The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-01-17
THlRTN-F0URTH CONGRESS-,
tlcst Session.
Wednesday, January 9, 1856.
SENATE

planning of the decisions of tho Naval Roard
MIR. Mason was understood IN exnress tho
opinion that in cases where the Board had Eau
en- into error, it would be found impracticabl,
Tor the committee to give the scrutiny reauired
approved as they had been by the Executive
Mr.. Hale said he had memorial. reIatin, %
the same subject, which he desired IN nrese,,,
but he wished to ask different reference tn
one in question came from George A. Stenbans
late master in the navy, who COMPLAINED oc
the injustice done him by the Naval Board. ami
asked such redress in the premises as Congra.s
might be pleased to grant
Mr.. Hale then denounced the law nc urco,,
stitutional, and went into statement of Ire o.
ton In dismissing and retiring officers of bigb.
er grade, while 1t was specially careful of The
more subordinate members of the service. from
all which he thought it might be inferred. with.
out any extraordinary stretch of imaeinatior
tnat the longer othcers remained in service. the
more worthless they became. He pronounced
tne whoie law as wrong in its inception. wron,,
IN principle, ana infinitely worse in its execu.
ton that 1t was not fit to be on the stotr,a
book, and ought to be obliterated. He sad r.
the officers that had been made vict;ms y,oro
called before the country, he would nlrdga b;s
lie on the issue that they were as fully CONN.
tent for their stations as anv that were lat,
he might go further and say. little mora 90
He expressed the opinion, that if the law we,.
brought before the Supreme Court, il would l..
declared null and void. He concluded bv civ.
ing notice that he would on some future occs.
SION bring IN bill TO repeal that law
Mr.. Ioombs suggested that, as all the memo.
rails hitherto presented had been referred 70
the Committee on Naval Affairs. the memorial
In question had better have the same reference
In his opinion, to send one to the COMMITTEE
on the judiciary, and others to the Naval Cam
mlttee, would be unnecessarily DIVIDING labor
Mr.. Hale's object was to have a LEGAL opip.
ION from the Committee on the Judiciary: bpt
he would agree to its going to the Naval Com.
mlttee, with instructions to report upon tb,
constitutionality of the law of the last session
on the subject.
Mr.. Adams suggested an amendment. to the
effect that the committee also report whether
the action of the Naval Board is not void for
the want of notice to the persons retired"
Mr.. Benjamin defended the law with much
earnestness and great zeal, contending thai il
would be the means of infusing new life and
spirit into the navy; and went on to quote the
law, to show that the Board acted within il.
spirit and meaning.
MIR. Hale then moved to lay the memoria,
from Mr.. Stephens on the table for the present :.
which motion was agreed TO.
Mr.. Jones, OF Tennessee, then called IN the
resolution submitted by him on the 9th Decem.
per, calling Oh the Secretary Of the NAVY 10
furnish the proceedings upon which the Naval
Board acted.
Mr.. Jones then addressed the Senate 1T some
length. denouncing the action of the Board in
no measured terms.
Mr.. Mallory defended the action of the Board
with no less zeal and the discussion was con.
tined, Messrs. Seward, Brodhead, Bell of Ten.
nessee, Mason, Toucey, and others, participa.
ting, when the subject was passed over infor-
mally.
On motion by Mr.. Clayton,
Resotred. That the President be requested.
1t 1T be compatible with the public interests. 10
communicate to the Senate copy of the letter
OF Lord John Russell to Mr.. CHAMPION. dated
January 10, 1853, in which the British Govern.
ment declared that they "intended to adhere
strictly to the treaty Of the 10Th April, 1850,
ana not to assume any sovereignty direct or
indirect, in Central America
The Senate then went into Executive session.
and, after some time spent therein, adjourned
to Monday.
HOCSE-tln contInuauOn)
Mr.. Sneed of Tennessee. at half mast ton
o'clock, moved that the House adjourn: which
motion was not agreed to-yeas &c, NAYS I59.
MIR. Sneed, prefacing his motion with few
remarks, moved that the Hon. James l.. Orr.
OF South Carolina, be requested to preside as
temporary Chairman, until Speaker shall have
been elected.
Mr.. Colfax, Of Indiana, moved, as substitute
for the resolution of Mr.. Sneed, that Messrs
Banks, Richardson, and Fuller, be invited to
preside temporarily as Chairmen of this House,
as they may mutually agree, until Speaker is
elected.
Mr.. Washburn, of Maine, moved that the
whole subject be laid on the table.
Mr.. Sneed then Withdrew his motion.
Mr.. Paine, Of North Carolina, submitted
resolution providing that until Saturday next,
at twelve O'Clock, no motion to al iourn or take
a recess shall be in order, unless Speaker shall
before that time be elected" Cries of "that's
right He hoped that if majority of the
House were clearly and actually opposed to an
until Speaker should be elected.
they would come up in good faith, and adopt his
resolution. Before the question was taken, how
ever, he withdrew it.
Mr.. Sneed then renewed his resolution. and
on its adoption demanded the previous ques-
ton.
Mr.. Washburn, of Maine, moved that il be
laid on the table which motion was disagreed
tO-yeas 100, nays l0l.
Mr.. Etheridge, Of Tennessee, ut ten minutes
to II O'Clock, moved that the House adjourn;
which motion was negatived.
The previous question was then seconded.
when the House refused to order the main ques.
tion-yeas 81, nays LOG.
The resolution accordingly lies over until to-
morrow.
Mr.. Etheridge again moved that the House
adjourn; which motion was negatived-yeas
80, nays sc.
Mr.. Paine, of North Carolina, then renewed
his resolution, "that until Saturday next, at T.
o'clock p. NJ, no motion to adjourn or to take
a recess shall be in order, unless Speaker shall
before that time be elected and on its adop.
ton demanded the previous question.
MIR. Grow, OF Pennsylvania, moved that the
resolution be laid on the table.
MIR. McMullen, of Virginia, at o'clock A.
NJ. moved that the House adjourn; which mo
ton did not prevail.
The yeas and nays were then demanded, and
ordered, on the motion of Mr.. Grow
Mr.. Garlic, Of Virginia, moved that the House
adjourn. 1t was now past one o'clock, and he
would appeal to the members who had witness
ed the proceedings Of the last nine or ten hours
to say what good had resulted Of this night
sion.
The motion was disagreed to.
The question recurring on the motion to lay
on the table the resolution of Mr.. Paine, it was
put, and decided in the aflirmative-yeas SO,
nays 80.
Mr.. Millward, of Pennsylvania, moved tina!
the House adjourn; which motion was disagreed
to.
Mr.. M. then moved, that when the House ad
journ, it adjourn TO meet on Friday next; which
motion was also disagreed to.
Mr.. Paine, of North Carolina, submitted the
resolution, which he supported bys
few remarks: