The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1851-01-22


statement of the number of persons employed in
mis- Office.
sMITHsoSIAN INSTITUTION
Mr. PEARCE presented the memorial of the Re-
gents of the Smithsonian Institution, setting forth
that the accumulated interest on the Smithsonian
bequest, amounting 10 some $2i2 900, had been
turned over to them, and the principal of the be-
quest retained in the treasury OF the United States
as a permanent fund. BY the policy adopted by
the Regents, they had discovered that of this sum
8 100, 900 was not requisite to complete the build
ing, &c; they, therefore, asked that the 10000
be taken back and placed in the treasury. and be
made part Of the permanent fund. The memo
rial was referred to the Committee on Finance.
THE PATENT LAWS.
Petitions in favor of and demonstrating against
the passage of the bill to amend the patent laws
were presented by Messrs. MILLER, Dickinson, and
DAYTON.
PHILADELPHIA AND RIO JANEIRo.
MIR. STURGEON presented the memorial of
large number OF merchants and others of Philadel-
phia praying the establishment of line of mail
steamers between Philadelphia and Rio Janero.
DUTIES or REGISTER OF LAND OFFICE.
Mr.. DAVIS, Of Mississippi introduced bill to
require the register of the land office at Augusta,
Mississippi, to perform certain duties heretofore
performed by the surveyor general south of Ten
nessee.
MISSISSIPPI AND ATLANTIC RAILROAD co.
Mr.. SHIELDS, pursuant to notice, introduced
bill to grant the right OF way to the Mississippi and
Atlantic Railroad Company through the public
lands in Illinois
SETTLERS ON PUBLIC LANDS.
MIR. SEBASTIAN, pursuant to notice, intro
duced bill for the relief of settlers upon the pub
lie lands.
ARMY TRANSPORTATION BY CAMELs.
MIR. DAVIS, of Mississippi, submitted the fol-
lowing resolution, which was agreed to:
RESOLVED, That the Committee on Military Affairs
be instructed inquire into the proprety of intro
ducing the camel into the United States for pur-
poses of army transportation.
REonaANlzATIoN OF STATE DEPARTMENT.
Mr. MANGUM introduced the following resolu-
ton, which was agreed to:
Resoired, That the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tons be instructed to inquire into the cxpedency
of recognizing the Department of State, and afford
ing force for the expeditions and efficient de-
spatch OF its business.
THE woRKs OF ALEXANDER HAMILTON.
Mi. HALE moved that the Senate take up the
Joint resolution providing for the purchase Of the
works of the late Alexander Hamilton; which mo-
ton not agreed to.
AMENDMENT TIE RULES.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration Of the
following resolutions, reported by the select COM
mittee on the amendment of the rules
Resolved That the 10th rule be amended by adj
ding thereto the following wotds:
sfWhen a motion shall be made and seconded, it
shall be reduced to writing, if desired by the Pres
dent any member, delivered in at the table, and
read, before the shall be debated; and any
motion may be withdrawn by the mover at any
time before decision, amendment, or ordering OF
the yeas and nays, except motion to reconsider,
which shall not be Withdrawn without leave of the
Senate"
Rssolued, That the following be added to the
rules Of the Senate:
ga motion to take up bill, resolution, or other
subject, which shall have been ordered to lie on the
table, motion to proceed to the consideration of
any subject, and ali questions to the priority Of
business shall be decided without debate"
Messrs. BADGER, CLAY, DOWNS, and DA-
Wis of Massachusetts, supported the amendments;
and Messrs. BELL, HALE, BUTLER, and DAVIS
of Mississippi. opposed them;
Mr.. DOWNS moved that the second resolution
be amended by adding thereto, "except brief ex
PLANTATION not exceeding five minutes" which
amendment was rejected
The question recurring on the adoption Of the
resolutions on motion by Mr.. HALE, it was taken
separately on each resolution The first resolution
was adopted-yeas 30, nays lS-as follows
YEAS.-Messrs. Badger, baldwin, Bell, Berrien,
Borland, Clay, Davis of Masz.. Dawson, Dayton
Dodge Of Iowa, Downs, Ewing, Foote, Green,
Gwin, Jones, King, Mangum, Miller, Morton,
Norris, Pearce, Sebastian, Smith, Underwood, Up
ham, Walker, Whitcomb, and Winthrop-29
NAYS.-Messrs. Atchson, Benton, Bradbury
Butler, Cass, Clarke, Davis of Miss, Dickinson,
Hale, Hamlin, Rhett, Rusk, Seward, Spruance,
Sturgeon, Turney, Wales, and Yulee-ls.
The second resolution was rejected-yeas ~, nays
YEAs.-Messrs. Badger, Baldwin, Berrien, Clay,
Davis of Mass, Dawson, Dayton, Dodge OF Iowa
Douglas, Downs Ewing, Foote, Jones, King, Man
gum, Morton, Norris, Smith, Underwood, Upham
Walker, and Winthrop-22.
NAYS-Messrs. Atchison, Bell, Benton, Borland
Bradbury, Butler, Cass Clarke, Davis of Miss,
Dickinson, Dodge of Wis, Greene, Gwin, Hale
Hamlin Houston, Miller. Pearce, Rhett, Rusk. Sc
ward, Spruance, Sturgeon, Turney, Wales, Whit
comb, and Yulee-27.
sroLIATIoSs BY THE FRENCH.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the
bill providing for the settlement of the claims o.
American citizens for spoliations committed by the
French prior to 1900.
Mr. SEWARD said that while no public engage
ment ought ever to be broken, all debts founded on
the appropriation Of private property to the pur-
poses of the general use and especially to the dis
charge of revolutionary obligations practically
guaranteed by the Constitution, and are stamped
with peculiar equity, and ought to be held as sa
cred as the safety OF the State itself.
The peace of Paris in 1863 reduced the broad and
widespread possessions of France in America to
Cayenne on the continent, and the islands in the
Gulf of St. Lawrence, and near the Gulf of Mexico.
BY the came treaty, Great Britain acquired the
Canadas and the vast regons of New France, and
thereby secured on this continent an empire
tending from the Gulf of Mexico to the Arctic
seas.
He gave sketch Of the position of affairs in the
United States during the year ITS, when their
free population in point of numbers did not surpass
their present slave population. de depicted the
distress and disasters which attended the American
armies, the dsmay which everywhere prevailed
and when the chaplain Of Congress wrote TO Wash
ington. implorng him 'to give over the ungodly
war in which he was engaged" and when the
great leader himself, in writing to the National
Legislature, declared that, uness some great and
capital change should occur, his troops must sarve,
dissolve, or disperse. The great change did take
place Allied arInies Of great and valiant men
co-operated with gallant fleet, and forced the in
vading foe to surrender at Yorktown to their com
bined forces. That ally France. Peace fol-
lowed, and the United States framed and adopted
their Constitution on foundations unremovabe, and
which loyal hearts hope, and wise believe, will
stand firm and fixed forever. While the United
States thus from the labyrinths of revolution,
France Immediately descended into them. During
ihs period these claims for spoliations arose.
He then enumerated and described the political
and commercial relations existing between the
United States and France, as defined by and con-
tanned in the various treaties of amity and com
merce. In 1893 the French revolution became a
general European war, in the turmoil of which
France, Will continually treading upon the in
tensest internal fires, barred her head to all the
thunderbots of despotism. At this period Wash
ington issued his famous proclamation OF neutral-
ty. Owing to the nature and extent Of the contest
in Europe, the price Of supplies two, three,
and even fourfold. The United States Immediate
iy put in operation the wheels Of industry prod uc
ton, manufactures, and commerce, and great pro-
fit and wealth the consequence. The com
batants however relapsed into all the yenality of