The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1854-01-24
SPEECH OF HON. GILBERT DEAN.

1884, on the resolutions Of thsnks 10 Captain Duncan
y; ingrsham, reported nom The Committee on Foreign
Affairs
4 Mr.. DEAN said:
4 MIR. SPEAKsR On Thursday. January 5. by direction
OF the Committee Foreign Affairs reported the fol-
lowing resolutions
BE a ,ssovsa BY as Senate a~d House Of
Of tks Uutsd STATES " 1utea Congress assembled That
the Of Congress be- aod they hereby presented
TO Duncan lngfaham, commanding the United States
soopowa 81 Louis, ioI his Iudicious and gallant con.
the I'd day of July extending the protection
OF the American government 70 Marnn kosza by resou-
ing him from !ofcibe and Illegal seizure and Imprisonment
Rsod, That the President Of the Uaitsd States be. and
is hereby requested 70 be made medal, win
graham testimonial OF tho high sense entertained by
Congress OF ms vaor pionpness, and Judicoas oondues
the aforementioned occasion.
ResoUd That the President OF the United States cause
the foregoing resolutions be communicated TO Captain
Duncan N lngrahap, ia such terms may
calculated 10 give effect TO the objects thereof
then stated that WINS directed by the committee 10
ask the OF the House, aud immediate action
on the resolutions Debate their adoption
The previous question having been ordered shall not,
at this hour OF the day-and after the leng hened aud
very able debate to which we have lslened-avaii
myself OF the opportunity which the rules afford
addressing the House at length the subject which
now TO be acted AS have already once explained
the object oil the resolutions shall content myself with
reply to what regard az requiring reply in the re-
marks OF those who have spoken this subject These
resolutions, they now appear, are substantially those
which submitted early in the session, and which, on
my notion were referred the Committee on Foreign
Affairs. That committee after considering them--aer.
ing slightly The language OF the hst, and substituting
medal for sword in the second Tor the sole that
La medal was higher, and, under the circumstances,
more appropriate compliment than swordhave unani-
mousy recommended their adoption
Some gentlemen, in the debate which has been had
have SAID they preferred the original the amended
resolutions; and proper that the OF those
resolutions, should say that approve The act OF The
mit,ee and that desire II to be distinctly and unequv
ocally undersood that prefer the reported
to those offered BY the second day Of the session
This preference founded upon the fact that the
buttons before the House, not the indvid
ual sentiment or production OF single member, but
the maued expression OF OF lis standing committees,
and our action carries with Il TO The country greater
moral force proportion 20 the and deiberaion
with which it marked For this do regret
the very animated, heightened, and able debate whch
has arisen, or the time II has occupied Dopping there
fore all personal CONSIDERATIONS which might be sup
posed 10 entertain IN regard to the adoption OF my
resolutions unamended declare myself for the Iesoln-
lions as reported them with the amendments OF the
committee, rather than Tor my own originally pro-
posed EH
The resolutions as first offered here, were drawn by
haste al my desk in the House, without having
consulted any one; with no opportunity time 10
lecl the best language in which convey correct
preston Of the principles intended 10 be enunciaed Be-
fore the INK with which they were written was dry the
State OF New York called Tor Tesolutions and they
were sent up and read by the Clerk. Ordinarily,
care should be used in drawing papers Of this kind but
was aware that the Presidents message tia, day
10 BE- communicated 10 the House. and believing.
did, lha, it could not pass unnolIced the event. which
more than any other during the present administration
had arrested the attention and exced the admiration OF
the world, was anxious that the medium OF COM
Observation-Disclosures mail teieg aph-whch carried
fCrh the reiterated approval by the executive branch OF
the government OF the conduct OF ingaham, should also
convey the intelligence 10 the whole world that the Con-
gress OF the United Sales-an independent and co-ordi
nate branch OF the government-the waf-nakins power
responded TO the action OF the President this emphatic
approval And cir, SO long as this object is attained,
care not In hat particular language The information is
conveyed seek the substance the letter. The thing
sgnied and not the sign, the torn OF expression
worthy OF attention. The people, ON looking nj this vote
OF thanks, will not study the language, but regard
the thing have done The net more eloquent than
all the studied forms of speech; and language has no
terms in which to heigbten The simple expression OF
thanks for udicious and gallant conduct the occasion
rendered memorable by the act of ingraham. They,
sir. the people, will not haggle about words study the
force OF sentences; but they will thai their represent
atves have deliberately approved OF that conduct which
they have emphalically endorsed
Mr. SMITH, OF Virginia, unIeIrupiiog) beg 10 as
sure the House tina! do not for The sake OF making
speech upon this question. but simply To PROFOUND a
question TO the gentleman from New York lMr DEASl
IN relation to the phraseoogy of The resolutions As
gentleman from New York originally offered the resou
tons, beg leave TO PROFOUND the question to him.
Mr. DEAN. Though dIsllking more Than can ex-
press the habit OF ineroKa,ng gentlemen while address
ing the House, inasmuch closing debate and
no one reply TO me, il the gentleman from Virginia
desires to ask me a question | will answer H.
Mr. SMlT TIL. Tue preamble OF the resolution is in
these Words In extending the protection Of the Amer.
government 10 Maria koszs, by fescung him from
orcbie and illegal seizure and Imprisonment boatd OF
the Austrian brig Hussar." What | wish TO know il
this, Did this committee mean TO assert that be was
seized board the brig Hussar' Another question The
resolution says "forclbe seizure" want TO know the
OF the word - iorcblen The words Seizure and
inprl sonmen" imply force. There is manifest tautol-
ogy; and in matter OF this importance would send
out TO the world paper defective IA phEaseoIogy in this
respect
Mr DEAN. | hope, 10 discussion OF this import
ance, thai Congress will not be turned into a grammar
school, augh lel and that shall be forced from
The discussion OF matter oil national importance 10 The
settlement OF question OF syntax or be compelled to
consult dictionaries refer TO work upon syn
onyms. The words forcibe seizure however, are in
territorial, and something where they occur, and
desire to meet the gentleman upon his criticism We
have in our law books-and have not the pleasure 10
know whether the gentleman Is LAWYER Motive have
term which says mofiisr msnus tnposuf'be placed
his hands lightly upon him. We mean to convey by the
expression " foroibe seizure" directly the reverse Of
roier iuposui" and say that the commander
OF the Austrian SUPP VINO at the time the represent
body OF he seized The Hungarian refugee and forced
him from neutral territory board the Hussar, did not,
20 up 10 koszia aud say 10 him. :" want you TO
on board OF this ship" but that the outrage commit
ted "rf ct armis'wh force and arms-not 10 the tech
nical sense Of the term but in it's fullest meaning and
significance.
Now, cir, will answer the other criticism OF the gem
eman; and that -, whether mean that he seized
board OF The ship Hussar We did design in tbis
affair." that history being everywhere so well known
The original seizure being ioclbe, and Kosza having
been earned board the ship, the seizure continued
be fofcIble and illegal, larceny in county is lar
ceny in every county which The thing stolen IL
red IL was proper, therefore, that i should be put in