The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1853-03-11
UNITED STATES SENATE,
EXTRA SESSION.

WASHINGTON, March 10, 1858.
TIE CONTRACT FOR SUPPLYING THE JAPAN EXPEDITION WITH
COAL, ETC.
Mr.. COOPER (whig) Of Pa, offered resolution calling
for the contract entered into with Howl md Aspinwa
for supplying tho Japan squadron with COAL the price
per ton when delivered in the Chinese seas the commits.
sions &C., with all the particulars. Aso the offer made
by other PARTIES stating the prices &C. and whether
the government at the time Of making the said contract
had not regularly authorized agents inspectors coal
in their commssion whether Rowland Aspinwall have
not been appointed inspectors and agents COAL with en-
allowance Of double commissions, &e Mr.. Cooper said
his object to ascertain practicable information
relative to the supply Of coal to he Japan quadron
known that the government had two agents ulary
appointed to purchase and inspect coal for the navy
one for anthracite and for bitumnous COAL Their
duty to supply and inspect oil coal Of either knGre
quIed not only for the Of the navy but also for the
dockyards and workshops Their compensa ton xoc at
per centags all coal purchased by them, OF fvo per
to its sailing tsf an sS tS s or
kinds Of coal at certain prices and to deliver it at such
points and Places in the Chinese might be
designated by the the cost not to exceed SIS
per ton. The offer to furnish anthracite at Ola So
and btuminous at sl4 90 per ton neither kind Of coal
to exceed SIS per ton. seemed that neither offer
accepted. Howland Aspnwall were appointed inspec-
tors and authorized to purchase coal for the Japan
s United thev for Of eoa
pay English COAL which they have purchased prices
greatly higher than those at which American coal could
have been bought-ths too, where the American COAL
both anthracite and btuminous is much superior the
English COAL as has been frequently demonstrated by
actual tests and experiments He was Informed that
this English coal, when delivered in the Chinese
seas, will cost one fourth more than the American
coal which vastly superior would have cost He
also informed that instead Of allowance of per
cent to the other regularly appointed agents, How
land Aspnwa are to receive ten per cent Commission
They also allowed ten ana half per by way of
exchange the amount of coal they purchase in Eng
land If this be so, the proceeding is outrage, and
should be made known. He informed that there
would be 80 900 tons of coal required which, $40 per
ton would give them sl6o 600 by way of commissions
cast reproach the late Secretary of Navy or
his predecessor They both high minded and honor
able menmen of character and integrity but neverhe
less those contracts have been made by the bureaus,
possibly without their knowledge He desired to have
this information and he hoped the resolution would
The resolution agreed to.
INDIAN AfFARs-THE MINNESOTA SUPERINTENDENT, ETC.
Mr. SEBASTIAN offered resolution referring to the Com
mittee Indian Affairs all unfinished business of last
session remaining undisposed of with like powers and
thortes possessed by them before.
Mr. MASON suggested that the Senate had power
to transact any business not pertaining to the executive
session.
powers of the committee to investigate the subject here
toore committed to them, relating to the conduct of
the Superintendent of Indian Affairs in Minnesota. He
modified his resolution to express this object and IT
adopted.
COMMITTEE CLERK.
Mr. BRoDHEAD, (whg) Of Pa, offered resolution con-
tinung the clerk of the Committee Claims. Adopted
PAY WANTED FOR PUBLISHING THE DEBATES
Mr. BADGER, (whig) OF N o. offered resolution direct
ing the Secretary pay Gales Seaon at the rate Of
81 so Per column for publishing the debates of this
session. and for such parts the debates Of last session
as may have been published in the Integencer. Laid
over.
| THE EXPLORATION OF THE RED RIVER.
Mr. CHASE (ree soi) Of Ohio, offered O resolution pro-
vdipg for printing 200 additional copies of Captain
Marcys report of the exploration Of the Of the Red
I River. Referred to the Printing Committee.
okNTBAL AMERICAN AFPARs-JUDGE
| TARY CLAYTON.
| Mr.. Cayton's resolution taken up.
Mr. DOUGLAS, (dem Of Illinois, said he had nothing to
do with the matters in uroversy between the Senator
from Delaware and the Senator from Michigan The lat
ter was absent and no who knew him had any doubt
| anything to do with the points in difference
between the Senator and the Committee Of Foreign Rea
tons. From several causes he had not had opportu
nifty to attend the meetings of that committee,
to read their reports He would leave the chairman of
fecty capable of performing He simply to speak to
the point in his speech made time since which had
been commented on by the Senator from Delaware Tn
that speech he had expressed his approval and prefer
ence Of that policy which would have secured to the
United States the exclusive grant Of right Of to the
Pacific Nicaragua The Senator in favor of
the policy OF making this partnership Affair." open to the
world In his speech he had expressed regret that the
rat so Of Gsn had b, WI hs O% OS ,a the
point the Senator had met by stating the many OBJ
jecons to that treaty It was said that that treaty
was negotiated without instructions. That
tanly objection to sending 1t to the Senate for rati
fcaon The treaty negotiated by Mr. Bidack and cited
by the Senator authority to sustain him another
point was not withheld from he Senate nor rejected by
It, because 1t negotiated without Instructions He
understood the rule to be- that when treaty was made
without any authority to do so, the executive at
liberty to withhold it and reject IL Internationally, If he
thought proper or to send 1t to the Senate IL he should
deem IL advisabe-but where il negotiated under
instructions there implied obligation to send 1t to
the Senate for ratification The next objection that
it not approved by Nicaragua. This was true but
why IL not ratified by Nicaragua In his speech, he
had shown that not ratified there because of the
instructions given to Mr. Squer to defeat and prevent
! the ratification of any such treaty
Mr.. CLAYTON, (whig) of Del, asked IL he understood
tho Senator right saying tho treaty was not ratified
by Nicaragua because of Dir. Squers interference and
that Squiers interference in consequence of the in
| structons Of the state Department.
| Mr.. DOUGLAS said the Senator understood him cor.
| ractly.
Mr. CLAYTON sad he would be glad IL the Senator would
| point out those instructions.
Mr. DOUGLAS said that Mr. Hiss sent to Nicaragua
by President Polk He r.,ssvod by the admn'stra
tien Of General Tayar and & ier appointed to super
sede him After bis removsi but before he received
any notification Of H. he negotiated the treaty "a th