Washington sentinel., 1854-05-23
G0marEssi0naI.
THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
senate.-SIonday, May a2, 1854.

port estimates the necessary sums as follows for
Fort Jefferson SSs9,S62; for Fort Taylor $73O,000
THE CHAIR laid before the Senate a letter
from the Hon. Edward Everett, notifying the
Senate, that he had, in consequence of i'll health,
resigned his seat in the Senate, 10 take effect
on the LIST Of June, 1851
RESOLUTIONS OF THE STATE OF MAINE.
Mr.. HAMLIN presented number Of resolu-
tions of the legislature OF Maine in favor of the
establishment of reciprocal trade with the British
North American provinces, IN form OF cheap
ocean postage in favor of the payment of the
French spoliation claims; in favor OF the repeal
OF duties on sugar and molasses, and in ssvor OF
the abolition Of the spirit ration in the Navy
which were read, appropriately referred and
ordered TO be printed.
STEAMER FOR THE LAKES.
On motion by Mr.. STUART,
Resolred That the Committee on Commerce be instruct
ed to inquire into the necessity of appropriation for
srctng new steam vessel for the survey service
In the upper lakes.
MARINE HOSPITALS AT CINCINNATI
On motion by Mr.. CHASE,
inquire into the expediency of providing marine hos
pita at CINCINNATI in the State Of Ohio.
THE FRANKING PRIVILEGE.
Mr.. CHASE gave notice of bill to abolish the
franking privilege, and 10 provide for the dstrbu-
ton of public documents.
REV. MR.. KING.
message was received from the President
communicating, in response 10 resolution of the z
Senate, all the correspondence the files of the
department respecting the arrest, imprisonment
&c. ofthe Rev Mr.. King, at Athens, in 1852. Re-
ferred, and ordered TO be printed.
NEBRAsKA-coNNECTIcUT RESOLUTIONS.
Mr.. SMITH presented the resolutions Of the
legislature of Connecticut, demonstrating against
the repeal of the Missouri compromise, and de-
claring that the people of that State would never
consent 10 the extension of slavery to territory
now free, or the admission of any slave State
formed out of territory now free.
The resolutions having been read,
Mr.. CASS expressed the hope that they did not
mean another Hartford convention.
Mr.. SMITH denied that there was anything in
the resolutions calling for the remarks ofthe sena-
tor. Whether the resolutions meant another Hart
ford convention not, one thing was certain, they
expressed the sentiments of the people of Con-
necticut as declared by an overwhelming
jority, and also of the democratic party OF that
State.
They declared the sentiments of the freemen
OF Connecticut, and, he doubted not, also of the
people Of Michigan.
Mr.. CASS said he had been accustomed to hear
such denunciations for forty years. He had no
fault TO find with the adoption of the resolutions
by Connecticut; but what he meant TO say, was,
that he hoped the people of Connecticut did not
mean to say that they would not submit TO con-
stitntiona act of Congress. He had no doubt but
their representatives for voting for an act se-
cure the right Of selEgovernment to American
citizens every where.
He then defended the right of popular sover-
eighty by American citizens, secured by the Ne
braska bill to the citizens of the Territories.
Mr.. SMITH said he would leave it to the Senate
to decide who had commenced denunciation. Did
not the senator denounce the resolutions as mean
ing another Hartford conventions The sentiments
expressed in the resolutions were the sentiments
nf hvr rhalp
majority. The democratic party in that State was
opposed TO the repeal of the Missouri compromise,
and in this respect they were faithfully represented
in the Honse-three members of the delegation
being opposed to the repeal of that bill
He then referred 10 former positions by Mr..
CAss, TO show that he was not always an opponent
of the Wilmot proviso, but had at one time ex-
pressed himself in favor Of it. He questioned the
justice of the SENATOR calling in question the
iutons Of the people of Connecticut, who had
shown more stability than the senator himself
Mr.. CASS replied, stating that when he had
expressed himself as inclining to the Wilmot pro-
viso, the subject was new one, and had not been
discussed. Upon examination Of the subject,
he had made up his mind on the subject, and the
first vote he gave on it was against the proviso;
and by that vote he had hazarded his seat in the
Senate. What he complained of was, that the
resolutions contained threat that the State of
Connecticut would not submit to the bill if it
passed.
Mr.. SMITH denied that the resolutions con-
tainedany such threat. They said that the people
Of ofConnecticut would not consent He would not
consent. The epeople of the northern States would
not consent. But that did not mean q threat that
they would not submit to the bill il it passed.
Mr.. CLAYTON submitted the following reso-
luton:
Resolved That the Committee Foreign Relations be
instructed to inquire into the expedency providing by
law for such restrictions the power Of American
suls residing in the Spanish West Islands, issue
islands, will prevent the abuse Of the American flag
protecting persons engaged in the African slavetrade.
E Mr.. CLAYTON said that since 1852, the slave
trade had frightfuly in the island Of Cuba
while It had nearly ceased in Brazil, where il had
formally been almost exclusively carried on. Dur
ing the last year and the present, thousands of
slaves had been brought not only from the west
but also from the east side Of Africa to Cuba
Good men at the south, and at the north. and
throughout the civilized world had had their at
tention drawn to the subject; good men every
where abhorred this Internal traffic. The men Of
the south would go as far as the men OF north TO
put il down. Most OF these negroes were brought
from Africa TO Cuba, principally in American built
vessels, commanded by American captains, and
manned by American crews who thus abuse and
despol the American flag.
lie then explained the manner in which Ameri-
can built vessels Were sold at Havana and re-
ceived sea letters from the American consuls,
which entitled them TO American protection.
Under this protection they sailed TO Africa and
brought back TO Cuba cargoes OF slaves He then
cAaihineu the question Wnetner there was any
ground to sustain the impression, so forciby ex-
pressed by Messrs. SLIDELL and MALLORY on
former occasions, that il was the design of the
Spanish authorities of their own motion or at the
instgaton Of the British government to Africanize
Cuba. He stated that from all the information in
his possession, he was unable TO come TO the con-
clusion that any such design existed. He argued
TO show that Cuba was the great market for the
agriculturists of old Spain, whose interest was
powerful at home as to prevent any sale of Cuba
to the United States, because it would deprive them
Of their monopoly in -four and other articles sold
in that island. This same interest would prevent
any such suicidal act as the Afrcanizaton Of Cuba.
He expressed his belief that at some time Cuba
would be annexed to or become part OF the United
States. s,s %
After some explanatory remarks from Mr.. NAL
LORY, and some observations by Mr.. WELLER,
the resolution was adopted.
INDIAN APPROPRIATIONS
On motion by Mr. HUNTER, the Senate re-
sumed the consideration of the Indian appropria.
lion bill, and the amendment 10 pay the Creek In
lians S500000 for certain lands taken from them