Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1853-03-05
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

the OF the Lieut. relating TO
and trial. If transmitted before the close Of the
the be received by the Clerk of the House and
when received that the usual number be printed for the Of
the House.
bill providing for administering the oath of Office WM
R. KING Vice President elect Of the United States Of
America.
Mr.. STUART objected
PRE-EMPTIoN RIGHTS TO UNsURvEYED LANDS.
Mr.. BRAGG said that this morning the House had re-
ceved message from the Senate stating that they had
disagreed to the amendment Of the House to the bill
extend rights to unsuryeyed lands and for
other purposes and he asked leave that the
House insist its amendments and ask Committee of
Conference
Mr.. STEPHENS, of Georgia. objected
ARMY APPROPRIATION BILL.
The House then went into Committee of the Whole
the state Of the Unon r HARRIS, of Tennessee, in the
chair and resumed the consideration of the amendments
of the Senate to the deficiency bill
The CHAIRMAN stated the question to be the
amendment appropriatng $5OoO00 for the defence of
San Francisco.
Mr.. BAYLY of Virginia briefly replied to the remarks
yesterday made by Mr. CARTIER and conended that the
introduction Of steam into navigation the discovery of the
telegraph and the present railroad facilities increased
the necessity for Notifications
Mr.. LETCHER hoped none Of the amendments for for
tifcatons would be agreed to- for he opposed the
system of which had been adopted in the other
end of the Capitol for the purpose Of carrying
through the House. The gentleman from Texas MIR.
appropriations should be stricken out in arguing that
these propositions could not stand their merits
that fertilization bill introduced into this House could
not be passed. and that the only means by which these
preparations could be obtained would be by introducing
them into bills with which they had no Legitimate con-
nexon.
Mr. DEAN contended that Congress should at least ap
proprate this for the protection of the principal
city upon the Pacific and that there should be fort
upon that coast for the protection of merchant ships
Mr.. MARSHALL referred to the necessity Of the work
for which this section was intended to provide single
moments consideration would satisfy every member that
if the American people intended to protect American
rory that If it the purpose Of Congress to main
tain army at all, to stand armed among the armed
Powers Of the world equal to any of them it abso
lutey and indspensaby necessary that coast mpor
tant and exposed that of California should be at
least fortified to be able to make show Of
sstance against any force brought against it. single
armed ship might lay the commercial marine in the har
Dor Of San Francisco In ashes and might destroy three
the most important cities in Cafornia-San Francisco,
Sacramento, and Stockton-wthout gun being fired in
their defence. trade amounting to eighteen millions
nually needed protection from the American people
Mr.. T00MBS was opposed to the amendment, but not
from any special hostility to this particular appropriation.
Now he wished to call the attention OF the committee
this whole system They had discussed the question of
Notifications for the last three years. when they had the
time and bills reported from the proper committees
The other branch had thought proper bring into this
bill the most extraordinary, unusual and vastly mpor-
tan schemes that had been presented to the Ame
can Congress- and the House was expected under the
FIVE minutes debate, to decide upon these questions
Every of these amendments against the rules Of
the House. and though that might not be sufficient
for rejecting then it sufficient reason that they
had not the time to deliberate upon them properly The
Senate had inserted plumber upon plumber in the BILL and
the representatives of the American people called
upon to vote upon these great and grave subjects under
the five minutes debate They would perpetratc the
greatest injustice upon the country to pass upon these
important measures in such way this They would
not only abrogte their rules but abrogate their duties
and he called upon the House TO reject all these amend
ments.
Mr. WALSH said that it was contended that these ap-
preparations should be stricken out because the House
had not the time to give their attention to them Now
what time needed At this very moment our mails
were searched by foreign Power, and in few weeks
fishing vessels the northern would pro-
badly be seized Eighteen months ago the Governments
Of England and France combined and sent police force
very coast almost defying us and could not
utter one word Of rebuke There was only one way
accounting for this and that that Congress had been
negligent Of their duty in not providing for these dangers
before they were surrounded by them
Mr. BAYLY, Of Virginia, concurred to a large extent
in the remarks of the gentleman from Georgia, (Mr
TooMBs) who had said that this irregular mode
Of legislation But why these appropriations for
Notifications inserted in this bill IL beeausesth
fertilization bill proper had before the House
Mr.. HOUSTON begged leave to correct the gentleman
There was fertilization bill in Committee Of the
Whole which discussed at the last session. and upon
which debate had already been arrested.
Mr.. BAYLY. The bill to which the gentleman refers
did not before the House from the Committee of
Ways and Means.
Mr.. HOUSTON. As chairman Of that committee
ported that bill
Mr.. BAYLY know the facts and what kind Of bill
was it? Laughter. IL not fertilization bill it
AUTHORIZATION BILL for which |, as an ndepen-
dent member Of the House, moved substitute framed in
accordance with the estimates II because this bill
had been acted upon that the Senate under
the necessity Of inserting in the bill under consideration
appropriations which they thought should be made The
excuse for this legislation solely out Of the fact Of
the inability Of the friends Of Notifications to get the
question fairly before the House. Did the gentleman
from Alabama ask the House to take the bill upY
Mr.. HOUSTON The bill taken up and discussed
at some length until the House closed the debate upon
it, Ny friend from Virginia made speech upon the sub
icct md offered an amendment to the BILL
Mr.. BAYLY. Did the gentleman urge action upon the
b2
Mr. HOUSTON. did last session urge action upon
the bill on several occasions, and obtained action
Mr.. BOVINE moved to add to the amendment an appro-
pration of $50 600 for Fort Richmond, New York, and
10000 for the repair Of Fort Hamilton which he sup
ported by few remarks. lie subsequently Withdrew the
amendment
Mr. FREEMAN argued that if they should wait until
u would be regularly in order to an appropriation
Tor the defence Of California, that State would be taken
by some enemy Shongl. Hong Kong, or any other