New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1854-08-01
xxxIIGa CONGRESS. .........FiRsr SESSION.
SENATE. .WAsHiyGroS, July 81, 1854

Mr. COOPER moved the printing OF three thousand
copies OF Espys Mcieoroocosl Report Agregr -;
Mr. FOOT. iroIn the Committee on Pubic Lanns' re-
rotcd resolution 20 pay Charles Gordon olsyO ioF scr
vices in i-Ja draug htsmsn OF that COMMITTEE Lana
NJ FyANSS resolution amending the Sena,os rcsor-
ron Of fxrg the compensation of the Committee Clerks
by allowing them pay only from the time OF empo! neh''
vas taken up and adopted. ,.....h
Mr. ri ~ reported BAL supplemental 10 lhe ACT es'Ao
l.siiu. certain post rcG;cs. Passei'
Mr.. RISK reported back the House bi. amending the
POSTAGE laws. Taken W, reac ana postponed
Mr. SUMNER reported back the House resoI lot a
settlement Of lie accounts Of Ar. Woodbury. tension
Agent a, Portland Ne. Passed.
MIR HOUSTON moved ;hat when the Senate Jour'i
To-day II be 10 meet 10 MORROW l.. lv ciocN lie desired
halt hour 10 make certain explanations S'ns,'s nrtI
rot leave their Cuum;ccrCori' until The usual hoir me
reporter would be present. Agreed %. ,,,so>-,....
Tie question then taken on hr. MNSON notion
10 90 into an EAecUVe session. Los-lcas 49, Nays 81
Dir. SEWARD ropor cd bill granting peas@n -
B,tsey Nash, widow ui d.. Nash OF Madison C2 y !;
He said iha, she old and inirm lady, ami TonDi
rnt probably be living at the next session. tie moved
the bill be considered. Agreed 70 and me OIL read
Mr. ADAMS moved TO amend the OH Dy adding ieEet"
sect,n directing tie Secretary ol the Treasury 20 pay
To n, widow Of james BacheiGer lately Killed while AID
inc the United States Marshal execute the laws m Boston
Nr >Il tl -ed that this would lead 10 iop- discus
sion II would open rho whole question OF slavery al
no enc could tell where it would end lie moved tho oi
he postponed until tomorrow Yeas 10 Nays 3d.
Mr. FOOT called for the readnS Of the report IN Bet
sew Nashs Read
Mr. SUMNER called for The reading o! the reports IN
Mr. Batcheideg's case. Head.
Dir SEWARD sad: This ia the first of The last four days
Of she session. wish distinctly to STATE the attitude ri
this question before the Senate IN order that the senate
and the country may ii any embarrassment shou" re-
ut 10 the business OF the Senate, upon whom the re5pon
sbty will be- The House 81 Representatives has sent 70
"a this morning hin for tho rcof of Botsoy Na.h,
very nged widow OF an officer
NJ ADhNS-ir he senator from New.yor. viii allow
me moment desire TO say that the friends Of the bu
nre perfectly willing To take vote upon the reading OF thc
report OF the minority and Of the views OF the minority of
AN.
statement Of the papers which have been read II t1sy
desire discuss IT, OF course we desire to discuss the other
side.
M SEWAR2-I was proceeding TO say that the
House of Representatives had son 70 VI bill for the re-
lief of Belsy Nash the very aged widow Of an officer OF
the army l2 who suffered from disease contracted IN
The nuhc service AZ Sacketts HarbOr, IN consequence OF
which he was disabled, and anguished and died. HIS
case was presented for sixteen year, IL was presented IN
the first place 70 the Pension Department and the tension
Department, finding not 10 come technically within tho
letter OF tie law, obliged 10 reject A. bun roco nend
ed il to The favorable consideration ot Congress- bu
for her relief passed House ana then went o. the other
alternately each session for several years but never
uassed tho two Houses the session. ~ the pas
SAGE Of the bill was delayed without the fault of the officer
while living or his widow after HIS DEATH for sixteen
wears. Al vCry late day OF tie present session. the
House OF Representatives entertained the subject,
uuon the unnninous report uf the Committee OF Pensions
that House which recommends the passage OF the bl
allowing half pay for II period OF ten years. That bill
came before the Committee on Pensions OF the Sensto
ihis morning. and examination they concluded thtt
half psy for ten years within the line of prece
dents adopted b. rhCir Committee and therefore reduced
"a five Year. reducing the proposed To be paid by
tie House 10 a small pittance, ami tho Committee upon
tho POSITION that the widow was old and mhrm aud
would not probably survive until the next session of
Congress recommended tine passage immediately
Now Sir that Is the case OF an Old WIDOW
II lad long been delayed, and yet now when
her bill il before amendment 10 1t Is proposed which
brings np this stage OF the session all the questions n
VOWED in the proceedings of the execution OF the Fugitive
Slave Law IN Boston, | need not say that 1t Is "A subject
matter entirely different and foreign TO IT, II tends TO
bring up disputed question. 10 TAR from The Committee
being unanimously in favor OF the aine ndnea there was
not II majority which united IN lis recommendation. IL
involves questions Of great magnitude and entirely rrel
evant to the subecmaer of the original BILL what Is
recommended IN the original bin is pension, which is 10
be GRANTED in accordance with the uniform practice oi
Congress from the Revolution down 10 the present day
What il proposed by the amendment is 10 give bounty
10 the widow of person who was not soldier ell
gagged in the military service OF the country hut
civil officer assisting in the execution OF process
What is proposed in the original bill - pens0n-what IL
proposed in he other case is bounty bounty which Is
matter OF discretion and therefore unless great care l.
taken il may be acted upon from motives ami cons'dr-
lions which might be- caprcious. Now, then, It VIII DC
en al once ha, whatever may be the circumstances OF
the its effect upon public business, this BILL
amended proposed cGnnO, pass Congress ut the present
session. and only four days remain until the expiration 81
the session and amendment Of this character, n IL
hall pas here il cannot be expected to pass withou, de-
bate. The House OF Representatives,, which IA engaged
IN very important business cannot be likely 10 take up
question which is much Irrigated tho paym3 n Of
bounty TO the widow OF person for his assistance
in the execution Of the Fugitive Slave Act 1t Is
but few days since that proposition TO repeal
that law was received by forty nine votes in the
other House. When they were prepared 70 vote Tor
the repeal of tic Fugitive Slave law they cannot be ex
pected TO vote for bounty of this character for services
III its execution at least without discussion debate
upon this subject. Thus then not only the original meas
right just and humane in itself that this new meas
ure which although questionable, many have at heart
may fail We shal them without attaining the object OF
GIVING bounty To the person naned in the amendment,
defeat the main purpose Of the House of Representatives
fesb fi1xyfTn tna.rL 49,
sent here regret the presentation of the subject az this
time because it will without doubt tend 70 nure mer.-
toFions; claim. Ii is not my purpose unnecess ary
TO debate the question. Senators who favor the
amendment have said that they really -
take the question upon the reports without
argument. The effect OF such proposition that would
be tie surenderuy OF the right OF debate and thus silence
the consideration OF questions which in future may
up without the benefit Of that argument which always
suned TO be necessary for the enlightenment OF the
country 80 well as tor the enlightenment OF the Senate
Itself need not say word in behalf OF the original
bill. | that he consideration which iLduced tho
Hon-e Of Representatives To pass the bin unanimously,
anu winch Induced he Senate unanimously to take il up,
would also lducc the Senate % pas IT, IappCal to them
TO carry ont this intention by letting that bin pass which
Is ~ Itself unobjectlOnaDe and let the other in Gs
a distinct proposition Tor @ bounty upon lis
merits. That Is the true mode OF proceeding But,
Sr, If that shall not be the pleasure Of the Senate,
have to suggest to them that, according 10 the
showing If the report which has been male By
the Senator from Massachusetts, Mr. Sumner, in
which concured, the proposition contained in the
amendment IN entire conflict with the hhDNual
practice Of the Government from It's 10 the
present day the very present session has been
submitted TO the Senate which is contained in this report
in which the Committee Pensions, following up he rule
which has prevailed refused 70 grant COMPENSATION %
person who injured in the civil service Of the country.
The distinction between the oi the allowance 81
pension Tor military services and extraordinary cOmpense
ton for public civil services Is just as broad az the line
which separates the military and naval service from the
civil service of the country. The military service is
which requires exclusive devotion and which whdraws
III Tho fsaf.
requires the soldier office 10 devote him self
in tho prime OF life anu the officer especially