The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-16
l..iRTY-SECOND CONGRESS-
FIRST SESSION.
SATURDAY. August Ii. 1852.
SEN ATE.

resolution OF the Senate, ali the Information rela
tive IL the imprisonment at Acapulco, Mexico. oi
the American Consul by the Mexican authorities.
The CHAIR also laid before the Senate report
from the Postmaster General, communicating, in
reply to a resolution OF the Senate statement OF
the amount paid for printing aud binding for that
Department since March, 1919.
JoHN McGINSis.
Mr.. BORLAND said that il would be recollec ted
that on Yesterday the select committee rnis' d on
the 9th Of this month reported that a witness who
bad been summoned before them had proved con
tuinacious aud q resolution for his imprisonment
was submitted to the Senate. He had now To in
Ion IN the Senate that the witn-ss reappeared beorc
the committee and took tn. oath prescribed. lie
moved therefore that the resolution bc taken up
tor the purpose of laying il on the table. The mo.
ton was agreed to.
ExECUTlvE SESSION.
On motion of MIR. ATCHISON, the Senate pro.
cecded to The consideration Of Executive business;
and after some time spent therein, the doors were
again opened.
LAND FOB RAILROAD.
MIR. BRIGHT introduced bill granting land TO
Illinois and Indiana TO aid in the construction of
railroad from Terre Haute to Springfield.
Al the private bills which on yesterday were
ordered 10 third reading were considered
read third time and passed, with the exception
Of nne for the relief OF Mary E D. Blaney, which
was rejectcd-aycs l6, noes II.
GESERALs SCOTT AND PIERCE.
The following resolution, heIctof,re submitted
by MIR. MERaiwETHER, " as theL taken up
Rss0lped, That the President Of the United State:
be requested to inform the Senate W hat amount o
public money has been paid to General Winfield
Scott and General Franklin Pierce respectively
from the time of their first entrance into The public
service up to the present date, tinguishing be
tween regular and extra compensation; also fol-
what said amounts were paid-whether for pay
proper ratious, forage horses, mileage, transpor.
taiion, servants, quarters, fuel, medical attend
ance. communication for any Of the preceding
items. Also that he inform the Senate what amour,
m extra compensation has been claimed by either.
the items Of each and every such claim, when first
presented, and when and by whom allowed or &C.
jected, and the official reasons given mt the time
ior such allowance or rejection and whether any
item or items. claim or claims, once disaliowed.
were subsequently, presented for payment; and, il
80, bow often, and when, and if subsequently al.
lowed or paid, by y om and when, and the amounts
thereof, and the reasons fur such allowance, and
the amounts thereof. And that he also inform the
Senate whether either of the above med generals
has received from the public treasury pay emol-
uments for discharging the duties OF more than
office employ Inent at the same time; and. if
So what office or emp.oyments, and the amount Of
such pay and emoulnen ts. and the time when paid;
and whether any claim or claims have been pre-
scented for the discharge Of the duties Of 40 or
more offices or empoymcnts al The came time, by
either Of the:n and disaowed; and if go, by whom
Gisaliow ed, wnc. and for what reasons then given
And that he also inforc the Senate whether either
OF The above name generals nave ever under color
saton, or for any other reason or reasons, Or in
any manner or form, applied to his own use or re-
;ain cd in bis hands any Of the public funds pro-
perty, without authority of law; and, if So when.
and the amount or value thereof; and whether the
amount thus applied or retained, any part there
OF, has ever been repaid to the United States and,
II 60, what amount, and when so repaid, and whe
thcr any amount of public money or property,
which has ever come TO the hands or possession of
either Of them, remains unaccounted for; and, IL
So, i'll who's hands, aud how much.
Mr.. JONES, Of Tennessee, said he was not op
posed 10 the resolution, but he desired TO amend
1t. and as the Senator from New Jersey (Mr Mi
LER) also had an amendment to offe-, he would
move 1t be postponed till Monday, in order to TAKE
up the special order.
The motion to poet pone wac not agreed to-ayes
II, noes 20.
MIR. JONES then offered the following amend
ment:
Insert after '.date:" "stntng particularly the ex
act date of their entrance into the public service
and how appointed; whether q graduate of The
Military Academy or otherwise end the coat OF a
course of study at that institution, and the Gun
paid to either or both while there
Insert after "medcal attendance" " For wha
diseases. far as can be ascertained, such attend
ance was required whether for wounds received
in battle, or for ordinary sckne and if for
wounds, where, and in what service, such wounds
were received, and hov often such attendance was
required by each"
Add TO resolutions:
" ,sotred, That the Presiden be also requested
eral Pierce has rendered service to their country
in any capacity other than military and if so, the
!eug,h Of time Zach was employed and the
erE.s aluount paid out Of the treasury for such
service distingul shng between the lar pay nd
fees or mii;sgs or travelling expenses allowed and
maid TO each aud the amount 30 paid"
Mr.. BRIGHT said that the amendment would
in all probability delay response TO the resou
ton at this session, and therefore he could not vote
for il; he would vote for it, however, if offered as
an independent proposition.
Mr. JONES said he had no desire TO eInbarrass
the resolution {; but that he thought II any infor-
NATION wns called for in this matter, the people
should be put in possession Of all the facts con
nected with it.
Mr.. DOUGLAS said that, as the amendment re-
lated TO points embraced in the resolution, he
though il proper and germane to the subject, and
would not oppose II. He would oppose any amend
rnents which would have the effect to delay
swer to the resolutions; but he thought all the in
formation asked for could be furnished in day or
two Let the resolution be passed al once, and it
would then be seen whether 1t was answered
promptly or not
Mr.. PEARCE said the resolution proposed on
inquiry OF no practical use. The information
ca led for could be Of no to the Senate for any
purpose of legislation; it could not be necessary
Tor any useful purpose, or for any other purpose
than to crowd the columns of newspapers, already
tcemi2g with vilifca ton Of the nominees Of the
two parties. He hoped the Senate would lend it
self to no such purpoee. What would be thou g ht
Of resolution TO inquire into how much public
money had been received by the presldipg oncer
Of the Senate. He bad doubt but that gentle
man was entitled 10 all he had received by autho-
rty of law, and richly deserved I, gil for ineroTi
Gus services. He believed the OF tie two dis.
tinguished individuals named in the resolution and
he hoped the Senate would not engage in any such
inquiries as were now proposed.
Mr. DOUGLAS said the same inquiry was made
in ls4s, with respect TO the sums received by the
Senator from Michigan, who then a candidate
for the Presidency.
Mr.. PEARCE said be had never said one word
disrcspec tful ofthe Senator from Michigan.
Mr.. DOUGLAS supposed the Senator bad not,
bot the Senator'S political friends bad and the
Senator from Maryland did not in 1915 see any
cling Objectionable in the inquiry This resolution
was not like that offered in 1913, confined TO ore
candidate, hut included both
Mr.. BUTLER said that perhaps he stood with
respect TO the candidates for the Presidency more
in position Of Indifference than any other Sena-
20, he regretted that this resolution had been :
trnducc,' ia the Senate. He was Opposed to any
sucb inop;,;es lie felt satisfied that the two gen.
erals who were now honorable ri:as would resist
he enosred IN IL IA ~, a.. "sh.est doubt TAT
that every cent received by General SEQ. VIZ "oh
ora6ly earned by faithful service
Mr.. UNDERWOOD regretted the resolution had
been introduced, but, coming from the quarter il
n,o' ne would have TO vote for it. When this in
formation wns received. and when gentlemen
would show that General Scott bod s.o.S.., .----