The daily union., 1852-09-07

Mr. BRIGHT, Ifitbe the pleasure of the senator to
consider this subject upon the civil and diplomatic bill
thnk hazard nothing IN saying that we shall not gel
through 10 night IL involves The expenditure OF an i'm.
mfnse amount OF money II is vastly interesting 10 great
number Of persons.
Several SENATORS let us take the vote
Mr.. Bright III tis the pleasure OF the Senate not
TO entertain the proposition. will not time
Mr.. CLEMENS. beg 10 suggest tba we had better
pass over this amendment informally. II il be pressed TO
vote tonight, II must be discussed. So far as ! am
concerned am Interested in this matter on account Of
ny own Slate My State is one of the creditors OF
Texas We are willing TO- trust Texas We believe
that Texas will pay us; at all events, willing 10
know it must be discussed, and cannot get through
with the bill and II il is intended TO insist upon the con-
sideralion of this amendment. shall adjourn
ment
Mr., BRIGHT. The Committee on Finance had before
them the petition referred by the honorable senator
from vrglnia-lhe petition OF Mrs Bonnycastie. who
asks the repeal OF this proviso. 1t considered at
length and the prayer OF the petitioner oyerued
and the committee, believe, unanimous with tae
exception OF the honorable senator from Virginia. M
HUsTEa,l in favor OF the bill reported by the bonorabe
senator from Maryland which proposes an entirely dn
ieent plan from that suggested by the honorable senator
from Virginia. Mr.. MAsoN] L was well understood
this morning, by the Committee on Finance, that il either
the proposition now submitted by the senator from Vir.
gnia the bill reported by the senator from Maryand
was offered as an amendment 10 the civil and diplomatic
bill would exhaust the residue OF the session. and The
committee came to the conclusion 10 resist any proposition
to place either one Of them on the bill
Several SENATORS. That is right
Mr.. BRIGHT. II that be the pleasure OF the Senate
we need not wase time in discussing the subject And
for the purpose of testing that question: submit TO the
Chair TO decide whether the amendment 10 IN order under
our rules.
Mr MASON. There is an existing appropriation of
900 900, but the money! according TO the original law
not to be expended until certain conditions as 10 the
filing Of releases were complied with. The purpose OF
my amendment is to repeal that poviso and direct the
mode in which existing appropriation shall be expend
ed submit, therefore, to the Char that it is perfectly
The PRESIDING OFFICER. .(Nlr BADGER in the
chair) question is raised whether or moi The amend
men is in order The Both rule OF the Senate is the
only which relates questions of order general
appropriate bills and it excludes, as the Chair under
stands II, nothing but amendments which propose add
llona appropriations" oil the public treasury This
amendment the Chair understands, proposes to make
appropriation; it is therefore, in his opinion, without
going into any further reasoning, clearly an amendment
that not excluded by the rule, and which il is compe
tent Tor the Senate to entertain.
| Mr.. HOUSTON Mr.. President, SO far as the State
OF Texas Is concerned. and so lar as represent it, |
have this occasion to express my sincere regret that
the subject has not met with the earlier attention OF the
Committee finance, and that il has not been earlier
submitted to the Senate Tor It's action For some reason
has not been pesened IN any shape until the present
moment III the Senate were TO act upon it, aud 10 adopt
the measure now proposed, believe II would not only
benefit the creditors of Texas but ii would attain all the
ends of justice that they can expect or that Texas
can ever accord to them, which will, think, be CON-
pete have only Iisen TO express the sincere desire
that the amendment may meet win the favorable con-
slderalon OF the Senate and be al once adopted. it
leads TO dscusson we have no time further 10 consider
it without interfering with important business; and
shall submit TO the decision OF the Senate. Whether
they will act upon 1t or not, Texas will take care oil
herself and her creditors, too, If she san.
| Mr.. PEARCE. MIR. President, if the State OF Texas
should be inclined to offer the least opposition TO
the amendment OF the senator from Virginia. Butthe
Senate must all know that The United States are concern
ed-direcily concerned-tbat was the supposed ab-
ty OF the United States which induced 10 make that
provision the bill of 1850, by which five of the ten
millions OF stock, which The bill proposed to grant TO
Texas reserved and retained in the treasury until
releases should be filed by the creditors OF Texas OF
certain class the treasury OF the United States That
class OF creditors, as the Seaate Will remember were
those who held bonds for which the OF Texas
arising IRON imports had been pledged Ii had been al
legged here that the United States liable for the
bonds for which these were pledged. Even
during the discussion oil the annexation OF Texas |
well recoect that the honorable senator from Mas
sachuses, tMr DAVIS, IN the course oil speech which
he made that occasion, produced one OF the reye.
nue. bonds OF Texas, held up, showed TO the Sen.
ate OF the United States, and urged as an argument
annexation that should be inevitably obliged,
at some future day, 10 pay that class oi debs at all
events One OF the considerations which induced the
Congress oil the United States TO agree TO give TO Texas,
by the bill oil $780, the large sum OF Slo0oO0OO was, that
the United States liable, al ali events Such was
the opinion OF great many persons and probably OF
majority OF Congress because II the United States, upon
the annexation OF Texas, took possession oil the funds
which pledged by that republic 10 one class oil her
creditors, they must take those funds cum they
could be diverted from the purpose TO which they had
been pledged by the government OF Texas and when
they received into the treasury OF the United Staes,
the United States having so diverted them, became liza.
be least nsome degree, 10 the parties to whom those
bonds pledged.
Well sir. that being the case. the United States, having
that view, reserved the five millions, and declared that
they should be paid TO Texas until the creditors
filed their releases II Is manifest when we cometo con.
sder this proposition that considering that which
does no, concern Texas and her creditors alone, but
which concerns the treasury OF the United States Texas
has passed law proposing the liquidation oil her debt,
and has classed her creditors varously
have not yet ascertaned the exact amount oil those
claims for which her from customs were spe-
cally pledged by that name, generally as revenues,
heng made receivable 10 payment OF public dues
The Secretary OF the Treasury, the opinion which he
has filed this case has stated that he supposes that the
class OF claims which came under that description are
not TO be confined TO those claims Tor which the reve.
from customs pledged the lace oil the bonds
but that other classes also equally pledged though
in different form. For example, some OF these obbga-
tons OF Texas are made receivable for all public dues
ceivable in payment Of duties imports; and Il so, duties
on imports may be considered pledged for their pay
ment Texas by the act OF their Congress- though does
appear the face OF many OF her obligations pledged
all her for the payment OF those obligations PRIOR
to January lS40 OF course, pledge OF revenue IRON
all included pledge OF revenue from customs just
eectualy IL that source OF revenue was specially
named since otherwise general pledge OF the revenues
would be pledge OF particular item OF revenue al all
These classes OF which were not aware at The
time passed the OF 1850 These classes amount 10
much larger than the FIVE millions reserved, and
hence that the United States become intersted for
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