagles, and
only 81 100000 in the smaller coin. The ob-
ject Of this, he contended, was to draw irou,
the people the circulation Of gold coin, in order
that it might not come into competition with
the shinplasters of the spectators and brokers.
Mr.. Holmes moved to amend b. providing
for Branch Mint at Charleston, $. e.. He
cold bo ,yonlj lu ,,nJ;J n,,,,,l, II,