The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-08-23
THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
SATURDAY; Augus. 81, 1854.
SENATE.
FLORIDA CONTESTED ELECTION.

ed py the Legislature oil Florida as Senator from
that State aud combating the election under which
the Hon. STEPHEN II. MALLORY now holds seat
In the Senate, made a report, accompanied by the
following resolution:
Rs.olued. Tina. the Hon. STEPHEN R. MALLORY
was duly elected a member OF the Senate of the
United States from the Sd day of March, 1851.
The report and the accompanying papers were
all ordered to be printed.
CIVIL AnD DIPLOMATIC APPROPRIATIONS.
Mr.. HUNTER moved that the Senate proceed to
the consideration Of the Civil and Diplomatic APP
preparation bill.
MIR. FISH appealed to the Senator to withdraw
his motion, to enable him to move that the Land
Distribution bill be taken up.
MIR. HUNTER said that he would like to oblige
the Senator, but were he 10 withdraw his motion
for one, there would be dozen others to make like
re9oests
the Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill was
considered. A large number of amendments, re-
ported by the Committee on Finance, were agreed
Amongst those adopted were the following
That the district judge Of the northern district
in California shall, while dischargng the duties of
both districts, be judge Of both districts and re-
ceve the salary of both Offices,
For completing the construction OF the marine
hospital at San Francisco, California, $4,000.
suitable e Building at wilmington, Delaware, Il for
custom house, post office, court-rooms, and other
offices of the United States and for furnishing the
same, $4,000.
For compensation of clerk in the office of Com
missioner of Public Buildings, 81 900.
To complete and revise the grades in the city OF
Washington, and to determine the plans for the
drainage and sewerage thereof. $4,000.
To enable the President Of the United States to
cause the necessary surveys, projects, and esti-
mates to be made for determining the best means
of affordng the cities Of Washington and George.
town an unfailing and abundant supply of good
and wholesome water-report thereof to be made
at tn ne IT eesa Ia Of
or 60 much thereof as may be necessary.
POTOMAC BRIDGE.
Mr.. BADG Err moved to amend the amendment
proposing $4,000 for the repairs Of the Long
bridge, by making that appropriation for the pur-
pose Of removing the remains of that bridge.
MIR. CLARKE thought the Long Bridge had a
deeterious effect the health of this city, but was
III favor OF its temporary repair; he thought there
ought to be a steam ferry at that point. He would
prefer, if steam ferry was established at the pre-
sent cite, to have bridge constructed above the
aqueduct, at point where there were come rocks
MIR. BADGER said he was opposed to the repair
OF the old bridge. The accumulation in the river
caused by that bridge had been going on for years,
and was now SO great that at low water it was
posed to the August sun, and must be injurious to
the health of the city On this wet mud thus exposed
was decaycd vegetation and it could not fail to be
unhealthy His attention had been called to it
ago the Austrian miniatcr who then told him that
1t would eventually produce yellow fever. This &C.
emulation Of mud had been increasing since that
time, which was in ls4l. During last winter, by
~ aid the work which Congress ought to have done
years ago, the flood carried away part Of the
bridge and rendered it useless means of cross-
ing the river. He would oppose the temporary re-
pair # the bridge; repairs for one, ten fifty
years would be but temporary, and 30 long as it Is
kept in travelling conditionsby temporary repair,
1t would remain as nuisance, and no ornament
bridge would be constructed Shall Congress then
nf To Iakt
will be nuisance, and which will hazard the
health of the city; shall it apply that cum for it's
removal altogether? He was for removing the re.
manning portions Of the bridge, and allowing the
flood or current of the river to carry away the de.
posits of mud, &C., which have for years been
made above it.
Again, he desired to see that bridge removed be.
cause it was serous obstac lie in the prosperity Of
the ancient and venerable city Of georgetown it
was destroying the commerce of that city.
One o'clock having arrived, the bill was post
poned till Monday.
On motion of Mr.. MASON, the Senate proceed
ed to the consideration Of Executive business, and,
after come time spent therein, the doors were re-
opened.
PERSONAL EXPLANATION.
Mr.. DOUGLAS read letter addressed to him
by the Hon. EDWARD STANLy Of the House, in which
the debate which took place in the Senate some
days since, upon the subject Of circular to which
his name had been printed, was referred to. Mr..
S. stated that the circular considered by all
those whose pames were placed to it a hoax too
paipable to deceive any ore. He pronounced 1t to
be such and that his name had been used withs ut
bis knowledge or consent.
MIR. d. repeated what he had said on a former
occasion, to his having copy of it directed
and ranked by q member OF the House, whose
name was appended to il; and that that member,
when asked if he had so iranked it, said he had
done so.
Mr.. SMITH asked the name of the member.
Mr.. DOUGLAS said it was the Hon. Mr.. WARD,
of Kentucky. He said he felt very much azed
that the Senator from Connecticut, when called up
on the other day, had not risen in his place and
pronounced the matter hoax, and that its sgners
had never used 1t as genuine document. He was
surprised the Senator had not done that much Jus
ice to his political friends, and also put stop to
those runors which attributed the authorship oil
that paper to the Senator.
Mr.. MANG UNI said that sometime ago, while
confined to his sick bed, he received q copy of this
circular, stating that he among others, for very
weighty reasons, had crmined not to support
Pierce and King He considered it rather strange
document, and read 1t again. He considered it was
very poor joke, got up by some one who had taken
the unwarruntable liberty Of using his name. He
thought the whole affair too contemplate TO notice
in the newspapers; and was somewhat surprised to
learn that il had been introduced in the Senate.
whose proceedings ought TO be dignifed. He
knew nothing OF it, nor who was the author, but
did not consider the wit Of the author was very ex
taordinary. He regarded the whole matter as not
only too small to notice by denial of his bavin
any agency in it, but as altogether beneath con
tempt
Mr.. SMITH said that when this matter was in :
troduced the other day. he considered il altogether
out OF place; though the Senator from Illinois, per
hars, was right in doing now. He had made
GONE remarks on the bill for the ship canal around
the Falls OF ST. Mary. and in reply 10 what he had
said this circular had been introduced. II had no
cCnncxion with the subject under consid GRAFTON ,
and he thought it was into nded 10 hurt his feelings
Il was in way pertinent to the bill under consid.
cration-it was an outside matter altogether, and
had been published in the Union. Under these cir
cumstanccs he spoke rather sharply, but he had no
Senator He would infinitely prefer ID confer favora
upon Senators than to engage in personal
sizes with them. He believed, after conversation
with all the gentlemen whose Nance printed {
that circular, that none Of them had any agency
IN its publication. As regard ed the instance Of Mr.
WARD having admitted he had ranked it, b.
ea'd that Mr. WARD told him that, regarding tn
whole thing as hoax, and supposing that every
one else SO understood il, when this circular wa
presented 10 him, he said he had ranked II, 1
was all right, &c. Mr.. WAnp never supposed the
any one understood him but as joking. He wa
authorized to say by Mr.. WARD that he had no
knowingly franked The circular and, upon exami
nation OF the writing, was inclined to believe h
had not frauked IL at all. As to the Senator'S sur
,lsc that he had not Ciyen q denial TO this before