Weekly national intelligencer., 1854-01-21

its title for the information of the House It was bill
the relief of the United States troops who were suf
by the recent disaster to the steamship San Fran
cisco" He there would be no objection
No objection being made, the bill read twice by it
title, and then read in full, as follows:
Be snaeted de- That there shall be paid under the di
recon Of the President each of the officers non
stoned officers musicians and prvates who, on tho DAY
December 1885, embarked at New York under orders fo
California the steamship San Francisco and who was on
that vessel the occasion Of her disaster
sum equal in amount TO his pay and allowances
months.
And be it further enacted, That If any such officer non.
commissioned officer musician, private shall have died
said disaster his widow, survive him. and not his
children, there be- shall be paid the to which
ne would otherwise have been entitled under the provisions
this act.
The bill was referred to the Committee on Military
Affairs. =
Mr.. CHANDLER asked the unanimous consent of the
House to read resolution which he proposed offer,
and no objection being made the resolution read
| follows
Whereas information has been received more than FIVE
hundred citizens of them officers and soldiers of the
my OF the United States board the steamship San
cisco, have been saved from death by the gallant pcrous
and mccifu ineposion Of the officers and the Brit
ship Three Bells and Of the American ship Antarctic and
hby after severe gale on the Atlantic by
which the San Francisco was utterly disabled and nearly
| two hundred persons had miserably pershed
And whereas it is becoming Republic cherish the lives
OF It's citizens and especially to make appropriate acknowledg
ment of the obligation conferred by those who the mi-
nen peril OF property and life from certain destruction
the of those citizens and particularly the special
wants of the nation:
Be resore (the Senate concurring) That Joint special
committee to consist Of nine persons the part the House
Of Representatives and of persons the part the
Senate be appointed and instructed inquire and report
in what form the Acknowledgements of Congress and the gra
tude of the nation be appropriately expressed
those benevolent and Who under Providence,
this Republic.
Mr.. CUTTING asked Mr. CrA~pnnn whether he would
have any objections to send to the committee which shall
be charged with the consideration of his resolution re-
solution that thew shall make further and
port to the House whether is unbecomng this Gov
ernmen to allow the owners and masters of the merchant
ships which hove to to lose their time in taking on
board these and in transporting them to
place OF safety, without awarding to them the same
reasonable compensation that would be paid if bargain
had been made? Whether it is fitting that this Republic
SHOULD have her officers and soldiers transported gratis
wlthoas paying proper remuneration? He asked the
gentleman whether, il he read the resolutions he would
adopt them as his own He did this not from his own
suggestion but in conformity with letters received from
citizens of New York. and in Difference to those gentle
men. The resolutions are as follows:
esoled That the said joint committee be requested in
qure and report whether provision, by way of PEN
sion or otherwise, ought to be made in the
dows or il no widows in favor of te minor children of those
ocers and men who were embarked BY order of the Govern
ment board Of the Sal Francisco and were
deprived of life while in the service their country by
per they encountered after leaving the port of New York.
way to California And that the said committee do
also inquire and report whether indemnity ought
provided in favor Of those officers and in the service of
the Government whose baggage and effects lost dam
Va Doaiu VI ny
of the voyage. j
Resolved, That the committee do also report to this House
some suitable mode of tesyng Capt Creighton the
British ship Three Bells and to his officers and crew.
the masters officers and OF the barque Kby the
ship Antarctic the appreciation by Congress Of their humane
perseyern and gallant conduct by which, under Providence
SO many American citizens rescued by them from the
wreck of the San Francisco. .-....
Resord That said committee do also inquire and re-
port whether compensation indemnity ought be made
by this Government the masters ships
Three Bells Antarctic Lucy Thompson and baqus Kby for
bxy
them in saving and transporting place of safety the Off
GERS and men in the service of the United States who
rescued from tho wreck Of the aforesaid steamer.
Mr.. FLORENCE also submitted some resolutions in re.
gard to this subject, as follows: ..m
Whereas distressing calamity occurred in the disaster
which bee the steamer San Francisco
to California; in which vessel being conveyed officers and
troops of the United States with their families and by which
disaster nearly quite two hundred souls found watery
grave: and .s
Whereas right proper such an event happens
eiieitng it has the sympathy for the
sufferers and appalling entire communities by the painful
suspense which for period of n days has hung the
fate of those board the lstarred vessel that suitable
ton should be had by American Congress- consideration
the gallant and heroic of those who governed by
the generous impulses brave hearts rsked their lives and
pered the safety the vessels in which they We're embarked
in adording comfort and the officers crew. and pas
seEgers OF the San Francisco by which of daring and
paiseworthy humanity five hundred souls saved from
awful and painful death which stared them in the face and
which, but for such provdena they would have
coon been hastened Be it ,..-.
Resoed That the sincere and heartfelt thanks of an
American Congress extended to those gallant who
commanded the American barque klby, the British ship
Three Bells and the American ship Antarctic for their heroic,
humane and gallant conduct displayed in their untrng
efforts to restore to their friends and country the unfortunate
persons for whose safety the veest has been felt
wherever the disaster to the steamship San Francisco has
been made known.
soped That the President of the United States be
thorzed and requested to have suitable medals struck of
of this sad event. be presented with copies
OF these resolutions to all who engaged in the act of
safety afforded to the officers and troops of the United States
Resoe That in view of the sad effects Of the calamity to
the San Francisco and the pecunay loss sustained by the
and those who met waery the Secretary Of
War is instructed to afford such relief to the survivors and
their families SHALL in his Judgment to be just and
proper and report such action at early period to this
Congress.
Mr.. CHANDLER accepted the addition suggested by
Mr.. CUTTING. ... .... W.,
Mr.. FAULKNER asked the gentleman from Pennsylva-
MIA to allow all these propositions be referred at
| to the Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. CHANDLER wanted special committee, IS the
Committee Military Affairs had nothing do with the
| subject.
Mr. FAULKNER said it was already in some form be-
fore the Committee Military Affairs and the PROPOSE
ton of Mr. CUTTING directly called for the action of that
| committee. ."
Mr. CHANDLER thought it necessary that the subject
should go to joint committee, and there joint
mittee on Military Affairs. +.
! Mr.. BISSELL desired to make single remark He
wished say that clothing and food that these poor
fellows want and they want them They arrived in
New York without a change Of clothing with iccles
dangling from their garments. They want food they
want clothing Immediately. They have drawn three
when they had attended the matter of supplying them
with food and clothing then would be the proper time
| for resolutions for giving medals and thanks.
After much conversational debate to the most appro