Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-04-14

MoSDAY. APRIL ", 1854.
SENATE.

OrhSkd Dl DC 9tTuCk Oul. hlSO VI LOU CllZGO5 N NdSUlnR-
ton county. New York, praying the prohibition of slavery
in all the Territories, especially Nebraskai the repeal OF the
fugitive slave law; The prohibition OF interstate slave trade,
and the abolition Of slavery in the District OF Columbia. -
Also The following from New York against the repeal of
the Missouri Compromise, Of citizens Of HayerslOn. OF As
ministers OF The gospel of Rochester. or The church and
citizens of Charleston. OF $50 citizens of Niagara county.
Also. of l672 citizens Of Detroit. and OF 60 citizcus Of
Grand Rapids, Michigan. Also OF 2O5 men and women Of
Northern New Hampshire.
He also presented two petitions from the city of n. York
in favor of Hansen's line of steamers between Brooklyn and
Europe. Also three petitions in favor Of the Homestead
bill; two petitions in favor Of religious freedom TO American
citizens In Europe, and others in favor of u reduction Of
ocean postage.
Mr.. Fish submitted the following resolution:
Resolved, That the President of The United States be re.
oues,cd u communicate TO the Senate, ii not Incompatible
with the public interest, copies Of The correspondence OF
lr. Barnard, late Minister Of the United States in Prussia,
with the United States Consul at Bremen, and OF that Con-
sni with the government Of Bremen, relative 10 the case OF
CouraG Schmidt, a naturalized citizen OF the United States,
arrested at Bremen and detained there upon a requislllon
from the government Of Hanover, claiming Schmidt as a
subject Of that kingdom. Also q copy oil 4 letter addressed
by NJ. Barnard, while Minister al Berlin, to his Majesty The
King Of Prussia. in October, 1852, on the subject 0! religious
lolsraliun, and OF u despatch addressed BY Mr.. BlrnaId 10
the Stale Department in reference Thereto. Also, copies OF
lhe correspondence of The United States Legation at Berlin
with Tho Minister Of The Grand Duchy Of Baden a! Berlin,
In regard 10 The arrest aud malireatment OF r.. u Dana, w.
B. Dwight and Dr.. Ramsey, citizens Of the United States at
H~eidelburg, in the Grand Duchy Of Baden.
Mr.. Weller. Let The resolution lay over I'LL to.mor.
row."
MIR. Cass offered a resolution directing inquiry as to the
expectancy Of constructing a Custom House aud Marine
Hospital at Detroit, Michigan. Also as TO the expectancy,
Of increasing the mall facilities Of The upper peninsula OF
Michigan.
Mr. Bright, from the committee on roads and canals. re
ported adverse on the proposition to give the OHIO Falls
COMPANY three hundred thousand dollars 10 aid 10 the CON
structIng Of q marine railway around the Ohio Fails;
Mr.. ii tsou gave notice OF a bill to authorize the BALTIMORE
and Ohio Railroad Company to extend Their ROAD 10 Inc .
tOniac river, al Or near the city OF Washington.
NJ. Badger introduced Il bill extending to Inc Disuic' VI
Columbia the provisions Of an act %aulhorisiBg notarics pup
lie 10 lake aau certify oaths, atlfmltlon5 and ackno"ieuS'
mrnls in certain cases. ~
take up tho bill giving credit ohduiics on railroad iron.
Inr bill providing for tbs construction 81 a rallroao u ''
Pacific wa taken up.
Mir. Gwin spoke until two O'CLOCK in support OF the con.
sli,utionality and c~Sp edieDcy Of the bill. The bill was Incl
postponed.
Alter executive session till four o'clock, the Senate adj
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
MI. Dean desired 10 lay before The House, anu ASKED
unonimous consent for tina, purpose, 4 matter when al .nlS
time is of great importance TO the commerce Of the country
He had been instructed 10 offer the following oy the COM
mittGO on foreign affairs:
Resolved, That in The war which now seems impending
in Europe, IL is The duty as well as the manifest interest," VI
the Government OF the United States TO observe ana man
tain a strict neutrality among oil The belligerenis, and, IN
the even: of n var, the rights Of our clliZents anu the scc"-
rry Of our commerce. demand the Galinten?nce oil mo prin'
c!pie heretofore asserted, and Sirenuousiy contenaca lol W
this Government, but not hitherto admitted or es,hoHshru a'
the law Of nations. that free ships mike free goods, e1cept
as 10 articles clearly known as contfaoanu U u "d'i a"u W"
the neutral n ig protects from unreasonable search nnh sci
zure the ships bearing it; and also that neutral property on
bonrd a vessel of ony Of tie beilIgereRts - not subject -
scizIre and confscation.
Resolved. Tint the President of the United States be re.
Gucstcd, if in his opinion not Incompatible with The pnhllc
interests, to communicate 10 this House whether any, and II
any, what arrangements have been made, or what cores
p~ondcnce has taken place between this government ana any
Of The governments o' Europe, 10 establish the NieSoin@
principles. as international law, and 10 protect the neutral
commerce OF The United States in the event oil q war be
tween any, Of the powers OF Europe.
Objections were mace &c tie recsnlion oil the RESOLUTION
Mr.. Dean moved a suspension OF the rules. Agfeel To-
yeas l03, nays4l.
MIR. Dean said he did not intend 10 detain The House
further lnon briefly to explain the object OF The Resolutions.
MI. Washbufn of Illinois, inquired whether they "e'cno
before the House, and whether If debate should arse hey
would not 20 over.
The Speaker replied that the rules which required them
10 20 over had been suspended, and they were now open 10
debate.
Mr.. Dean said wheu the gentleman from Illinois Interrupt
ed him., he was saying he did not desire 10 debate these re.
solutions, but To state 10 the House ihcir contents anu 'he
principles they ae intended 10 enunciaie.
The first resolution is a plain end distinct statement oil our
duty TO maintain neutrality in the war between the different
powers Of Europe. 1t then ressserts the drctrine that mas
been so often asserted by the people and the executive de.
partment Of this government, but which the judiciary ho
tailed tc sustain. The executive branch OF the government
has, from It's fUandl ion, beginning with the Congress 81 The
Confederation, ani from. that time &c the present, constantly
IN it's action and its diplomacy, commended that Tree ships
make free goods, and that the goose ot ncutrals on board
the ships Of bellgeenls are not lilble 10 seizure and confs.
cation. The importance of this subject al the present crisis
cannot be estimated or expressed. Ii has been recently dis
cussed 10 tic British Purtiamen The Ministry hive been
called upon TO state what would be the action OF that Co.
vernmeni, and they have not fully met or answered the
question, though they Intimate That a LIBERAL policy VIII DC
pursued.
respondence between our Government; and Foreign Powers
upon this subject. ! will state here 90 important 10 BE-
known, and what | think will prove correct, that our govern.
ment has for some months been engaged in cndeavoring TO
secure the admission and establishment OF this principle as
an International law, und that our representatives, the Court
of ST. James in particular, has ably, and | believe success.
Gnly accommodated IL d far as liz facOQnluOnd cD9Dd5 uQOD
that government, and IL is universally admitted that II Great
Britain, which Is The power that has of oil times prevented
its adoption, agrees 10 il, not by treaty, but by proclama
ton and action during the war, It will forever be placed on
the firm basis of precedent as well as natural right aud Jus.
tice.
| am informed that as the action OF our government is not
known, merchants and others interested feel much anxiety.
II is due to them that they should have all the Information
in our possession, and also 10 know that Congress Is deter
mined to carry out this doctrine at all hazards.
| think that The Executive ana Congress ought now 10
take lis stand, and cay to The world that this Is our princl'
pie: thlt we will not be driven from II; that we will legalite
to rssert il; that we will negotiate 10 secure il, and. il need
be, that We will fight to muintain il. And, sir, the day that
we establish this principle will be one of The proudcst In
history; and, in my Judgment, the lime Tor action
has now arrived.
Mr.. Bocock-This is an exceedingly important PROPOSE
ton, as il undertakes TO define the position this government
occupies in the pending war. II il means to do anything, IL
means to fix The position OF this government in The contro
yersy. If this is the design, it ought to have the sanction
of deliberate action. 1t is intended TO produce IN effect on
our own merchants and Gu the actions of other countries,
but this cannot he done simply by a resolution not rcqnir.
log the Joint action Of the Two Houses. he moved II be
referred 10 the committee on Foreign Afiits. that careful
may be given 10 The subject. The motion was
agreed ~.
The House then went into committee on the general up
preparation bill.
Mr.. Macdonald said that his record was made up az voting
against the reference OF the Senutes Nebraska bill. He stood
with only three other members coming from east Of the
Hudson on that issue. The Legislature Of Maine had sent him
q series Of resolutions, not proposing 10 instruct him, but
putting forth a modest request to vote against the bill. But he
did not intend 10 do SO, regarding the request rs arrogant aud
and as not indicative Of the public sentiment ia
that State
1t seemed 10 be assumed by gentlemen on this floor that
there is a national hostility between the sections OF this
country; that there is a natural feeling OF dislike and leal.
ousy between The North and the South. In his Judgment,
such imputaticns are perfectly g%roundIcss. Why should
there be hostility between the Two sectonsl The memory
of the past, the happiness Of the present, and the hope Of
the future should not create hostility, but the largest and the
most intense fratenll concord and agreement.
He regarded The election Of franklin Pierce as conclu-
sive Of the question that the era OF good feeling which ex-
listed in revolutionary days, ia 10 be re-established
He then spoke, in distinct terms OF condemnation OF the
aboiriunists, whom he characterised as tho natural oppo-
nents Of this bill; and, in the course Of his remarks, advoca.
ted the measure on the broad national ground, that il assert.
ed the republican principle OF tho right Of the people OF the
Ter tories TO govern themselves.
MIR. Faulkner said he had listened with pleasure 10 the
gentlemen who had Just addressed the commit e. They of
the South well remembered that, in the exciting and De,iIDus