The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-05-11

there for the information Of Congress, letter from
an officer Of the Navy on the Pacific coast, which
conveyed to me the first information had of an
other fact, which | am about to state.
1t seems that the Secretary Of the Navy had sent
out Lieutenant Meade to take the command Of this
Identical steamboat; but Commodore Jones hav-
ing given the command of the steamer TO another
officer, he did not think proper To Withdraw her
from that officers command, and assign her to
Lieutenant Meade. Lieutenant Meade complained
of this gross injustice, and addressed letter to
the Secretary of the Navy, in the course of which
he aggravates the complaint by the assertion,
which presume the Senator from California rec
ognizes as proper, that he was applied to by the
Senator himself, Hon. WILLIAM M. GwIN, to get
the command Of this Identical steamboat TO per-
form this very service. II Is no, necessary read
the letter. but that is the fact which is stated by
Lieutenant Meade. Now, then, it seems that Mr..
King only did that which the Senator himself
wished to be done.
Mr.. GWlN. Does the letter state that made
application to Lieutenant Meade to get this
boat sent to San Diego'
Mr.. PEARCE. will read the letter; perhaps
that will be the best plan. II is dated October %,
1851 II will be seen that it is not got up for this
OCCASION; that is manifest. The extract from the
letter relating to the point is as follows:
-. .'While at San Francisco, the delegates Of the
convention elected ~ frame constitution TOR the State OF
California, through the honorable William Gwn, United
States Senator called volunteer take them
Monterey. rheerully asked Commodore Jones, stating
that could be ready in six hours with the Edith, and land
them In - hours after should have offng the Edith
being ship reged had nothing 10 do but To irce up her
propeller and her sails requested Commodore Jones
to len me have Lieutenant Mccormick then temporarily
commanding her my first lieutenant as Lieutenant
Knox commanding Massachusetts. steamer had
u Vanasne as his executive officer, Of the date of
service but registered for service than Lieutenant
Mccormick Com. Jones refused me this request although
application was aided By the influence OF senator Gwin
and others OF equal distinction then felt exceedingly
mohhed and subsequent proceedings nave all tended TO
increase my Horcaton. The loss of the Edith followed
my return home, name having been identified with the
command Of the Edith many persons believe that she was
lost through my careessness and while under charge
Mr.. GWIN. If the Senator will permit me,
will state the facts of the case they actually
occurred. There were in San Francisco number
of the members elect to the convention, which was
to assemble at Monterey, on the 1st day Of Sep
TENDER. The only certain mode of conveyance
from San Francisco TO Monterey was the mail
steamship, which was to leave the former place
on the LIST, and arrive at the latter on the I'd of
September. 1t was important that quorum Of
the members of the convention should meet on the
day appointed for its assembling. Application
was made TO the agent of the mail steamship com,
pany, to leave San Francisco on the last day of
August, so that the members of the convention
then in that city could reach Monterey on the morn
ing Of the lst of September This was refused.
General Riley, the de tacto Governor, had given
orders, if necessary, to have vessel placed at the
disposal Of such members of the convention as
chose to avail themselves Of such mode of con-
veyance, to proceed with them to Monterey. We
made no application to him, or any one else
When conveyance was proflered, we preferred
going in a steamship, to the uncertainty of sail
vessel.
Mr. PEARCE. do not charge any ofense at
all IN the act Of applying for the boat, or that of
using her for This purpose.
Mr. GWIN. We made no application A
conveyance was offered us by the de facto govern:
ment. We merely expressed preference, if any
thing was said on the subject, for steamer or
sail vessel.
Mr.. PEARCE. do not charge it as any Of
fence at all on the Senator. On the contrary,
am disposed to justify him, and the head of the
de tacto government, who, after all, was but an
officer in the Army Of the United States. But then
the Senate will recolect that this is a thing which
the Senator has charged as an offense. He has
spoken Of il as a thing that was improper He
has spoken Of the loss Of the Edith (Which he es-
timaied at sl20 000) in consequence of the requi-
sition of Mr.. King, and the service upon which
she was sent. agree with him that that action
was entirely proper. do not find fault with him
any more than with Mr.. King, for making the
request. | dare say | should myself, under the
same circumstances, have done the same thing.
But what ! do find fault with, or rather what Il
complain of-for have no right TO find fault with
a Senator's that he should this to prove that
the naval power of the United States was placed
at the absolute disposal OF Mr.. King, and COM
plain Of II as an abuse when il had his own sane
ton. II that vessel was sent upon a service which
was entirely proper do not see why il is that he
can charge her loss TO the Government, as a thing
resulting from wrong act on the part Of Mr..
King, which has areiied The deficiencies.
Mr.. GWIN. IL the Senator will read the whole
of Lieutenant Meade's letter, and also Commo-
dore Jones's letter in reply, he will see the Com
modore states that Mr.. King, exercising the power
conferred on him by the President, had ordered
the Edith on another service.
Mr.. PEARCE. | should be very glad il the
Senator would turn me TO some evidence OF any
such expression that which he supposes Com
modore Jones has used. I have looked through
the documents without being able to find il.
Mr.. GWIN. will bring it TO the notice Of the
Senator before he is done.
Mr.. PEARCE. Very well, sir. II certainly
is not in the extract from Commodore Jones s
will not read il again to the Senate. But in CLAN
cling over that letter, do not see any such Ian
guage as that which the Senator attributed TO
Commodore Jones'
Mr.. GWIN. That is not the letter in which he
uses it, but he did use il. ! have the letter in my
commttee-room. ] did not expect the Senator
would have the floor 10 day, or would have had
closes his remarks.
Mr.. PEARCE. And il it were so, | can only
say that Commodore Jones must have fallen into
most extraordinary blunder, and have miscon-
ceved very much the instructions Of his Govern
ment, and that they not TO be held liable for any
misconcepton Of his, however gross or improper
pass, now, to the next charge. The Senator
complains that MIR. King, having been elected
member Of that Congress which began its session
in December, 1919, was, during the recess Of the
Congress, appointed collector of San Francisco I;
and he seems TO think that this was a violation of
the Constitution. The Constitution does provide
that member Of Congress shall be appointed 10
any Office created during the time for which he
was elected, or the emoluments Of which have
been increased during that time That is true.
However, will not go into the consideration Of
the point fully. ! will ahbreviate what have to
say upon il, since might otherwise violate the
rule Of secrecy in regard to Executive business
! wish to state the simple facts of the case The
Senator has said that Mr. King nomination was
withheld from the Senate during the continuance
of the Congress Of which he had been elected
member, and was not sent in to the Senate until
after the ith Of March.
Mr.. GWIN. II was not sent in time to be
acted upon at that session.