Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1854-01-04
THE CALIFORNIAN CLIPPER wIlIRLwINp.
THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS-FIRST SESSION.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 81

The Senate was not in session to-day
HOUsE.-The Speaker laid before the House the
report OF the Superintendent Of the Coast Survey
The Committee on Printing were instructed to con-
slider the propriety Of printing 10000 copies.
Mr.. HENDRICKS rose to present the proceedings
and memorial Of large meeting held at Indanap-
obs, relative to the distractions to commerce and
travel by the citizens Of Erie. He said that he had
not filed the paper with the clerk OF the House,
because of the distinguished character of persons
who took part in the proceedings, and the impor-
lance OF the sublect-he wished the subject brought
directly before the House. He said This is not
question Of local interest nor question between
the citizens of Erie and the railroad company. New
York and all the rest have an interest in il. For
many days companies of armed men, by threats.
violence and bloodshed, have held and obStl ucted
one OF the great channels Of trade between the
West and East If a company of six or seven hun
dred men had invaded our borders, and had inter-
rupted our commerce, stopped our mails, and him
dered the INSTRUMENTATION of our people, the at
| tention of the whole country would have at once
been arrested-the power of the whole country
commanded The same action of the constitution
| which confers the power on the government to re-
pei an INVASION bears oo-relative obligation to sup
press an instruction. He would not say. however,
that this movement of the character that comes
within the provision of the constitution, but he
would say that his section of the country was in
/
traffic He moved that the memorial be referred
| to the Committee on Military Afairs
MIR. MCNAIR remarked that the legislature of
| pennsylvania was about to assemble, and would.
| doubtless, take the matter into consideration So
far as Erie is concerned, action is, therefore ne
! cessary here. He had no doubt but that the Gov
ernor would make mention of it in his message,
and he satisfied that Pennsylvania would settle
| the question as relates to Erie
| Mr. RITCHIE of PENNSYLVANIA said that this sub
ject should not have been brought here at all, as it
| was before the Supreme Court Of Pennsylvania,
and the L. s. Circuit Court for the Western District
of that State. These courts haye ample jurisdic-
ton. The gentleman from Indiana was entirely in
error. The facts were simply these: The railroad
passes through the county Of Erie, and company
was authorized to build a road at gague of four
feet eight inches, and, in defiance Of this law the
company lay down a six foot gauge, and therefore
| was the aggressor. He understood that the people
Of Erie were acting under legal advice, and there
will not be the slightest difficulty in enforcing the
decree at the court-the proceedings of the Indiana
meeting were based on an entire msapprehension.
Mr. BOYCE said it one of those accidents to
! which you are subject, because you have not the
institution of slavery-there is not only the begin
mig but the end If we do anything for you
we will-for we of the South are conservative
| We can only offer you our sympathy-iti is one OF
the mistortunes to which you are exposed by hay
ing your whole population made up of freemen.
Laughter. Dick begged TO present history of the
difficulties but the question of order was raised
and he was denied the privilege. The memorial
was referred under the rule of military affairs
Mr. HoUsToN, from the Committee of Ways and
| Means, moved the estimates for the rivers and har.
| bors be transferred to the Committee on Commerce
Mr.. Ewing moved the Committee on Roads and
Canals as an amendment. That committee was
composed of majority Of members living in the
Mississippi Valley, and it was due to the West that
such Difference should be made, nne-tenths of the
appropriations heretofore having been divided as
| spois among the Atlantic States. Our President
he said, had never lived in the West, and therefore
finds it impossible to sympathize with the people Of
the Mississippi Valley and Mr.. Ewing claimed as a
right, that the subject should be referred to COM
mtee favorable to the appropriations for that sec
ton of the country. Alter further consideration.
the subject was postponed Until Friday next.
After other unimportant hr-iness, the House adj
journed until Tuesday.