The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1852-06-12
CONGRESSIONAL.
DEFERRED DEBATE.
MONDAY, MAY 81, 1852,


SENATE.
The Senate having under consideration the bill enii-
tied "Bn act TO supply deficiencies in appropriations for
be service Of the fiscal year ending 3oth June 1884,
ihe question being. "Shall the bill pass ?"--
Nj HuRTsR having concluded his speech
Mr. PEARCE said Mr.. President. the Senate must
perceive at what disadvantage shall address them at
Ibis time, make no complaint that the senator from
Virginia [Mr HuNTERJ has to-day made reply to re-
marks which were submitted by more than a month
ago am sure thai il is owing TO circumstances which
fuy Justify him in taking that but must answer
him now il at all. cannot ask that this bill be post
poned another day. II has already been discussed too
long The public service has already suffered enough by
its delay propose, therefore, at once TO make such
reply as can and feel the less hesitation aboa, il. be-
cause in truth, eloquent the senator's speech has been
has not, think, invailated single Argument which
advanced, nor has be dsproved single fact which
stated. II
The senator from Virginia seems to be surprised thai
any friend of the administration should have undertaken
g., a.s ss ssassg FROM @ & wsa ' y
will recollect, attacked them still more pontedy and
avowedly He thinks tina, because friend Of the ad
minisiraton has undertaken to defend them from these
assaults, they :" shrink from the record" That is extra
ordinary! do not admit that any record has been
hbiied against them. series Of charges pre-
seuted il true; but the record is to be made up here
after from the Judgment of the country Sir, when those
charges were made, which know struck the Senate with
some surprise should have been considered shrink
ing from the contest not from the recOId) we had been
SO careless OF the reputation OF our political friends
regardless Of public opnion or so craven and wanting in
manly spirit that voice could be raised here in reply
The Senate very we'll know that the senator from Caor
MIA Mr.. GwN did not hesitate to charge the admnstra
tion with direct violations OF law from the lime the
whig party into power 10 lS4a and The senator
from Virginia pointed out various abuses which they
were, he thought, slow to perceive and feeble to cor
rect Well, sir it shrinking from the record to rise
and reply to that, and 10 deny that the administration
have been either tardy in percrivng careless in
recng errorss Is it shrinking from the record 10 show
that what these consider abuses have been sane
tened either from time nmemoal. or for long course
Of years have been sanctioned by others of different po
cal sentiments who have gone before them, and who,
these were abuses, must be considered either gno-
rant or unpBciped administrators OF the government!
Is IL shrinking from the record 10 show, by document
ay testimony the mistakes into which the senators have
falen-tha efforts made by Secretaries 10 correct errors
and evil practices which had grown up in the time OF
their predecessorsto show that these reforms had been
attempted either by departmental orders or by appeals to
Congress for necessary leg gisalion think not, SIR
think that the Senate will say. that while there no
eager haste TO bring on controversy, there no
shrinking from the record, but only proper disposition
fairly 10 meet and overthrow the charges made
Tie sena IRON Virginia has referred to the cases OF
Collyer and Wilson. do not intend to go over those
cases again. have already stated them sufficiently fully
10 the Senate and advert 10 them chiefly for the
purpose of stating one fact, which not within my
knowledge at The time addressed the Senate before.
The senator from California was under the impression
that of the property used in the transportation
Mr. Colyer and his party had ever been turned over 10
the authorities OF the United States Ia California Sub
sequeny to the delivery of my speech here asceaned
Inc QuaTeTfnaseTs lDat mucD OF mat
property had been turned over For example: found
that one hundred and eighteen mules and few horses
had been turned over to the proper military authorities
San Diego. found that other asiIcles-such pack
saddles dragonn saddles and saddle bankets-had been
turned did make list of all the artcles, but
know that much was lost and destroyed on the route.
believe tha, no emgrallng party went out at that time
without losing great deal on the route. II none
Of The property had been lost the way, il would all
have been turned over to the proper authorities, and
there would have been very little expenditure attending
DI fnaf t.4 ut flpo nv
pense OF the government the a:erci Of ranspofta
ton II is trUe subsistence furnished these parties
but then was paid Tor by themselves al government
pces have in my hand an order, issued by Mr. Sec.
eay Crawford directing subsistence 10 be furnished by
the proper officers 10 these gentlemen and their suite
those persons attached TO the public service under
hem 10 the language OF the order, who II rs said, shall
pay for them a; government prices. The Conmissafy
General says that his department was Subjected 10 no
additional expense. toe provision received by these geo.
emen for themselves and families having been paid for
BY them" Thus Il appears that al the proper time they
paid Tor their subsistence and turned over ~ the proper
authorities all the public property which they had IN their
Possession when they reached California. Almost the
whole Of the $4,000. expended the outfit OF the
lo Colonel Collyer, consisted OF horses, mules wagons,
Sc necessary tor the transportation OF the parties and
their proysions and what was not lost or destroyed by
the accidents oil route long and severe, being ap
Piled to other public service, IT would be great mistake
TO suppose that the Journey OF the collector 10 California
cost The United States thai sum.
The senator alluded TO my remarks about the escort
furnished 10 the boundary commission referred TO that
IN no nydlous sense made complain, OF the govern
men which ordered that escort, Of The commissioner
10 whom II was furnished | IntimAied no charge l
merely undertook show what bad been the action OF
iormer administration in regard to military escorts
Ibis information was furnished from the Quarernssier
Generars department The Quartermaster General is a
good democrat and not likely 10 furnish whx or any
one else with any improper statement with which 10 i'm
peach the proceedings OF former democratic admins,ra.
ton. But the senator ia under the impression that The
military escort furnished to the boundary commission
was one required by the treaty OF peace IN that he
y under mistake All that is said on that subject may
oe found IN the fifth article OF the treaty Near The close
o. That article there s this paragrsph-and it is all thai
relates TO an escort 10 the boundary commission;
" The two governments will am.caby agree regarding
Nhat may be necessary TO these persons lettering the
commissioner aud the suveyoL and also their re-
pectlye escorts should snch DO necessary"
Now, il s very manifest that that was merely limfa-
uon OF the escort which each government might think
proper TO furnish TO the commissioner on s pafi. was
70, satisfied with merely looking at the treaty went TO
he Stale Department, and examined the correspondence.
ound that IN December 1913, Ar Buchanan addressed
aeter TO MIR. Clifford, then our minster at Mexico IN
which he told him that the President and cabinet had bad
under consideration this subject OF escort that at first
be was inclined 10 think that one hundred men was
sufficient escori, but that the President had deter
hnned that would be proper TO have four companies
ana as our companies were then generally reduced 10
aoout foriy-iwo men, and the Mexican companies
night be larger, he proposed 10 Mr. Clifford that he
should suggest 10 tho Mexican government 10 limit
Mssmount OF the escorts that they should not each
oeed two hundred ssad-fity men. Mr. Clifford replied
hal he bad made that sggeslio 10 the Mexican gov
anlnen who bad received IL very satisfactorily, and
sald was precisely such arrangement they bad
aermned upon themselves So that il appears from the
ueaty and the correspondence that each government
was at liberty TO send escort not, IL might think
oper, and that the only subject connected with the
Nailer which regulated by the IN