Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-01-31
FRIDAY, JANUARY 80, 1852.
In SENATE.
MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS

Mr.. PRATT presented the memorial of Henry Mankin
asking that the Postmaster General may be authorized
contract with him and his associates merchants in the
city of Baltimore and of Rio de Janero for the
portaton of the mail in steamers from Baltimore and Nor
folk to ST. Thomas and Barhady in the West Indies Pc
ru Pernambuco, and Rio de Janeiro in Brazil and Mon
tevdeo in Buenos Ayres Referred the Committee on
the Post Office and Post Roads.
PASSENGERS IN CALIFORNIA STEAMERS.
Mr.. BRADBURY submitted the following resolution
for consideration:
Resor That the Committee Commerce be instructed
inquire whether Legislation necessary prevent abuses
in the conveyance of passengers steamboats, At
lanc ports to those of California
Mr. BRADBURY said he had been requested by n
number of highly respectable and intelligent constituents
to call the attention of the Senate gross abuses alleged
to exist in the conveyance of passengers by steam vessels
from the Atlantic ports to California The complaints
that these ships in violation of their engagements
take far greater number of passengers than they can
accommodate with convenience thans consistent with
health and safety that the supply of food is often def
cent in quantity, and of the poorest and most unwhoe-
kind that the treatment of passengers by the Off
and of these vessels is cruel in the extreme
and that the sick and destitute have been subjected
to like i'll usage that from these abuses large numbers
citizens emgratng to California lose their lives or
their health by diseases engendered board these
sels They express the belief that thorough nvestga-
ton by committee of Congress- with power send for
persons and papers, would disclose occurring
board of these vessels that could find parallel
in the horrors of the middle passage of the African
slave trade. Mr.. b. did not profess to know from his
personal knowledge how far these representations
well founded but thought the matter should be tho
roughly investigated, and hoped it would receive the
attention of the committee.
MIR. GWIN said that he had heard very strong com
plants made against the conduct of the commanders and
of of these vessels He hoped committee
would give the subject their attention that such abuses
did exist he had very little doubt quite as little doubt
that many lives had been lost and health sacrificed
through these abuses and he hoped that Congress would
nithn nv hmm haavy ,..
mode, correct them
The resolution agreed to.
PUNISHMENTS IN THE NAVY.
Mr.. UNDERWOOD submitted informally an amend
ment which he intended propose the bill to enforce
discipline and to promote good conduct in the naval SER
vice of the United States, and which was ordered to be
printed
The amendment strikes the first four sections and
the first three lines Of the fifth section and inserts
That the commander any of the navy or Of
shore station shall have authority punish offences commit
ted by petty officers and persons of inferior ratings by any
or Of the following punshments: 1st BY diminish
ing their ratons; by restricting their diet bread and
ter by imposing extra police and other duties and
Of theft in addition any Of the foregoing pun
shments BY making good from the of the offender
the the value Of the articles stolen and obgng
offender TO wear for any time not exceeding days. badge
with the word thief"
Strike out all of section except the provso and strike
out of the provso in lines eleven and twelve the words
by summary court martial"
Strike out the 10th and 18th sections.
Strike from the 18th section the words to be in
hicted by summary court martial"
TENURE OF APPOINTMENTS IN THE NAVY.
The following resolution, submitted by Mr. HALE on
the 9th instant, was taken up and adopted:
Resored That the Committee Naval Affairs be instructed
to inquire into the expedency Of providing by law that all
appointments the naval Of the United States shall
hereafter be for limited time which shall be expressed in the
commission.
THE PRIVATE CALENDAR
The Senate then proceeded to the consideration Of the
private calendar, when the following bills we're ordered to
be engrossed:
bill for the relief of Mary w. Thompson.
bill for the relief of John 7. Sullivan.
bill for the relief Of Joseph Gideon.
bill for the relief Of John O. Means
bill for the relief Of Geo. Poindexter.
bill for the relief Of VIM Miller.
bill for the relief Of Ezra Williams.
The following bills we're considered and postponed
An act for the relief of David g. Cash and Giles U.
Ellis.
bill to confirm the claim Of John Erwin to certain
tract Of land in the Bastrop claim.
The bill for the relief Of Ira Day debated at
length and after having been amended to strike
interest the further consideration postponed and the
Senate adjourned to Monday.