The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-03-03

For the defence Of San Francisco, California.
$500 900;
Fort Jefferson, At Garden Keys or Tortugas
Fort Tsylor, Key West, $75,ooO;
Fort Puleaki, Georgia. including barracks and
qcarters. $40 600
Fort Sumpter, Charleston harbor, $4,000;
Fort Carroll, Sollers's Point, Baltimore harbor,
Fort Delaware, Pea Patch Island Delaware riy
er. $50, 900
Fort Knox, Penobscot river, $4,000;
Fort Warren, Boston harbor, $45 COO; and
Fort Winthrop, Governors Island, Boston,
S29,57s.
In the course of the proceedings. and while the
House were dividing
Mr.. STANLY said he was compelled by sense
of duty to rise to question of privilege The floor
of the House was occupied by persons who ought
not to be within the bar. They, standing, were
sometimes counted by the Speaker thus, in eff
feet, assisting in the transaction of the public
business. The abuse ought to be corrected
The SPEAKER remarked, it is the duty of the
officers Of the House to enforce the rules, and the
Chair enjoins them to be particular n~this coca
sion
The Senate amendment appropriatino CLIO 00O
for exploration and survey of the nost practi-
cable and economical route for railroad from the
Mississippi river to the Pacific ocean, was concur
red in-yeas lib, nays 81.
The House non concurred in the amendment
authorizing the President of the United States to
enter into contract for the protection Of emgrants
on the way to the Pacific, by means of armed sta
ton houses, and by giving grants Of lands a
remuneration.
The following Senate amendment was concurred
in-yeas 95, nays 81:
''That for the purpose of enabling the commits
sioners OF the military asylum to purchase suit
able site with the view of establishing thereat a
western military asylum, the sum of ten Thousand
dollars in addition to the sum in the hands of the
commissioners, Ia hereby appropriated out of any
money in the treasury not otherwise appropri-
ated."
LIGHTHOUSE BILL
The amendments to the Army bill having been
acted upon,
The House resolved itselfinto Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union-Mr. PHELPS in
the chair-and proceeded to the consideration of
the bill making appropriations FOR lighthouses,
light-boats, buoys, sc. 1t was amended; and
then, without debate, the committee rose, and the
bill was passed.
Mr.. GORMAN, from committee of confer
ence, made report on the disagreeing votes Of
the two Houses on the bill for the relief of j. C.
Fremont; and
MIR. BROWN, of Mississippi, made a report from
committee of conference on the disagreeing votes
of the two Houses the bill for the extension OF
presumption rights to alternate sections along the
lines of railroade, for which Congress has hereto
fore granted lands.
The reports were severally concurred in.
PRESCRIPTIONS PRIVILEGES IN CALIFORNIA.
On motion of Mr.. McCORKLE the rules were
suspended, and the House took up the Senate bill
providing for the survey of the public lands in
California, and granting presumption privileges
thereon. and for other purposes.
Mr. MARSHALL said that the bill simply pro
vides for the organization of Surveyor Generals
office, for the purpose of surveying the public
lands in California and extending the same laws
with regard to presumption rights, after the lands
shall be surveyed, alb exist resp ectng other lands
in the Union.
Mr.. HALL explained that the bill excludes the
mineral lands, and has every exception to be found
in the law of lS4l, apart from that which pre-
cludes person owning three hundred and twenty
acres in any other State from the benefit of pre-
emption in California; and the donations to that
State are similar to those which have been made to
other States.
The bill was then passed.
GENERAL APPROPRIATIONS BILL
Mr.. HOUSTON said that the Senate had return
ed the Civil and Diplomatic Appropriation bill
with eighty-fve pages of manuscript amend
ments. 1t was utterly impossible to get through
with them in the ordinary mode of legislation,
such as investigating them in Committee of the
w hole on the state of the Union and indulgin q in
debate; and, even without debate, the bill might
fail to become a law. Various voices: 'sThen let
it fail;" "let's examine it." stAgreed, agreed 81
To test the sense of the House, he moved that all
general debate be closed; and this was agreed to.
The House then resolved itself into Committee
Of the Whole on the state of the Union-Mr
STUART in the chair-and proceeded to the con-
sideraton of the amendments
MIR. SMITH SAID ne had prepared speech on
the delay of business and asked leave to publish it.
The CHAIRMAN replied it was not in the power
OF the committee to give any such leave.
Mr.. SMITH then seized the privilege, under the
live minutes rule, to lay down his main PROPOSE
lions. First, he intended to prove that the great
delay of business is chargeabe to the members OF
Congress; secondly, that the House has adjourned
over enough days to constitute short session Of
Congress; having adjourned over forty nine days
ast session, and twelve or fifteen days during the
IU ho otoIf p, she H.,
xty i've members are regularly absent from the
House; and he expected to show that when mem.
are present they are not the habit of attend
ng to business These are the three causes to
which he attributed the delay of the public business
If the House; and he should attempt to point to a
proposition that, whenever any
member shall vote to adjourn over, except on ex-
occasions, or voluntarily absents him
elf, he shall not receive his per diem. He expect
ID to chow that sixty five members are receiving
Jay without working for it, This was the general
enor of his speech, which he asked leave to print;
'ut, whether the House granted leave not, he
would publish 1t, and make 1t a good public docu-
nent. [Laughter.l
The flrst amendment being read
Mr.. STEVENS, of Pennsylvania, remarked he
could not understand what he called to vote
upon. II they should adopt the eighty-ive
amendments in this way, it would be scandal 10
The country. They ought at least to know what
hey were to vote upon. The amend ments should
have been printed. He knew of no better way
'udu 10 vote uoWH every tQlng Cnat was not under
stood, and let it all go to committee of confer
snce.
Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee, trusted there would
not be a committee of conference Let the House
dispose of the bill, or let it be lost,
Mr.. TOOMBS remarked that they could know
nothing whatever of the propositions upon which
they were called to vote If he could not consider
things intelligently, he would not act-he would
have right to act. 1t not part of his duty,
nor his right, to vote away the public money and
determine grave questions when he could not have
an intelligent understanding of what he was do
ing. He conquered, in part, with the gentleman
from Tennessee, (Mr. JoNEs.) but did not agree
with the gentleman from Pennsylvania, (Mr SrE
vENs,) as to a committee of conference If the
House intended to abrogate its duties and refer all
ts business to four men, they had better all 60
home. instead of spending the public money for
doing nothing
Mr.. STEVENS, Of Penney !yania, sad if those
amendments should be referred to a committee of
conference, he expected the Speaker to appoint
three good men who would know how to defend
the rights OF the House against the duress Of the
Senate, under which they had been acting for
few years past.
Mr.. TOOMBS asked how committee of confer
ence could know the will of the House until after
the House had taken action on the matters re
ferred to them. 1t was the duty of the House to
pass upon all of those amepdments, and then, if a
of conference should be ordered. it
would be the duty of the Speaker to appoint a
committee who wou Id stand by the rights of the
House.
Mr.. HOUSTON said that, even if they should /
delay until the amendments could he nrinted