The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-01-28
IN CONGRESS- OF THE U. STATES
SENATE.
TROOPS on THE SAN FRANCISCO.

MIR SHIELDS, from Tue COMMITTEE on DlHltdlt nj
fairs 10 whom referred the bill from The House OF
Representatives "for the relief OF the United States
troops who sufferers by the recent disaster 10 me
steamship San Francisco, reported back the same WIN
sundry amendments and asked that the bill might be
taken up and considered at the present Time.
The motion being agreed to, the Senate as Ia commit
Tee OF the WHOLE accordingly proceeded 10 consider me
bill and The amendments reported BY The committee
read.
The hrs amendment, to insert ia he Gtsl section,
1r hs woa ns sor cer aa or seaman of the
IIn,,sd States navy no on board said steamship
under orders that The clause amended, will read
follows;
Toat here shall be paid under the direction OF the
P,esden. each OF the officers, noncommissloned ot
cor. musicians, aud Privntcs who, ON the 2lss day Of
December 1854. rmbaked New York, under orders
California the steamship San Fraacisco and who
on bo4d vessel ihe OF her disaster
at sea- AMI Lieut. Fa,ics Key Murray and other
officer sesmse Of tle uniied states navy who
board sad Neaintp nader oides, sum equal IN amount
to his pay snd allowances for four months"
The next amendment OF lLe comm,ee was 10 add at
the end OF the first section the following proyiso
Prosidtd, That the OF pay and allowance ad-
vanced 70 .he officers and men oy Tue authority Of The Pres
their credit and their reccps Tor the same be canceied
Mr.. SHIELDS. MIR, President, will state that they
drew months pay and raone, all OF which they osi
and the object Of the amendment 10 give them Credit
for that. and not TO hold them responsible, OF charge
them ior The amount Ibis is what believe was origi-
naly intended BY the bill. but seems tohaye been lett
through nadveence There 10 another amendment,
to come in at the cad oil the BILL
The next amendment OF the committee was to add to
the end of the second secon-which is these words:
THAT IL any such Officer non-commssioned officer.
,clan, prvaie shalt have died before receiving such
payment from any consequent upon said disaster,
bis widow, II HIM. and if not then his minor
chidren II any there be. shall be paid sum equal in
amount TO six months pay and allowances OF the de-
ceased''
The words
And that the widows and minor children of those Off
cers officers and pvates who persisted
disa.er who died irom disease in consequence
hersoi shal be allowed pensions in the manner in
aud prvahs had been killed IN batilo
The PRESIDING OFFICER (Mr NoRRls 10 the
chair) Ii there be no objection, the question will be
taken all the amendments together.
There was no objection, and The amendments were
agreed to.
Mr. JONES, OF Tennessee. Mr. President, l desire TO
offer amendment an additional section TO that bill.
Not being able 10 get the OF the majority ot
The comuallee IN the proposition which now submit,
had no other alternative than TO oner to The Senate
and in doing so take occasion 10 that the sympa
thss OF each member OF that COMMITTEES were as strong
ly IN favor OF The proposition which submit as nine
were, and the only difference between us was, whether
il would not be opening The door 100 wide The maJo5i-
iy oil the commiee thought that il would, and, IRON
prudential considerations, declined adopting The amend
di1eied from them apon that subject, and there
fore submi. the amendment, as follows:
SIC 3 And be 1t J4fhU swaetsd, That the Second Au
dor the Treasury be- and hereby. authorized rnd
directed The OF losses sustained By the
officers asd non and
ia the Of The United States.
board the San francisco the OF the late disaster tha
befs that yessel pay amount The
thus asceraned OF in the not other
wise appropriated sl
Mr. President, am anxious that that proposition
should be adopted il The msjory OF The Senate concur
with me Tor II doee SEEM o my mind, that the justice
OF it cannot be questioned Tor single momen and ihs
magnanimiiy OF II will, sure, be conceded BY ever,
This loss falls particularly hard upon ,be pvsies
gentleman who has been serving his country as a sol
der Tor years may have accumulated something from hs
hard tsnings OF his life and he is ordered by this gov
eminent 10 70 10 San francisco. 10 obeying that orde
OF The ovenmentby iaut OF his BY indie creof
upon bis patti but in obeyrg that order which be Is
PEELED 10 ymisi ortune overakes him, and bis prop
eriy lost Now, sir. submit TO every senator here
whether simple, even banded lusice dies not require
that such oss should be made up 10 the individual
In addition 10 this have heard OF several cases of pc
euliaS hardship, one OF which will state TO the Senate
witLou mentioning names IL Is that OF most repuia
blr deserving young man, bearing the rank, believe
OF sergeant IN The army. Alter having Struggled hard
for years. he had accumulated and saved out OF biz cam
iDgs eight hundred or thousand dollars The govern
ordered him San Francisco and 80 be takes this
little phtance which he had saved from bis earnings and
sets in obedience 10 the order OF the government
and by this disaster that IL all swept away from
hm, and he il turned back upon The world wihou, a
solitary dollar 10 begin with; and is there senator
here who hud il IN his heart TO vote againsi repay
ing the money 10 individual IN such case a. that
feel perfectly that there il Bu,a majority
Of tho committee say, that il bad case and we will
willingly provide Tor II i comes ap before us as an iodl.
vidua proposition" Well Mr. President, have doubt
bat that woald pass here and you know, SIR. and every
senator here Knows that we wril vote TO pay a
awhile; and think that had better pay II IN thu
beginning, becanse my experience here shows me that
these claims lose nothing IN amount by apse oi time.
CLAIM ~ preferred to-day, and perhaps - postponed
from year 10 year BEG ens al hundred dollars, and n
ten years il amouRis TO thousand and have yet 10
learn oil any claim sganrf The that had the
semblance Of justice which was not IN the end success
full Now, sir, believe II Is Wise economy--l believe
we shall save time and save money II settle this
question the beginning when all the facts be
lore and when The claims can be investigated without
any difficulty
But, Mr. Preslden we are not 10 be less inst. sup
pose, than our pedecersors have been. You reGoem-
Der that when Fort Delaware was destroyed BY fire,
The Congrea OF the United States called upon to
indenn my the officer. and soldiers who had thus sus,
isined Losses snd what the action OF your govern
ment them Why, s. upon that appeal to Their honor,
magnanimy and Justice. without hesitation they voted TO
refund them every dollar they had lost. cannot, Tor Tue
ls OF me, any reason why we should depart IRON
this rule not very much gwen TO the obligation
Of pecedens; but where they good, aU sufe there
objection to following them. Ihls was deemed
10 be Just asd equitable iben and If II Was lust aud
equitable then, il equally now, and perhaps more
equal ground appeal TO every senator 10 say whether
is not TAR and just that governmen, IKE oufs pos
se.sing the means, with treasury oveFfowng-a treas
ury which wants depletion, when the great diihcuy "
ogst the money out of The tressury--shouId make up
e losses which their people sustain IN executing 'ne'
orders and obeyng their commands
hr. JOHNSON A member OF the committee, and one
who opposed this amendment before the committee,
wish merely the fact that II considered ,hee
some length. and that by vote OF the committee the
Provision which The honorable senator has now Offered
N Tie shape OF amendment rejected. 30 lar as
gave my vote upon IL. that proposition rejected upon
several grounds The reasons which lDd--sd oheis to