The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-02-03
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS
rHIRrY-sEcoSo CONGRESS- SECOND sR..,.
SENATE.
MONDAY, JANUARY "a.

MIR. Shields presented the memorial NJ y
Richter, declaring he invented the moplds ~ l,
furnace used by Clark Mills in constrno, 90
the Jackson statue, and praying TO be anos
part of the compensation therefor. "ea
Mr.. Hale submitted resolution. wb;oL
agreed to, directing the COMMITTEES on E- "S
to inquire whether any black mail tar .. a ~
tribution money, had been levied upon H. eOS'
ors and petty officers of tie vandalia and "a ssll'
cennes, to compensate any one for obta;. IL
the passage of an act granting certain sa;I5
extra pay, &c.
MIR. Gwin said that act was yolunts,u
by the Committee on Naval Affairs and Que que
introduced at the suggestion Of no person '''
The Senate on motion of Mr.. Mallo,v :.
up the bill repeating existing laws cono wy
ing tonnage duties on Spanish vessels an5I'
addressed the Senate in favor of its passage Us
The Senate then proceeded to the cons;So..
ton of Executive business.
AT Is minutes to o'clock the doors war.
opened, and the Senate adjourned w"
TUESDAY, JANUARY 25.
Mr. Cass submitted resolution, which no.
laid over, directing an inquiry and reno,t 20
the effect Of the qualifications affixed bv NJ
Bulwer and Mr.. Clayton to the treaty of ,Ssa
The House bill to prevent frauds on ~
Treasury in the collection of claims bv msr.
bers of Congress and others, was taken =.
slightly amended, and then passed. p
MIR. Casss joint resolution, reafirmiuS n,
doctrine of Mr.. Monroe, WINS taken up.
Mr.. Soale addressed the Senate at length :,
support of the resolution. He differed from
his Democratic colleagues in justifying the cOn
duet of the present Administration with ress'
ence to Cuban difficulties He differed also !,
the Communications bestowed upon Mr. Pvs,
EFT for declining the treaty (which was 20 "a,
proper, and then assuring England and Franc
that this nation would never do that which
they wished us to say We would never do4eA
condemned the course followed by the.
Administration in its denunciations of Crtts,
den and bis murdered companions and he a..
Tended the purpose and character of those meo
from the charge OF piracy, marauders, and out.
laws
He differed from gentlemen who were 60,
waiting till the fruit was ripe before pluckiur
it, He saw no difference between taxing \
before ripe and after it was ripe The common
law drew the distinction between the trespoS,
of taking fruit from the tree, and the Layeenv os
taking it after it had fallen from the parent
stem. He condemned the publication of the
Cuban correspondence but saw no difference
between publishing that and saying in the Sen.
ate we were ready to purchase Cuba.
He reviewed the case of Purser Smith. and
condemned the conduct of the Administration
for its course therein. He commented upon
the reasons of the President against the acau
sition of Cuba for domestic causes, and warned
his Southern friends Of the significance of those
words, and read a letter written in 1851, BY
Lord Palmerston, urging the emancipation Of
the slaves as measure to prevent Cuba being
annexed to the United States He was not
disposed to wait till the fruit was ripe, because
these domestic reasons may be removed, and it
was OF the utmost Importance Let Southern
Senators weigh this matter
He was against purchasing Cuba Spain
would never agree to it. Her pride would
sooner see the island sunk into the ocean than
part with it, The Cubanos also would revolt
at being sold or purchased
He reviewed England's pretensions in de-
an account of an English project in 1899 for
taking Cuba by forces raised in the American
Colonies
He denounced the threat of Messrs. Cramp-
ton and Sartiges, to hold the United States re-
sponsible for amy lawless attack on Cuba by
citizens of the United States
He reviewed the Monroe doctrine, and fully
agreed with Mr. Cass in his exposition of the
force, meaning, and extent of that declaration
by MIR. Monroe He controverted MIR. Ma
sons position on this subject. He contended
that in Mr. Everett's letter and Mr.. FillmOre's
there was much of the buccaneering
spirit for they declare that under five different
states of circumstances it may be necessary for
the United States to take possession of Cuba.
He warned Spain of the inevitable progress
Of events He counselled her to be friendly to
the United States, to observe all rights and OBJ
legations She would have to meet coming
events, and she had better grant to Cuba that
which would take place. Let
Spain, in the good feeling which would result
befriend her, and her regenerated child Obtain
by treaties those benefits and advantages Of
alliance and support, which she
will lose by forced separation of Cuba from
her dominion. Beyond this he was utterly OPP
posed TO any violation Of the laws OF nations
to acquire Cuba
Mr.. Cass followed defending his cOnstruc
Mr.. Seward got the floor, and the Senate ad.
journed.
WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 26.
The Senate resuming the consideration OF
the Monroe doctrine and Cuba, Mr. Seward
said
"There were two propositions arising out OF
our interest in the Gulf of Mexico, which are
hu nj of ata I'm
that the safety of the Southern States required
a watchful jealousy of European Powers IN
Southern waters the other, that the tendency
of commercial and political events invited The
United States to assume and exercise para
mount influence in the affairs Of this hem
sphere The advance TO this position consfitu.
ted what is called progress the position itself
manifest destiny Those who approved that
progress and destiny, considered it necessary TO
prevent the re-colonization of this continent by
European States, and Cuba from falling from
Spanish to any other dominion of the Old
World. In December, 1923. Mr.. Monroe an.
nounced this policy John Quincy Adams and
Mr.. Calhoun were members Of Mr.. Monroes
Cabinet John @. Adams acknowledged be
was the author of that doctrine, and Mr.. Cal,
houn admitted the fact He referred to and
read several extracts from Mr. Adams's letters,
&C. while Secretary of State, showing his ~
terest in preventing Cuba passing from the
hands of Spain to that Of any other European
Power. Thirty years from that time, the Sen
ator from Michigan, without one word OF &C
Of Mr. Adams's agency in INST.
tuting these measures Of 'progrvs towaro'
the manifest destiny submitted these resolu
tons. In bringing together these actions Oh We
Senator in 1853, and Mr.. Adams in 1892, anu
placing them in juxtaposition in the history o.
the Senate, he had done all that the Senator
seemed to have left undone to vindicate 'Ds
departed statesman from the censures beafrI
upon him by the living one in 1850. ne So".u
vote for tho amendment proposed by the oe"a
tor from New Hampshire. The COLONIES s" 10
they oonfedersted in 1875, invited CsnsoS
come in. Montgomery lost his life IN the ~
tempt to bring her in. Scott in 1914, pour
out his blood TO bring her in. He would W"
for the resolutions Of the Senator, because
@lst. The reverence he cherished Tor ".
memory of John Quincy Adams the illnssr'oO'