Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-06-17
EXPLANATION.

first time believe that ever desired similar favor
perceive in morning paper, 1.-THE Unon,) TO which
my attention has been directed entered the Capitol
this morning that the distinguished and much honored
statesman Of South Carolina (Air Calhoun,) with my
SELF is charged with the crime of mutability in having
voted for the compromise bill of july l84S. That BILL
wnile it excluded in California and New Mexico the whole
Ccrine of what is called squatter sovereignty and
gave no right to aliens to vote in those Territories did
confer that right such had declared their intention
to become citizens in the then proposed Territory of Ore
gon. AT the same time that compromise, which pro-
posed to organize three vast Territorial Governments
greater than included in bill before, Offer
ed peace to distracted country the principle Of sub
hitting the whole slavery question in the Territories to
the judicial tribunals and for the first time excluded the
Wmot proso and adopted for Oregon the boosted prn
cple Of nonntervention, which afterwards copied
into the compromise measures Of 1850.
For this great measure of pacifcation both John @.
Calhoun and myself voted, although known to every one
who had thought opinions worthy of consideration to
be utterly opposed the clause in that part OF the bill
organizing the Government Of Oregon which allowed the
of aliens in any form under any pretext We en-
tertained then the opinions which we had both eI
pressed in the debate the Michigan bill in 1885, that's
claim allowing aliens to vote was utterly and absolutely
unconstitutional; opinion which was shared with US
by many of the most distinguished gentlemen In both
Houses Of Congress that day But to obtain the great
blessings which firmly believed the country would re-
ceve from the final settlement Of the slavery question on
the principle of that billa measure which the datin-
guished Senator from Virginia. (Ar. HUNTER, in the
late debate the Nebraska BILL as the very
best compromise proposedwe both agreed after
together waive op)ectlons
single clause in the Oregon portion OF the bill to secure
the passage of that great measure Of peace
While this measure was before the committee which
reported that bill Mr.. Calhoun called at my lodgings to
consider with the should adopt on this very
question. We both stood fully committed TO the country
the constitutional principle that any act Of Congress
allowing aliens to vote in State or Territory OF the
United States dnto act Of naturalization and
unconstitutional, because it partial and not uniform.
But given to understand by others that eur COM
promise bill would inevitably fail in the House of Repre-
/ Gnya If n1ah
without the fifth section of the BILL which was so obnox
ous The ness of that opinion was fully de-
monsraed short time afterwards and after the failure
Of our compromise in the other House by small MAORI
ty by the passage of separate Oregon bill, containing
that very section allowing the vote of aliens which bill
originated in that House Representatives, andbe
came law the l4th of August l848. But for that
bill neither Mr. Calhoun myself ever voted Hadwe
for that for provision allowing the Suffrage
of aliens in any separate and distinct FORM might in
deed have subjected ourselves to the OF those
who would rejoice opportunity Of charging us with
inconsistency During the interview to which have re-
ferred resolved make the sacrifice in Oregon to
the principle in California and New Mexico which
only avoided the alien vote in those Territories, but
the Wmo proyso and the whole principle of squatter
sovereignty We thought that in difficult compromise
he who the two best in three had but little reason to
complain We thought too there was but little danger
of alien suffrage in Territory remote from the usual
landing places of immigrants the Atlantic and SO in
accessible as Oregon.
Sir, it has been said that when the trainers of the
greatest all compromises he Constitution Of the Uni
ted Sates of the convention of 1857 there was
not one man who dissatisfied with some one pro-
vision Of that The Missouri compromise of
1920 voted for by who held the sixth section OF
it to be absolutely unconstitutional The tariff compro-
mise of 1888 contained the principle of the home valuR
on which in the debates Of that day, was pronounced
unconstitutional by nearly every Southern Senator, who
afterwards voted only for the passage Of that COM
PROMISE but for the home valuation amendment itself
and that too call Of the yeas and nays These were
made by and patriotic statesmen to Sc
the blessings of peace and the safety Of this Union
And if l. whose opinions against alien suffrage have never
varied if l. who reported the provision excluding aliens
from voting In the first act to organize the vast Territory
of Wisconsin, then comprehendng the present States OF
Wisconsin, Iowa. and half of Michigan, which Territory
organized by my efforts and those OF the Judiciary
Committee Of which was at the time the chairman; II l.
who also reported and voted against the clause allowing
alien suffrage in the State of Michigan, he charged
with inconsistency for sacrificing something Of my fixed
ty Of this Union 184s those who delight to censure
make the most Of it.
| REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
| Mr.. PEARCE, from the Committee Finance, report
ed bill respecting the Executive Departments and to
distribute the settlement Of claims and accounts among
the accounting officers of the Treasury.
This bill provides, in substance, that from and after
June 80 1854 the Second Auditor is settle claims of
any description that may arise be unsettled in the De-
partment Of the Interior and other the Third Au
ditor is to audit all claims that may arise be
settled in the War Department, and other; the
Fourth Auditor audit all claims arising in the State
Department and other; the First Auditor to audit
all other claims that may arise be unsettled with The
United States with the exception of the Post Office De-
partment
All accounts connected with the customs to be
vsed and controlled by the Collector of Customs the
audited by the First and Fifth Auditors be
revised and controlled by the First Comptroller Those
audited by tho Second Third and Fourth Audi
be revised and controlled by the Second Comp
troller.
All accounts remaining unsettled June 80, 1854, in any
Of the Offices be transferred to those officers whose
duty it is under this audit control the Books
and clerks engaged in the several Offices are to be trans
ferred also
All claims against the United States, coming under the
supervision of any of the Departments except the Post
Office shall before payment be adjusted by the proper
Auditor and examined and passed upon by the proper
comptroller.
All persons having public moneys in their hands who
shall fail for the quarterly monthly,
required by the Department, upon failure to do
within days after the prescribed me the Secretary
may impose fine of $500 for such failure, the to
be charged against the party making it.
Mr.. GWlN, from the Committee on Naval Affairs,
ported joint resolution giving the consent of Congress
to the acceptance by Lieut. NJ. F. Maury, of the Navy
Of gold medal from his Majesty the King of Sweden
Mr.. G.. presumed there would be objection to the
consideration of the resolution it merely to autho
rice Lieut.. Maury receive the medal which he could
not do without the sanction of law. The medal
given by the King Of Sweden. This was given
acknowledgement Of the kind disposition shown by Lieut.
Maury to make the merchant navy of Sweden in common
with that Of other nations recipient of the benefit Of
the discoveries made in the science of navigation
The resolution then read.
Mr.. PEARCE would prefer that it lie until to-