New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-06-20
XXXlup CONGRESS. ... FIRST SESSION.

Indians. -,
Also ono from the Navy Department in relation 10 the
of national armory the coal fields of
North Carolina They were referred, and ordered TO be
tr. SEWARD presented the memorial of a citizen of
" Work claiming to be The inventor Of batierng-ram
~ , tremendous force, thirteen of them being capable
=" Smn, the coast from Maine 10 Texas.
NJ EIsJf - esoniod the memorial of the Common Coun-
u ~ S..yprs against the repeal of the existing. law re-
laiing to the Assay n."os ~ i h;T Cny.
MIR MASON rcp.ric. bill for the relief Of Capt.
y A r Lrvclett efths Navy and the same was passed
Br BRIGHT offered rest. ution olrocng inquiry by
the Committee the District OF Columbia relative 20
selecting now sites for orc's over lac Fo'onac i'e'
On motion Of Dlr MALLORY, the Senate took up the
bill r0rganzin. the Navy Department
Mr.. MALLORY moved Substitute for the bill which
agreed 10.
The hin was then read third tine and its passage
postponed till tomorrow.
Mi DOUGLASS bill, changing the time for the annual
meeting of Congress from the first Monday in December
to the first Monday IN October, was taken nP.
Mr. HUNTER moved 10 amend the ball by inserting
November in place OF October. He said that Congress
composed principally OF farmers ana lawyers, ana
both those occupations were very busy in October.
Mr. DOUGLAS said tho object of the bill was TO equal
izo the sessions of Congress instead of having session
nine months and the other three, as at present
Mr.. CLAYTON advocated the bill.
Mr. MASON opposed it, He thought its practical effect
would be 10 prolong the short sessions
MI DOUGLAS said he had another bill establishing the
rule that both Houses shall be long SESSIONS adourmng
Dir BAYARp said al efforts to shorten the sessions of
Congress woud prove frtoss unless per dem conPen-
satiun abolished and annual salary hxed Tor Se
hers Ii had been clearly shown that Congress could 90
much business in a three months session as nine
months.
Land bill taken up.
Mr.. SEWARD said:
Congress has passed bin 10y which ten millions OF acres
of the public domain granted to the several States
with unqucstioned equality, condition that they shall
accept the same and sell tic lands not ess than one
dollar per acre and safely invest the gross proceeds, and
forever apply the interest thereon TO the maintenance OF
their INDECENT insane inhabitants. This bill is conrbu-
ton made from peculiar national resource to the States
at time when the treasury il oyerowlng 1t is maze al
the suggestion and it stating the case too strongly to
say through the unadd unpaid and purely disintere7ted
influence OF an American who while all other
members Of society have been seeking how TO advance
their own fortunes and happiness the prosperity ana
greatness Of their country has consecrated her lie to the
relief of the most pabe form IN winch inc pine MUM
atilcts our coIamoI humanity.
The purpose of the bin has commended 1t to our warm,
est and most active sympaties Not voice mas cehseu
IT, in either House OF Congress.
1t is the only purpose Of Legislation sunceh'y
great 20 arrest attention. that has met with universal APP
probation throughout the country during the present ses
sion seems sad fatality attends our PupiS
action when this measure singled out from among all
others be baled and defeated by an Executive Veo'
Such however the fact The bill has been returned
the President with objections which 1t as no" our Iohsu-
tutiOnal duty to consider . -. . ~, -,
hall confne myself 10 the consideration of these OBJ
made previous discussions here, nor owen upon any va.
have been raised the received that
ore not contained III that document Five years OF Con-
gre sonal discussion have exhausted the subject go far as
all other objections except those OF the President are con-
cernod -,
In considering the Prcsidents message, are struck
with the fact that il is desultOry Illogical and confused
While commenting the purpose of the bill the fresdeht
denies the e1pedeny Of the measure and denies also the
mower of Congress adopt H. Ii impossible however
10 sonarae the argument directed against the eXpedehcy
of the measure from the argument directed against le
power So the argument against me eApeuien'y -
chiefly assumption that the measure is usuraton
of mower while the argument against the power repose
chiefly on the nexpedicncy OF It's exercise H.,
Thu criticism is important because the CONFUSION nave
described impers the force o the argument and because
moreover Congress may well conhde IN their own cohci
sions rs TO the expediency OF measure WINE tey arc
bound 10 pay extraordinary respect to Executive sugs
lions i,onuGninc its constituonalty do not stop TO de-
ensrate the correctness OF this criticism Every senator
who has discussed the message, on elmer sue mas W
trayed | think embarrassment resulting from u.
In the second place the message seems 10 me- 90 hot
saw sncenuous but sngulary unfair ana UNJUST III Inc
statement of the question. -. .ho. IS
aiding the States il maintaining peculiar class oil des
ute persons by appropriation OF eqaai ana lu pePo
ons of the public domain, leaving al otne oDec ana al
other sources of public wealth out OF view ana aos'ahs
altogether from interference with the States in the perform
ance of that one duty. -, II.
nm the PRESIDENTS not content 10 state the question
tins lie approaches il by induction " IL cannon De
questioned he says that if Congress have the power
~ make provision for the INDECENT insane without the
.
for the INDECENT who are not insane and mus 10 transfer
To the Federal Government the charge OF all the poor
in all the States After amphcation OF tins propose
Ton and without argument the President arrives al the
statement of the question before him. and he announces
II in these words " The question presented hereioIe'
clearly is upen the constiuionay and proprrty OF me
Federal Government assuming 10 enter mo a no co.
vast field Of legislation namely, that OF proNiI'hs o
the care and support of all those among the people % 'c
United States who by any form OF calamity become III
" objects of public Philanthropy 800 J., y,
Y need only place this statement of the case by the
side of the Presidents statement OF the PROVISIONS VI
the hill 10 enable YOU that II Is agraniy erToncous
and unjust But will Illustrate II %rtcy s,,g,;on
does in unouestioned conformity with the IohSu'u'ioh,
eyer,se s.me powers in the States which are concurrent
with similar powers enjoyed by the states thene!'Ss.
Tins Congress establishes here and there IN.
49, hor;tsls for sick and disabled seamen l. tna'
couivaent TO assuming the support and care OF an 'le
moor on land a. wei as sea- belonging 10 me o'a'es I'm
eress establishes lighthouses and o the con-
fn0e within the States and provides regulations oI ~
stfnctiop and management OF steamboats, Oh
ters within the States. Is that equivalent ~
Of the entire control over commerce anu hss
tho States Congress distributes SEEDS ana rea'se h
;cmi,nre Is thar equivalent 10 usurpaon OF Juris-
action over agriculture throughout the states congress
discrminates by bounes, Ora" batAs, ea T. tbs,
fvor agriculture the fisheries, and manufactures IL ua'
10 an assumption of supreme ana exclusive
nawor over all those great national interests ~
o.cr;ses regulations for the militia ana TURNS ~ n
I..s swuunitiou and ordnance, for the equipment
10 ~ o;s, of the militia. IL that equivalent 10 usW-
naon of the entire support, control anu urec'loH VI '
armod police Of the States 80. ~, t.. .h. ,b;s ,cos
III vour attention next Sir, 10 tho TACT tha I'M, Nus
Coz, ts unfairly the relative srucisres aud charac-
ters Of the Federal Union and OF me s'stest ne ne 80
" Ar. we not too prone 10 forget that the cue
oen Tho creature OF the States, and not they Of
~ FEDERAL Union ?" And again he says that the IN
"denendent and sovereign States united 'nes'1 'O
cerain specified objects ana purposes aI V ~. oi
onv thereby implying that the States are Sun un'tcy
no;sn while the Federal Government Is mere Noh-
federation and not equally sovereign whih Us Pnce.
N r one ever thought tina; the States were creatures
1t il