The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-07-15


by rumor, they say, Of what it contained The gentle
man from Alabama looking the face of the treaty,
satisfied that was not in violation of the spirit or letter
of the constitution and fair bargain consequently
he did not desire any further lights from the correspond
ence especially the correspondence related Mr. Gads
dens treaty. and not to this which be called the SEN
But the gentleman Maine asks if the gentleman
from Alabama ought not to have known that they the
other side would desire to this correspondence? How
was he to know itY Did the gentlemen of then de-
clare to the House. to the gentleman from Alabama that
they wanted those papers? Did they ask then what they
get those papers They remaining silent and not eclar
ing their wants the gentleman from Alabama look
through their bosoms to hunt them up? That would be
rather hard especially the gentlemen yet he
agreed among themselves in their views Of the matter
The gentleman from Maine says that if the friends of the
had asked for the papers they would have
been given But another gentleman his side in
dction to the position Of the gentleman from Maine has
expressed the opinion that those papers could have
WAS concealed under them which it intended that
the public should know. How is it that gentlemen cannot
4 agree upon the ground Of their complaint? o
Il Mr. PECKllAM (nterrupting) have learned from the
Clerk that this message into the House Wednesday
and Immediately referred to the Committee of and
Means and that they reported the bill Thursday We
might well have presumed up TO that time that the Com
mittec of Ways and Means intended TO communicate the
i papers.
Mr. BOCOCK. The gentleman could scarcely presume that
Certainly the gentleman from New York does rise here
and sy member of this House. that he expected the
Committee of Ways and Means TO communicate documents
from the executive department which had not been asked
for in the House The gentleman hardly that
i Mr.. PECKHAM. ! mean to say this: that expected
they would make report upon this subject and call for
that light which necessary for the information Of the
Il House
\ Mr. BOCOCK But when the gentleman from New York
heard resolution from them calling for the correspond
ence did he not know that they would not adduce it in
their repor2 They cannot get papers from the executive
department without resolution of the House. any
than think if the gentleman from New York had
been very desrous of seeing these papers, it, indeed had
been anything more than Pretcnce with him. he would at
earlier day asked consent of the House to intro
dnce the resolution he would have asked the gentleman
from Alabama TO have done Perhaps it suited better
the plans of gentlemen to wait silently until within three
four days from the time when the ra6catons must be
changed and the money be paid aud them when it is
late to get them and have them printed in time upon
the appropriation to rise in the House and get up the cry
of Papers papcrs There is something wrong here. Do
not force to act in the dark Do let have the papers,
Now, sir ask what is there unusual in the position of
this question before the House? ask the gentleman from
Maine mr. wAsrBrRs, who sits before me, or any other
gentleman to tell me when it that this species of in
formation has been called for and obtained by this House
We have already that the occasion Of jays treaty
in the first years OF this government it was asked for and
refused and the occasion of the important treaty for
the purchase of Louisiana call made but the House
refused to vote it. Recently when the treaty of S48
negotiated by which obtained possession of California
and New Mexico and for which paid Mexico S2O00O,
00oat that time, when party and sectional feeling
high almost any other in the history of the govern
menttherc was then gentleman upon this floor to stand
up and cry out for papers papers There call for
say is there unusual in it.? What is there in this treaty
that makes papers so much necessary than
previous occasions of similar charactcr2 Why should
this imputaon be cast upon the present administration
= Mr.. WASHBURN, of Maine. will answer the gentle
= man.
Mr.. BOCOCK. No. sir the gentleman is SO lengthy in
his and explanations that should probably lose
the remainder of my hour if yielded let him remember
# how much Of my time he has already occupied ask the
country look to the from whence these charges
come They mainly from distinguished for their
hostility to the southern States of the Union and unwil
ling that their interests should be advanced They come
from bitterly hostile to the present administration
and who have devoted themselves to the effort to wart
and overthrow it; who have made it the subject Of
their study by day. and of their mcdations by night to
invent way by which they may be able PROSTATE
it and bring il into dsrepue Still smarting under
fncied wrong in the passage of the Nebraska bill which
the administration said to favor they have taken this
the first proered OCCASION perhaps of wreakng upon it
their collected and enyenomed wrath And the whole
ground of their accusations is and the gossip Of
etterwrters Have they not heard enough to-day in the
speech of the gentleman from Illinois, Mr. RICHARDSON to
convince them that these statements of leerwrers these
elegphc dispatches these hints from the secret circles in
Washington not sufficiently reliable to be made the
basis of judgment?
But because vague charges have been made in such
ters and it is said that $20000000 offered for
: what get for only $l0,000000 they endeavor to
persuade the country that this whole matter is therefore
based fraud As to the last allegation it may be So
For myself am inclined to believe that the treaty nego-
{ tnted with Mexico by Mr. Gadsden gave S20,000000
whereas this one only gives her $lo0o0ooo But as
Il friend suggests get land for the $20000-
600 than get for the $loooooOo And if il
had not been it would only prove that Gen Perce ad
ministraton agrees with those of Mr.. Fillmore and Mr.
Polk in regard the value of these acquisitions under the
treaty gentleman stated here the floor to-day that
Sl5000000 offered by Mr. Folks administration for
guarantee of the Tehuantepec route and that ST.
100000 offered by Mr. Fmoefor the abrogation
Of the eleventh article of the treaty of Guadalupe Hdngo
d These together make more than $20,000O00
Mr. HAVEN dislike at all to interfere in this discus
sion but desire the gentleman to bear in mind that the
+ allegation to Mr. Fillmore is controverted. Therefore
g he loses the benefit Of that statement.
4, Mr. BOCOCK. Though conrovered, it is, nevertheless
l. substantially true, have doubt gentleman OF high
character and standing member of this House has
given such in relation it, that dare
my friend from New York. who is doubtless seeking fol
truth, that he will find it substantially as state tn.
amount not be precisely what Mr. Fillmore proposec
il to give, but it is not far from it.
le Mr.. HAVEN only speak of what we know.
+, Mr. BOCOCk refer, for the verihcation of my state
mcnt the gentleman who called to preside TIN
Of deliberations of this committee this particular bill
say the fact it be So that General Pierces admnistra
IN ton proposed to give ut tme S20000000 for hes
acquisitions only proves that it concur in regard to t
l. value of thcm with the administrations of Mr.. Fimor
and Mr.. Polk Why then pursue unusual course II
this cse2 why shall fraud be implied by absence of hi
correspondence Mr. Chairman other gentlemen have
gued against reckless and ncxpcden calls the Presi
dent for information in regard matters of treaty pend
he ing and unfinished against needlessy removing the sc
H. crecy under which negotiations carried and eN
posing their whole machinery the gaze and inspection
of all the parties before the matter is concluded IL
~ needless for repeat these arguments put tn
question to any gentleman this floor il he had employee
agent purchase for him piece of property and a
given to that agent confidential instructions to the mod
TO proceeding the matter would he be willing TO max
those instructions known to the other party previously