The southern press., 1852-01-27
CONGRESSIONAL pRooEEDrNGs.
HOUSE OF REPRESEN TATlVFs.
SAruRpAY, January 24lh, ls5a

bounty land Dill, Mr.. HARRISON, OF lenneSstt,
moved to refer the bill at present before the House.
and that sent down from the Senate, on the same
subject, to the Committee on the state OF the Union.
Before action was taken on the motion, Mr..
HovsToN moved that the House go into commit
tee the state ofthe Union; and, having resolved
itself into such committee, the Mexican indemnity
bill was taken up.
Mr. MEADE, of Virginia, addressed the House
at much length, with reference to the BILL and the
amendments before the committee, Hitherto. he
said the practice had been TO make appropriations,
leaving il to the Executive 10 discharge the duty
of making the consequent payment; and in this il
had never been the practice OF the House to inter
fere, whether it were ofthe same party or not. A
departure from this course, as is proposed in the
present instance, he said, required that reference
should be made to the action of the Executive, as
to the mode of paying the indemnity to Mexico,
which had been already adopted HI exonorated
the Committee of Ways and Means from all
blame, as. 10 the manner in which il had dis
charged its duty with reference TO the bill which
they had reported, and which contains appropria-
ton to meet the payment of the indemnity that is
about falling due.
The question, however, to be determined, is as
to the manner in which the Executive has hitherto
discharged its duty in this respect. He held that
an individual is bound by the principles OF human
ity to treat others with forbearance and kindness;
and he considered nations as being bound by the
same rule, and which are held responsible to God
from information that had been obtainednot Of
fetal it is true but OF a characterize be relied upon
Ia proposition had been made by the Mexican
government to pay TO the United States four and
half per cent. for the privilege Of paying itself;
at the same time, the Barings offered TO transact
the misunderstanding three and a half for the per-
mission to do SO. Had the American government
consulted its own interest, IT would have selected
that offer, by which one per cent. could have been
made; and if it regarded the feelings of Mexico,
it would have acceded to her proposltion--she was
bleeding from wounds which we had inflicted, and
we were bound to confer on her the benefit she de-
sired He did not complain of the Executive, for
EMPLOYING an agent in Mexico; because could
pay the money by any mode that was thought
proper; but he considered 1t as the duty of the
President, on the application of the authorities OF
Mexico, to have acquesced in their wish, espe-
cially when they offered bonus of one percent,
and understood that their desire would be complied
with, by paying the moLey here
1t was not his intention, he said, to charge Mr..
Webster with corruption, IN failing TO carry out
the arrang cement entered into between the Mexican
minister and the cabinet.of General Taylor, nor
was it his purpose to arragn the motives of that
gentleman or attribute to him moral delinquency;
but he would say, 1t was political act as far as
respected the arrangement with the Bsnngs,
which called for an expression of the dspleasure
of the House, as to the expen diture of the money.
In consequence of the understanding referred to,
the Mexican Congress was called together, to give
its sanction to the contemplated arrangement with
the government of this country, which sanction 1t
gave and TO which it was the solemn duty Of the
executive to have responded yet the Secretary of
State undertook to enter into an arrangement by
which it was defeated.
MIR. BAYLY said, he differed with his col
league, as to the action OF the Mexican Congress.
Mr.. MEADE continued. Suppose that was
not the fact it afforded no excuse for The conduct
of Mr. w ebster. There was sufficient informa-
eli Of hat llU
with the requirements Of our government. Or, if
another treaty were deemed necessary, the fact
sh ould have been minated, so that the arrange
men might have been completed, and Mexico
been enabled to receive her money, either ia Wash
ington or New York If any advantage accrued
from the nature of the exchange, why not give 10
Mexico the advantage, instead of securing it to
the Barngs and IL the choice lay between the
two, why not prefer making the arrang ement with
a sister republic; to do which, there was every
inducement?
The only point to be considered is the failure to
comply with the request Of Mexico and not only
was .his done, but there the sacrifice of thou
sands of dollars, by giving the preference to
others. The gentleman from New York had OBJ
iected to the course that had teen pursued, be-
cause the contract had not been put to be taken
by the highes; bidder but he differed from that
gentleman in this resptct-he was not willing thus
to disclose to the world the difficulties in which
Mexico was involved. But even upon that prin-
pie, it was the duty of the party in power to have
given il to Mexico, for she was the highest bid.
der. The House, he continued, failed in its duty,
that il did not when it knew Mexico was out of
funds, supply her, and when we had millions
lying idle-so much so, that the Secretary was
auti orized to go into the market and buy up stock
certificates which were not due for twenty years
to come While they were doing this, there was
a creditor asking them to divert the money into
her treasury, by which not only would they have
secured the premium of fourteen per cent, but
the four and half per cent. which Mexico offered
to give, il they made payment directly to her.
Now here is eighteen nineteen per cent. which
might have been saved, had Congress interiered
and given directions in this matter.
He commended further, that it was the duty Of
the President, when he found Congress about to
appropriate the surplus funds IN the Treasury to
the purchase of stocks that'had twenty years to
run, TO have given information TO the House as TO
the state of the affair, and 10 have recommended
the passage OF any law that he might deem nece7-
sary in favor of republic which was appealing
10 our magnanimity-not so much as act OF
Justice, which we were always ready to perform,
az to do her favor, by which not only would q
considerable sum have been saved, but favorable
impression would have been produced on the pub
lie mind of neighboring State. Another induce
ment to propitiate Mexico was to be found in the
position which we occupy on The Pacific. IL rs
OF importance TO procure right OF way through
her territory hence il may become necessary TO
call upon the government OF tndt country 10 grant
us favor in that respect, and mad we pursued the
course that was proposed, we should have had a
right to do so. But now the only way TO retrieve
the error was to pass the amendment, and thus
prove to Mexico that we are ready 10 do what
the House of Representatives was at all times pre-
pared to do if its attention had been called to the
subject
Ii is commended, he said, that II we now pay
Mexico in the city Of New York, we should vio-
late a contract that had been entered into. But
TINT would not be the case--and 1t is construed
by the Barings; for there are letters from them,
dsclaming any obligation, on their part, TO com
ply with tie terms Of a contract, by which they |
say nothing is to be made, owing to the short time
that will elapse before the next nslalment becomes
due. But as Mexico digs annually from forty TO
fifty millions Of dollars worth Of the Precious
metals, MIR. M went on to show how the command
of three millions carried into the country might
be probably invested in drafts on New York. He
was Indifferent, however, as To realizing profit
but was anxious that legislation should take place,
NTH reference 10 the paymento of the next install