Daily national era. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1854, 1854-02-14
CONGRESS-.
rHIRrY.rHIRD coSGRrss-YIRsr SESSION.
Senate, Tuesday FEB. IA, 1854.


Senate, Tuesday, FEB. IA, 1854.
The galleries wore crowded at an early hour,
in the expectation Of hearing the Hon. Sam.
Houston speak on the Nebraska Bill.
The Chair laid before the Senate commu-
nication from General Armstrong, of the Union,
asking to be released from the engagement be-
tween that paper and the Senate, for the pub
location Of its debates and proceedings. He
says that the proceedings Of the Senate exclude
from the paper the proceedings of the House,
and the compensation allowed is altogether in
adequate. The communication was referred
to the Committee on Printing,
Mr.. Johnson submitted resolution, that
John c. Rives furnish the Senate with an equal
number of the proceedings Of both Houses that
he now furnishes to tho House.
Mr.. Seward and Mr.. Brodhead presented
memorials from Now York and Pennsylvania,
against the passage Of any act repeating or
abrogating the Missouri Compromise.
Mr.. Bayard presented memorable in favor Of
Congress adopting the principle Of Congression-
al non-intervention in all Territorial Bills.
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the
bill providing for the settlement Of the claims
of American citizens for spoliations committed
by the French prior to 1900.
Mr.. Petit resumed, and concluded his re-
marks in support Of the bill.
The bill was then passed-yeas 26, nays =
as follows:
YEAs--Messrs Allen, Badger Bayard, Bell
James, Jones of Tennessee, Mallory, Morton
Pearce, Petit, Pratt, Sebastian, Seward,
Shields, Smith, Sumner, Toombs, Wade, Wei
Ter, and Wright--26.
NAYs-Messrs. Adams Bright, Brown, Cass
Chase, Clay, Dodge Of Wisconsin, Dodge Of
Iowa, Douglas. Fitzpatrick, Jones of Iowa, Ma
son, Norris, Rusk, Slidell, Walker, and VIII
liams--17.
The Senate then resumed the consideration
of the bill to establish Territorial Govern.
ment for Nebraska.
Mr.. Houston then addressed the Senate in
defence and yindcation of tho Indians. He
traced the history Of the Cherokees from the
time Of the treaty Of 1885 down to their loca-
ton in the present Territory of Nebraska
which was guaranteed them by the most sa-
cred pledges Of the Government, that in the
enjoyment of this home they should never be
disturbed
He accused the Government Of bad faith
and asked when had the Government ever done
an honest act, or fulfilled any promise with re-
spect to the Indians He advocated the policy
of furnishing Indians with food and the means
of prosecuting agriculture, in which they would
soon become civilized and christianized O0m-
munities. The present policy Of keeping up
armed posts, So, cost more than would 10 Q
few years christianize and civilize every Indian
east of the Rocky Mountains. He elaborated
these points at great length.
Mr. Houston had not concluded when he
yielded the floor, and the subject was post
poned
The Senate proceeded to the consideration
Of Executive business.
House of Representatives, FEB. ID, 1854.
The following is the Committee of Inquiry,
appointed in pursuance of the resolution Of
Mr.. Mace, to make Investigations respecting
certain ocean mail steamers &c., viz: Messrs
nington, Elliott, j C. Allen, and Puryear
The Speaker laid before the House several
Executive communications which were laid
on the table, and ordered to be printed.
Mr.. Murray, from the Committee on Print
ing reported back, and asked to be discharged
from, the consideration of certain resolutions
and memorials, including proposition to print
500 extra copies Of the Blue Book; also, to fur
nish public schools with copies of the Presi-
dents Message and accompanying documents.
The committee also asked to be discharged
from the consideration of the Census Report,
and the application Of ]. c. G. Kennedy for
permission to compile certain information there
from; and that they be referred to the Joint
Committee on the Census. Assented to.
Mr.. Stanton proposed resolution, to autho-
rize the printing Of 900 copies Of the Patent
Report for 1884 for the use Of that Office,
and 80, 900, for the use of the Houee. The lat
ter number wac, on motion Of Mr.. Straub, in
creased to $4,000; and the resolution was
adopted
On motion Of Mr.. Jones, Of Tennessee, the
House then resolved itself into Committee Of
the Whole on the Homestead Bill, Mr.. Olds in
the chair.
This bin is entitled: "a bill to encourage
agriculture commerce, manufactures, and all
other branches Of industry BY granting to ev-
cry man, who is the head Of family, and
citizen Of the United States, homestead Of
100 acres Of land, out Of the public domain,
upon condition Of occupancy and cultivation Of
the same, for the period herein specified
Mr.. Dawson addressed the Committee at
length, in support Of this bill.
Mr.. Mace arose, and eaid that he proposed,
for the first time in his life, to deliver speech
from the manuscript He said that he would
speak upon the bill which had been reported
to this House from the Committee on Terrific
ries, and which was identical with that now
before the Senate in relation to Nebraska.
In order that he might not be catechised in
the course Of his remarks, he said he would ex.
plain his past course upon all kindred ques-
tons. He proceeded to do so, and showed that
he had never occupied position antagonistic
to the interests Of The slave States.
The Compromise of 1850 did not, in his opin-
ion, repeal the Compromise of 1924 com.
pact that had been made in good faith, and
approved, sanctioned, and re-afirmed, in all
the subsequent legislation Of the country bear
ing directly or indirectly upon the subject
The present is the first time, the speaker
said, that Slavery has formed the basis Of par
ty divisions In all former times the boast up.
pcsred to be that one party contained more
Pro-Slavery men than the other.
IL had been said in the Senate that Mr.. Clay
himself doubted the constitutionality of the