New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1852-04-30
XXXIId CONGRESS. .FIRsr SESSION.
SENATE WASHINGTON, Thursday, April -

state
Mr.. HAMLIN reported in favor OF print
ing 800 additional copies Of the Reports OF the Navy
Department and Postmaster General upon contracts for
carrying the mails in steamers Adopted He also re
ported In favor Of printing L. 900 extra copies oil tne
Patent Office Report relating TO Arts and Manufactures
and Of 1890 extra copies of the Agricultural part oil TIE
same Report
Mr.. BoRLAND objecting. the Report was
laid over
Mr.. WALKER moved to take mp the bill
granting land Wisconsin aid in the construction Of
ralrosd in that State from Fond du Lac to Janesvlle
The bill amended by including grant for another
road from Milwaukee TO the Mississippi The bill was
then amended conform in Its provisions to the
Iowa bill passed by the Senate, and then postponed III
tomorrow.
Mr.. BoRLAND introduced bill granting
land to Arkansas In aid of railroads.
The Cass resolution, calling for the cor
respondence Of the American Charge at Vienna relative
to the imprisonment of c. L. Brace, was adopted
Mr.. SHIELDS reported back the bill pro-
vding for the settlement Of claims arising out OF the
military operations In California in l6i5 and 1877, and
the same was then taken up
The bill was slightly amended, and was
then ordered to be engrossed
The Deficiency bill was then taken up.
Mr.. PEARCE said he would not now dis
the amendment pending, but would depart from
the appropriate debate for the purpose of replying TO the
attacks made by Messrs. Gwin and Hunter on the Ad-
miDistraton The remarks of those Senators not an
swered promptly would perhaps create an impression
which would be difficult to remove from the public mind
The speech the Senator from California was an open
and avowed attack the Administration, and he ar
ragned it not only for its own but also TOR the real or
imagined errors Of General Tayors Administration.
He, with equal propriey, might arraisn MT
Folks Administration for the peculatons, emoez-
elements and frauds committed under its Democratic
predecessors. He had hoped that General Taylor's
adj min .fraflQ ypuld pScaDe1
saults-
Its old brave and honest chiefhad sunk to rest,
With all his country's honors blest.
He was not much in the confidence Of Gen. Tayors ad
minstration but among that Cabinet were some with
whom be held relations of personal esteem And as none
of that Cabinet in office or Congress he felt
due himself defend them The frat charge preferred
by Mr.. Gwin the appointment Of T. Butler King a.
special agent to California, he being then mem
Der of Congress. He denied that Mr.. King when
appointed was Member Of Congress in fact and
Office in the contemplation of the Constitution An
Office something created by law This was mere
agency designated by the President and such an
dents Jackson and Polk. Mr. King was not invested
with complete powers over the Army and Navy as stated
by Mr.. Gwin. He read Mr.. Kings instructions. The
next charge that Mr.. King as commander oil the
Navy had dispatched the steamer Edith, which cost
$4,000 useless service, in which she was lost
That service was the conveyance OF members oil the
California Convention to Monterey. Nowif that Con-
vention proper, and the honorable Senator was
part of it, and enjoyed its fruits he would not deny
Why should not this steamer then lying idle be used Tor
the purpose. From papers on file in the Navy Depart
ment appeared that the honorable Senator himself had
urged the selection of particular individual to
command that steamer on that very service
Dir. GwIN said that many members OF
the Convention at San Francisco and desired to
be conveyed to Monterey, and he understood they
were to De conveyed at the public expense
Mr.. PEARCE said he did not complain OF
lIo;x. l,,kL L. IF
having cited the of that vessel on that service
after recommending it as an evidence of the bad effects
of Mr.. Kings appointment The Edith did not cost
$4,000, but $33 900 only He denied what the Sena
tor had stated that Mr. Kings nomination as Collector
wac withheld from the Senate till after the 4rh OF March,
for the purpose of avoiding the CONSTITUTIONAL oo)ecuon
to his appointment That nomination was sent 70 .ne
Senate before the 4h of March and Enacted on. Inc
Senate subsequently confirmed it. Were the Injunction
of secresy removed he would ask the honorable sena
tor if he did not himself sustain Mr. Kings nomination
Mr. GwIN said that he had voted tor
Kings nomination, but would have urged its rejection
had it come up before the Alb of March.
Mr.. PEARcE said that if there had been
any evidence that the nomination had been merely kept
back for the purpose of avoiding constitutional OBJ
lection ii ought to have been rejected whenever IL
came up. The next charge was OF the escort which
was sent out with General Wilson, Indian Agent TO
Utah. A military escort to civil officers was not an
unusual thing. Under President Pslks administra-
ton they sent out to accompany MIR Weller
Boundary Commissioner and Governor Lane and Judge
Pratt to Oregon These escorts cost Sol 900 expended
by the Quartermaster's Department. The Escort &C
companying Messrs. Wilson Collier and others under
President Tylers administration cost but s56,OM Inc
whole cost of Wilson's escsr was but el2,VU he
read a letter from Mr. Mehir Commissioner OF Indian
Affairs to Mr. Wilson, directing him TO avail himself OF
q military escort, then about to leave for Sante g.
This military force would have gone whetner
Mr. Wilson went along or not Another charge was tnat
Mr. Wilson left Utah. resigned his Office and went TO
CaiIorniH, and by President Fillmore was appointed
Navy Agent He was nominated Navy Agent by Preei-
dent Taylor though he not confirmed I'LL after fre
sident Fillmore came in Mr. Wilson did not act Tor
long time without any bond. He did give two bonds,
which were approved He did not draw large salary
and emouments for the honorable Senator, as
Chairman of Naval Affairs, ought to know that
Navy Agents have salary but draw one per cent on
disbursements made by them. He examined the charge
relative to Mr.. Golfers escort, costing s3oOo II was
important that all civil agents having msney In charge,
uaversng deserts, roamed by savages proving ior
plumber should be protected, unless 1t was desired ne
should lose his scalp well as the Government
money. That expedition cost $4,000 but that
sum included the whole cost Of the stores ana
provisions of the military and their horses;
were compelled 10 leave behind in the desert he
pointed out the benefit of sending military forces,
whenever practicable through the Indian country ior
the purpose Of protecting emigrants. ms was Mr.
Folks policy In sending tn rife regiments TO Oregon
by way of the Plans-the cost of doing being
The next charge the unwise selection OF Benca az
the military depot Of California and the
outlay and expenditures for barracks and there
That site was selected by General Persfer Smith, who
was appointed there by President Polk, and who made
the selection under authority In him vested by Mr. Sec
rotary Marcy He then read Mr.. Smiths letters, show
ing the advantages of this site He also read certain Por
tons of letters omitted by Mr. Gwin in his speech on
this point showing that the officers who opposed Bencia
admitted that the advantages OF that post were sucn
as were common TO all other places in California.
The alleged extravaganza of expenditures for the con-
struction OF buildings &c. there BY the
Department. were by the orders Of Gen. smith. Inc
blame if attached TO any one, certainly belonged 10
other quarters than the present Administration, for
all took place shortly after the 4th March, 1919 As soon
as the present Secretary of War came into ONCE,
and was informed of these proceedings and o. ' ne
issued orders promptly TO discontinue them The
next charge the collection, &c, Of duties from
the people of California upon goods orougni
into that Territory This policy he defended
Congress at two different times appropriated soooo0 for
negotiations with the California Indians Three Com