The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-24
MEMORIALS, PETITIONS, rr


county Minnesota praying the establishment Of an In
dian agency the Indian bands Of Lake Superior which
was referred to the Committee ON Indian Affairs.
Mr. KING presented petition of the New York State
Agricultural College, praying appropriation of public
lands for agricultural college in each of the States OF
the Union which referred to the Committee ON Pub
lie Lands.
Mr.. FOSTER presented petition Of citizens Of Berlin
Connecticut praying the adoption Of measures for the
peaceful extinction of slavery by fair and ample COM
pensaton the of slaves for their manumsson
which was laid ON the table. A
CLERKS TO COMMITTEES.
After considerable debate resolution was adopted for
the appointment OF clerks the several standing
mittees of the Senate with The exception Of the Commit
tee on the Library, the Committee on Engrossed Bills
the Committee Enrolled Bills and the Committee to
Audit and Control the Contingent Expenses of the Senate
the said clerks to receive compensation Of six dollars
per diem during the sessions of Congress- except the Com
mittces of Finance, Claims and Printing whose clerks
shall receive annual compensation of 1880 each.
Motions were made and agreed to referring to the Com
mittees on Foreign Relations Judiciary, Military Affairs
Public Lands Sc, so much of the Presidents annual
message refers to those respective subjects.
NOTICES OF BILLS.
Mr. SIDEL gave notice of his intention to introduce
bill for the purpose of extending the amount for which
the silver coinage Of the United States may be offered
n legal tender In payment of debts.
Mr.. SIMMONS gave notice of his intention to intro
duoe bill to provide uniform mode of ascertaining the
value of foreign imports in the legal currency of the Uni
ted States and to prevent frauds upon the by
under valuations of merchandise subject to duties.
EXECUTIVE COMMUNICATIONS.
The PRESIDENT of the Senate laid before that body
two messages from the President of the United States
one in answer resolution calling for documents in
Iation to the affairs of Kansas and the other commune
eating copies Of correspondence between the Department
of State and the British and French ministers the sub
ect of claims for losses alleged to have been sustained by
subjects of Great Britain and France at the bombardment
of Creytown which severally ordered to lie the
table and to be printed
RESOLUTION ADOPTED
On motion by Mr.. SEWARD a resolution WAS adopted
requesting the Secretary Of War to communicate to the
Senate the estimates which have at any time been made
for the improvement Of the rivers and harbors within the
State of New York. a ... ..,,
INTRODUCED gf -I. 2.
Mr. MASON asked and obtained leave to introduce q
bill for the relief of William K jennings and others
which read twice and referred to the Committee
Foreign Relations. @t |@
Mr. BAYARD asked and obtained leave to introduce
bill for the relief Of Elizabeth Montgomery heir of Hugh
Montgomery which read twice and referred to the
Committee on Revolutionary Claims
Mr. GWIN asked and obtained leave to introduce a
joint resolution authorize the Secretary Of the cas
y to audit and settle the accounts Of the contractor for
the erection Of the United States marine hospital at San
Francisco Cal which read twice and referred to the
Committee on Claims.
Mr. DAVIS in pursuance Of notice asked and obtained
leave to introduce bill authorizing the establishment Of
yard and depot at the harbor of Ship island in
the Gulf of Mexico which read twice and referred
to the Committee on Naval Affairs. 4aa 4@S
Mr. BENJAMIN asked and obtained the unanimous
consent of the Senate TO introduce bill to repeal act
entitled IAN act to authorize the Secretary of the Treas
uy to change the of vessels in certain cases. APP
proved the 5th March, 1856 which read twice and
referred to the Committee Commerce.
AFFAIRS IN KANSAS. .E
The Senate resumed the consideration Of the Presidents
annual message. a.@--. s.'".
Mr. STUART said that IL was well remarked by Attor
ney General Butler in the Arkansas case that the power
of Congress upon the subject of the admission of new
States is plenary When the question is presented upon
the admission of State into the Union, il must neces
saly be determined by the circumstances which surround
and govern that particular II is power which
horizes the admission Of foreign States well those
formed out of domnions and this single state
ment would show at glance that pecedens could
and ought to be regarded for the purpose of deter
mining the power the proprety in particular case
The power Of the admission of State necessarily carries
with 1t the power to decline to admit it, 1t may be very
proper to refuse to admit State to-day and 1t may be
quite tho of that year hence Congress- and
Congress alone under the power conferred upon ii by the
constitution IL to determine not only the question wheh
State shall be admitted at ALL but II is equally en-
powered with authority to determine h it shall be ad
mitted 81 ~
He proceeded to show that enabling acts were not to be
regarded ndspenslbly necessary to the admission of
States; and then, having laid down these general
principles he proceeded TO apply them to the under
consideration The questions 10 be asked WERE whether
the form of government republican and whether the
people satisfied with It, and asked admission under
it for the power Of Congress TO admit State at its
request, and not to coercc it, impose upon IL par
ticular form of government against the will of the
people
Now in the present case Mr. s. contcnded and quoted
from the letter of Gov Walker to prove that the people
of half the Territory Of Kansas had not had any opporu
nifty to vote upon the election of delegates rs in some
counties taken; and hence it could not be
of the convention The voice of the people has not been
fairly heard and the President was therefore, wrong in
assuming that the convention to be regarded as ex
pressing the will of the people, the ground that If
they neglected TO VOTE IL their own fault II was
not their fault because the opportunity to vote was not
granted them. Mr. s. believed the Lccompton conycn-
ton intended trick and fraud upon the people, and in
his remarks generally pursued similar line Of argument
TO that of Mr. DoUoIAs in his recent speeches On the
conclusion of his speech a a|a
Mr.. FREDERICK said that while he agreed with the
senator from Illinois mr. DouoLss and the senator from
Michigan MIR. STUART in most of their remarks vet
there was one point on which he wished TO say a few
words When Governor Walker and Secretary Stanton
went to Kansas they found state of instruction exist
ing there and they succeeded with great labor In restor
ing peace and now he thought that the President and
his cabinet were alone responsible for these recent out
breaks This was the first time that he had ever known
the President of the United States descend from his high
position and attempt to peaceable citizens TO the
wilsof illegal body OF men. Mr. b went ON To re-
mark that he sorry to disagree with his party but he
believed he had rendered much service In the election
of Mr.. Buchanan any gentleman upon this floor He
also somewhat astonsed the forbcarance of The
people of Kansas towards the delegates in the conyen
ton; u the people had fogged them cut their cars off