The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-01-26

n aosAaiae "a ~ resolution. calling for the a.
pArs which ware sent down yesterday, he gavs
MIR. Webster, ne said, an opportunity of clearing
up the cloud which hung over his conduct, and OF
showing that the charges that had been made
were untrue, or Of explaining them, il otherwise.
tie had neglected TO avail himself Of this opportu
nifty. That, Mr.. MEADE said, was not his affair
Mr.. Webster knew that the House Intercepted
him, a. to whether there understanding
with Gen. TayIors cabinet and that fact, not
withstandlDg his silence, is disclosed IN the cor
respondence that had been transmitted; aud no
member could rise up in his place. and state that
MIR. Webster did not know of tie arrans cement
All he tMr. Nd had to say is, that he had not
discharged properly the duties that were required
of him, aud had not granted favor to Mexico, by
which his own country might have derived a Pc
cuniary advantage. This was the charge that
made against Mr.. Webster-and nothing else; and
he repeated, there il sufficient disclosed in the
respondence to satisfy members that Mr. Webster
knew of the understanding that existed.
Mr. STEPHENS, OF Georgia, asked whether
the understanding WAS Of such nature, that the
Secretary of State was bound to act upon it,
Mr.. MEADE continued. 1t not certainly
legal obligation, and was Of less formal nature
than if it were executed in writing. But the Mex
lean minister, in his letter, alludes to the under
standing that existed, and says that Gen. Taylor's
cabinet gave Mexico to understand, that when
Congress- appropriated the money, they would
enter into an arrangement; and had that officer
lived, it would have been breach Of faith on his
part, had he not seen that it was carried out,
which obligation descended to his successor.
MIR. STEPHENS said there was no, any proof
Of an understanding with Gen. Taylor's cabinet,
such as had been alluded to, except what was
contained in the letter Of the Mexican minister;
and il was absurd to suppose that that formed
sufficient ground for action on the part of the Sec
rotary of State.
Mr. MEADE, in conclusion, replied that he
was speaking of that moral obligation which rests
on the administration Of the government here, to
carry out specially that which, with Its consent,
involved action on the part of Mexico.
Mr. RANTOUL, Of Massachusetts, followed,
and said he should not have risen had, It not been
that charge of corruption had been advanced
Yesterday against the State which he represents,
by another member from that State, and which
required to be met in the prcmptest manner. This
charge had been advanced against two parties in
observation-disclosures numbering $4,000 and the
other $4,000. As member of the Democratic
party-one Of those assaiied-he would venture
to assert that if there be any political party who
should be exempted fro m such charge, it is the
Democrats Of Massachusetts,, because no where
else do they stand opposed, to similar extent, to-
the powerful influence Of capital and men Of
wealth, and no where have they to make greater
sacrifices on that account.
He then went on to show that the coalition of
parties in Massachusetts, upon which the charge
or corruption was based, is a perfectly legitimate
mode of carrying point, and that 1t has been re-
sorted to in other States without causing invidous
remark From this he went on TO show that his
colleague [Mr. DAv,s] was the last man who
should attack the Abotionists, and quoted from
meetings of public bodies at which he either pre-
led or took an active part, where resolutions
were passed of the most rabid character, and de-
mandatory Of slavery. To show what are the
sentiments Of his colleague at present, he was
about TO quote from the proceedings of the con-
yention that nominated him, when the Chairman's
hammer fell, and he declared the debate at an end
pursuant to the resolution of the House, the hour
of two having arrived.
But the members, who had been enjoying the
scene, as on the preceding day, and whom the
Chairman found it impossible to keep in their
seats--many Of them crowding into the area in
front of the Clerk 5 deskvery generally express
ing wish that the gentleman from Massachu-
sets should be allowed to conclude his speech.
The Chairman, however, was peremptOry.
number OF gentlemen were disposed to resist his
authority; and at one time, motion was pending
to take the sense Of the committee az to the cor
rectness of his decision. At length, however, the
motion was Withdrawals; and Mr. HousroN, chair
man of the Committee Of Ways and Means, took
the floor, and as was his right, in concluding
speech, supported the bill which, in that capa-
city, he had introduced.
Mr.. HOUSTON after abiding to the manner
in which members generally had wandered from
the subject under discussion, and stating that all
applications for information must be made through
the President of the United States; went on
to efend the Committee Of Ways and Means in
the course they had pursued with reference to the
bill before the Committee on the state Of the
Union. They found, he said, that under the
treaty with Mexico, an instalment of upwards of
three millions of dollars about becoming due,
nd : hair utv thew ranOrtpd n bill to the
House providing an appropriation to meet II,
and they could pursue no other course lie said
he was opposed to the amendment proposed by
the gentleman from Tennessee, which provides
that the Secretary Of the Treasury should pay
the indemnity; and also that of the member from
California. But the President has instructed an
other head of department to perform that duty;
and the result would be, were the amendment to
be adopted, that the House would interfere with
the President Of the United States in the discharge
Of his official duties. The chief reason, it APP
peared to him, which induced members TO come
to a vote in favor of the amendment, was that 1t
would express the displeasure of the House at the
mode in which the nstalment of the Mexican in.
dennity had been paid The amendments, he said,
would be perfectly nugatory IN every other re-
spect. There could not be change in the treaty,
without the intervention of the Congress of
Mexico, and there is not sufficient time remaining
for that body to interfere He considered the
faith of the country as being pledged for the pay
ment OF the insalnlent in May next, and that the
House was obligated to pass bill, which, during
the last Congress, only about thirty members
were found to oppose.
The House then resumed, and adjourned at
about half past three O'Clock, till Monday next,
when the question will probably again come up,
and the day will be consumed in five minute
speeches. explanatory Of other amendments.
Later from Santa Fe.
ST LOUIS, January %.
The Santa Fe mail, with dates to Jan. I'd, ar
rived yesterday.