The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-04-29


that u the language Of the resolution The Presiden
70 dsbnrse the in any way that he may think prop
er to the persons best entitled but that Is in
| to exceed $780, 600.
/ Mr. SLIDELLG That does not at all answer my ques
ton My desire is 10 know whether the President will
CONSIDER himself bound according to established usage tc
dstr bate this sum OF 100000 In some form other
amGg the persons who may have rendered distinguished
services upon this occasion m 800 FL ayfl fss-f s# (
Mr. HAA.IN The second section Of the resolution, MS
repoksed by the committee provides: M ys..
Chat exceeding 100000 hereby eppropria-
,oa e. o. any money D the treasury mot sppro
that aided il The of tho survivors Of sad
and such ether distinguished themselves by
ware TO bc proportoaste the the efforts made
and the merit q the services rendered. r the
will state to the senator from Louisiana very cheer
fully what s impression Of the will only say
tAlS have never knowA Aa appropriation made by Com
gress where maximum fixed where the executive
officer has not always adopted the maximum in admnis-
terng the law and have doubt myself that the Pres
ident would deem his duty to expend the whole sum
Mr. SLiDELL. am extremely reluctant to oppose an
appropriation Of this sort but cannot reconcile it to my
OF propety to vote the public money away in such
manner Had not the people Of the United States
tribned 50 iberay they have should have t that
was incumbent upon not only to bestow medals upon
the officers but also to extend pecunary compensa
ton to the parties who honOrably engaged in this
transacion but venture to say that in the annals OF
this Or any other country no set Ct men on any occasion
persons engaged in the from the San Francisco Con-
suit the annals Of the British government which has al
ways been extremely liberal in such have not had
occasion refer to them lately but very that
under circumstances has any greater reward been
tended by the British government towards persons who
cued its citizens from shipwrcck than nedaoccasonal-
y chronometer; and in instance, believe fl000
Now told that in this $4,000 have been al
ready disburscd BY the government 100000 have been
distributed among the officers and Of two ships and
believe $4,000 have been given for some compli-
mentary presents to two officers Of the army and
navy who emnently distinguished themselves upon that
occasion. ~. @ttN@ 10y 81
We ought to look forward These things IRE Of daily
currcnce do not that these people entitled to call
upon the Of the United States for remuneration
in this case because Of the persons rescued the
employ of the do not conceive that that
all changes the merits of the Instances of the kind
fifteen days after the arrival Of the persons who
cued from the San Francisco that ship called the Henry
Grinnel arrived in New York, having saved from two
ships some twenty or thirty persons Now, why not
the owners captain and Of the Henry Grinnell entitled
in degree not to the extent compensa
tion as much as these parties2
appears TO that the proper mode to pass
general law the subject Hthnk it is highly proper,
under all circumstances to compensate the owners of the
vessel whose property is rsked and to compensate the OH
and who expose themselves personally for the
purpose Of saving those who shipwrecked think
ought to adopt general law; and il the chairman Of
the committee who reported this resolution will introduce
joint resolution bill to that effect making only
provision for this but prospective provision for all
Of similar character shall most cheeruy vote for
In order to enab the President carry into effect the
provisions Of the substitute offered by the from Cal
ifornia will TO strike out l00n and insert 20
to make the appropriation $4,000 That will he sufi-
cient for all the purposes
| Mr. MALLORY. ] shall support the chairman of the
committee who reported this joint resolution and the only
regret have the subject that the resolution has
postponed to late day this II reported upon
the 9th Of February and III was proper at all to pass II II
loses much of its grace by the delay that must express
my regret that the vote has not been taken at earlier
Mr. SHIELDS If the honorable senator win permit me-
wish to put myself right on that point ] acted the
organ of the committee in bringing forward this resolution
and report endeavored have it called up until got
SO tired that had to abandon it. came very losing
| it to-day.
Mr. MALLORY. did not mean to accuse the chairman
of the committee Of producing the delay in not bringing
Mr. GwIN | have on more than ono occasion been
charged with the delay in this matter called up
day when not here was necessarily absent at the
time and the senator from Louisiana Mr. SLpMI stated
that desired be present when il considered and
that prepared TO offer substitute for the resolution
II was, therefore, postponed upon that occasion But
have always been ready since and ready the
first day that the joint resolution introduced give
my objections and my why opposed it. II
been delayed day account except that
Mr. SHIELDS. did not charge the senator with de-
| laying it. tE .B
indicate in any way that the delay has been the direct
suit OF the action fany gentleman. only expressed my
regret that act Of of this character had been post
pOned w ODJect giving reward oil
this character What IL the philosophy Of the proposition
il be stimulate in the position OF these res
to out under similar circumstances and perform
the high duty3 There property Mt stake here
There fund out Of which the persons could be
warded 1t is the nobest effort perhaps in which any
be engaged-the salvation of life under such ccun-
stances these and Mr. President there was moral
bravery connected with this act which very well infu-
in action. repeat there is fund here
Of which compensation be made II there had been
fund have not the slightest doubt that the would
have obtained far greater amount Of compensation than
that which the select committee reported The English
government in the OF the brig Thetis where life
at stake awarded much larger amount than here
proposed be awarded merely for the salvation of prop
erty. And sir situated here, to be the
largest commercial power EARTH II Is highly important
that should embrace not that should lose oppor-
tunity to show readiness TO reward actions of this
kind In speaking Of the moral greatness of the ransac-
tion will remind the Senate that there have been
three expressions used in modern naval warfare which
have been handed down to posterity and kndlcd the
hearts OF those who called to engage in battle You
rccollco distinctly the flag which Nelson spread be-
fore his fleet" England expects that every will do his
duty. You rccoect also the last words Of dy
ing hero" Don't give up the ship When rcooect
words Of this knd and how they spur forward TO
acts Of bravery under all circumstances in which they
be placed ought to recolIect with much pleasure the
words OF the captain othc Three Bells which the chair
OF tho committee has well described in his report
Finding his voice drowned by tho storm he bnde the
to mount the rigging and give them three cheers the only
indication which he could throw that be would
ser the wreck There moral greatness in that and
we should reward il in n suitable manner,
The honorable senator from Louisiana has spoken Of the
extravaganza of the reward proposed Sir this most
extraordinary II s the first case and the only one
that has occurred in the history Of government
and as before remarked the first commercial power
p,< ho.n na,.x