Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-06
CONGRESS-.
THIRTY THIRD coseasss--prnsr SESSION
Senate, Mo,,eiau Fsb,uayv 6. 1854.

Senate, Monday, February 6, 1854.
Hon. Mr.. Rnsk appeared in his seat to-day.
Mr. Bright presented the remonstrahces Of
citizens Of Georgetown, d. G.. against the con-
struction Of any bridge over the Potomac below
that harbor
Mr. Sumner presented the memorial Of the
New York Geographical Society, of which
George Bancroft is President and Henry Grin
nell Secretary. PRAYING that Congress would
take some steps TO effect the adoption OF CON-
mon international standard Of weights and
measures, and Of a common international me-
ridian line
Mr.. Pratt presented the resolutions Of the
Legislature Of Maryland respecting the trade
in gnano, which were read and referred
Mr.. Johnson, from the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs, reported bill for the relief Of
Elizabeth c. Smith. He asked that the bill
be now considered. This lady enlisted in the
Missouri regiment Of volunteers for the war
in Mexico, under the name Of Bill Eucher
and served for eight months, when her sex
was discovered and she was honorably dis
charged She had never received any pay or
bounty land This bill proposed to give her
both
Mr.. Shields in answer to a question, said
this lady did not belong to his command But
he had no doubt she had faithfully performed
her duty
The bill was then passed.
Mr.. Hunter introduced bill for the settle
ment OF certain accounts against the United
States
Mr. Shields, from the select joint committee
relative to the making of some suitable ac-
acknowledgement to the captains Of the vessels
who aided in the rescue Of the passengers on
the steamer San Francisco, reported joint
resolution, directing that the President present
three gold medals, with suitable devices, to
Captain Creighton Of the Three Bells,n Cap
tain Low Of the Kilbyn and Captain Stouffer
of the Antarctic and appropriating sum-
not exceeding 800 00O to enable the Presi-
dent to reward the officers and crews Of the
vessels engaged in the rescne. He moved the
resolution be taken up
Mr.. Gwin Directing, the subject was laid
over.
The bill to incorporate the Gas Light Com
pany Of Georgetown, in the District of Column
bia, was taken up and passed.
Mr. Hamlin said that, on tomorrow, he
would move to take up the French spoliation
bill, with a view Of having vote on it.
The Senate then proceeded to the considera-
ton Of the bill to establish Territorial Gov
eminent for Nebraska.
Mr.. Wade expressed the dif6dence with
which he rose to address the Senate He laid
no claim to be a debater, but he confined him
self generally to q silent performance of his
duty. He remembered the time of the adop-
tion Of the Missouri Compromise, and tho
struggle in which it was adopted. Since that
day he had known nor heard Of no man bold
enough to propose its repeal till now.
Tho Conn x,rnyo,ea IF 1QS6 uao olsn oJnokol
and for four years since, and during its consid-
Grafton, he had heard nothing but that it was
a finality forever to be kept, and not to be
questioned in Congress or elsewhere IL was
now not only proposed TO set aside this tinality,
but to gofurther, and set aside the more sacred
one of 1920. No reason had been given for
this repeal The Senator from Illinois, last
year, introduced and supported Nebraska
bill, with no provision for the repeal Of this
prohibition.
The Senator from Missouri, who was so
deeply interested in this measure, admitted at
the last session that the Missouri Compromise
had not been and could not be repealed The
Senator had given no just cause for this meas
urc, 40 calculated to rouse the people to mad
ness. This conspiracy to oyerturn the time
honored Compromise and sacred guarantee of
freedom to these Territories, was not vet six
weeks old; il had been Matched in this city
within that period
He would not stop TO investigate the course
of the Senator from Illinois on this subject IL
was, he knew, exceedingly mutable; but it
would be of little value 10 show that mutability
The committee had reported their bill at
first not on the ground that the acts OF 1850
repealed the Missouri Compromise, but on the
ground that il would be unwise for Congress
to decide one way or the other. They then
said in their report, that it was not wise to re-
peal or affirm the Missouri Compromise. They
then in q few days after, reported measure
for its repeal
He controvcrtcd at length the doctrine Of
supersedure, and contcnded that the acts of
1850 affirmed and continued the Missouri
Compromise The fact that part Of this Ter
ritory had been inclnded in Utah. did not
repeal the Missouri Compromise. Such doc
trine he illustrated Ivy saying. that il dis
putc arose between two men about the bound.
aries Of their farms, and line was run to
straighten the same, taking from one TO give
to tho other it could not be said that II A
got part Of BIS land, by running this line,
il did not follow that the principle Of run.
ming the line destroyed BIS title 10 the rest
Of his farm.
fto ulu nOt IiOHOSc W cOfnmCnt on the Nena-
tors speech. His colleague had so completely
pulserized that speech, that there was not
enough Of il left on which to hang an idea
The Territories he held were now free and
he earnestly invoked that they be not punish.
ed with the scourge Of human slavery
The South had had the whole benefit OF the
Compromise; and now, whom the North desires
to avail hersclf of her share, will the South
dcuv ia Ha denicd that thc North ha1 -,
thorizcd any one TO propose the repeal Of this
Compromise IL was perfdious betrayal OF
the North. IT. during the last election, Gen.
Pierce had been pledged to this measure, he
could not have received single Northern vote.
Major Andre was hung for making proposal
less base than this.
He enlarged upon the utter exclusion Of thir-
teen millions Of free Iaborers from this Terri
tory, by admitting Slavery to them.
He spoke till after two o'clock, in earnest
Ienunoiation If the Hill ,nN.,t.o., n,,k ,ta Yala