The republic. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1849-1853, 1853-02-24
fHIRTY-SECoNDs CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
WEDNESDAY,, February %, 1858
SENATE.


United States, reported that the committee had
performed the duty assigned them, and had re.
ceived as reply the felowiug
You will please to communicate to the respec
1--WE houses OF Congress my acceptance of the trust
connded to me, and at the same time express to
s .heln my grateful acknowledgements. and assure
tnem OF the deep sense of obligation with which 1
regard this manifestation of confidence on the
part OF my countrymen 1t will be nv earnest
enaeayor TO prove that their confidence has not
On motion. OF Mr.. BRIG HIT, it was
= hesoireo, That there be appointed committee
9, the me senate 70 make the necessary
elect on the Attn of March, and to annrize him of
the same. pp. $3.50 :
THE VICE PRESIDENT ELECT.
Mr.. BUTLER, during the debate on the Army
following bill -
Bill providing for administering the oath of
office TO William R. King, Vice President elect
OF the United States of America.
Bsn enacted BY the Senate and House of Repre-.
sentatsres Of the United States Of AmeIca in Con-
gress assembled, That William L.. Sharkey, who
was appointed Consul of the United States at Ha-
rana, be and he is hereby authorizedto administer
at Havana, in the Island of Cuba, to William r.
King, Vice President elect of the United States OF
America, The oath of office prescribed by the sixth
article OF the Constitution thereof, on the fourth
Gay OF Iarcn next, or some subsequent day in the
following terms, to wit: 81, William R. Zinc do
soiemniy swear that will support the Consf;tn
ton OF the United States'' Which oath when TINS
ham Il. sharkey, and he is hereby required to cer
States w. i'seu
SEC. Ind be ii further enacted, By the authority
g{ofesaid, ihat any judge magistrate in the
united states OF America may administer the oath
OF oftlee aforesaid to the Vice President elect IN
the Atm OF March next, or some day subsequent
thereto; and the officer before whom the "a mo abs
De taken is hereby required TO certify the admins
Watioh OF the said oath as is hereinbefore pro.
Ar II. 10
York intelligence had been received that Mr. K;ng
had LETT Havana for ST. Thomas and perhaps +
"ouia pe advisable TO authorize the commercial
agent or consul of the United States at that olace
II there was one there, TO administer the oath
MIR. BUTLER said it was hardly necessary. As
soon as MIR. King advised Of the passage of
this act he would undoubtedly repair to Havana,
or TO Key West, where there was an United States
Judge, and take the oath of office.
Inc bill was then read three times and passed
unanimously.
PENSIONS.
The Senate bill granting pension 70 Mrs,
Thompson was returned from the Hou Sc with an
amendment containing provision for a pension to
Mrs. Elizabeth Lomax, and taken uD.
Mr. NORTON moved to amend the amendment
by adding thereto provision grann q pension to
the widow of Colonel Dade who vas killed in |
Florida. After some debate the amendment was |
THE MILITARY DENY
. Appropriation bill, which had been returned
from the House with disagreement to several of the
Senate amendments, was taken up, and on motion |
OF Mr.. HUNTER, the Senate insisted on its amend :
ments, and asked committee of conference |
Messfs SHIELDS, PEARcE, and ,BAYARp, were ap- |
pointed on the part of the Senate.
THE BRIG GENERAL ARMSTRONG;.
Mr. UNDERWOOD submitted the following |
resolution, which agreed to:
Resolred, That the President of the United States |
De requested TO communicate to the Senate if in |
ms opinion II be not incompatible with the public
interest, inc correspondence between our minister
PORTUGAL tba.os 4. 3
IN relation 70 the ship General Armstrong and the
the ~
HOSTAGES.
The CHAIR laid before the Senate a report from
the Postmaster General, with statement prepared
oy the Sixth Auditor, showing the amount of post.
sg's collected in the United States since the Postal
Conyen ion with Great Britain; which was referred
ana ordered to be printed.
ARMY APPROPRIATIONS BILL
The Senate proceeded to consider the bill ma kin
appropriations for the support of the army for the
year ending June 30 1854.
Several amendments reported by the Committee |
on FINANCE were considered and adopted
OBSERVATION-DISCLOSURES OF ARmoRIEs
MIR. SHIELDS moved to amend the bill by atrik. |
ing out the following words
9 PrOuided That from and after the first day of
July next so much of the act of Congress of
August, 1912, as places the national armories un-
DER the superintendent of an officer of the ord
nance corps, be and the same is hereby repealed |
and from that day the said armories shall be under
that system OF superintendent which existed prior
to the passage of said act of Congress-"
Mr.. DAVIS said ne would like to have come ex-
PLANTATION why the provision should be stricken
out.
Mr. HALE said ne also would like to have some
reason given for this motion. He had been in favor
Of placing the armories under the charge of civil
hans, and was yet disposed to do go; but he was at
the same time unwilling to make the chance if |
thereby he cast any reflection or imputation on the
character oil any ofhcer. He would be unwilling
70 condemn any one without giving them an OPP
portunlty of making defence. He thought il
would be better not to have the workmen in these
shops, nor those employed in the navy yard work
snops, placed under the rigorous rules and disci-
pine OF the army and navy.
Mr SHIELDS said he thought the reasons Tor |
this change ought 20 come from those who sought
10 make r. Inc armofies were now under the |
control oil the ordnance corps, and the bill pro-
posed TO change il. He knew no reason why
they should remove the officers of this CORPS
which the best administered one in the
army, to make room for civilians. No civilian
could make q better superintendent of an armorY
than officer reared aud educated in this corps
He could not see what the change was desired for,
unless perhaps twas supposed by spectators that
if civilian had charge of them there would be
better opportunities to make speculations and run
the expenditures into all kinds of extrava gancies
II this change were made, he would prefer that the
Government should abandon all its armories and
leave the manufacture OF ordnance entirely to
private competition, in which case the Govern
ment could go where it pleased get the best and
cheapest article.
MIR. MILLER supported the motion to strike out
hr DAVIS said he did not know enough of the
controversy going on between the respective par.
ties this question to enable him to decide either
way. Under these circumstances he might which
ever way he voted, do injustice to one side or the
other The workmen complain of the rigors of
military discipline enforced in these establish
ments, and say that discipline ia distaateful to
them. He thought the President would be able TO
decide the matter better than he or the Senate
could and he therefore moved to amend the pro
vision by so modifying the act of lS42 SO as to al
low the President of the United States if in his
opinion the public service required it, to appoint
superintendent who is not an officer of The army
Mr.. PEARCE said that when these armories
were established, and the system of appointing
clVh suPerintendents adopted, the army was in it,
I eeianey, shc there was no ordnance corps. In
Io+l commission was appointed to renort on tbis
sagJee,' ~lch report was made, in which the ques
I'D adysfe ose15ea, and the propriey justice,
c ILlcgIS o. mat corps as superintendent was
1872 he civil superintendent were renovsd .a -,
ofncers 81 the ordnance corps appointed Il waa
little Eingular bat the fact So that betors ~
. tiEie minister of the gospel presided over o.