The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-06-16

psrissnt a the United st.t. and inform him that
of the Senate has assembled and that the Senate
& ready receive amy communication he may DO pleased
to make and Messrs AuAs and sEwAHD were accord
on motion 10y M. GREEN, a resolution adopted
Ina. the standing committees of the senate, As they stood
a the close u the late session, 10 continued during the
present session. ftfi slstliiss. tl.lF ..af
ooxYnAcTs wIrn IHs Goyxgxhau.
Mr. GREEN presented the memorial Of Benjamin w.
Perkins citizen of Worcester, Massachusetts,, who al
ye that In june 1855. the Russian government by its
.orelited minister, resident in Washington con-
,.eted 10 purchase $50 of powder 10 be ready for
hipment within sixty days thereafter and that the
Iitions OF said contract khfnlly performed his
art whil- the goycnmcnt Of Russia had wholly failed
10 fulfil its conditions He also sets forth that in Janua
~ 1856 the Russian government. through its agent,
contracted purchase IS 900 stand III inc, to be de
yered by the LIST OF june thereafter, which fulfilled
ON his part but remains unul6lled ami violated the
mart of the Russian government In consequence Of this
the meuoriast sets forth that he is wholly ruined
and that the damages &c him exceed the Of 1895
900 that the government Of Russia is beyond his
reach and its said minister protected by diplo-
matte privilege; and ia consequence of not having
within his reach the ordinary remedies for obtain
ing evidence ia the possession OF the adverse party by
compulsory means there being possession OF
evidence material to his who will not give their ties
tony except upon legal oompuision the only means of
obtaining redress against the injustice and oppression
prsctised upon him is through the Senate and he IS
ready to prove his allegations at such tune and Ia such
the Senate direct aud prys the necessary
and proper action 10 relieve him Ia the premises.
In oonnexon with this memorial, Mr. q. offered the
following resolutions: ~
Eaood rhal The President respectfully requested
wher complaints have been made 10 The n
is eh s,a, ~ d. I,sa.n ,sy the
a. rs minister Washington, oa Irsols
@ ass srssrnea by the citizens Who had crr i sg same
they violated by the Russian 70
tbs great injury u ne entire rum a saii, citizens.
Resolved That all csldsnoe % such contracts "a possession Of
The government; together with information
the government "a the premises be communicated 70 The SENATE az
ma with shs public that all such Informs
ton be u tnniHBeatea IN ccqGdenos
Mr. G. stated that il appeared that at the time OF the
war between Russia and the Allied Powers
entered into not only by Russia with citizens the uni
ted States bat also by the governments Of Great Britain
and France various supplies and foG transportation
II was well established principle that contracts might
be made in such cases, for articles contraand of
war the contractors taking the risk OF detection but the
contracts themselves between the PARTIES binding
and valid contracts Without undertaking the
truth OF lsehood OF the allegations the neorialst
be thought here presented that demanded the
interpretation Of this government When the facts should
be elected it might turn out that the memorialst was
mistaken in Of his statements; but when psusi-
BILE presen.e wch p~iaa facis good
case ii the duty OF the government to protect its ct
zens and have the matter investigated For that
alone he had presented the memorial and he moved the
reference Of memorial and resolutions the
tee Foreign Relations.
The motion was agreed to-
BRITISH AaGRrssIoxs
Mr. MASON introduced the following resolutions
Rrd the judgment q the senaie That american vessels
u country which they belong
foreign power
CATION q .hs SOY c.r'gniy q ,he United sxate. .9
committed BY vessels belonging The q Great Britain
biy detAinas voyage requires
the adsmsns q the euae such unequroca and dual deposition
iocisr is Tshs sassd . sa sa.isy DE us de.nanss q
thus asd seaade hereafter the
R1ped The ay approves The
all Of high
@ By e war q any oalsr u.son = Aadl.is The opinion
should be supplied AID Of the executive viii make such
proscaon enecsnal.
Committee Foreign Relations which agreed to-
He then Immediately reported them back and asked that
they be taken up for consideration which agreed to-
Mr. NJ said that these substantially the
utions which before the Senate at the close of its
regular session and having heen debated to extent
then it not his purpose TO occupy the time Of the
Senate in prolonging the discussion He would however
say that it did to him that it matter of
that Judgment Of the Senate should be passed
upon the resolutions from the probable bearing it might
have upon the negotiations which mightnow be pending
between the two governments We had evidence, since
these resolutions FIRST offered that the agrees
sons had been continued in the Gulf of Mexico by the
armed vessels Of Great Britain and had recently
ceved information from unofficial sources that
orders have been Issued to the British squadron for
number of years past that the probability that
those officers acting without actual authority by
undue Of and perversion Of existing authority
He the opinion that when the subject brought
to the attention Of the British government there would
be apology for what had passed. aud that all which
would remain to be settled between the two governments
would be the naked question of the right Of visitation
In that case he thought important that the Judgment
OF the Senate should be known in advance upon that
subject and he hoped vote would be taken upon the
resolutions TO day.
Mr.. WADE did not doubt but that the resolutions
pressed what In accordance with the laws of nations
they have always been understood by this
and only indicated such principles ought to main
tain; yet he would inquire Of the chairman Of the Com
mtee Foreign Relations whether these aggres-
sons really committed for the purpose of put
ting down the slave trade and whether flag had not
constantly been used 10 that trade and ynYtic
lary whether, il this country and Great Britain and
France all really DESTROYS OF putting down that
trade, there any difficulty in making such arrange
ments by treaty would lie at honorable to all
PARTIES concerned and cietnal in preventing that trade
or at least to prevent flag being used as screen
by vessels engaged in carry Ing that trade While he
believed that these proceedings in the Gulf all
wrong, and while he would justify them than
The COMMITTEE Foreign Relations do yet he believed
the motive to be good one and that Great Britain had
no Intention OF Insulting flag she was only en-
deaVonng- With too great engcfness TO put down the
slave trade
Mr., MASON replied that it was am unubted fact that
The government Of Great Britain had been eneayorng
for many years obtain nations an acknowleig
ment and concession of the right OF search and II was
equally true that the United States have always resisted
hat Me- .,,.tr