The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1853-01-13

MI LASS ealu tnat II ne understood VIVA
the Senator meant be would perhaps reply Il
him but as he did not know what the Sena
tors speech was about, he would make no re
. ply.
Mr. Hale said the difficulty with the Senator
is that meant what said but that is such
/ an unusual thing here, the Senator does not un
derstand it. Laughter
l The memorial was then referred
Mr. Mason said that some time since he
, submitted a resolution, calling upon the Presi-
dent for copies of certain official notes address
. ed by the Ministers of France and England to
this Government proposing tripartlte con-
vention relative to Cuba, &c, and that a debate
> then occurred. The resolution was postponed
at the instance of several Senators who desired
to take part in the debate. He now was in
formed that those Senators were willing that
the resolution should pass, and that the debate
should be adjourned till after the information
was communicated to the Senate.
The resolution was then taken up and adopt
ed
Mr.. Hale submitted the following resolution,
which was laid over:
ReSOired, That the Secretary of the Navy be
directed to inform the Senate the number of
days the United States race Independence,
the flagship of the Mediterranean squadron,
commanded by Charles w. Morgan was at
sea after her arrival at Naples, on the 18th
September, l849, until she sailed thence for
the United States, ON the 29th March, 1852 !;
how many days said ship was at anchor in the
bay or harbor of Naples, and how long at
Spezzia or other ports, during that period );
what portion of the aforesaid two and a half
years was passed on shore, and how much of
it on board ship, by said Morgan what is the
estimated expense of a ship of the class of the
independence. properly Offered and manned
per day or per year whether said Morgan,
without authority from the Department while
his ship was lying at anchor in the Bay OF Ma
| pies, chartered or employed merchant vessel
TO transport supplies for his squadron from
! Spezza to Naples, and whether the cost OF such
! transportation.has been charged 10 the Govern
ment by the order or approval Of said Morgan
whether Instructions were given 10 said Nor
! gan, by the Department or by any bureau
thereof to practice his squadron in naval evo-
buttons OF fleet sailing; and if so, whether said
instructions were obeyed whether he was di-
rected TO exercise his men in target firing and
if 50, whether he complied with such directions
and to what extent whether there is any rule
IT regulation of the Department against naval
officers transporting females, members of their
families or others, on board ships of war of the
Morgan or any officer under his command was
guilty of violation Of such regulation; wheth-
er the broad pennant of Commodore Morgan
was kept flying during the period Of his COM
mlud in the Mediterranean or was at any
time taken down and f 50, for what length of
time; whether Commodore Morgan has been
held to answer for disobedience of orders, vio-
lat0ns of regulations, or neglect of duty, while
in command of the naval forces of the United
States in the Mediterranean, during the past
three years.
On motion of Mr.. Borland, the Senate took
up the bill to revive certain acts regulating
pensions to widows of revolutionary officers and
soldiers and, after long debate, without ia
king any question, the Senate adjourned.
TUESDAY, JANUARY4.
The bill making appropriations for the pay
ment of naval pensions. and the bill making
appropriations for the payment of invalid pen
sons, for the year ending June 80, 1854, were
received from the House, and referred to the
Committee on Finance.
MIR Smith moved that the petition of Mr..
Wells, claiming that his father was the discov-
erer of the anesthetc agent used in the army
and navy in surgical cases, be taken up
After a long debate, the subject was referred
| to a select committee
Mr. Cass introduced the following Joint reso-
luton, declaratory of the views of the United
States respecting colonization on the North
American continent by European Powers, and
respecting the island Of Cuba:
Be 1t resolved, That the United States do
hereby declare that the American continents,
by the free, independent condition which they
have assumed and maintain are henCeforth not
to be considered ~ subjects for future coloni-
cation by any European Power And while
existing rights should be respected and will
be by the United States, they owe it to their
own safety and interests to announce as
they now do that no future European colony
or dominion shall, with their consent be plant
ed or established on any part of the North
American continent And should the attempt
be made they thus deliberately declare that it
will be viewed AZ an act originating in motives
regardless of their Interests and their safety"
and which will leave them free TO adopt such
measures as an Independent nation may Justly
adopt in defence of its rights and its honor
Ind be ii Further resolved, That while the
United States dsclaim any designs upon the
island of Cuba, inconsistent with the laws of
nations and with their duties to Spain, they
consider it due to the vast importance of the
subject to make known, in this solemn manner,
that they should view all efforts on the part of
any other Power to procure possession whether
peaceably or lorcibly, OF that island which us
n naval or military position must under cir
cumstances easy to be foreseen, become dan
gerous to their Southern coast, to the Gulf of
| Mexico and to the mouth of the Mississippi, as
uufriendly acts directed against them, to be re-
sisted by all the means in their power
Mr.. Hale moved that the Senate take up the
resolution submitted by him yesterday in rela-
ton TO Commodore Morgan.
Mr.. II. explained that the matters stated in
the resolution were 10 be found in a speech
made in the House of Representatives He de-
sired tins information, in order that it might
be known by the country whether these state
ments were true or not
Mr.. Shields objected to taking up the resolu-
ton. He thought the inquiry might as well be
extended 50 "a to ask what quantity of powder
was used, the SIZE OF the cannon, and the guam
tty and quality Of the wine consumed by the
squadron He hoped the Senate would not en-
gage in this petty business The resolution
was dsgraceful
Mr.. Hale said he would be glad to DO in
formed what the Senator from Illinois meant
by dsgraceful.
Mr.. Cass considered that some Of the mat
tiers inquired of in the resolution might be per
, tnent matters for the Senate to call for infor-
f nation respecting them: but the others he
thought extended too much in detail He hoped
it would be suffered to lie over, in order that
it might he amended.
MIR. Shields saw no necessity in laying the
resolution over for another day. He saw no
reason why the Senate should go into An ex-
animation of the conduct of an officer in all tho
petty details of his cruise That was matter
| nrOpprlv To be inyestipate nv 81 court I'M ortial
( and not by the Senate. He had said it was a
rllsgraceiul resolution by that he did not mean
to say the Senator had done disgraceful act,
L.,t tL,t tLn s..-,l. .L.-lc i