The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1857-12-23
4 CONGRESSIONAL.
Thirty-Finh Consress First session.
TUESDAY, DECEMBER ~, 1857.
SENATE.



ExscurIvK oomusIcAross, NENoRIAIs Enc
The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate copies Of
the laws OF the Territory Kansas passed at the second
session of the general Legislative assembly begun and held
at the city Of Lecompton the second Monday Of Janu
airy, 1857 which, on motion by Mr.. COllAMER, were
referred TO the Committee ON Printing
Also, memorial from William b Davis, praying that
the Commissioner Of the General Land Office may be
quircd to make statement showing the territories ac
quired since the revolution and the number OF square
miles In each for publication
Also resolution of the Academy of Natural Science,
In favor of the publication of the report of the geological
survey Of the Territories Of Oregon and Washington,
made by DR.. John Evans, The above communications
severy referred TO the Committee on Public Lands
Mr. CHANDLER presented Joint resolution OF the
legislature of Michigan in favor of the division of that
State into two judicial districts which referred to
the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr. GREEN presented memorial from the Legislature
of Missouri in relation to Wolf Island the jurisdiction
which is in dispute between that State and Kentucky
praying that Inc land may be sold in order that purchasers
may test the question of Jurisdiction in the federal courts
Several other petitions presented which were APP
propriately referred
RESOLUTIONS AporTKD.
The following resolution, which was submitted by
Mr.. SEWARD some days ago, was taken up and agreed
to:
Resolved That the joint Committee Printing inquire
sary to secure faithful performance OF the existing
tracts which provide for accurate reports OF the debates OF
the two houses
On motion by Mr.. WADE, a resolution adopted re-
qucsng the Secretary of War to communicate to the Sen
ate what estimates If any, have been made for the inn
provement of the following harbos on Lake Erie at
Buffalo, Dunkirk, Erie, Conneaut, Ashtabula, Grand
River Cleveland, Black River, Vermillion, Sandusky
Bay, La Plaisance Bay or River Raisin and Maumee
Bay
On motion by Mr.. SEBASTIAN, resolution adopt
ed insructing the Committee the Post Office and Post
Roads to inquire into the expedency Of establishing post
no.,,a in
souri,, and report by bill or otherwise. PEI
On motion by Mr.. HAMIIN, resolution was adopted
requesting the Court Of Claims to return TO the Senate tho
papers in relation to the claim of Amos and John Ken
DALI referred to that court by the order of the Senate OF
the 10th July, 1856 E.7E 5.
Mr. GWIN submitted the following resolution
Resolved That the President of the Senate be author
lied to assign furnished in the Capitol extension
for the sessions of the select committee the Pacific
railroad s as Hb&##
Mr.. INVERSION suggested that should also be
assigned for the Committee of Claims their present
room dark and announcement
Mr.. COLLAMER proposed to extend the resolution by
amending 1t 30 to add the following "
And that the Committee Public Buildings inquire
and report to the Senate plan for assigning the rooms in
the addition to the Capitol appropriated to the use of the
Senate"
The amendment was agreed to, and the resolution as
amended adopted i.as p 3f
On motion by Mr.. sLIDELL, a resolution was adopted
requesting the President to communicate to the Senate
record of the proceedings the naval of in
qury organized under the act of Congress approved Jan
uary 49, 1857 to amend act entitled can act to
mote the efficiency Of the navy.
Subsequently, Mr.. CRITTENDEN moved to reconsider
the vote the adoption of Mr. SLDELs resolution he
thought premature and that might perhaps do mis-
chief The motion to reconsider lies over. y" "#G
|.@ .Ea BILLS INTRODUCED. l.:..,s.
Mr. CLAY asked and obtained leave to introduce bill
detach Selma in the State Of Alabama from the colec
ton district Of New Orleans and make it port of delivery
twice and referred to the Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN asked and obtained leave to intro
duce bill for the relief of Robert Dixon of the Kentucky
volunteers which read twice and referred to the
Committee on Pensions aal IA sEra mtf
Mr.. WILSON asked and obtained the unanimous con-
sent of the Senate to introduce bill to to actual
settlers the alternate sections of public lands reserved in
the grants to the States for railroads which was read
twice and referred to the Committee Public Lands.
Mr. FITZPATRICK asked and obtained leave to intro
duce bill to provide for the examination and payment
of certain claims of citizens of Georgia and Alabama
account of losses sustained by the depedatons of the
Creek Indians which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Indian Affairs.
Mr. JOHNSON, of Tennessee, asked and obtained leave
to introduce bill to grant to every person who is the
head of family and citizen of the United States
homestead of l60 of land out of the public domain
condition of occupancy and cultivation of the for
the period herein specified which read twice and
erred to the Committee on Public Lands.
REPORTS COMMITTEES
Mr. MASON from the Committee on Foreign Rela-
TONS reported bill for the relief of Alexander j. Ato
cha which read and passed to second reading
Mr. FOOT from the Committee Foreign Relations,
to whom was referred the bill for the relief of George p
Marsh reported it back and recommended its passage
AFFAIRS IN KANSAS 5f. .as 4.FH
The Senate resumed the consideration of the Presidents
annual message, and
Mr. STUART stated that he had yielded the floor this
morning, by request, to Mr. FIrCu who desired to
press his views 1
Mr. FITCH remarked that II the election took place
in Kansas yesterday congressional action the subject
would soon requredthat u.s. assuming that there were
frauds which would vate that election In express
ing his views the question: he desired that the decis
ion of the people of the Territory, whether to admit
exclude slavery should not be supposed influence his
opinions and he therefore wished to speak the sub
ec in advance of any possible knowledge here of the
character of the proceedings ut the election He would
remark in ADVANCE that while he should feel bound to
comment of the views expressed by the
immediately before him, Mr.. DOUGLAS he did not de-
sign to read him out of the party but he would say
that man might, by his voluntary act, either by
promoting dscord in the party by other means,
place himself beyond the pale of the party organization
and he hardly thought the old democratic party, such
put to the necessity of reading out of their
organization II, however, there any men in the
democratic party who wished to take position outside
of the party who attempted to foment dscord in the
party in return for ancied grievance in time past
they would do well to remember the fate of every such
attempt that had been made from the days Of Burr
to those of Van Buren,. gs.gta.ste .a... E4r-5 SD
Mr.. f. proceeded to remark that the argument of Mr..
DOUGLAS based upon the assumption that the Kan