The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-22
THIRTY-F0URTH CONGRESS.
First Session.

THIRTY-F0URTH CONGRESS.
First Session.
Tuesday, May ID, 1856.
SENATE.
The Iowa land bill was again debated, on the
motion to reconsider its passage.
Mr.. Cass proceeded to finish the speech he
had commenced on the previous day. He re.
GREETED that there had been indefensible pro-
ceedings in that Territory, but these proceedings
had in nowise shaken his faith in the great prin-
ciples of popular sovereignty as embodied in the
Kansas-N ebraska bill. External difficulties had
obstructed the harmonious working of popular
sovereignty in Kansas. He regarded the pro.
visions of the Kansas bill as pacific in their ten
dency, and, if such had not been the result OF
its working, the cause was to be found in that
fanatical spirit which had arrayed one section OF
the country against the other. He had no oh.
lection to the emigrants themselves, but believed
that those who had been instrumental in get
ting up" Aid Societies" were responsible for
a great part of the mischief that had occurred
in Kansas. Still, he said, he did not intend to
justify the Eruption of the Mssourians in that
Territory. 1t was wrong, and ought to be pre-
vented. He believed the statements respecting
be exaggerated, but enough remained unques
tionable 10 excite regret and Reproduction. He
held that Congress had no right to inquire into
the qualifications of the members composing
the Legislature of Kansas. He thought the con-
duct of the President had been just and proper
in the premises. He (Mr. Cass) condemned
many of the proceedings of the Kansas Legis-
lature, but held that they were not such as to
authorize the action of the " Free State party''
in taking the law into their own hands. He
thought, nevertheless, that the experiment made
in Kansas had taught the propriety of making
provision, in future organic acts of Territories,
against outside interference, and would suggest
the expediency of some such supplementary leg.
islation with regard to Kansas,
The question of the Danish treaty was then
taken up and discussed by Mr.. Clayton, who
supported the report of the Committee on For
eign Affairs.
Mr.. Jones, of Pennsylvania, replied to the
remarks of his colleague, Mr. Fuller, made on
Saturday last. He referred to the uniformly
steady resistance of Pennsylvania to the fanat
icism of the times; and this patriotic position he
ascribed in a great degree to the good example
litical consistency of Pennsylvania's favorite
son.
Mr.. Fuller rejoined briefly, and the subject
was dropped.
Mr.. Pennington reported from the Committee
of Conference on the part Of the House in re-
gard to the disagreeing votes upon the deficiency
bill. 1t was proposed that the Senate recet1e
from their amendment appropriating 100000
for the Washington Aqueduct; also, from tie ms
for the army; and that the House concur in the
amendments appropriating 100000 for the
transportation of the army, and some other
items, which are detailed in the regular report
Mr.. Pennington, stated that as the Senate had
already concurred in the report of the commit
tee, all that was necessary to pass the bill was a
similar concurrence on the part of the House
This was given. The House considered, in Com
mittee of the Whole, the bill making appropria-
tons for the support of the army for the next
fiscal year, when Mr.. Evans, of Texas, made an
hours speech upon the Slavery question and
the political topics of the day, in the course OF
which he expressed his sympathy for the pres
ent Government of Nicaragua, which he thought
ought to have been recognised by our Govern
ment.
The House adjourned.
Wednesday, May Ia, 1856.
SENATE.
ing's newspapers, an extract purporting to be
from a letter of the British Minister at Wash.
ington to Lord Clarendon, dated Washington,
March 81, 1856, in which Mr.. Champion says
at will be within your Lordship's recollection
that Mr.. Clayton was informed by Sir Henry
Rulwer, before the treaty of 1850 was signed,
that Ruatan was de jure and de facto British
possession; and Mr.. Clayton has on various o.
casions since, in conversation with me, stated
that he considered Ruatan as much British
possession, as Jamaica or any other British West
India Island"
Mr.. Clayton said that this statement was ut
terly untrue in every part of it and the British
Minister must have labored under as strange a
halluciustion as ever entered the brain of any
man, to make such a statement Nothing like
it had ever escaped him, in conversation with
Mr.. Champion or anybody else.
Mr.. Clayton proceeded to say that while he
was detained at his lodgings by sickness, in Feb
ruary or March last, he was called upon by mr.
Crittenden and while they were engaged in
conversation upon this subject, Mr.. Cramptor
came in to invite Mr.. Clayton to dine with him
Mr.. Clayton was too sick to accept the invitation
but he took the occasion to ask Mr. Champion
if he knew anything of the charge that he Mr.
Clayton) had ever admitted that Ruatan was
exempted from the operation of the treaty /; and
Mr.. Champion, in the most unqualified terms,
acknowledged that there was no truth in the re-
port, that Mr.. Clayton had ever made such init
nation to him.
Mr.. Crittenden corroborated the statement OF
Mr.. Clayton. He could not pretend to detail
the conversation at which he was thus accident.
ally present; but according to his recollection,
the substance of it was directly contrary to the
statement in the newspaper, and sustained the
account which Mr.. Clayton had given of it.
Mr.. Clayton had no knowledge of its authen
ITCHY. When his attention was called to it this
morning, he was very nauoh astonished, and his
first duty was to prove that the statement, no
matter by whom. made, was false. IF Mr..
Champion never made such statement, he was
not injured by these remarks; but if he did
make it, it was for him to explain it. 1t had
appeared in the public prints and until 1t was
denied or disavowed, Mr. Clayton was bound to
suppose it was genuine document; but he
should be very happy to be assured of the con-
tsary.
refused to reconsider the vote by which the Sen.
ate passed the Iowa railroad bill on Friday last,
and adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Bennett, of New York, from the Commit.
tee on Public Lands, reported a bill granting a
million acres to Florida, to aid in the eonstruc-
ton of three railroads, embracing an extent of
five hundred miles. He moved the previous
question.
Mr.. Jones, of Tennessee, said the House had
come to pretty pass, when bills of this charac.
ter, involving such large appropriations, cannot
be inquired into, unless by the grace or special
favor of the committee which reports them.
Mr. Bennett thought he was doing favor by