The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-06-05
THIETY-FOURTH CONGRESS-.
First Session.
Thursday May 20, 1856.
CE>JAspt.

| A message was received from the President
of the United States, communicating to Con-
gress information that he had ceased to hold
| diplomatic intercourse with the Envoy Extra
ordinary and Minister Pleripotentiary of her
| Majesty the Queen of the United Kingdom of
| Great Britain and Ireland near this Govern
ment, with series of papers embodying the
considerations of public duty which have led
to this measure.
mittee on Foreign Relations, and ordered to be
printed.
MIR. Mason expressed the pleasure he felt at
| learning the conciliatory tone of Lord Claren
don's despatch, and complimented Mr.. Marcy's
letter, as being at once temperate, calm, and
courteous.
Mr.. Cass had listened with pleasure to the
reading of the despatch of the Secretary OF
State. He regarded it as a conclusive and
powerful analysis of the whole case 1t seemed
to him that the honor of the country i'm
periously required the dismissal of the British
Minister, and his only regret was that it had
not been done long ago.
| Mr. Toombs admitted that the dismissal of
the British Minister did not of necessity lead
| to the disturbance of our pacific relations with
Great Britain; but still he could but regret that
the matter had taken the course it had Our
Government having been satisfied, as it &C.
knowledged, with the representations made by
Great Britain, the British Minister ought to
have been permitted to remain. He thought
| 1t was in vain for US to say that the subject in
dispute had been satisfactorily explained, to
| declare that the apology or explanation of the
| British Government was accepted, and then to
remove the Minister who was the occasion of
the dispute. While he agreed with our Govern
ment, that the explanation of Lord Clarendon
was sufficient, yet he thought they had greatly
erred, after obtaining that explanation, to in.
| terrupt the diplomatic intercourse between the
two countries. He expressed the opinion that
| the matter had been pressed to point of petit
| Jogging, rather than of craftsmanship. He did
| not concur with the construction given by our
| Government to the neutrality laws. He did
not think the British Government had violated
| them in anything which it had done. Now that
negotiations had terminated, he took the &C.
casion to express his dissent from the views of
| his own Government.
| Mr. Butler agreed with the Senator from
| Georgia, Mr.. Toombs) that it was peculiarly
unfortunate that the British Minister should
have been dismissed after all this protracted
correspondence. During the time when the
Allies were engaged in the war against Russia,
| it was highly proper for our Government to
have said "hands of" so far as regards our
war had ceased, he thought the course scarcely
proper. He would not say that the British
Government had right to take exception to
| it, but he would have preferred to have had it
| done in the first instance or not at all. He
saw no reason why the two Governments should
| be involved in commercial difficulties and
scenes of retaliation, much less in actual war.
He should regard that as great calamity. 1t
| was one of those things he desired to avert, so
| far as he could do so by his counsel, consistent
| ly with the honor of his country. The Minister
had been dismissed, and he supposed the de-
velopments afforded what our Government con-
Sidered justification for it but he thought
from the temper which pervaded the cores
| pondence of Lord Clarendon, and the tone of
| feeling that seemed to exist in both countries
this would be regarded as a most most mop
Fortune time for thus dissolving diplomatic rea
| tone. He would not say that our Government
was not justified, but must be permitted to think
| it had chosen an inopportune period for its
| action.
| M. Pratt desired to call attention to the fact
that the letter of apology on the part of the
| British Government was dated after the peace
| lately established by the Powers Of Europe.
| Whatever might have been the state of affairs
| at the time when the offence was given, Eng
land was certainly relieved from all expecta-
ton Of difficulty with any European Power at
the time when the apology was made which
was deemed sufficient by our Government.
The offence charged was, that England had at
tempted to enlist soldiers here while engaged in
war with a country with which we were at peace.
The Government, after that peace, had dis
claimed any intention of violating the law of
which we had complained. He deemed it,
then, beneath the dignity Of this Government
| to turn off the mere agent, who had made
similar disclaimer, when the British Govern
ment was released from all responsibility.
After brief rejoinders 10y Messrs. Cass and
Mason, the conversation dropped.
On motion. it was
Resolced, That when the Senate adjourn, it
be to Monday next and that when it ad iourn
on Monday next, it be to Thursday next
With a seemingly implied understanding that
no Legislative business was to be undertaken,
unless in case of great emergency, before the
succeeding Monday.
On motion by Mr.. Dodge, the Senate pro-
ceeded to consider the bill granting public
lands to the State of Wisconsin, to aid in the
construction of railroads in said State and it
was read third time and passed.
On motion by Mr.. Fitzpatrick, the Senate
proceeded to consider the bill granting public
lands in alternate sections to the State Of Ala
bama, to aid in the construction of certain rail-
roads in said State and it was read a third
time and passed.
The following bills from the House of Rep
| resentatives were read twice, considered, and
passed, without the formality of a reference,
An act making grant of land 10 the State
of Louisiana, to aid in the construction of rail-
roads in said State.
| An act making grant of alternate sections
of public lands to the State of Michigan, to aid
| in the construction of certain railroads in said
State, and for other purposes.
HOUSE
| Mr.. Grow, by consent, reported bill for the
admission of the State Kansas into the Union,
| and the 25th of June was fixed for its con-
sideration. A resolution was adopted, calling
| upon the President of the United States for
any official information in his possession in
regard to an arrangement by the principal
European Powers on the subject of privateer-
ing Mr. Campbell, Of Ohio, introduced, on
l,sbalf of the select committee, resolution,
which, was adopted, granting it authority To- re.
port at any time on the facts in reference to
the assault on Senator Sumner by member
of the House, and have the report printed.
The resolution of the Senate on the subject
was referred to the select committee OF the
House. From the announcements made in
regard to the "pairing off" of members until
the third week in June, it is generally under
stood there viii be no bnspess out of the ord
| nary routine of references and reports in the
| interval. The House adjourned to Monday
| next.
Monday, June 2, 1856.
SENATE.
A letter was read from the President of the
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