The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-22

Mr.. GWIN moved to postpone the resolution for
one week, whichwaE rejcctcd-yeas Is, nays So
as follows:
YEAS-Messrs Bell, Cass. Clemens, Davis,
Dodge of Wisconsin, Dodge Of Iowa, Fetch, Geyer.
Gwin, Hlmn, Jones Of Iowa, Norris, Shields,
Sumner, and Wade-l5.
NAYS Messrs. Adams Atchison, Bayard, Bor
land, Bright Brodhead, Brooke, Butler, Charlton,
Chase, Clarke, Dawson, Desaussure, Douglas,
Downs, Fish, Foot, Houston, Hunter, James, King,
Mason, Merriwether, Miller, Pearce. Pratt, Rusk,
Sebastian, Seward: Smith, Souie. Spruance,
stockton, Topcey. Upham, and Weller-36.
The resolution amended was then agreed to.
PsIvATE LAND CLAIMS IN CALIFORNIA.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration of the
bill authorizing the surveyor genera OF California
TO pay for certain surveys OF private land claims in
that State; and after some debate, there being no
quorum present
The Senate adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
CUMBERLAND ROAD.
Mr.. STANTON, Of Ohio, moved that the Com
mitee of the Whole on the state of the Union be
dischar ged from the further consideration OF tbs
bill to cede to Ohio the unfinished portion Of the
Cumberland rond within the limits Of that State.
He remarked that il made no appropriation II
money. and that similar cession has been made
to In lana and Illinois. Ho desired that the bill
should be put upon its passage
Objection was made.
ARMY AND NAVY OFFICERS.
Mr.. JOHNSON, of Tennessee. asked leave to
offer the following resolution, to which, he pre-
sumed, there would be objection. viz:
Rtsolued, That the Secretary of War and the
Secretary of the Navy. if not deemed Incompatible
with the public good, report to this House the mum
Der Of officers Of the army and navy remaining in
and about Washington city. and the duties per-
formed by them connected with the public in
terests.
Mr.. WALSH objected; and SO the resolution was
not received.
The House resumed the consideration Of the bill
granting to all chartered rail and plankroad com
panies the right Of way through the public lands
Of the United States.
MIR. COBB moved the previous question: and on
the division no quorum voted; whsreupon
Mr.. BURT moved call of the House. but the
motion was not agreed to-yeas IS, nays7s
The House then seconded the demand for the
previous question; and under its operation sew, raj
amendments were agreed to.
Pending the question substitute for the bill,
the morning hour expired
FRONTIER pEFENcEs.
Mr.. HOUSTON moved that the House resolve it.
self into Committee Of the Whole on the state OF
the Union.
Mr.. HOWARD asked the gentleman to with
draw the motion for few mnutes, as he desired
the House to take up bill which had been returned
| from the Senate with amendments-providng for
the defence of the frontiers Of Oregon, California,
and Texas, He said that by the last mails inte.i.
gence had been received of the burning OF villages
| on the Rio Grande, and that two steamboats, had
| been fired into from the Mexican side. The bill
| authorized the President OF the United States to
call out sufficient force to suppress the hosilities
now existing and preserve peace on the frontiers.
If effective measures be delayed much longer there
will be serious conflicts.
Mr. HOUSTON withdrew bis motion; but
Mr.. STEVENS, Of Pennsylvania, objected to the
taking up Of the bill.
RIVER AND HAnBoR BILL.
Mr.. HOUSTON moved that the House resolve
itself into Committee of the Whole the state Of
the Union; and the motion having been agreed to,
(and MIR. Obs called 10 the chair he moved that
the Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill be
Mr.. SEYMOUR, of New York, moved that the
River and Harbor bill be taken up.
Mr.. HOUSTON rose to a point OF order, that
this bill is behind nearly all the other appropria
ton bills the calendar. 1t could not, therefore,
be considered unless the other bill should first be
MIR. SEYMOUR said he made the motion be.
cause he supposed this was one OF the general ap-
| preparation rails.
MIR BURT called the gentleman to order.
Mr. SEYMOUR said he was about to PROFOUND
| question of order to the Chair
The question was then put on agreeing to the
motion OF MIR HousToN, and it was decided in the
| negative-ayes "A, noes 80.
| MIR. SEYMOUR moved that the committee take
| up the River and Har Dor bill
Mr.. MEADE rose to a gu. sion of order, which
| he stated.
Mr. MEADE appealed and the question having
| been taken
The CHAIRMAN was sustained in bis decision
that the motion was in order-ayes SO, noes "a
The bill was then taken up and read when
| Mr.. SEYMOUR, Of New York, (the chairman
of the Committee on Commerce,) said, believing
| il - be the desire Of gentlemen to proceed with
the consideration of the bill in a practical way ,
and perfect it, should thay not now deem it to be per
| feet, he should refrain from entering into gene
raj discussion Of the principles involved in Eea'
su'es Of this character II, however, il should ap
pear in the course Of the time devoted to the con
sideraton ofthe bill that relating the prn
ciple of appropriaiing moneys for theimprovetnent
of harbors and rivers shall be discussed, he SHOULD
at the proper time, during the pendercy Of the BILL
be appy lay before the committee in full his own
| views, and those ofShe majority whom he had the
honor to represent, with regard to those principles
II sufficient for him TO say that the Committee
on Commerce, at an early period of the session,
had their attention called 10 the great question Of
improving harbors and rivers. Shortly after, petit.
| tie.o- ~e~y large number OF them-camei in from
all parts of the country, praying 'or those appro
navig ole rivers, and for the improvement Of har
bors both the seacoast and on the northern lakes
Petitions were also received in relation to the great
western rivera in ouch numbers, and under such
| pressing exigency. that the Committee on Com
merce, before the reference OF the Presidents mes
sage on The subject. under the reference which the
House thought ht make ofthese peitions, proceed
ed to the consideration Of this very important, and as
4
addition, from many Of the large cites depuat of
gentlemen of the highest respectability, and prac
teal navi gators-Den long engaged in navigation,
both in foreign and domestic commerce-appeared
before the committee. pressing on them the con-
federation Of this subject, Of very great Importance
to the localities whsre they reside He alluded
particularly to the teputatons from Kew York,
Boston, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Orleans
| He repeated, when the committee approached this
subject, they found it iul Of embarrassment. 10
looking back the history Of the country for the
last fourteen years, they discovered that apPro-
priatious had been made. not even 10 keep in repair
the public works, which, through hong period Of
| previous years, had been erected by the Govern
| inent. The old works were out of repair and in
some cases the natural navigation Of streams and
| approaches to harbors were rendered even worse
than they in the natural state. owing to the
distractions caused by the lack Of appropriations
to keep them in repair. Beside. they found very
large and extensive territory added to the country
during a period Of fourteen years, and since II
general appropriation bill has passed During
that time Texas has been admitted into the Union,
with Elk hundred miles Of seacoast, and numerous
rivers and harbors, adequate to a large trade II
but a ANAL appropriation were made to remove
the sand bars and open her waters to the enter
prise and commerce of the country. In addition
to ell this they found that during this long period