Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-05-09
RIGHTS OF NEUTRALs.

RIGHTS OF NEUTRALS.
Mr.. FISH presented the memorial Of the cham
her Of commerce of New York, asking that trea-
ties NAV be entered into with all European powers
for placing on a more favorable footing and pro-
tecting the rights of nentrals and for the sup
preston of prvateering Referred TO the Com
mtttee on Foreign Relations.
RESOLUTIONS.
On motion by Mr.. NORRIS,
Resolred That the Committee on the District Of Column
bia be allowed to employ clerk.
On motion by Mr.. SEBASTIAN,
eopcd That the report of the commissioners appointed
by the President Of the United States to investigate the
Official conduct OF Alexander H. Ramsey late governor
Minnesota Territory together with the testimony taken
Senate.
Mr.. JONES, of Iowa, submitted the following
resolution:
Resolved That the joint resolution of the oath of Feb
ruary 1854 for supplying members of the present
Congress with all such books Of public character and in
the same proportion as were furnished to members Of
and Mouton's edition Of tho pension and bounty land
&C. in the proportion Of eight copies to each Of said
understand and execute the said resolution.
CHICAGO Observation-Disclosures BILL
Mr.. DOUGLAS said there had been sent TO him,
with a request that it might be presented, a me-
mortal purporting TO be signed by 504 clergymen
Of the northwestern States, demonstrating against
the passage of the Nebraska BILL The memorial
Accompanying il was a letter from one OF the cler
gymen, stating that he had been appointed to en-
roll the memorial and the signatures into one fair
copy, and certifying also that the memorial was in
the exact terms of the one recently adopted by
meeting of the twenty-five clergymen Of Chicago.
The memorial was in the same words as the one
presented from the clergymen Of New England,
except that the words in the name of Almighty
God,' did not appear in It, Why this certificate
was attached TO the memorial, in order that il
might go on the Senate journal, was rather sngu-
lar. The Senate would remember that some time
ago he had published letter in reply TO memorial
and certain resolutions adopted at a meeting Of
the Chicago clergymen, and in IT was set forth at
length the memorial in which the words :" in the
name Of Almighty God" did appear Since that
time he had been denounced in the organs Of
these clergymen with having alsifed the language
Of their memorial.
|. he opened one morning an envelope addressed to
him. and found therein newspaper slip containing
| the memorial and the resolutions adopted by that
| meeting. He also had received two newspapers
| the Chicago Tribune and democratic Free Press,
| both anti-N journals, in which were con-
| tanned the memorial and resolutions in precisely
the same language and, receiving this concurrent
| testimony, he was not at liberty to doubt their
genuiness. In his reply he copied the memorial
| in the precise words in which il appeared in the
| organ Of the clergymen, the Tribune and in that
| copy the memorial did contain the words " In
the name of Almighty God. &C., &c. The certi-
| fed copy of the memorial now sent does not
contain these words, and the object of sending this
certificate was TO place him in the Senate MS a
| falsifer. There had appeared since that time
| several accusations in the Chicago Tribune as 10
his having falsiiied the language of the memorial !;
| and, anxious TO know how the mistake had occur
red he wrote to Chicago and had received letters
informing him. that the proceedings of the meet
ing, resolutions and memorial were furnished the
/ Tribune office by the secretary of the meeting,
and were printed by that paper as furnished by
the secretary Slips We're sent to the other Offices,
and also to him. Subsequently, after the blasphe
nous language had appeared, and was condemned,
the officers OF the meeting remodelled their memo
rial, had it republshed with those words omitted,
but never sent to him copy of the same as cor
/ rected
This was the history OF the transaction, in which
originated the groundless accusation that he had
fasifed their memorial in his lctterin reply 10 il.
The resolutions adopted at that meeting were
never recalled or amended. He read them, and
conended that in spirit and language they breathed
all the arrogant basphemy which they had sought
to avoid by striking those words from the memo
rial.
He also read numerous extracts from the SER
mon preached on the first Sunday of March last,
in Chicago, by Rev. Mr. Richardson, a Presbyterian
minister, in which the most denuncatory language
was used towards the bill, those who had voted
for H. and particularly himself
Mr.. ID. commented with great severity upon the
language and doctrine used and preached in this
sermon.
The memorial was then laid on the table
RELIGIOUS FREEDOM.
Mr.. CASS presented two memorials, praying
that measures be adopted 10 secure TO Americans
in foreign countries freedom of religious worship
lie also moved that the resolution upon this sub
Ject, offered by him, and upon which he desired
TO speak, be fixed for Monday next. Agreed 10.
VETOED INSANE LAND BILL.
Mr. GWIN moved that the Senate take up tn,