Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1853-12-24
CongrGssional.
THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS.

THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.
Senate--Friday, December 90, 1853.
After the presentation Of petitions, &C.,
Mr.. JONES, Of Tennessee, gave notice that AT
an early day he would ask leave TO introduce a
bill to distribute the proceeds ofthe sale Of public
lands, among the several States ofthe Union.
Mr.. JOHNSON, on his own motion, was ex-
cused from serving on the select committee on
claims for French spoliations.
Mr.. JAMES gave notice of a joint resolution
directing that sword be given TO the nearest
male relative the late Major Samuel Ringgold
LAND CLAIMS IN CALIFORNIA.
Mr.. GWIN, on leave, introduced bill TO revive
and continue in force the act entitled an act 10
ascertain and settle private land claims in Cali
fornia, and for other purposes; which was referred
to the Committee on Private Land Claims.
Subsequently,
Mr.. PETIT reported back the same bill, and
recommended its passage.
The bill was then considered, read three times,
and passed. tt
MILITARY BOUNTY LANDS.
Mr.. SEBASTIAN, on leave, introduced bill
granting further time for satisfying claims for
bounty lands for military services in the war Of
1912 with Great Britain, and for other purposes ::
referred to the Committee on Public Lands.
PRIVATE BILL. Is@g
On motion by Mr.. CHASE, the Senate pro-
ceeded to the consideration of the bill for the legal
representatives of Major Caleb Swan, deceased,
and the said bill was read third time and passed.
coUYTERFEITING UNITED STATES COIN.
Mr.. BRODHEAD gave notice of bill making
further provision against the countereiting of the
current coin of the United States, and against
passing counterfeit COIN
NEW YORK INDUSTRIAL EXHIBITION.
The CHAIR laid before the Senate letter from
Theodore Sedgwick, president Of the association
forthe exhibition Of the industry Of all nations at
New York, inviting the members of the Senate to
visit said exhibition either singly or in body,
and incosing tickets; which was read. s.rA
And then, on motion, the Senate adjourned till
Tuesday next.
House of Representatives.
Mr.. ORR moved that, when the House adjourn,
it adjourn to meet on Tuesday next which mo-
ton was agreed to.
DISTRIBUTION OF DOCUMENTS.
The SPEAKER laid before the House COM
munication from the clerk, stating that certain
documents ordered TO be printed during the last
| Congress, for distribution among the people, had
been published since the meeting of the present
Congress- and after the Thanking privilege of the
former members had expired and that he had
been called on to say whether those books should
be transferred to the members of the present Con-
gress to be by them distributed instead of by the
former members. In view of the question which
had risen, the clerk asked the House to take such
action in the premises would remove the en-
barrassment. Y.ss4s si
Mr.. ORR conceiving that this involved a legal
question, moved that the communication be re-
ferred TO the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. JONES, Of Tennessee, expressed the hope
that the motion would not be insisted on but that
| the clerk would be directed to deliver the docu-
ments TO the members Of the present Congress
| for distribution. Those documents were not the
private property of the members of tue last Con-
gress, but were designed TO be distributed among
the people.
Mr.. ORR repeated that there was legal ques-
ton involved, which could not be determined, un-
less the matter was sent TO the Committee on the
Judiciary.
Mr. FLORENCE, and Mr.. STANTON, of Ten
nessee, and other gentlemen, expressed their
views upon the subject, when the House refused
| to refer the communication to the Committee on
| the Judiciary. t6
Mr. JONES, of Tennessee moved that the clerk
be directed TO deliver to the members Of the House
all extra copies of documents heretofore ordered
| to be printed but not published before the meeting
of the present Congress, in order that they may
| be distributed among the people. And the motion
was agreed to-
PRIVATE Calendar.
Mr. EDGERTON moved that the House resolve
itself into committee on private bills; but the mo-
| ton did not prevail.
Mr.. CULLOM moved that the House adjourn
but this was disagreed to.
THE CENSUS.
| Mr. CHANDLER desired to ask a question OF
| the Printing Committee. He wished 10 know
| whether the report the census is in situation
which would admit Of correction Gifts egregious
faults, whether the report was togo forth with
| its injurious errors.
Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee, objected TO the ques-
/ in hpin ok / N m a Uet
| through with the subject.
Mr. CHANDLER said he heard no answer, and
repeated great injury would be done ifthe report
should go forth in its present condition.
PRESIDENTS MESSAGE.
| The House resolved itselfinto a Committee OF
the Whole on the state of the Union, Mr.. ORR in
in the chair, and resumed the consideration the
resolutions proposing to refer TO the appropriate
| committees the various branches of the Presi-
| dents annual message
| Mr.. PHILLIPS, of Alabama, remarked that the
question before the committee was the reference
ofthe Presidents message, and yet, from the lati-
tude of debate, there had been involved in the dis
cusson the principles OF the Presidents message,
| the question Of slavery, the conduct of Captain
Ingraham, the Koszta affair, and the constitution
atty of the act of 1910 which in the Secretary
ofthe Treasury the right to appoint the assistant
secretary fthe treasury; and what else TO be
involved in this discussion, or on what other I'M
| known sea they were yet 10 be launched, no one
perhaps can say, not even that notorious gentle
man, s'the Oldest inhabtantn
He could not say he was surprised by the SEN
| timents which fell from the gentlemen from New
| York (Mr, SMITH) and from the gentleman from
| Ohio, (Mr. GfDDINes) He was not surprised,
though he confessed the sentiments were in them
selves startling but he not surprised by those
| sentiments, because the stereoyped sentiment
| talites which Issue from the lips of abotionsts
have fallen too often the ear of the country to
excite at this day the least emotion of surprise.
Invcctive, unmeasured, and unsparing abuse
was poured out by the gentleman on the institu-
tons Of the south, while southern members had
maintained their seats in quiet, in decorum, and
without reply. Nay more, they had been called
on TO listen to the remarks of those who, denying
the obligation of their constitutional OATH would
ialsfy history and the plainest provision Of the
Constitution TO support and sustain them in vio-
linton of their pliphted faith