The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-04-10

Senate was to promote the efficiency of the
army, but it appeared to him to be all about
war, on which he had something to say.
Mr.. Bell, of Tennessee, moved to postpone
the further consideration of the subject until
tomorrow, with view TO proceed to the con-
sideration of the ~ FINISHED business of yester-
day, being the resolution of Mr.. Iverson respect
ing the Naval Board; which motion was agreed
to.
Mr.. Bell alluded, good humoredIy, to the little
misunderstanding of last evening, which had
grown out of a misapprehension on his part, in
the excitement of debate, respecting some re-
ks made by the Senator from Delaware,
Nh. Clayton, and retracting what he had
sale, under the misapprehension.
Mr.. Clayton met Mr. Bell full halfway, with
the>same frank and honorable spirit of concili-
alton and thus friendship Of more than
twenty years standing, which had been mo-
mentarily interrupted, was restored TO its won't
ed cordialitv
The Senate then proceeded to the considera-
ton of Executive business, and after a brief
period spent therein, adjourned.
HOUSE
The House was engaged in the consideration
of the Senates amendment to the pension. and
West Point Academy and the deficiency ap-
preparation bills, but came to no conclusion on
the subject before the adjournment.
The first eighteen amendments of the Senate
were concurred in, two of them in a modified
form, when long debate ensued on the amend.
ment appropriating S49, 200, or so much there
of as may be necessary, for engraving the mans
and drawings accompanying the reports of ex-
plorations and surveys to determine a Pacific
railroad route. Without disposng of this
amendment, the Committee rose, aud reported
its action to the House on the pension and Nil
itary Academy appropriation bills.
Thursday, 4prH 3, 1856.
SENATE.
Mr.. Crittenden. A memorial was presented
here some year or two ago, from that admirable
artist, j. w. Stanley, proposing to sell to this
country his Gallery of Indian Portraits" now
IN the Smithsonian Institution. This gentle
man is not only an artist of great merit but OF
very bold and energetic character, as has
been well evinced by his travels and researches
among the rude sons of the forest, in pursuit OF
faithful portraits Of the aborigines of the coun-
try; and the result Of his labors has been a
gallery of portraits of which not only the artist,
but the country, might well be proud His
attainments entitle him to very high niche in
his profession, and he wished to have the me-
mortal taken from the files, aud commended to
the favorable consideration of the Committee
on Indian Affairs; which was agreed to.
Mr.. Brown, from the Committee on the Dis
trlct OF Columbia, reported a joint resolution
changing the location of the District armory
from the Mall to Judiciary Square,
The Senate then proceeded TO the considera
ton OF the special order, being the bill to au-
thorize the people of Kansas to form a Consti-
tuition and State Government, preparatory to
their admission into the Union when they have
the requisite population.
Mr.. Collamer commenced n comprehensive
and compact argument, by adverting to what
are called new views of the Constitution, with
respect to which he asserted that the fact of
their being new was pregnant proof that they
were false. The past legislation of the country
was held to be the best exposition of the Con.
stitution, and of the powers of Congress under
that Constitution. From the mere literal and
textual Interpretation of that instrument, it was
argued that even the existence of such thing
as Slavery could not be inferred, and hence it
was only by reference to the practical legisla.
ton of the country that it was removed beyond
all controversy, that three provisions of the
Constitution had been introduced because of
the existence Of that domestic inGtitution.
MIR. &. then proceeded to show that Congress
had never before the year 1850 committed the
subject of Freedom or Slavery to be exclusive
ly discussed and legislated upon by the inhab.
itants of Territory, and maintained that Con-
gress had assumed to regulate .ha institution
Of Slavery, firstly, by prohibiting il where it did
not exist, or where it existed to small extent;
and, secondly, by not disturbing it whore it al
ready had a permanent footing. Congress hav-
ing thus specifically legisated on the subject
of Slavery in the Territories, Mr.. Collamer in
ferred that Congress had the power to do so.
and held that to deny it was to deny the inter.
probation put upon the Constitution by those
who were most competent to expound that in
strument
Mr.. Z. then examined the Ordinance of 1887,
and showed that its constitutionality had been
recognised by the admission of the Northwest
ern States under its express sanctions. He
also referred to the legislation of Congress rel.
alive to the Territory of Tennessee, of Orleans,
a part OF the Louisiana purchase and others,
for the purpose of proving that, with regard to
them also, Congress had assumed power of
regulating the relations Of Slavery to which he
added, that power to regulate implied full
power of control, since it had been held by the
Supreme Court that, under the power to regu-
late commerce, Congress was competent to
pass perpetual embargo.
MIR. c. next proceeded to analyze the organic
act of Kansas Territory, and maintained that
1t clearly embodied the doctrine of what is pop
ularly called "squatter sovereignty" The re.
lation of the Constitution to the territory of the
Union was next discussed, Mr.. C. maintaining
that the Constitution of the country covered all
the Territories within the jurisdiction of Con.
gress and could not be legitimately extended
over them by an act OF Congress, which more
over was needless, since the Constitution was
there eG aeceSsitdte rei anterior to the passage
of such act. A Territorial Government MIR. C.
regarded as nothing more than a municipal
corporation chartered by Congress; and. in can.
wasting the Kansas ebraska bill, ne declared
1t to be an anomaly ia the Territorial legisla-
ton CT tao country, and regarded it as an ex-
pertinent fraught with evil. He then proceeded
to show the grounds on which it was asserted,
in the minority report OF the Committee on
Territories, that the invasion Of the Missourians
extended to more than seven Of the election
districts of Kansas, quoting FOR this purpose
from Governor Reeder, ffom a Missouri news.
paper, and from u comparison of the votes with
the census taken just before the election. At
this stage of his remarks, Mr. G. gave war to
a motion to postpone the further confederation
of the subject till tomorrow.
house
Mr.. Allen, of Illinois, by consent, made a
personal explanation with reference to the re-
port made by the Committee of Elections few
days ago, detailing their action in the contested
election case between himself and Mr.. Archer.
Mr.. Washburn, of Maine, chairman of the
Committee of Elections, replied, declaring that
the gentleman from Illinois, under the guise of
a personal explanation, had made minority
report in his own behalf
The House then resumed the consideration
of the bill making appropriations for the pay
ment of invalid and other pensions of the Uni.
ted States for the year ending June 80, 1857,
the question being on the amendments of the
Senate theretn. rennrted HISTORIAN from A.