The southern press. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1850-1852, 1852-02-03
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
SENATE.
MoNpAY. Fehrunru .. 1859.


The PRESIDENT laid before the Senate report
from the Secretary of the Interior, accompanied
by a communication from the Commissioner OF
the General Land Office with the annual reports
of the surveyor generals of Illinois and Oregon,
which were not received in time 10 be transmitted
with the annual report of that department.
Mr.. BERRIEN asked to be excused from
serving on the Select Committee to whom wa
referred the letter of Hon. ID. L. YULEE, contest
ing the seat Of MIR. MALLORY, Mr. b. being
called home by illness in his family. The request
was granted,
Among the petitions presented was one by Mr..
MILLER praying for modification of the tariff of
1896 respecting and manufactured silks; one
bv Mr. SouLE of officers and others employed in
the military service of the United States during
the late war with Mexico, asking for three months
extra pay; and one by Mr.. SEBASTIAN, ofC. Alex
ander, asking for the priAilege of printing and
binding the returns of the seventh census.
The petitions were appropriately referred
KossUTH AND INTERVENTION.
Mr.. STOCKTON presented the resolutions of
instruction, recently passed by the legislature Of
New Jersey in favor of the passage Of joint res
oluton instructing the representatives of the U :.
S. in Europe, TO urge upon those governments
declaration that the forcible Intervention OF one
nation, to regulate the internal affairs or prescribe
the forms of government OF another nation, Is an
infracton of the law OF nations
Mr.. STOCKTON in presenting these resolu-
tions said he supposed one would have any
doubt as to his adhesion to the Democratic doc
trine that representatives In Congress were
bound to obey the will Of their constituents. AT
the same time he constrained to differ with
those who had passed these resolutions. He
deeply sympathized with the people Of Hungary.
and was as DESTROYS any one could be TO see
that nation and every nation succeed in its strug-
giles for liberty. But he believed that the course
II Al @t,,t,1.
the one which this government ought to pursue
with regard to foreign governments, nor the one
which was best calculated to accomplish their OBJ
iects He proceeded to state his reasons for this
opinion, The resolutions were departure from
the principles which the United States always had
asserted, and which he hoped we always should
assert He should deprecate any violation of the
nolicy of our fathers in this respect. We were
The residuary egatees of all that the blood and
treasure OF mankind expended during four thou
sand years, had achieved in the cause of human
liberty and before God, we were responsible for
the sacred trust, not for ourselves only; but for
all mankind.
What course, then, should our government
adont to preserve our own liberty, and to diffuse
among the nations of the earth Z First, he an
swered, protect the Constitution from invasion.
Secondly, so direct the foreign policy of this gov
eminent, that the progress of human liberty Will
he nromoted not retarded. Avoid war, then, ex
Cent under very peculiar circumstances. Peace
was the true policy of republic, yet he could
not assent to any proclamation of doctrines
upon the question Of intervention that might be
construed to abriqge the right and duty of this
government to interfere whenever 1t may deem
Rest in behalf Of people who have mutually risen,
and are striving to throw off the yoke of despot-
lam. But there were two extremes to be avoided.
Fret reckless interference with the affairs of
foreign nations, without counting the cost, ard be-
;np sure that our object is practicable and consist,
ent and secondly, we should not rushfo the other
extreme, and decide hastily, without even
glance at the future, that we will not, under
any circumstance, or at any time, interfere with
the affairs of other nations.
He proceeded to quote and explain the law of
nations, and concluded that it was now as it al
ways had been, simply the law or force And
that sort of intervention, he commended this nation
had a right to use, and it was their duty, under
some circumstances, to use, when, by so doing,
ue could save nation from the arbitrary rule Of
despotism. Yet, while he contended for tbis prin-
chile he was free to say that he was not in favor
of going to war with Russia in behalf OF Hungary,
nartlv because Russia was an old and faithful
friend. and partly because Hungarian liberty,
throneh the agency of the United States, was
Utopian, an altogether impracticable, an impossl-
In conclusion, he moved the printing of the res
olutions: which was agreed to.
Mr. MILLER said he had also received a copy
Of the resolutions and when the resolutions of the
Senator from NewJersey came up, he should take
an early opportunity to express his sentiments
upon the subject.
Mr.. HAMLIN presented the joint resolutions
of the State of Maine, on the same subject; which
were also ordered to be printed
RELIEF OF THE CUBAN PRISONERS.
Mr. DOUGLAS, from the Committee on For
eien Relations, reported the bill for the relief Of
the American prisoners lately pardoned by the
Queen of Spain, as it passed the House, and,
without debate, it was duly read, ordered to en-
grossment, and passed.
MEXICAN INDEMNITY.
Tbe bill to carry into effect the twelfth article of
the treaty of Guadaoupe Hidalgo, was also taken
up and passed
LOCAL AFFAIRS.
Mr.. SHIELDS reported back bill for the re-
lief of ST. Johns church, and bill for the amend
ment of the charter of the Washington Gas Lig
company, recommending the passage of the same.
THE COMPROMISE RESOLUTION.
The compromise resolution was then taken up,
and MIR; McRAE resumed and concluded the
speech commenced on Thursday last.
[The conclusion of Mr. McRAE's speech will
be published in full to morrow
MIR. BADGER thought the Senator from Mis-
sissippi had fallen into error In regard to the
true character and purport of the resolution, and
,lso ofthe amendment. He did not consider that
either the original resolution or the amendment
involvedssny approval ofany one of the measures
of the compromise; but that it simply declared
that those acts, taken as whole, in their mutual
connection and dependence, constituted settle.
ment, and therefore ought not to be touched by
the legislation Of Congress, until experience de-
monstrated that it was necessary. After explain
ing his object in introducing the amendment.
Mr.. BADGER gave way to an adjournment.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,