The southern press. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1851-12-13
THIRTY-SECoND CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
IN SENATE.
FRIpAY. December l2. Is

ing, TO which was referred resolution providing
for the printing of $500 copies Of the Coast Sur
vey Report reported the same with an amend
ment incrt as.ng the number to l0000-5,00 for
the use of the superintendent The amendment
was agreed to- and the resolution adopted
BILLS, &C., INTRODUCED, READ TWICE, AND RE-
| . FERRED.
| By Mr. HALE, bill increasing the salary of
the District Judge of New Hampshire by Mr..
| BRIGHT a resolution repeating an act relating to
United States bonds held by States by Mr.. Hun,
TER, a bill to provide for the unpaid claims OF
continental officers and soldiers IN Virginia; bill
relinqushlng certain lands TO the State OF Iowa
a bill in addition TO the act of Sept. %, le5O, au-
thorizing the transfer of bounty land warrants. -
,' THE PRoMETHEus AFFAIR. ... H."
The resolution introduced by Mr.. CAss, re-
questing the p. esdent communicate any infor-
| nation in his possession relative to the firing into
| the United States steamer Prometheus, by Brit
| sh armed vessel, near the coast Of Nicaragua,
was taken up. ...... .t...... 49,. ...'
| Mr. CA did not anticipate any opposition to
the resolution Still he could not permit the pres
! ent occasion TO pass without making few re-
marks respecting the affair respecting which this
resolution asks information. He knew not the
precise location of the affair-whether it upon
the high seas within the limits of the Mosqul-
| to King 3 domnon-but he did consider it
gross outrage which calls for prompt explanation
and redress. He did not believe that it was pos
sible TOR the British government to recognize the
| conduct of their naval officers in this matter. II
the outrage was committed within the don inlon
of the Mosquito King, as defined in Its limits by
the recent treaty 1t cannot be defended and II 1t
took place on the high seas, 1t still more cul
pable. Let us show that an American Congress
watches the interests of our commerce and the
ri yhts of our seamen, both upon the main ocean
and in the most secluded bays and hooks
which they visit, in the same manner that Great
Britain does her own. They should be protected
not only by the pen, but, if necessary, by an
iron hand. No power on earth, IN time OF peace,
has any right to board one Of our ships, anu only
a belligerent one in time Of war Both our flag
and soil should be held equally sacred and If
this act is approved by the government of Great
Britain, he Mr.. c. hoped that it would be con-
sidered an act of war. In regard to the right Of
search the pretensions OF France and Great Brit
ain have recently taken new form, whether based
upon some secret, temporary, diplomatic arrange
merit, or one more permanent, he was not prepared
to say. He hoped that our government did not
intend to trust Eng land and France to assume the
duty of taking American sailors from American
ships The sentiment not long since promul gated
| by the London Times that Gas 1t sald) " all we
| want is to occasionally send constabes
aboard foreign vessels" was one which should
never be forgotten by any American. Those IN
| terested in our vessels and commerce are respon-
sible only to their own government, except in
which Great Britain and France claim to protect
Cuba, is virtually claim of the right to board
every vessel cruzing In that vicinity. ms claim
Of the right of search will eventually IT permitted
by us, give them the control Of the whole Gulf of
Mexico, as well as the mouth Of the Mississippi.
True it is that Lord Pamerston assures us that
we shall rot be disturbed, but still " tnleo
| Danaos" should be our moto-it behoves US to
be on our guard against every er croachment; par
ticulary since Great Britain has claimed the right
TO search our ships under the pretence of sup
| pressing the slave trade He (Mr. c. could but
| express his gratitude to Mr.. CRITTENDEN in
| late diplomatic CORE pondence with the British
government, and he trusted that the administra-
ton would follow up the matter.
! The resolution was adopted.
WELCOME TO KossUTH.
| The Senate took up the special order, being the
resolution extending welcome to Louis kossuth,
introduced by Mr.. SEWARD, the pending question
being on Mr.. BERRIEN's amendment, welcoming
also kossuth's companions, and providing that
nothing contained IN the resolution should be
strued into an Intervention, on the part Of the
United States, as between Hungary and any other
foreign power.
MR. HALE stated that the honorable senator
from Georgia Mr.. BERR'FNl having been called
away from the clty on account of sickness in his
family, he Nr. n ! had agreed to pair of with
him in voting upon the question.
MIR. BADGER, who was entitled to the floor,
said that the senator from Florida MIR. MALLo.
RYl being present, and desiring, account of
indisposition, give his views on the question at
an early hour Of to-day's session, he Mr.. B.
would with pleasure yield the floor to him.
Mr.. MALLORY then proceeded to state the
reasons why he should support the original reso-
luton Of the senator from New York, (Mr SEW
ARo.) He regretted that it should he opposed by
senator's, whose simple negative carries with 1t n
very strong influence throughout the country. In
| 81 hon,
is a man entitled to high honor. The struggling
masses Of the globe regard him as their "forlorn
hope" in aspiring for freedom. lie (Mr. NJ }
was prepared To symrahse with kossuth, be-
cause he had had the sagacty to point out to his
people our own form Of government, and courage
10 lead them by example He differed with
those gentlemen who looked upon our paying re-
spect 10 Kossuth ss an act Of nterve ton. Were
il so, he (Mr NJ would not vote for this resou.
euon-but he had failed To hear The first argument
that j was act on intervention. Ii contains no
lust cause for taking offence, although heSad no
doubt that offence would he taken by ain gov
ernments. Its passage will borne on the wings Of
the wilma over the ole glnhe, and every petty
tyrant will know q At sympathIse with the
cause OF Hungary. And for this reason alone, he
Mr.. NJ would support it. II is our own honor
which we have in charge ami not the opinious
nf dsspots. What ifthey do take of1encei WHY,
the very birth of this nation grew out Of giving
offence TO the mother country This country is n
monument to forete the destruction Of despot.
, ism ; and il is only question Of time when that
destruction will take place, rs take place it finally
must. Intervention must be moral, and not ply.
steal Our ships have brought 10 this country
thousa nds Of emigrants from the old world gwen
them lands, &C., and thus effected more morally.
than any armed Intervention possibly could. II
has been said that protest would Lave the same
effect but it seemed to him that the very idea of
{ protesting pre-supposed force-for what would a
protest amount to without being backed by force
II would simply be laughed at by foreign poten-
tates. In concluding, Mr.. VI. alluded to a re.
mark Of Mr.. HALE's, to which he fully sssented
] that we should receive every gentleman cordi-
ally, or not at ALL If Mr.. II should visit his State
(Florida) even he would he taken cordially by the
hand without reference to his peculiar Idiosyn-
] cracies. Laughter
Mr.. BADGER then took the floor, and spoke
at length agar st the resr luton the discussion Of
which he contended was not chargeabe to It's op.
, ponents.
, Mr.. FOOTE followed in reply.
I'll On IN o nueatton Of striking ont n noFtion If Mr.