The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-09

IN SENATE.


Mr.. HUNTER moved to take up the bill for
10 repair of the Library room, lately destroyed
FIRE; which was agreed to.
Mr.. HUNTER briefly explained the provisions
u the bill. II made an appropriation OF SI2, oOO.
The room to be of the same dimensions As
ormerly. There were to be three stories OF al
owes, to be covered with superb sky-light, sx-
ending the whole length Of the room. Iron was
10 be the only material used. so that 1t would be
perfectly fre-proof Il was expected that the room
would be ready for by the middle OF May
next, if the bill should pass without delay-and 1t
was matter Of special interest to both Houses OF
Congress to have it fitted up as soon AZ possible.
The bill was ordered to be engrossed.
RESOLUTIONS FOR IMPORTATION, ETC.
Mr.. BRODHEAD submitted resolution, which
was agreed to- calling upon the Secretary of State
10 inform the Senate whether all the claims laid
before the late board of commissioners on claims
against Mexico were finally adjudcated or not,
&c.
Mr.. CLEMENS submitted a resolution, re-
ouesting the Secretary of tine Navy and the Post
knnaster General to furnish the Senate with copies
OF all contracts entered into by those Departments
Tor the transportation of the mail from the Allan
tic ports to California, with statements Of the ex-
penses of that branch of the mail service IN detail
The resolution lies over.
syMPATHY FOR THE RIsH ExILEs
The Senate then proceeded to the consideration
OF the Joint resolution, expressive OF the sympa-
Inv If Congress for the sxed Irish patriots
Sn,tb O,Rrien and Thomas F. Meagher and their
The pending substitute of Mr.. SHIELDS having
M. SHIELDS proceeded to addressthe Senate
in support of the same. Smith O'Bren and sew
eral of his associates, he remarked, were convicted
of treason, and sentenced to be hanged, drawn.
and chartered. This sentence was subsequently
commuted TO transportion for life. Others of the
Irish patriots were transported for a limited num-
her Of wears The sentence, in its mIldest form
was a cruel one Dea.h itself would have been
| preferable, under some circumstances. II this
resolution should have the effect which he believed
it would have, Of restoring these men to liberty,
ths sct;op If this government would be invaluable
1t would be the voice Of mercy. But II 1t faiied
m ACCOMPLISH this object it would at least lmpart
acme consolation-atford some faint hope-lishten
the burdens of their captivity and brighten the
drearv existence to which they were doomed. IL
these men should be liberated, and have the good
for,nne To reach these shores, he believed he spoke
the sentiments of all Of them when he said that
thew did not desire any such public welcome and
exnensve parade as had been rendered to LOUIS
Kossuth. He should simply ask for their per-
mission to emigrate to this country, ana incorpo
rate themselves with our citizens, and live quiety
and peacefully under the pso'ectloH VI our CURIOUS
Constitution.
There were strong reasons why We should SYM
pathize with these men. We had not only large
number of Irish born citizens amongst US, but
Irish blood ran in the veins of nearly half our
American born citizens. There was another con-
sideration still stronger: The people OF ireland
and of this country might be considered as mem
beers Of great family Of the human race, and con-
nected by ties Of blood, language and litesa ure;
and America was the destined home OF this race.
The passage of this resolution could not be con-
sidered as insulting to the British government
On the contrary, it was, IN his opinion, comp'i-
mentary. H firmly believed that the British
government would not refuse the request They
had nothing to gain by such refusal. They had
nothing to fear from renewal of agitation. Ire
land was as feeble and helpless as her bitterest
enemy could desire. Her nationality was gone.
Her hopes were gone. Her very race was be-
coming extinct, at least in her own land. She had
no future, or if she had any, it was dark one
The present time was a favorable one for prefer
ring such request to the British government.
The most friendly relations existed between the
people Of this country and the people OF Great
Britain and Ireland. There was strong feeling
of common interest, and he would add, Of common
danger, which seemed to be uniting the TWO peo-
pie. The English people were beginning. to APP
preciate the institutions and the remarkable pros
neritv OF the United States, and are beginning to
look with something like admiration upon the
growth of this country. Not only Great Britain
but the whole world were beginning to feel that
this country was destined to be the mistress OF
the world at no distant dny-the mistress, he
might saw, Of the future. Great and powerful as
England was she was fettered, and all her ener-
gies were crippled by her enormous public debt.
Il was enough he said, to sink any other nation.
The only sin which Ireland had committed, was
that of always befriending the unfortunate as he
showed by several historical illusions.
He spoke of the part which the Irish bore IN
our own revolution, as furnishing an additional
reason why we should sympathize with her UNI
fortunate and oppressed sons. History, he SAID,
proved that at that time there was not In our
whole thirteen colonies single IRISH tory. Inc
Irish, here, at home, and abroad. always declared
for the colonies And who defended the Amerl-
can colonies in the British Parliament, but Irish
patriots, Not single lrishman was heard to
utter his voice there against the colonies But
Ireland had now fallen with her fortune. The
verdict of the world was against her; but he, for
one, could not recognize the justice OF that verdict
In speaking thus Of lrishmen, ne would not
speak disparagingly Of Englishmen. They were
brave, generous, and just. But Ireland had not
been governed by Englishmen He would trust
Ireland with Engishmen But she had been
governed by an Ango-Irsh oligarchy. The pr'n-
cipIe upon which such a government acted, was
most unjust and tyrannica; and that oligarchy had
pursued course towards Ireland which would
have DESTROYED any nation on earth. Our own
country would now have been in the condition Of
Ireland if our fathers had not seasonably resisted.
The policy of that oligarchy. was to Angliclse
Ireland-to fasten English institutions upon her
to transform Irish into English hearts, which
never could be done. The British government
was not adapted to Irish. 1t was incom prshensi-
ble-it was positively repulsve to them: Hence
the result which we see. Now when ne heard
Kossuth pleading in behalf Of the doctrine of non
intervention, he felt that he belonged to a weak
people No nation which had strength in itself
would make such request He referred to the
Spanish colonies in America, which, instead of
building up government for themselves, adapted
10 their condition, had borrowed republican
form from the United States, which they were in
capable OF managing. 1t was Just 80 with Ireland.
The institutions Of England could never be sue
cessfuy applied to that nation.
The present condition OF Ireland demanded the
serious attention of all English statesmen. Ireland
was rapidly becoming depopuiated, and some OF
the English writers were rejoicing at it. 1t was
the exodus, they said. of the Celtic race which
was about becoming extinct. But there was o
danger Of the extinction Of that race, il his opin-
ion. But if the ruin of Ireland should be &C
compshed, he ventured TO prophecy that the
whole British empire would go down with her.
He spoke of this because he, and, he believed,