Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-03-25
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES,.

menL OF expenditures OF tne
Department aud its bureaus for the fiscal year
ending the S0h june 1862 Laid the table and or
4 dered to be printed.
Also, Communication from the Commissioner of Pa
tents transmitting the agricultural portion of his annual
report which referred to the Committee Patents
and ordered to be printed and it ordered that the
Commee Printing inquire into the proprety of print
Ing 5000 extra copies Of this branch of the report.
RESOLUTIONS OF STATE LEGISLATURES. "
Mr.. CHASTAIN, by consent presented resolutions of
e Legislature Of Georgia in favor of the Nebraska bill
which laid the table and ordered to be printed
Mr.. WASHBURNE, of Illinois, by consent, presented
resolutions of the Legislature of that State relative to the
Establishment of industrial universities and for the
engagement of practical and general education among
tie peoples which were laid on the table and orderedto
b printed
Mr.. BARKsDALE, by consent, presented resolutions
the Legislature of Mississippi in favor the Nebraska
bill; which were laid the table and ordered to be
printed.
BIDS FOR NAVAL SUPPLIES.
Mr. DOCOCK, by consent from the Committee on Ma
val Affairs reported joint resolution relative bids for
provisions clothing, and small stores for the Of the
navy; which read twice.
Mr. B. asked that the resolution might new BIO con-
sidered. He stated that this resolution was to the
Committee Naval Affairs some three or four weeks
since from the Navy Department and with it he received
letters both from the Secretary of the Navy and the Chief
OF the Bureau OF Provisions and Clothing representing it
to be OF immense consequence to that branch of the
vice that the resolution should be passed The time had
arrived for the annual advertisement of the Department
br bids of this kind, and they waiting for
ton ON this resolution which simply proposed to take
tie contracts for these supplies of the hands specu
ltors and conne them to the real dealers the articles
HE contract SYSTEM in many respects, hadproved
tie failure Bids for these supplies made mat
to of pure speculation for when the article rose the con-
trstor threw up the bid and the Government found it
van to attempt to obtain redress from him.
MIR. PERKINS, of New York, Messrs. SMITH and
AiLf, OF Virginia, and Mr. JONES, ofTennessee, each
nhde lew remarks, when
The resolution was read the third time and passed.
TERRITORIAL. BUSINESS.
On motion Of Mr.. RICHARDSON, tho week BEGINNING
with the first Monday in May was set apart for the
consideration of business relating to the organized Terri
tories.
CHARGES AGAINST THE SECRETARY OF WAR
Mr. BARRY asked consent to offer the following pre-
amble and resolution
Whereas it has been declared by member of this body
upon the floor of the House, that usurpaon
porversion Of tho very principles Of civil liberty ITSELF have
been committed by Democratic Secretary or War;" mean
ing the present Secretary War; Jefferson Davis and
the member has used in the following
language charge and be denied that the War
department has gradually and nsiduousIy engrossed and
nonopozed as many of the civil Offices of the
vould and by this has been enabled give snug
aid comfortable positions its faverites until the evil has
bsome widespread and dangerous and whereas it is due
he officer against whom charges Of such gravity have been
made, well to the administration public affairs
aid the preservation Of the legal distinction between the civil
AID military branches of the public service that these charges
Should be and thoroughly investigated therefore
Rcsolcd That committee of be appointed to in
re the truth Of these charges in their widest scope
AID whether the Secretary of War has transcribed his legal
pwers and the of the War Department in relation
tho extension Of the Capitol and other civil works. and nil
fats in their judgment bearing upon the origin, nature and
purposes Of the charge made against the Secretary of War;
report the to this House and that the
haze power to send for persons and papers.
Mr. BARRY explained that the resolution simply pro-
posed to raise committee of inquiry The charges
tanned in the resolution quoted from remarks made
here and the object was to appoint committee to in
qufe whether any of the charges which had been made
harao alg vhpra yuarn pd in arf
bessrs. ENGLISH and EDGERToN objected to the
resolution.
NJ. BARRY moved to suspend the rules
Mr.. CAMP BELL wished to know whether select COM
mee had not already been raised to inquire into this'
subject?
r BARRY took it for granted that there was no such
sect committee because these very charges were made
b the gentleman who the chairman Of the committee
twhich the honorable member from Ohio had alluded;
aid of course the gentleman from Kentucky (NIr STAN
Tc would not be announcing the action of the committee
Emancipation of its report
Mr.. CAMPBELL suggested that 1t would be better for
th gentleman to defer action the subject until the
committee to which alusion had been made should
stpmit its report
Mr.. STANTON, of Kentucky, desired, before the ques
TIN was taken to make brief explanation He had
nade charge against the present Secretary War; He
did that the War Department had gradually and nsidu
onsy engrossed and monopozed certain civil positions
This system, however, did not begin with this Admins
tation but commenced twenty years ago. and the
ell had now become an enormous one Heby no means
Intended to charge the present Secretary Of War with
originating this system, although he might perhaps
tin it.
Mr. CRAIGE could see no necessity for the resolution
Jhich the gentleman from Mississippi had asked leave to
Introduce. Shortly after Congress met a resolution
his subject introduced by the gentleman from Ken
cky and referred to standing committee of the House
md in addition to this select committee had also been
missed on the subject.
Objections being made to the continuation of the de-
bate
The SPEAKER stated that discussion was in order
on motion to suspend the rules.
Mr.. BARRY requested permission to make statement.
Objections made ,.s
Mr.. BARRY was understood to state that it was the
be investigated
The question then taken the motion to suspend
and it was decided in the negative.
THE PACIFIC RAILRoAD BILL.
Mr.. EWING asked t>e consent Of the House to move
that the bill heretofore reported by the select committee
In the subject to provide for the establishment of rail-
road and Geographic communication between the Allan
tic States and the Pacific ocean, and for other purposes
bs made the of the day the second We'd
nssday in May
Mr.. HAVEN did not know whether IL would be any use
for him undertake to resist special orders any further
They had already made special order this morning.
ono which he admitted loudly called upon the House for
action But he opposed to these special orders be-
Ievug unwse for the House to tie itself up in such
rs to prevent itself from acting subjects which
might hereafter demand its immediate attention.
Mr. EWING moved to suspend the rules. He said that
among the many presented for their considera-