The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1852-07-22
THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS.
WEDNESDAY,, July 81, 1852.
SENATE.
PIRST-S ESSION.

MIR. CLARKE submitted the following resou
ton, which lies over:
Resolved, That the Secretary Of the Interior he
direc ted to report TO the Senate as soon as pract
c able the reasons for the recall of Lieutenant
Colonel J. D. Graham from his position as chief
astronomer of the Boundary Commission, EN-.
poyed in determining the line between the United
States and the republic Of Mexico; together with
all the papers connected with his appointment,
the revocation Of that appointment, and the in
structions given to him; also, that the Secretary
of the Interior be further directed to report to the
Senate any instr uctions given or cent to Andrew
b. Grny, relating to the initial point upon the Rio
Graude agreed upon by the Commission, and the
reasons for the removal Of the said Andrew Is.
Gray from his position as surveyor upon the par,
of the United States upon the said Boundary
Commission.
suRvEy TAUNTON RIVER.
Mr.. DAVIS submitted the following resolution,
which was agreed to.
Resolred, That the Committee on Commerce be
instr ucted 10 inquire into the expectancy Of max
ing provision for the survey OF Taunton river with
reference TO the obstacles impeding navigation
therein.
sALARIEs OF orrIcERs OF CUSTOMS.
MIR. HAMLIN submitted the following resolu'
ton, which was agreed TO.
Resolped, That the Committee Commerce be
directed to inquire into the propriety OF placing
the compensation Of the deputy naval officers and
deputy surveyors, for the ports of Boston, New
York, Philadelphia, Baltimore, and New Orleans,
on equality with deputy collectors al snld porta
OCEAN POSTAGE.
Mr.. SUMNER submitted the following resolu
ton, which was agreed to.
Resolved, That the President of the United States
be re quested to furnish to the Senate copies of any
correspondence not heretofore communicated TO
Congress between the Department OF State and the
diplomatic agents Of the United STATES broad with
regard to foreign postal arrangements, and espe-
cialIy cheap ocean postage. SO far as the same can
be done without dctIiment TO the public interests
EAIoaANT ROUTE TO OREGON.
MIR. WADE introduced bill for the improve
mcnt of and for the establishment Of a line Of
steamers along the emigrant route to Oregon.
LAND FOR THE INSANE.
Mr. SHIELDS moved that the Senate take up
the bill Miss Dix's) granting land to the several
States for the support and maintenance of the in
digent insane. He appealed earnestly TO Senators
to consider and pass this bill
Mr. HUNTER eaid the bill involved principle
to which he was opposed, and he could not vote to
take it up
The motion was disagreed to.
ADJOURNMENT CONGRESS.
On motion of MIR. SHIELDS, the Senate took up
for consideration the resolution from the House fix
ing the 10th of August as the day for the ADJOURN
ment Of Congress.
MIR. S. said that he. made the motion at the in d.
stance Of the Senator from Louisiana, Mr.. SouLE,)
whose health was such as to require him to leave
the city, and who desired action on this matter be
Senate ought not to-act on this matter at present.
Mr. SOULE briefly stated his reasons why the
Senate ought to agree with the resolution as it
came from the House.
MIR. SMITH moved to amend the resolution by
striking out the 10th and inserting the 30th of Au-
gust He urged the necessity OF deter mining
day for the adjournment OF Congress Until that
was fixed, business would not be despatched.
The CHAIR decided that as the Senate had re-
fused TO insert the 30th, the amendment now pro
posed was out OF order.
Mr.. SMITH modih his amendment 60 as to
insert the 3lst Of August.
Mr. CASS was in favor of an early adjournm ent.
But BY the Constitution the Senate was made co
ordinate branch of the Legislature, and had power
to pass, amend reject all bills which came before
il. Lately new course OF legislation has been
pursued, by which the most important bills were
delaye till such time as gave the Senate no oppor
tunity TO examine them. In this way the Senate
was reduced to mere political CIPHER, and was
forced INTO a position where it would have either to
pass the appropriation bills, sometimes without
reading, or without time for consideration, or re
;ect them. The Senate had thus become the mere
registers Of the DEGREES Of the House. and that too
without the privilege Of knowing what they re-
corded. He was for laying the resolution on the
table, and for not acting it till those bs were
sent up from the House.
Mr.. BUTLER was in favor of adjournipg at the
time fixed by the House, and let the responsibility
for the consequences rest where II belonged. lie
had no lea that the operations Of the Government
would stop if the appropriation bills should not
z
If Congress itself should not assemble but once IN
ten years. Congress now did nothing more than
distribute the public money. He thought the evil
complained OF by the Senator resulted in great
measure from the discussion in Congress OF matters
over which neither House had jurisdiction.
MIR. HAMLIN said, the House, he regretted to
say. had yet acted on :he Senate resolution re-
curing the appropriation bills to be sent at least
ten da VS. before the adjournment OF Congress, Tic
considered the manner in which the appropr alton
bills had been passed for some years az but a
solemn mockery of legislation He was oppose
to any action ON this matter at present:
MIR. G WIN was opposed to any action on the re-
solution now.
MIR DAVIS thought .hi. matter had better lay
over for some time. He was opposed to forcing
legislation by fixing time Tor adjournment or by
any other means He thought the Senate should
keep this matter within it's control, and take 1t up
when the state of public business would leave no
doubt Of the propriety Of acting on it: ~
MIR. MASON voted last Thursday for the 30th oi
would for the 10Th. He then thought the House
would take up and a-P"ss Of the .PP~oPr'"t'o"
by the Senate. But now, inasmuch as other bills
we're given by the House u preference oyer thein,
ne should vote for adjournment on the 18th, and
let the responsibility for the consequences 'esi
where it should.
Mr. BELL said that at every session the most
important bills were always delayed till the last
hours. lie was in favor OF postpoping this sui1ect
now; the postponement made last week was a v l7e
important business. The Deficiency bill had been
acted on, the Indian appropriation bill and the
Military Academy bill had been acted on The
River and Harbor bill now under Gonsldera-
tion there, and this objected to. Mr.. Is. point
ed out the importance Of that bill to several sec
tons of the country, md thought it was properly
considered o, this tune. 1t was, he thought, OF the
nature of an appropriation bill; certainly to some
parts Of the country il was OF equal importance
tie was ia favor Of s,poning this resolution one
week, and thought such postpoueinent vonh nave
a salutary effect Oh the House.
Mr. PRATT was in favor Of adopting the reso
luton as II came from the House. The evil CON
planned Of was great one, and gould only be cor
iected by the condemnation Of public opinion. IL
the Senate should agree to adjourn at the time
fixed by the House, and the appropriation bills
should be lost in consequence Of their not being
-cnt 10 the Senate In time TO be considered, tht
attention Of the country would be called to tho
TACT. and to The cause, and public opinion would
remedy tho evil
Mr. GW WIN asked why the House had not taker
I'D the River and Hsrbor bill five months ago, wher
there would be time for its dscu
Mr. CLEMENS supposed that the Wings wou'o
be willing to adjourn without passing the appro
priatlon billie. for then they would throw the re
sponsibiity On the Democratic majority. lie move
the resolution be laid on the table; which moho'
,yaa N, 3l-aa fOtlOwe.