The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-01-14

feet the hereinbefore granted powers and every Of
them.
RAILROAD TO THE PACIFIC.
On motion. the Senate proceeded to the consider
alton of the bill authorizing the construction Of
railroad and branches, for establishing certain
postal communication between the shores of the
Pacific and Atlantic, within the United States, fol
the protection and Acilities Of travel and com /.
merce, and for the necessary defences of the
country. 14s ,'.sf}stg.ss +, 4Iss,-3
5. Mr.. GWIN read a written speech in favor Of
the BILL 9se4silfs ~.
Mcssrs. HAMLIN, MILLER, BELL, DAVIS
CASS, SEWARD, RUSK and BORhAND followed
In support of the gehe, al object of the bill, but
nolhs of them expressed doubts to the details oil
Mr.BUTLER made few remarks in opposition
to the measure. 43s sEatF5 81 ss
Messrs. HAMLIN and RUSK submitted propo.
sitlons in the nature of amendments; and they
together with the BILL were ordered ID be printed.
The subject was then postponed. sfr
And the Senate adjourned. ssasa79sa
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Mr.. DARBY, by unanimous cpnsent, presented
a memorial praying for a grant Of laid on the
western bank of the Mississippi river to aid in the
construction of railroad from New Orleans to
Minnesota; aid it was referred to the Committee
on Public Lands.
a4 TERMINATION OF DEBATE.
On motion, it was resolved that all debate ON the
bill to suppress the circulation of small notes. az
currency, in the Disttict Of; ,Cdlotfibia, shall
cease in Ave minutes after the House shall again
go into Committee of the Whole on the state Of the
Union upon that subject.
THE COMMITTEE ON MILITARY AFFAIRS.
Mr.. WILCOX rose to what he believed privi-
legged question, and asked to be discharged
from service as member of ths Cufnmtttee on
Military Affairs The reason for the request was
this: ne was summoned by the chairman of the
committee CO to attend its sittings on Tuesday and
Friday of each week. In pursuance of that sum.
mons, ne had presented himself regularly at each
meeting; but, up to the present time, a Quorum
have not met for the transaction OF business He
felt unwilling that the public should bold him re-
sponsible for the neglect of business which it wa
impossible for him to discharge without the
CO operation of the members of The Committee.
Important matters have beeh fsferred to it.
including those in the message of the President
OF the United States, and in the report of the
secretary OF War concerning the Territories Of
Utah, New Mexico, and Oregon, and many i'm.
portans matters from the Senate, in fact, the table
OF the committee is grooming beneath the weight
of business referred to I'll which has not been
into consideration up to the present time The
result will be, the business will not be attended to-
and the neglect will amount to virtual repudia
ton of it.. The new committee, at the next Con-
gress, In looking over the Journal, will see that
those matters have not been examined and will
take it for granted that the buainess was repud.
opprob-ium should attach to him, he asked the
Speaker 10 excuse him. Beside, going to the com.
inittee room took nearly two hours of his time,
which he could devote to the transaction of bust
meas for his constituents before the Departments.
E Mr.. STANLY objected, for the reason that the
gentleman wac an attentive member, and the
House could not do better by supplying his place
with another. IA voice, "Exac,ly.bl
Mr. HAVEN expressed the hope that the request
of his colleague on the committee would not be
QfaNte0: aid nd of
three others, even minority of the members could
not be got together. [Laughter.]
Mr.. GORMAN said it was due to the House for
him to state that the honorable gentleman from
Illinois, Mr.. BIssELL, the chairman of the COM
mittee, had been confined to his bed for some time
past by an aggravated afiiction, and therefore he
was unable to be at the committee room The
next on the list fMr. GEsTRY) had not been able
10 attend at any time during the session, on ac-
count of severe indisposition. There was, how
ever, majority without him. He had been there
almost every day since the commencement of the
session There were some gentlemen who never
attend; and therefore he would move, if he had
chance, to remove them from the committee and
keep his friend from Mississippi upon it,
Mr. FREEMAN said it occurred to him that if
his colleague should be excused; no work at all
Would be done by the committee.
MT. STEVENS, OF Pennsylvania, appealed to
The gentleman to withdraw his application He
(Mr. So said he had the honor to be placed on the
committee on account of his great military SER
vices (Laughter.] During four mornings he
went to the committee room three fourths of an
hour before the time, and always found his friend
from Mississippi there alone.
Mr.. WILCOX. insist upon my request 10 be
excused. , $50 ~.
Mr.. FLORENCE desired his colleague to state
in what war he had served, because he (Mr. F
supposed the Speaker in placing him upon the
committee, wished to vindicates the truth of his
tory. -@- 81. 5r sass ssts g-.
MIR. STEVENS, of Pennsylvania, replied he was
placed upon the committee OH account of his ex
a nation OF Qualifications, gradualona, and cir.
and ether ,hings--tbe terms of
which his colleague knew at Christana. Laugh
teri a,zg ~ sO
Mr. FLORENCE said he wasisatisfied. "a q1f7
1.-THE last named gentleman, it will lie Hrecol
lected, was hi. fireman OF the grand jury which
presented the Christiana rioters ] -,
The House then refused to excuse MIR. Wueox
az member of the Committee on Military AT.
fairs. at H. taEr
FRAUDS UPON THE TREASURY.
The House resumed the consideration of the bill
heretofore reported from the select committee APP
pointed to inquire into the conne1on of Thomas
Cor win with the Gardiner clairn) to prevent fra uds
ON the Treasury Of the United States
Mr.. STEPHENS, of Georgia, did not see what
connection the bill had with the report of the COM
snitee, and he proposed to treat il as an ipdepend
eDt measure, as if it had been reported merely by
all individual member. He was free to state be
thought the investigation of the committee and
their report fully and completely exonerated the
Secretary of the Treasury from an improper con-
nexion with the alleged fraudulent Gardiner claim
The gentleman from Tennessee {Mr.s JeHHsoN)
yesterday held that it was maIa in Sc wrong in
itself, for members of Congress to appear before
the tribunals for the prosecution of claims. 1t
had been common and usual, from the com.
mencement of the Government, for members of
Congress to appear before the Supreme Court of
the United States before any court Of the Union
or commissions, as attorneys for ciaiius arisin e
under treaties otherwise. He believed that an.
terror to the Revolution Dr.. Franklin did not con-
slider 1t mGla in Sc to receive fees for acting as a
colonial agent before the courts of Great Britain
He believed that after jays treaty of 1895 a com
mission was instituted for the distribution of
awards. Various meml ers of Congr ATTORNEYS,
appeared before it, and the re was no objection
After the treaty at the close of the last war with
Great Britain there was similar commission and
the celebrated Pinkney, of Mary land Ian honor to
that State and country, whose cloquence, perha ps
VAS never surpassed, man whose int grity was
never questoned-he appeared before it while hold
ing seat as distinguished member in the House.
lie had never heard of all impuiat being cast
on that gentleman's character for so doing There
lore, he was bound to conclude and entertain the
OPINION, and to express it, that there is nothing
maiG IN Sc, nothing wrong, nothing criminal; nav
more, nothing diahonorable in this. sGj
But as to the Mexican Commission. If there was
any thing improper in Mr.. Corwin having con
nexlon with claim, was it not equally SO With
regard to other members of Congress He did
not allude to this fact by way of casting an imD,,
tation upon any gentleman; but he did not intend
to sit this Hall. and hu oa;1,, +.