The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-03-03
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
PATENT OFFICE REPORT.
81 The SPEAKER stated that the annual report of
the Commissioner of Patents had been received; and
at his suggestion, by unanimous consent, it was
laid on the table and ordered 10 be printed, and the
question Of printing an extra number was referred
to the Committee on Printing, in order that they
may report before the close Of the session.
DIR. ALIENS CHANGE AGAINST MR.. WEBSTER.
The SPEAKER stated that the pending question
was on the motion made by MIR. JULIAN last night,
to suspend the rule to enable him to introduce the
following resolution, viz:
Whereas il Id important to the wise and pure ad-
ministrntion OF the Government that its high Off
GERS and functonares should be free from the
due influence of any persons representing particu-
lar interests in the State; and whereas 1t is esps
ciay important that venaliy in such officers, under
whatever form or disguise it may assume, should be
rebukod by the representatives of the people; and
whereas member of this House has upon his per-
sonal responsibility charged that the present Secre
tary ofState, before his acceptance Of said Office did
enter into arran cement with certain capitalists in
an eastern city, by which large sum of money was
agreed to be paid to him ns an nducement to take
upon himself that office, the said arrangement
having been suggested and proposed by the said
Secretary; and whereas the said member has also
declared his belief that, in fulflment Of said
rangement, large sum of money, supposed to be
between forty and fifty thousand dollars, has been
paid or agreed to be paid to said Secretary by GER
tain porsons in the cities of Boston and New York
Therefore, be il
RESOLVED, That committee of this House be ap-
pointed to investigate said charge, and report
thereon, with power to take testimony, and send
for persons and papers.
MIR. STANLY inquired whether the resolution
provided when the committee should meet-on to-
day, to- morrow, (Sunday) or on Monday, the
The SPEAKER said that there was nothing said
as to time.
Mr.. STANLY. II is worse than ridiculous to
waste valuable time. The member from Indiana
Inn hat rnr ha invp atIUat ipn n bia
session, and he wants none.
The question then taken suspending the
rules, and decided in the negative-yeas 81, nays
ll9--as follows:
YEAS.-Messrs. Albertson, Allen, Bingham,
Booth, Brisbin, William j. Brown, Joseph Cable,
Cartier, Cleveland, Daniel, Danner, Dimmick,
Durkce, Fitch, Gerry, Giddings, Gilbert. Harlan,
Howe, Hunter, Andrew Johnson, Julian, Little
field. Horace Mann, Job Mann, McLanahan, Nor
ris Orr, Parker, Penn, Phelps, Potter, Robinson,
and Sweetser-34.
Bayly, Bell, Bocock, Bokee, Bowdon. Boyd, Brock,
Briggs. Brooks, Albert G.. Brown, Buel, Burrows,
Burt, Butler, George Alfred Caldwell, Joseph p.
Caldwell, Calvin, Casey, Chandler, Clingnan,
Dixon. Doty, Durham, Eliot. Nathan Evans, Ew-
ing, Featherston, Freddy, Fuller, Gentry, Good
| enow, German, Gott, Gould, Green, Hamilton,
Hammond, HARRISON, Ishsm G. Harris, Sampson
w. Harris, Hebard, Henry, Hubbard, billiard,
Hoagland, Holmes. Howard, Inge, Joseph W..
Jackson, William Il. Jackson, James l.. Johnson,
Robert w. Johnson, Jones, George g. King, Jas.
King John "a; King La sers; Letter Levin
Moore Morse, Morton, Nelson, Outlaw, Peaslee,
Peck. Phoenix, Putnam. Reed, Reynolds, Risley,
Robbins, jr., Rockwell, Rose, Ross, Rumsey, jr /,
Sacl ett, Sawtele, Schcnck, Schermerhorn, School
| craft. Seddon, Sylvester, Spalding, Sprague, Stan
ly, Frederick p. Stanton, Richard II. Stanton,
Alexander III. Stevens. Stetson, Strong, Taylor,
Thomas, Jacob Thompson, James Thompson.
Thurman. Van Dyke, vcnabe, vinton, Walden,
Waldo, Wallace, Watkins, Wellborn, White, Will
liams, Wright, and Young-ll0.
[Mr. SCHENCK, after the roll called. changed
his vote. Ne said he had voted in the affirmative
because he had thought the resolution ought to be
to Mr.. Webster himself, who did not shrink from,
but preferred the investigation. The decided vote
against suspending the rules. however, was perhaps
the strongest commentary the House could make
on the charges, and showed that they were only re-
garded with contempt
The amendment Of the Senate to the Navy Pen
sion bill wasagreed to- itstrkes out the following:
" To pay the pensions Of invalids who were wound
cd on board of private armed vessels during the
late war with Great Britain, $4,000
Mr.. WENTWORTH rose to privileged qucs-
ton, and asked the attention of the House to it.
Pending the consideration of the Navy Appropria-
ton bill, all claim agents shall be entitled to the
came privilege, inside and without the bar, rs the
members OF Congress, OK members, members elect,
newspaper editors, and reporters for the press, to
put all claim agents on par.
The SPEAKER did not consider this a question
of privilege; and he availed himself of the oppor
unity to state, with reference to persons other than
members coming into the hall, that he had given
instructions to the officers Of the House to enforce
the rules. If individuals who are not entitled come
into the hail. it ia by invitation of members, who
state to the officers that such persons entitled
enter under the rule
Mr.. WENTWORTH remarked that his object
was to exclude oil the agents.
NAVY APPROPRIATION BILL.
On motion OF Mr.. BAYLY, a resolution was
adopted to close the debate in one hour and the
House then went into committee on this bill.
Mr.. VENABLE opposed, generally, the cstab-
ishment of mail steamers, under the plea Of main
tanning the navy, and especially the Ebony line.
Mr.. Mem ULLEN moved to strike out the first Sec
ton of the BILL and entered his protest against the
doctrines Of his colleague, Mr.. MEADE that the
establishment of mail steamers is constitutional,
and justified by precedent.
Mr.. billiard said that he should vote every
dollar demanded by the Secretary of the Navy to
place the navy in an efficient condition. because it
protects our commerce on every sea- and has fought
it's way into public iavor. All history, ancient and
modern, shows that the navy has always been
friendly to liberty. IL has never been turned against
the liberties OF country. He would, therefore, en-
courage the navy; purge il of corrupt abuses, and
he repeated, so far from limiting the expenses, he
would increase them to give efficiency. While he
said this, he should oppose any additional steam
mail service; and provide for what was now author
lied. This was not the time, considering the con-
diion Of the public treasury, for doubtful expert
ments; and he was understood to say that it would
cost more to fit the steamers for purposes of war
than to build new ones.
Mr. GERRY offered amendment. In cxpla-
nation, he said he proposed line of steamers be-
tween some point in California or Oregon, or BOTH
and the Sandwich Islands, and some point to Shang-
hal in China. The amendment was rejected.
The committee refused to strike out the first Sec
ton of the bill.
Mr.. STANTON, of Tennessee, offered an amend
ment, TO incorporate the surviving members of the
late Texan navy into that of the United States.
This was decided to be out of order.
Mr. JOHNSON, of Tennessee, offered an amend
ment, with view to reduce the ealaries Of all Co
vernment officers over one thousand dollars one
fifth, provided such reduction would not reduce the
salaries below one thousand dollars. After having
advocated the amendment, it was rejected.
Mr.. HOWARD moved an amendment, to incor-
poratc the officers OF the late Texas navy into that
of the United States
The CHAIRMAN decided it out of order, and
sustained in his dccison--aycs 80, noes 81.
MIR. WHITE offered amendment which
ruled out of order, nppropriating $4,000 for the
removal of the wreck of the steamer Missouri from