The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1853-01-12

'PuhE upon Us suddenly hls morning suppose n Will
not DC desirable for the Senate TO continue il |
therefore move that the orders OF the day be taken up
WIN tbe understanding that This subject will be taken up
again ~ The morning hour tomorrow.
Mr CASS. have already spoken TO the honorable
senator from Maryland, who has wish personally
we should go on with hs debate to-day but he will.
ling 10 lei II 20 until tomorrow, There
personal matters, however. about which wish to say
lew words, and hope the honorable senator will with
draw his notion
Mr.. MASON. / withdraw the motion but will ask
the Senate to indulge me Ten minutes tomorrow
morning upon this subject.
MT. CAoS. would ask the indulgence of the Senate
10 ay over other business, SIMPLY on the ground that
good deal has been said, and msappehenson fallen
INTO on some OF these points; and think, therefore, that
s sh6qS ci Ae h1 S1ne Msov in
cha) This subject has not yet been disposed OF. and
tue senator can proceed.
Mr.. CASS next addressed the Senate His remarks
Mr. DOWNS / AN called into this debate very un-
expectsdly BY remarks made this by the honor
honorable senator from New York, ,IMr SEWARD who
seem 10 have given this whole subject very searching
inquiry and scrutiny. which have not shall not at
tempt at pressn, 10 through the details of the elaborate
arguments which they have made upon this subject
There ia very good reason why should not have
no. looked into The subject ! have not the means and
facilities Of arming myself with British authority de-
end the rights OF British claims, which should infer
from the very full knowledge they have upon the subject
has been accessible 10 them But stand here as shall
upon all occasions 10 defend the position which have
taken in regard this matter and TO vindcaie it,
oice say, Mr. President that Notwithstanding the
search and the labor bestowed upon this subject by two
OF the ablest champions OF their party upon THIS foor, i,
is perfectly easy, even for so humble individual
myself upon this side of the chamber 10 vndIcate the
course which have already taken. The honorable
ator from New York, in the hgh-sounding OF his
eloquence, has pronounced the assertion that made,
thai in all probability this understanding between the
British minister and Mr.. Clayton was not communicated
to the President OF the United States,
sault repel the assertion did not state il as a fact,
but suggested it inference from the circumstances,
"a u, ,ka ,hnr
Mt SEWARD. If the senator will allow nae, as /
know he cannot have a desire TO misunderstood me- al
though the difference in the terms may not be MATERIAL
1 will state what did say. | said il wantonness
OF censnre, and not a wanton assault.
Mr. DOWNS. understood the senator TO say that |
had made wanon assault upon the Secretary OF State
made no assault at ali. stated no fact. / suggested
what was very probable under the circumstances s-the
sickness and death of the President and with all the
search OF both gentlemen, with all the knowledge which
they seem to have upon the subject neither of them has
ventured TO assert that this identical TACT
munioated TO the President The senator from Mary
land Mr. PEARCE has said that it was communicated TO
the cabinet. repeat that did not state il fact, but
as mere suggestion prompted by the circumstances with
But Mr. President while that is so anxious to
charge another senator with attack of wanonness he
ought to have been very careful that he did hur
back upon himself the very same imputaon of making
charges against senator's here which full of
tonness But he has done that very thing, and he did it
when he said that the fact OF this communication be-
the British minister and the Secretary OF State
known to the Senate. deny IT. viii The gentleman
now, upon his word in his place that tina, fact was
il yet, and very much doubt whether he
Mr. SEWARD As the honorable senator appeals to
dhe.i wish 10 say upon that subject that in my argn-
upon that point relied upon The letter OF Col w. X
King which stated that the Senate knew the conslruc
on which given TO the treaty. With regard TO the
other, did otter myself witness TO say that the
Senate informed that subject | only say, that
for myself knew this understanding of The construc.
tion of the treaty personally and individually
Mr. DOWNS. Whatever the senator may have known,
his recollection TO have been very suddenly
eshed upon this subject; for the other day when ad
dressed few words to the Senate, and suggested that
member Of the Senate SO understood il, he cid not
correct me, although believe he present. HIS
objection must have frightened very much since.
Mr.. SEWARD The honorable senator will allow
remind him that when he sat down the other day
take the floor, but was anticipated by the hon
orable senator from California, [Mr WELLER,l who
moved an adjournment
Mr. DOWNS. am sorry that am 40 often inter
rupted by the gentleman, remarks must be de-
sutory The only ground upon which the honorable
rests his CONCLUSION that the Senate must have
known the fact OF this correspondence s, that some
document afterwards, at some subsequent time, sent
TO Congress which ntlmated something OF this kind
What senator suppose that every document sent here
Is at all times perfectly in the med OF every senator
How many immense volumes OF documents annually
sent here, which less likely TO be and known
here than by persons elsewhere Senators here have
something else to do besides coming over all the docu.
men,s which MIR Clayton somebody else sends here
inquire into the minute allegations OF facts which they
contain Therefore, whatever documents may have been
cent in Afterwards whatever sllusion may have been
made this subject after the matter all when
the Senate longer had power il, and when the
attention OF senator's not called 10 it, It does not by
any the presumption II ought not 10, that
senators perfectly understood the matter and this is
equivalent TO what stated the other day think there
s little foundation for nfeuIng, supposng, convey
ng the idea 10 the country that because the TACT was
comm unicated TO Colonel King IL also commun
Gated to the Senate There occasion for Colonel
Kings communicating TO the Senate, for the treaty
not then before the Senate The treaty had been ratified in
May; II had been TO Europe and had come back Tor
an exchange OF ratification II long after the treaty
was before the Senate. and OF course they had nothing
more do with H. Wnen the question was raised by
the British minister The treaty could come before the
Senate Colonel King could not bring the matter before
anybody but the President and II not incum bent
upon him around and tell everybody OF the com
muncalions which he had had with MIR Clayton, and
presume he did not Therefore, think the whole argu
of The that this fact have been known
to the Senate rests upon solid foundation and that the
great body OF sensios-l presume nearly every OF
them except the gentleman hmself-were unaware that
any such understanding as this did exist
But, sir, there many senators here who were here
then and since the gentleman seems TO have such pecu
liar knowledge, | might call upon every senator who
here then say II he at that time knew oil this cor
respondenee which had taken place between the British
minister and Mr. Clayton. II they did know il, sir,
perhaps very much behind all the rest in not know
ing the facts which known 10 others. But there
nobody here, except the gentleman himself, who did
know that tact; and think had right to infer that
the fact was not known TO the Senate and had right
express the astonishment which felt al the consruc
ton which had been given by Mr. Clay ton to this treaty
The senator from Maryland and the senator from New
York have taken very strange course to prove that The
roneous one and that is, that the British government
a some time or other did have some of claim 10