The daily union., 1852-09-15

fenng upon the President authority TO pat captains at
the head of these bureaus unless II can be shown that
The duties OF these stations have not been properly
Mr.. UNDERWOOD Mr. President, think this sec
ton as il stands is the very quinessenee OF the
ment made by my friend from Maryland. II under
stood h,m he argued that the President ought TO have
the right 10 select these officers and put them at the head
OF these bureaus he thought proper hope, then, that
the section will be retained because II allows the Pres
dent 10 do that II he chooses II does not conhne him TO
one class II merely widens the hed oil selection and OF
discretion think II you strike out, II will be rather
reflection upon tbaA compliment 10, the officers OF the
navy Ii only widens the discretion OF the President,
authorizing him 10 select commanders II he chooses to
| do SO.
Mr. PEARCE II widening the field OF selection is all
that is 10 be considered we might as well put ia euen.
ants, passed midsbpmen, and mdshipmen; but am glad
10 say that the commanders themselves do moi ask Tor
this. This is forcing u upon them.
/ Mr. UNDERWOOD. do not go for II because they
ask for it, II il is necessary TO put them there. want
10 put them there, whether they ask Tor II or not Ii
they the lit TO be selected 10 discharge these
dues,I them to be selected and ordered 10 these
posts without consulting their wishes.
! Mr. BRIGHT. ask for the yeas and nays upon the
amendment OF the senator from Maryland. will state
in reply TO him. that believe the officers who TO be
affected by this section desire the change The section
stands merely gives power TO the President 10 choose
from merorous officers throughout the service instead
OF limiting him TO particular set OF men, il gives him
power wherever merit IS found 10 select merorous indl-
viduals, hope the section will not be stricken out.
| think it ought 10 be retained
| The yeas and nays were ordered
/ Mr. PEARCE. For my justification, only de-
sire say, that when stated that commanders IN the
navy did not desire this said information derived
from of them; and will add, he is one OF the most
accomplished men in the service and Just as likely 10
succeed 10 OF these places as any man OF his rank
| MIR BRIGHT My information is derived also from
that class of gentlemen. II seems that some OF my
friends and those Of the honorable senator from Mary
land diier about il.
/ Mr. MALLORY. II understand the provision in the
bill, ii applies only 10 commanders, and does not as the
senator from Indiana supposes, allow the President to
\ Mr.. BRIGHT understood it correctly.
i Mr.. MALLORY. thought Judging from the remarks
Of the senator, that he was laboring under misappe-
The question being then taken by yeas and nays upon
the amendment, resulted-yeas %, nays 20as follow:
yEAs-Messrs. Adams, Badger, Boand, Brodhead
Houston, Hunter King, Mallory, Mangu, Mason. Miller
Morton, Pearce. Shields, aud Upham-22
Downs, Fcch Foot Hale, Hamgn, James, Merigetber,
Pratt, Rusk, Smith, Spruance, Sumner, Toucey, Under
wood Wade, and Weler-2O
So the amendment was agreed 10.
Ia message here received from the House oil Rep
resenalives by Mr. Forney, their Clerk, announcing to
the Senate that the House agree to the report OF the com
miitee OF conference the dsagreeng votes OF both
houses the amendments to the bill making appfopna-
ons for the civil and diplomatic expenses OF The govern
ment for The fiscal year ending the 30h June, 1858
/ Mr.. HALE have one further amendment TO ofer
.SEc -. And be IL Further enacted, That no midshp-
shell hereafter be promoted to the office OF lieutenant
until he shall have served least eight years at sea-
wish 10 say single WORD IN reference 10 ns amend
ment There two hundred and tive passed midshp-
men on the list BY looking down towards the bottom
OF lh list you will find that most of them in that neigh
borhood have been for eight years From
about number one hundred and fifty. ihnk down to-
wards the close OF the list you hnd that they have been
to or eight years, and some oil them more than
hat but when you TO look al the top OF the list
those longest in servce-you find that they have only
been al from five to seven years II would seem
from looking the list that the older they in the
service the less they serve al sea- There mus, be
and ramply have DrOyIfed
that they shall be for certain term before they
are promoted do not wish TO be raising up admals
who are living on shore.
i Mr.. GWIN. This is not subject OF legislation il
is subject purely of administration.
The question being then taken on the amendment, i
was not agreed TO-
The bill was then reported to the Senate as amended
The PRESIDENT Ii such be the pleasnIe of The
Senaie the Char will put the question on all the amend
whole.
Mr.. HALE. I have no objection to the vote being
taken all the amendments together because have nc
hope that at this period oil the session there ~ chance
10 defeat any OF them. But want to notify the Senat,
that think there has been for the first time, put into
the navy appropriation bill what consider to be sane
ton by law OF what has heretofore been one OF iht
great abuses in the navy and that is appropriations io
building houses for officers They have been included
in the estimates heretofore, bat never specifically appro
prated for. But as have no hope OF getting the Senate
TO adopt my views, shall simply vote against concurng
in all the amendments.
The amendments made in committee Of the whole were
Mr. BADGER | desire TO renew the amendment
which offered to this bill in committee of h,
whole by the honorable senator from Texas Mr. RusK,
Tor The purpose OF making provision for the MAINTENANCE,
OF ice boat the Potomac river in the OF Oh,
ensuing winter | have modified il so as 10 strike ou
that part which requires the Postmaster General TO
trac, with any particular company, leaving him 10 max,
arrangements with such company or persons as h,
pleases
Mr. CASS. Does the department wantna
Mr.. BADGER | do not whether they do or not
do not want The communication with the whole south
ern country blocked up during the coming winter
was last winter. My amendment is 10 add
'tsEc dud bt Il Further enacted That the Postma ste
General be, and ne Is hereby authorized Ia addition 70
dnay steamboat service the Potomac contract Tor
efficient iceboat iceboa being kept up for the convey
aoce OF the mail during the monhs PfOptdd Tn,
additional expense be incurred by the department fo
keeping up such ceboat Ice boats shall exceed
$4,000 pei annum."
n Mr.. ADAMS, ! rise TO a question Of order. This
amendment has proper connexion with the naval ap
preparation bill
The PRESIDENT. The Senate is 10 Judge OF the ap.
preparedness OF any proposition which may be offered
an amendment to a bill pending 1t Is not question o
| order to be decided BY The chair
have 10 the amendment and think IL should be con.
trolling with the Senate II ice boats placed
this rver the next thing viii be 10 place them upon the
Delaware river, and then upon the North river and the
Ohio river and all the various that may be frozen
up during portion OF the winter, and it will lead to an
expenditure which may absorb all the revenues OF The
4 Post Office Department
| Mr. DOWNS. II the gentleman will show another
case like this, where such important mail is interrupted
and where that interruption can be obvated at such small
expense then II will be proper for The exercise Of
/ md will fnri he har,