The daily union., 1854-01-08

ssrvss credit and applause for the gallant and
impulse BY which he was governed and prompted IN
acting q be did and such applaud aud should be
proud 10 do him honor Bat do not wish 10 commit the
government 10 act upon which look OF ques-
tionsble propfeiy ~ national view These resolutions
do not only commit the 10 The OF Captain
Ipgtahau, but also 10 the message Of the President OF
the United Statee and to the letter Of the Secretary OF
State. They commit It to all by endorsing The act OF the
commander in the most solemn nanner aud IN fewaIdng.
MOI by sword. but by medal-which is higher honor
than lhst minated BY sword-lhe act itself
When Iose, Mir. Speaker, had no idea Of speaking
hall ~ long have desired briefly 10 give one or two
reasons why intended 10 oppose these resolutions 10 the
very end. Trusting and believing from the indications
which see around THAI is the sense OF the House
10 let these resolutions lie ior uheT discuss
will now say that ID any intention hereafter 10 examine,
with great dee. OF care and elaboration The letter OF the
Secretary OF State, well the message OF The Pfes
dent OF the United S,atesdsputng both az unsound In
order that the House may have the better opportunity TO
decuAs this Thing fully and thoroughly connected with
the Presdenrs message and the letter OF the Secretary OF
Snte. that the resolutions be referred TO the Com
mtee OF the Whole on the state OF the Union, and or
dsrsd to be printed hope shall stay here until the
resolutions are better understood, and until they be de-
1e0tod IN some way or other.
Mr.. STANTON, of Tennessee, Mr. Speaker, like the
gentleman from Alabama, shall state, in the outset OF
my remarks, that | intend 10 be exceedingly brief
ccasdes the object intended TO be attained BY these
lations rs very just and very important 1t is
part OF the duty OF this House TO be performed towards
msst mertorous othcera duty important any that
be, or is likely be- performed by this House this
Congress, during this session.
The gentleman who was last up Mr.. SMITH. of Ala.
bama1 argued that this naval officer had performed a
slmple duty, AMI therefore was not entitled to the high
honor proposed to be bestowed him by this reson-
on. II is true, sir, that he has performed simple duty,
make his act example of the highest possible cour
nge-hgher courage than is exhibited by military Off
cor on the field Of battle 1t is an Instance OF moral
courage--of the very highest moral courage, which
could possibly have been exhibited II isno that Com
mandcr lngraham carried his vessel alongside OF the
Austrian ship. threw his cable her chains in such
way as 10 expose his vessel to the fire OF a superior
force. surrounded by Austrian vessels in the bay Of
Smyrna; is not that sir which gives him tile to
the high honor which we prspas. 20 do i'n because
have no doubt You may hnd thousand ofncers or al
least may find many officers in the American navy who
would be capable OF similar act OF gallantry But the
commander Of that vessel was under The necessity OF de-
termining great question OF international law, and OF
taking on himself high responsibility, relying on the
justice and poprey OF his own decision, and relying on
the support OF The people OF the United Siaes 70 sustain
him in performing duty which few of our officers, per-
haps, under similar circumstances, would have been
Take an instance somewha, similar in circumstances,
but very different in results, and very different in the ac
ton Of the individual who then held the honor and per-
haps the lives, of American citizens in hs hands, or al
least in dezres in bis power Take the instance OF
the officer who commanded The American ship al the port
OF Havana, recent occasion, when bloody tragedy
was enacted there, and ask yourself what might have
been the difference in the result there if he had had the
spirit and character OF Ing raham Sir it the moral
courage displayed in this instance which entities Com
mander lngraham to the act now about TO per-
FORM regret that the usages OF the service and the
laws OF the country do not permit this menoTous oihcrr
to b rewardcd in even better FORM and in higher de-
gree than he be by the passage OF these resolutions,
and BY the presentation OF medal regret that he can
not be promoted Tor that act OF gaantry and high moral
courage My friend from Virginia Mr. BAYLrl informs
me that the Austrian commander has actually been pro-
NOTED for the performance OF his duty that
This is the spirit with which these transactions
viewed by foreign governments
Thie IL not the proper occasion TO enter into eabo-
rata argument in regard the principles contained in the
aiuypI q
OF these esoluons but IN reference 10 the phraseology
Of these resolutions cannot the proprey OF The OBJ
ecton made by The honorable gentleman from Alabama
lMr PHILIPS | submit 10 bin, and 10 every gentle
man upon this floor, whether the resolutions not sui
6csny distinct and explicit upon that point, and wheth-
q 4 is necessary TO nsei.n then the reasons 10 Sr sp
liant oct on the part OF Captain lngaham, the second
day OF July last "in extending The protection OF the
American government to Marin Koszla, by rescung
him from foreibe and illegal seizure and Imprisonment
on board the Austrian brig Hussaro
Why sir, II Is certainly not TO be inferred from these
resolutions that The aclon OF this naval oAeet was
mere act OF humanity. II il a mere act OF human.
iy-an interference in favor OF person who had no
night 70 the protection OF The American governmental
certainly would not have been udcous conduct on the
Mr.. PHILIPS Qnierupting) The chairman OF the
commee which introduced these resolutions expressly
stated that the resolutions framed TO exclude
the Queeton which involved the right OF citizenship OF
Mr BAYLY, Of Virginia III. due 10 the Committee
On FOIeiEn auAlFe mat should repeat what nave AL
ready sad, rs still Misunderstood. We meant by
our decision to exclude all debatabe questions and
that the decision should be less emphatic IRON the
that did not assign the Tor it, We left the
olutons 10 speak for ther selves. That is what have
said over Ahd over again.
Mr.. STANTON, (fesuming) think the resolutions
do speak Tor themselves just explicitly as they
would you should ssert in them every fact connected
with The affair How much would il add TO tho strength
Of the resolutions If you should say BY them 'hat Mar
tin Koszta. native OF Hungary. who had declared his
American
does not exclude The fact because the whole world is
aware OF It's existence. II the gentleman intends 10 de
clare An abstract principle OF International law, appre
bend this 10 not the place 10 snch principle, and
this not the mode in which ought TO be done. IL
70 that every thing which s important ~ IN these
lations has the sanction OF the American Coagress
the sanction oil great act oi galanry IN an American
naval officer we'll of high moral courage 10 exc
cpting his simple duty, the gentleman from Alabama
r9hu Of those entitled TO the protection OF the American
Mf. SMITH, Of Virginia. II certainly IS not my pur-
pose 10 enter elaboratey into the discussion OF this
question. but 10 make few remarks upon for the
alteration of the House. which hope viii not be en-
tire3v without effect.
When the honorable chairman OF the committee, a
member OF the COMMITTEE Foreign Afias, reported
theee resolutions to the House this morning The gentle
man from South Carolina MIR OnpI seemed TO regard IT
a matter OF course that they shonh pass He repre-
sented 10 the House that they bad been reported from
al the ablest committees oi this body and, therefore,
there should be end o all inqurgi ia truth, that
We ought TO adopt them without debate, because they
were reported by committee OF ibh high intellectual
character.
Tbs suggestion was made by my, colleague that some