Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1852-05-01

Mr.. UNDERWOOD followed in opposition to the allow
proposed to be made by this amendment. After
minute examination of the various estimates of receipts
and expenditures by the Collins line Of steamers lie said
he considered the allowance Of 1888 900 trip exorb
tant He would vote to increase the compensation to
$25, 900 trip
On motion of Mr. JAMES, the subject was postponed
till tomorrow. at 8#Et
And then on motion of Mr.. HUNTER the Senate pro-
ceeded the consideration of Executive business and
after time spent therein the doors re-opened
and the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
On motion Of Mr.. MOORE, of Pennsylvania, the House
went into Committee Of the Whole the state of the
Union, (Mr. HIBBARD, Of New Hamphire in the chair
and resumed the consideration of the Homestead BILL
Mr. STEPHENS of Georgia, said that he could hardly
pretend to be advocate supporter of the bill before
the committee but he would take occasion say that he
did not think it liable to those objections which the
gentleman from Maryland Mr.. BowE) urged with SO
much ability and eoquence yesterday nor did he think
that many benefits would be derived from its
gnal propeser JoHNsos Of Tennessee and its adyo
Gates had zealously represented to the House He
would however frankly say that il the public lands
to be disposed of they had been for the last session
two of Congress- he decidedly in favor of giving them
away in this manner in preference to the other method
which seemed about to be incorporated into policy
Congress had given to railroads to the States for internal
improvements and to soldiers for bounties within the
last two years, nearly hundred millions Of Of
the public lands and if the question should be submitted
to him whether he would give the public domain the in
dgent and homeless Of land he would hesitate
say that he would prefer this system to that wholesale
system of giving away He in favor Of poll
cy of dsposing of the public domains and if system
should be adopted he would be willing incorporate this
bill Of its features At present, however, without
any defined policy he rather inclined to think that
this question had better be postponed until they should
see what great system would be adopted
But his object in rising, he said discuss the
BILL nor the questions growing out OF it, The gentleman
from Maine, Mr. SMART the other day, commenced his
hy saw hat ha M fbo Nary H.
did So and entertained the House with facts and made
good his assertion He (r STEPHESs did not rise to-
day respond to that speech by saying that he
defend the South but he would say that defend
the Constitution Of his country and our country
North and South
This led him into inquiry as to the true condition Of
the country. He could if his time allowed him, remark
upon the past well the present and future but he
had most do with the present and future We
ed to-day spectacle such this country never before
presented 1t said that in all republics there must
exist parties He would go further, and say that in all
free countries where representative Government is
known and adhered to- there must be parties But he
would lay down the position that there could be no party
without principles They continually heard ringing in
their ears the names Of two great Wing party
and the Democratic But he maintained that in this
try we presented strange and anomalous achat there
were two parties when really according the principles
and doctrines Of both Of them parties did in fact
exist There nominally two parties and really and
essentially there parties but not thus so demo-
minated. party must have principles, and men must
adhere TO those principles.
They had heard much about progress, and something
about Old Fogyism and g Young America" He rose
to defend party section, nor faction either Of
the Wing party the Democratic party but he intended
to lay down fundamental principles that should govern
free people and without which free Government could
be maintained One Of the first steps progress the
disenhralmen Of the human intellect for without this we
could have progress in Government any thing else
He held that 1t fundamental principle in republican
Governments, that all parties to be living active ener-
mu h ned he INF
questions Of the day. Factions and combinations might
be organised under the general Of Wings and De-
mocrats, but Government could be administered
An Administration must stand fall upon principle this
was the school whence derived our liberties He had
seen it stated that the prevailing sentiment with some
that between the North and South in the two great
national parties there must always be disagreement Of
opinion and principle upon great subject And what
was this paramount question Of the day. The great lead
ing and controlling question which likely to enter
into the political contest Of this country and the admin
istraon of its Government the constitutional right
Of one section Of the country the reclamation Of its
might've slaves and il said that there must be dis
agreement between Northern and Southern upon this
question that is, that must Disagree upon great
constitutional question this was TO be adopted either
oy the Democratic party the Wing party Il time
That the country should know IT, There was an over
whelmng majority Of the people Of the United States in
favor Of fulfilling every constitutional obligation That
majority had been evinced by votes in this House that
had spoken in the language Of the law; and II
nad been affirmed, not only by legislators but by the
. y. ne repeated there was on overwhelming
on the american people In favor Of this principle
ne believed there not he should not indulge in
tnose FOND hopes Of the future with which he was m
spredp II he believed that there must be disagreement
oetWsen 'ne North and South upon fundamental prnc
pie of Government the future indeed would be rcbed in
darkness. N 800 .'' - n -97i
NOW, what did he ask, rs an Americana What did he
ask Oh gentlemen OF the North He did not address
them as wings, or Democrats Frec-Socrs but he
spoke 70 them AZ Americans representatives of the
american people, In whose hands rested the destiny Of
our republic with which interviewer the destiny Of
When the gentleman from Massachusetts, (Mr RAN
IouL addressed the House the other day he said that
Southern men demanded Of Northern men that they should
eat southern d before they could become naonalized
He (Mr 81 asked Northern man 70 eat Southern dirt
He asked them to do more than fu the obligations Of
our fathersto recognise the rights Of the South and
pledge themselves thst they should be enforced
Some gentlemen had this should be made test
il would cause the onison Of great sectional parties
Was he TO be charged with being sectional when he