Lewistown gazette. [volume] (Lewistown, Pa.) 1843-1944, 1851-12-26
Prnceedings of Congress.

formation respecting this matter, Thrasher
having made no complaint TO the State
Department or its agents.
A message was also transmitted in reply
| TO Mr.. Cass's resolution calling for infor-
nation respecting the firing into and seiz-
ure of the American ship Prometheus by
the British vessel of war on the Musquito
coast The President sends in the COM
| plant made, and states that upon It's re-
ceipt instructions were Immediately sent
/ to the American minister in London, and
/ that no reply has as yet been received.
/ He also sends TO the Senate the instructions
! sent to Com. Parker, desiring him 10 leave
for that coast and protect American YES
! sells and interests there.
! The resolution of Mr. Foote confirming
/ the compromise measures, continues 10 af-
I ford food for discussion in the Senate.
On Monday, Gen. Houston, who is some
times spoken of as a locoloco candidate
/ for President, made 4 speech in which
bid is made for the abolition vote. He
commenced by saying that there could be
nothing equlyocal in his position on the
compromise measures. He was now the
only one in the Senate who had voted for
every single measure of the Compromise
/ Only one other Senator had done so, Mr.
Sturgeon, of Penn, and he was not in the
Senate now. His position, therefore, could
not be mistaken When he declared he
had voted for them, all that his heart now
told him was that those votes were right
vet he could not vote for this resolution
he stood upon the platform of the Demo
cratic party; men were not excluded from
that party because of a difference of opin-
ion It's policy was liberal; its members
differed widely upon the question of inter
nal Improvements and the tariff, and yet
they all stood on the same platform that
party allowed the utmost latitude to opin-
ION, and was opposed to making the Com
promise any test, but was for allowing full
freedom to differences Of opinion; he was
opposed 10 the enlargement Of the plat
form; the present platform was large
enough TO embrace the whole Union, and
if it wanted enlargement, let the people put
the planks on. This resolution had been
rejected in the other House by the Demo-
cratic caucus, and if it had been offered in
caucus in the Senate it would not have
met with better favor. No man violated
his party allegiance by voting against this
resolution. He then examined all the
compromise acts and pointed out why he
had voted for them.
Mr.. FooTE then rose and gave Houston
a regular scoring. 1t did not become per-
sons, he said, who were deeply involved
in petty bargains, in intrgues, and all other
means to secure promotion and high places,
for which they were utterly unfit, to talk
of keeping the Democratic party pure. 1t
did not become those who had been bid
ding high for and intriguing with the Free
Soilers and other factions, for aid and sup
port, i'll obtaining certain high office which
could not be obtained olherwise-to talk
Of platforms and principles. Those who
had been in all kinds of bargains and
sales, and intrgues which had injured the
party, who were pandering for the support
of the miserable faction called Free Soil
ers, to elect themselves President and Vice
President, should not now talk of plat
forms and Democratic policy. The Sena-
tor thinks that all movements should come
from without rather than from within
Congress. Well might that Senator say
so. He (Mr. Houston.) belonged to that
class of persons who were constantly look
ing out 10 see which way the popular
breeze was blowing, in order that he might
set his sails and be blown into his desired
haven. lie hoped the day was far dis
tant when any person who had sacrificed
principle and party ties, who bad been
false TO all parties, who possessed no abil
ity, no single moral quality-utterly def
cient an craftsmanship or political honesty,
who catered for the support of Free Soil
votes-himseIf Southern man-should
be elevated to the Presidency; for when
such a person succeeded in getting into
that high place, it would be TO the nehace-
able disgrace Of our national Institutions.
The Senator was not ia favor of cxclud-
mo- from the Demncratic party those who