Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-12-24

Thomas H. BayIy, Barsdale Bocock Boycc, Brooks chas
tain Chrsmsn, Cobb, Crage, John @. Davis Dean Dent
Disney Rdmundson, Goode Greenwood Grow, sampson W.
Harris Wiley p. Harris, Hubbard Hyer Houston, Daniel
T. Jones, George w. Jenos Kdwe, Kittredge, Letcher,
Lilly, McMulen, Mcqueen, Mayal, Morrison Murray, 0ds,
Oliver Packer John Perkins Powell Reese, Rufin Shaw,
Singleton, William Smith, Snodgrass Sellers, Richard IL.
Stanton, John J. Taylor, Vail Walsh, and Whesler54
| SO the resolution adopted.
Mr. DUHHAM moved TO reconsider the just taken.
He remarked that II was matter OF Importance that the
House should decide TO which committee this be-
lopged as matter Of right, 10 the Committee Com
merce or to the Committee Roads and Canals. He
referred to the rules prove that tho first named
mitee had nothing do with this subject its duties be-
ing confined entirely to the matter OF commerce ITSELF
whilst the duties of the lastnamed COMMITTEES were with
especial reference to the improvement OF the channels OF
commerce and the by which that commerce was to
be carried tie then alluded to the organization OF
these committees and remarked that IL gentlemen would
look into the subject they would find that the Committee
Commerce had been organized expressly with reference
to the commerce the country the gentlemen composing
il being mostly from the seaboard while the Committee
on Roads and Canals had been formed in accordance with
the duties conferred upon by the rules being composed
Of gentlemen from all parts Of the country
| Mr.. CAMPBELL, of Ohio, thought there was great
proprey in the suggestions made by the gentleman from
Indiana He (Mr Co. did not know that this great ques-
ton Of harbor and river improvements would ind sum-
cient friends in this House to pass any BILL if he might
judge from the somewhat unfavorabe character of the
recommendations Of the President Of the United States in
his message; but whether they in the majority or
not was certainly due to the friends Of this great sys
tenn that should have proper direction at the outset
He concurred with the gentleman that in view OF the u
ties of these two committees the Speaker in their organ
zaton had exhibited great deal Of prudence and DIS
cretion II he understood the duties of the Committee on
Commerce. they related particularly to the external
commerce Of the country than to the improvement of
the great of in the interiors and
by looking list Of this committee it would be that
the Speaker view this fact had given the seaboard
larger representation thereon while the other hand
he had given the interior larger resentaon upon
he mini de and he OF
last Congress to which this resolution referred made
preparations vast number of improvements in the ba
sin Of the Mississippi and upon the Northern Lakes and
inquiry 10 be made whether it was expedent and
proper to make appropriations for their continuance
There but representatives of the great basin of
the Mississippi upon the Committee Of Commerce. and it
hardly to be presumed from the locality of its
ber that they would be as well informed in regard to
what expedient and proper in relation to these APP
preparations as men who represented that portion of the
country whether the system to rise fall, he ap-
peaed to the House. Of the Representatives of the
great West whether it due to the friends of this
system that such reference of this should be made
would at least favorable report in order that
it might be decided upon? He thought the friends of
the system should for the motion reconsider that
the subject might be referred to the Committee Roads
and Canals
last Congress originated with the Committee Com
merce the inquiry proposed in his resolution should be
prosecuted by it, and argued that it confoed to the
ton OF the House on past occasions.
Mr.. CAMPBELL, of Ohio, said that nearly all the APP
preparations for the West in that bill made, not by
| the Committee Commerce. but by the House and the
Senate.
Mr.. FULLER replied to this assertion and declared
that the Committee Commerce, when considering the
subject agreed to report bill upon the basis that it
should be reasonable in amountabout million of dol
larsand that this should be equally distributed
onethird upon the Atlantic coast third upon the
lake Shores and onethrd upon the Mississippi and its
tributaries In conformity with this basis that bill was
reported and its friends had the modification of seeing
from he Senate oIed wit
ments and made most homogeneous in every particular
Mr.. WENTWORTH, of Illinois, then moved to lay the
motion to reconsider on the table which agreed to-
BILLS INTRODUCED.
The following bills introduced in pursuance of
notice read twice, and appropriately referred:
By Mr.. SEWARD: bill to provide for the removal of
distractions in the river Savannah in the State of Georgia.
and for the improvement of the same and reimburse
the City Council of Savannah for such said city
authorities may have heretofore expended for that
purpose.
Also bill to authorize the establishment of navy
yard and depot the of Georgia. the city of
Brunswick, in Glynn county.
BY Mr. DoWDELL: bill to grant the right of way
to the State of Alabama and portion of the public lands
to aid in the construction of railroad from Selma the
Alabama river to Gadsden the Coosa river in said
State.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
On motion Of Mr. HOUSTON, the House then went into
Committee of the Whole the state of the Union, mir
ORR Of South Carolina, in the char and resumed the
of the annual message of the President Of
the United States.
Mr.. DEAN, being entitled to the floor addressed the
committee in reply the speech of Mr. SMITH, of New
York. delivered yesterday He expressed his regret that
his colleague had referred conduct of Capt ngra
ham in party aspect and chat attempt should have
been made either TO sustain condemn the Admnistra
ton upon it. He believed that the whole American peo-
pie had been by the conduct Of the Admins
tration in this affair. IL subject which had chal-
lenged the attention of the whole world more than any
other within the last twenty-five years. and the conduct
of our Government in sustaining Capt ngraham had
not only with the universal appreciation of peo
pe without distinction Of party but had also met with
the approval of the people of all parts Of the world
He then replied to the assertion of Mr. SMITH that
although Austria was despotism, yet this Government
was greater and guilter oppressor and that the pre-
sent Administration owed its being and its very existence
to the slave power and that it had been pledged adj
vance thereto. He declared that this Administration,
instead Of being pledged to the slave any other power
had merely adopted the principles of the Democratic
party as they had been understood for years.
In conclusion, he urged the adoption Of his joint
luton complimentary TO the conduct of Capt Ingraham
in the Kosza affair, declaring that he had offered
for the purpose of clarifying that officer Of rejecting
either praise or censure upon the Administration, but
merely rs an act Of justice to who thousands Of
miles from his country had CALAMITY sustained this great
| principle of American law.
Mr.. GIDDINGS then addressed the committee at
length in regard to slavery He gave history of the
Amistad case and earnestly opposed any naturalization
of claims arising therefrom.
Mr.. WALSH followed, and, after few preliminary
marks said that already two gentlemen had stood the
floor to gratuitousy vindcae Administration which
had not been assailed in the House They thought by
doing to draw into attack the Administration
never contemplated, members Of the New York deega-
on but the members from that State had proved them
selves too good accians be caught in such snare
LaI ,r4 Ia.-