The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-23
THIRTY-SECOND CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
Tuesday. February %, 1858.
SENATE.

The CHAIR laid before the the Senate two Exc
cutve communications, in response to resolutions
Of the Senate.
MIR. WELLER introduced bill providing for
the settlement of the accounts of the late Collector
OF the port of San Francisco, California; winch
was read, and referred to the Committee on Com
merce.
Mr. SUMNER introduced a bill providing for
= the granting of reciprocal letters by the United
States courts to citizens of friendly powers; which
was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
PACIFIC RAILROAD
Mr. GWIN said that when the Army bill was
taken up, which he expected would be to-day he
intended to move its amendment by adding thereto
additional sections appropriating $50, 900 for a
survey and reconnaissance of the most practica BILE
route for railroad to the Paciic-beipg the sub.
stltue offered to the Pacific Railroad bill by the
Senator from Pennsylvania, (Mr. BRoDHEAD.) AS
that Senator had contributed in great measure to
the defeat of that BILL he could have no objection to
his (Mr GwIN's) taking his thunder.
MIR. HUNTER moved that the Senate proceed
BILL RI e
Mr. WELLER hoped the Pacific Railroad bill
would be considered
Mr.. HAMLIN said he had moved to take up the
bill granting land to the several States for the
benefit OF the INDECENT insane, but had withdrawn
1t to allow gentlemen to go through with the
morning business. He wished that motion to be
put now.
Messrs. BRIGHT, DOWNS, and others, urged
that an hour should be given to the usual morning
business.
Mr. HUNTER's motion was rejected without a
CONT.
Mr.. HAMLIN's motion was also rejected yeas
Is, nays 26-as follows.
YEAS.-Messrs. Badger, Bell, Bradbury, Coop
er, Davis, Foot, Hamn, Miller, Pearce, Seward,
Smith, Spruance, Sumner, and Wade-l5.
NAYS.-Messrs. Adams, Atchison, Bayard Bor
land, Bright, Brodhead Cass, Charlton, De Saus-
sure Dodge of Wisconsin, Dodge of Iowa, Downs,
Felch, Geyer, Gwiu, Hunter, Mallory Mapgum
1aSD pratt Rt,oy lob,
Walker, and Weler-26.
THE STEAMBOAT LAW.
Mr.. DAVIS, from the Committee on Commerce,
reported joint resolution extending the time for
complying with the provisions of the law known
the Steamboat law Of last session, to the first of
June, next.
The resolution was explained and debated
Mr. -PEARCE moved to amend it by striking
out ssJunei and inserting sOctober." Lost-yeas
IA, nays 35,
The resolution was amended and then passed
in the following shape.
A joint resolution in amendment of Joint resolu-
ton relating to the duties ofinapecors of steam
ers, approved the 7th day of January, 1853
Be ii resolved, &C., That it shall be the duty of
the inspectors of steamers to exercise the powers
conferred upon them by joint resolution of Con-
gress, approved the 7th day of January, 1861 sub
Iect 10 all the restrictions and limitations therein
contained: Provided, That the time granted to ap-
plicants snail in no case extend beyond the first
day of June next.
SEC 3. Resolved, That the inspectors may ap-
prove OF boilers and steam-plpe5 made subsequent
90 the passage of the approved the Sd day OF Au
gust, 1850, entitled san act to amend an act emit
tied AN act to provide Tor the better security of the
lives OF passengers on board OF vessels propelled in
whole or in part BY steam, and for other purposcs'
ifthe same be not made with stamped iron: Provided
It shall appear that stamped iron could not be
seasonably procured
SEC. Resolpsd, That the said inspectors shall
hereafter be authorized and empow cred, upon sat.
isfactory proof that the owner or owners of
steamer are unable to obtain seasonabiy or upon
reasonable terms metallic fe-boat as required by
said act, that sach boat unsuited to the nav
igation in which steamer is employed, to accept
In such case substitute or substitutes for such
metallic life boat Prouided Such substitute shall
in their Judgment afford safe and suitable means
of preserving lie IA case of accidents.
SEC. A. -And belt further Tesolved, That no person
interested patentee manufacturer, or other WISE
in any way, direct or indirect, in life preser vers
lfe-boats, or any other article required for steam
ere, by the law Of August 30, 1852 aforesaid, shall
be deemed competent to hold the Office of inspect
or, or to discharge the duties thereof
REPoRTs COMMITTEES.
large number of reports from committees were
made and ordered to be printed.
Mr.. UNDER WOOD, from the Committee on
Foreign Relations, reported on the memorials
praying the substitution of arbitration in place of
war in the settlement of national difficulties
Mr. o. made the report by the consent of Mr.
DOUGLAS. who was uncommtted on the subject,
and the remaining members of the committee be-
ing equally divided, The report was accompanied
by resolution advising that, in negotiating trea-
ties hereafter, provision be inserted in them that
all difficulties between the contracting powers
should be settled by arbitration.
Mr.. MASON said he dissented from the report
made by the Senator-his resolution and his rea.
sons.
"AMERIcA.''
Mr.. CHASE introduced a joint resolution, au-
tnorlzlng the President to purchase Hiram Pow
ers's statue of america which was read,
mr. GWiN objected to it's second reading to-
day.
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD BILL,
The Senate then, on motion of Mr. WELLER
resumed the consideration of the unfinished bust !
ness of yesterday, being the Paeic Railroad bill
The question pending was on the amendment
proposed by Mr. w ELLER, to provide that as each
fifty miles of the road in the States shall be com
peted, the contractors shall receive four-ffhs of
the alternate sections of land along said ffty miles
and il was agreed to.
Dir. SEWARD moved to amend the bill nv nro |
ylding that far this road shall be constructed
within the limits of any State beyond the Missis
sIppl, the Postmaster General shall be authorized
TO allow to such State for the transportation of the
mails over the road within its limits at the rate of
SIX hundred dollars per mile per annum for fifty
years.
Mr.. HUNTER said if this bill was aot to pass it
was useless consumption of time to debate H. and
he therefore moved that it be laid on the table,
which motion was not agreed to-yeas "a NAYS
30-as follows:
YEAS. - Meszrs. Adams, Bayard Rradhurv
Bright, Brodhead, Brooke, Butler Charlton, Chase.
Cooper, Dawson, De Saussure, Fitzpatrick, Ham.
lin, Hunter, Mallory, Mason, Morton, Pearce, Pet.
tit. Pratt, Phelps, soule, and Walker-24
NAYs.-Messrs. Badger, Bell, Borland, Cass,
Clarke, Davis, Dodge of Iowa, Dodge of Wiscon
sin, Douglas, Downs, Felch, Foot Geyer Gwin,
Houston James, Jones of Iowa, Jones of Tennessee,
Mangum, Miller, Rusk, Sebastian, Seward, Shields
Smith, SPruance, Sumner, Toucey, Wade, and
Weler-30.
The amendment of Mr. Shields of Saturday last,
the amendment of Mr.. WELLER offered on yeater.
day, and the general bill and its merits before and
since its amendment, and the question whether the
bill was dead or not, debated till four O'Clock;
when, on motion of Mr.. BADGER-who made the
motion as the usual mark OF respect to the dead
me senate BY vote of thirty yeas to fifteen nays,
Adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
The House, after debate, in which Messrs
STANLf, GORMAN, and STANTON of Ken
lucky participated, passed the resolution. hereto
fore reported from the Committee on PRINTING
providing for the binding of the maps of the re-
port OF the superintendent of the Coast survey
and those which accompany the report of the Sec
rotary OF the Treasury the subject of trade with
the British North American Provinces
RECIPROCITY
Ei,oH