The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1854-01-26
Senate, Jan. 1S. 1854.

floor.
Senate, Jan. IS, 1854
large number of petitions of private
character were presented and referred.
Mr.. Petit, from the Judiciary Committee, to
which an inquiry had been referred, made q
report adverse to the constitutional power OF
submitting causes of action to arbitration as at
common law.
A bill for the relief of Seryis p. Willis, late
paymaster of the army, was reported and
passed.
MIR. Cooper introduced bill granting land
to the State of Pennsylvania, to aid in the COM
pletion of the Sunbury and Erie Railroad, and
for the endowment Of normal school for the
gratuitous education of female teachers
He commented upon the Importance of this
railroad, and upon the great benefits to be de-
rived from the normal schools; and. then
moved its reference to the Committee On Pub
lie Lands.
Mr.. Wade thought this application for land
for railroads came with bad grace from Penn
syltania, when her citizens were now in open
hostility to ell communication by other States
across her territory. Her citizens were in open
hostility to the laws, to tho General Govern
ment, TO the DEGREES of the State and Federal
courts they had imprisoned the United States
marshal for attempting to execute the DEGREES
of the United States court in the matter They
still continued their outrag es and carried on the
work of destroying bridges, tearing NJ roads,
and destroying property. This application
came with bad grace from Pennsylvania, IN
til she had done something to put down these
Erie rioters. So far as he knew, there appear
ed to be no disposition to put down the rioters
but in Philadelphia and in other places a
G.. Al L i
The Governor himself had written to them, ex-
pressing his sympathy for them. If the grant
was to be made, he hoped it would be done
with condition that Pennsylvania would put
down the rioters.
MIR. Cooper replied, contending that The true
history Of this Erie difficulty had not been
written; that when the true history of the mat
ter was known, there would appear to have
been insults and provocations towards the peo-
pie Of Erie, which would rouse even towards
He thought that time would show that the az
gravation and wrong were not on the part of
the people of Erie, but of others. In saying
this he did not desire to utter a word TO en-
courage a spirit of resistance to the laws
Mr. Wade said, if the people of Erie were
right it was strange that ali the courts had
adj udicated the matter against them. But this
rioting was not new thing in Pennsylvania
the whiskey instructions were instances of it
The bill was referred.
On motion Of Mr.. Petit, the question of Mr.
Phelpss right to hold a seat in the Senate from
Vermont was postponed till Wednesday next
in consequence Of the illness and consequent
absence Of Mr. Phelps.
Mr.. Everett introduced bill for the relief
of Charles A. Kellet which was considered
and passed.
MIR. Fitzpatrick submitted resolution, di
rectiDg an inquiry, by the Judiciary Committee
into the expcdiency of increasing the fees and
allowances to be paid to the United States iu
dcial officers in Alabama. debate ensucd
in which the subject of making the inquiry
apply generally to the allowances to such eff
GERS in all the States, was discussed and, after
being amended in that particular, was adopted
On motion by Mr.. Chase the Senate took u,
the bill to divide the State of Ohio into two
judicial districts, and to provide for holding the
U. s. courts therein. The amendments report
ed by the Judiciary Committee were adopted
and the bill was passed.
On motion by Mr.. Mallory the Senate pro
ceeded to consider the bill to establish ma
rine hospital at Saint Marks Florida; and tn,
bill was passed.
a bill for the relief of Charles Cooper anG
Company, of Bangor, Maine, a bill for the re
lief Of James Drnning, bill for the relief o
Rebecca Freeman, and bill to reimburse the
corporation of New York certain expenditure
on account Of the first regiment of New Yorl
volunteers, were severally considered ant
passed
And then the Senate adjourned
House of Representatives., Jan. IS, 1854.
A communication from the Superintendent
Of Public Printing was presented, giving al
estimate of the cost of printing and paper fo
the year ending June 80, 1854 which, afto
some debate, was referred to the Committee Q
| Ways and Means
The House resumed the consideration of tn
report of the Committee On the Judiciary, pre-
| scented yesterday by MIR. Parker, recommend
ing the reference to joint committee of tn
! proposition of an amendmen of tho Constitu
ton, in the mode of electing the President an,
Vice President of the United States, by which
the People shall vote without the agency o
electors which was adopted
MIR. Walbridge, of New York, gave motto
that he would at a proper time propose t
amend this bill by adding a stipulation tina
| postmasters and collectors Of customs SHOULD
be elected by the people.
| The Speaker having called for reports from
committees, many of them, chiefly of pr
vate and unimportant character, were receives
and appropriately referred.
| MIR. Bissell, from the Committee on Militar
Affairs reported a bill giving four months pa
to tho officers and soldiers who were on boar
the steamer San Francisco, and to the widow
and orphans of those who persisted which bi
was Immediately put upon its passage, an
passed.
Mr.. Richardson, from the Committee On Tel
ritoriesb reported back joint resolution al
thorizing the Treasury Department to adju.
the accounts of the Board Of Commissioners o,