The republic., 1851-01-03
THIRTY-FIRST CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
THURSDAY, JAsuARy 2. 1851.
S SENAT E.
REPEAL or THE FUGITIVE SLAVE ACT.

sylvanla, praying that Congress Wouiu 7Peouhy
repeal the passed at the last session, and gene
rally called the Fugitive Slave Law In presenting
this memorial MIR. w. said that, accompanying the
petition a letter from one oil the individuals,
whose name was attached 10 il, in which was made
special request that he would present the petition
TO the senate, In obedience to that request, as
we'll as in the discharge OF his duty, he now pre-
scented the petition. and moved that, without being
read il be referred TO the Committee on the Judi
ciary which motion was agreed to
large number of memorials, of private ma
ture, were presented and appropriately referred
MILITARY PUsIsHMEsTs.
Mr.. DAVIS of Mississippi, from the Committee
Military Affairs, to whom had been referred the
petition OF sundry citizens of New Hampshire.
praying that Congress would amend the laws re-
gulatng military punishments, reported the same
back with a written report. and asked to be dis
charged from the further consideration OF the
same, and that the report and memorial be printed
Agreed to
PUBLIC LANDS IN cALfoRsIA
MIR. GWIN, pursuant to notice, introduced bill
providing for a survey of the public lands in Cali
forna making donations thereof TO actual settlers,
and for other purposes. And il was referred to the
Committee on Public Lands.
soTicEs OF BILLS.
Mr.. WINTHROP gave notice Of bill to author
ze the appointment of appraisers at large, and for
Mr.. BELL gave notice of a bill authorizing the
appointment of district Judge for the eastern dis
trict of Tennessee.
Mr. BERRlEN introduced a bill to amend the
act passed at the last session authorizing notaries
public to take and certify acknowledgements, &c,
in certain Referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary.
SHIP ISLAND FoRTIFICATioNs.
- The Senate then oceeded to the consideration
ofbllls the general calendar. The fret in order
the
Bill TO provide for the fortifcaton of Ship Island
off the coast of Mississippi; and after an explana
ton of the bill by Mr.. DAVIS, OF Mississippi 1t was
ordered to be engrosaed
PRIVATE BILLS.
bill for the relief of Ira Day, of Vermont, and
a bill for the relief of Herbert II. Borley, were ta
ken up. considered, and ordered to be engrossed
for a third reading.
REMOVALS OFFICE.
MIR BRIGHT moved, and the Senate proceeded
TO the consideration of the resolution heretofore
submitted by Mr.. BRADBURY, in relation to
movals from Office since March I, lsi9.
Mr. BRIG HIT defended the object and purport OF
the call contained in the resolution In considera-
uon of the pledges on the score OF removals from
office made by the last Administration before the
election and the rapid and unexamplcd proscrp-
tion which followed its advent into power, the
Democratic representatives could not do less than
to demand that justice should be done those who
had been stricken down Ii had been solemnly
dcca ed that none should be removed except for
cause ana for other than political sentiments;
anS as nearly all Democratic office holders we're
removed, il followed either that the pledge had
been violated, that there was good and sufficient
cause requiring the removal of the officers. He
then examined she various causes OF complaint al
legged as the motives which induced the removal OF
General Lane, and proceeded at some length to
disprove that eueh complaints, or alleged causes
for removal, had any foundation IN truth
He examined the allegation that General Lane
had attempted TO impeach the character of General
Taylor for veracity growing out Of the occur
rences at the battle of Buena Vista, and the con
duct Of the I'd regiment of Indiana volunteers, on
that occasion He defended the 1ndianans from
ali censure for their conduct on that day and
claimed for them and their bravery the highest re
spect He explained the whole transaction, and al
luded to the official report of the commanding Off
Ger; he considered that Gen. Lane, IN controvert-
ing the statements contained in that ohcial report,
did nothing but an act Of justice to the brave cltl
zens of his own State. He maintained that the re-
moval of General Lane was nothing, and could be
nothing else, than case of naked prescription Tor
political opinions.
Mr. EWING said he desired to reply to the Sen
ator, and TO show conclusively that there was
cause for the emoval Of General Lane but not
expecting the subject to be taken up to-day, was
not prepared with the necessary documents. He
moved, and the subject was postponed, and made
the special order for Monday next.
PRIVATE LAND CLAIMS cALIFoRNIA.
Mr. G WIN moved and the Senate proceeded to
the consideration of the bill ASCERTAIN and settle
certain private land claims in California.
This bill introduced at the last session by
Colonel FREMoNr. Some ten days ago substi-
tute, proposed by Mr. GwIs had been agreed to in
Committee of the Whole. The bill was then re-
ported TO the Senate and the question was on
agreeing to the amendment Substitute OF MIR.
GwiNJ made in Committee Of the Whole
Mr. BEN ron opposed the bill and the substitute
which had been agreed 10 in committee. The
principle on which they based he considered
wholly unjust. He gave the history OF the settle
mcnt of California, (o that part OF California which
is part OF the United States,) and detailed
the various modes pursued by the Government of
Spain to induce settlers to go there. Among these
inducements large grants of land TO each set
tier, and an additional grant TO those who would
induce hundred families to ia Ike up their residence
IN he
chase the land, but it was forced upon them az
grants free gifs, in order to induce them To settle
in the country, and they were exempted for GER
tain time not only from taxation, but also from the
payment of tithes to the church. The bill now be
fore the Senate arraigned all the titles held under
these grans, and required the andholders not only
to make their title evident against the United
States but ma Ike that title evident in three courts
The Spanish people had horror OF lawsuits, and
particularly of lawsuits with the United States
He knew that many of them, sooner than run the
gauntlet of three trials to the validity Of the
title by which they hold their land, would ny the
country and abandon their land. Sooner than
dergo these lawsuits they would say, take the
land which given to US by the King of Spain
10 induce to settlehere; we would rather aban-
don il than GO to law" Such had been the case
when the same course adopted after the pur
chase of louisiana This part of California was
settled about the time OF the American Revolution
about the same time Kentucky was settled. He
asked in case Kentucky had been an independent
power, and had been annexed, and had been con-
ouered and the United States undertook to arraign
all the titles by which the people of Kentucky held
their property, and required them to maintain the
validity OF that title through expensive lawsuits IN
three courts of the United States, would the Ken
tuckians not revolt against such proceeding? He
was certain they would
The United States had the power to pursue this
course they had the power to crush these people,
and To drive them from the countrywhich they set
tled but would it be doneS He pictured the dis
tress the alarm, and despair, the passage OF such a
bill would occasion among the land proprietors OF
California. The bill, originally introduced, (by
Colonel FREMoST,) was wrong in principle, but 1t
had at least small superiority to the substitute
IL required that the decision of the commissioners.
if in favor of the claimant should be conclusive
against the United States. The present biH, how
ever, allowed an appeal in every case TO the Su-
premc Court He had considered this subject at the
ast session and before, and he had prepared bill
which he thought would remedy, to a great extent,
preparing their bills had adopted because of it hav
lug precedents.
He explained the plan which he had prepared.