New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1856-05-22
Thirty-Fo,urth congress--First session.

WASHINGTON, May IA, 1s56-Senate- CIay.
ton rising to an explanation said that he had seen
this mornings newspapers an extract purporting to
be from letter of the British Minister at Washington
to Lord Clarendon, dated Washington, March 81,
1856, in which Mr. Champion says II will be within
your Lordships recollection that Mr.. Clayton was in
formed by Sir Henry Bulwer, before the treaty of
1850 was signed, that Ruatan was de e and de tacto
British possession; and that Mr. Clayton has on
various occasions since with me, stated that be con
sldered Ruatan as much British possession as
Jamaica or any other British West India Island'' FL
Mr.. Clayton remarked that this statement was ut
terly untrue in every part of it and the British
Minister must have labored under as strange hallu-
cinatlon 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
any other person. Fortunately for him. however the
fact did not rest merely upon the statements of Mr.
Champion and himself but he had aliving witness.
First he would call the attention of the Senate to-
letter written by Mr.. Champion, and read in the
Senate on the 18th of January 1854 in the course Of
one of Mr.. Clayton's speeches. in which he was at
\ tempting to prove that Ruatan not dependency
Of Belize, and was not exempted from the provisions
4 of the treaty Of 1850. ssS.t$@ 4$NSs7Eg
He had then Mr.. Crampton's testimony on the sub
eet and he read it to the Senate and he proposed
is made known to him this morning forthe first time
and of which he had not the most remote conception
In this letter Mr. Champion said, the dependencies
OF British Honduras are in my opinion distinctly emu
merated in the treaty of 1856" He had made this
statement deliberately after consulting the records
his legation and the irresistible conclusion was thai
Ruatan not included in those dependencies Mr.
Clayton stated that during conversation with Mr
Champion, in February March last, (Mr. Crttenden
being presently MIR. Champion in the most unqualified
TERMS acknowledged that there was no truth in the
report that Mr.. Clayton had ever made any such init
nation to him.
Mr.. Crittenden corrborated the truth of Mr. Clay.
toms statement a 5-av @a @j'.
Mr.. Cass thought it was very certain that Nr. Clay
ton unless in some fit Of insanity, could have
said to Mr.. Champion what was attributed to him.
Mr.. Pratt inquired what evidence there was that
this letter was authentic He thought there was some
mistake about it. -s..q. ~ 4
Mr.. Clayton replied it had appeared in the public
prints and until it was denied or disavowed, Mr..
Clayton was bound to suppose it was genuine docu-
ment but he should be very happy to be assured of
the contrary. =
After further explanations and other business the
7 Senate adjourned. .ht,e=
House Of Representatives-Mr. Bennett of New
York from the Committee Public Lands, reported
bill granting about a million of acres of land to
Florida for railroad purposes. VI &%'-f h5>s
After debate, the bill was passed-yeas 81 nays 81.
| The House proceeded to the consideration Of the
Senate bill to define the e$dutes Of the Commissioners
Of Elections, and providing punishment for viola
ton Of the same proposing to open the polls at
/ O'Clock in the morning, etc. ,7. Ia r. 1a i,i.
Mr. Meacham moved that the bill be put on its
/ passage.
Mr.. Humphrey Marshall moved that it be referred
to the Committee Of the Whole on the state of the
4 Union. ii. s,
Mr. Jones, of Tennessee said he understood the city
authorities approved Of the bill, but
i Mr.. Davis, of Maryland remarked he understood
that they did not approve of it.
Mr.. Humphrey Marshall opposed the bill, saying
that by its operationiit it gave advantage to the
I foreign-born over the native voter.
Mr.. Jones, of Tennessee, advocated the BILL re-
\ marking that he Rnew Of nothing unfair covered up
in it and moved to lay the motion to reconsider on
the table; but it did not prevail; yeas g. nays 76
i Pending the question: the House adjourned.