Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1858-06-11
XXXVTH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION
WASHINGTON. Juno |

| lIlc TAcCutlNc W cull'lDy lDlCc w IIOttcJ
right of our citizens from outragcs by foreign
nations, having especial reference to Central
and South America. This is the bill recent
ly introduced by Mr.. Douglas, slightly al
tered.
Mcssrs. Gwn and Houston argued the i'm
| portancc of immediate action, 50 as to obtain
the concurrence Of the House ere the ad Ourn-
mcnt.
Mr. Seward, of New York, expressed strong
disapprobation of the measure. lie was un-
willing to involve the country in war with
| all the nations of America south Of our own
Mr.. Slidcl!, of Louisiana, introduced an
amendment authorizing the President, in
certain cases, to suspend the neutrality laws.
Mr. Seward, of NY, moved an amendment
to the miscellaneous Civil Appropriation bill,
that the public lands in Kansas shall not be
offered at public sale until the expiration of
one year from the lst of November next,
which was lost by the following vote:
Ycas-Messrs Broderick Cameron, Chan
dler, Dixon, Durkee, Fcssenden, Foster,
Hamlin, Harlan, Kennedy, Rice, Seward,
Simmons, Stuart, Trumbull, Wade, Wilson
IL.
Nays-Messrs. Allen, Benjamin, Bigler,
Bright, Brown, Clay, Clingman, Crittenden,
Davis, Fitch, Fitzpatrick, Green, Gwin,
Hammond, llayne, Houston, Hunter, Ivcrson,
| OOuISOu Vi AIh.s COullSOH VI lCHu.s coHcc,
Mallory, Mason, Pearce, Polk, Pugh, Reid, ,
Sebastian, Slidell Thompson ofN.J Toombs,
Wright, Yulee-33.
Mr.. Seward of N. Y, made a powerful ap-
peal for the Western interests, the question
being on Mr. Chandier's proposition to pro-
vide $54 600 for the improvement the St.
Clair flats.
1t was lost by tie vote of 90 to 90 !;
whereupon Mr.. Pugh moved an amendment,
which was virtually to engraft the whole
River and Harbor bill as an additional section
to this bill, and asking appropriations for
the harbors of Chicago, Milwaukee, Sheboy-
gan, st. Joseph, Munro, ST. Clair Flats,
Cleveland, Huron, Grand River, Ashtabula,
Lunemburg, Buffalo, Genesee, Lodus Bay,
Oswego, Burlington, and few others,
amounting to over $50 600; also $119, ,OOO
for Red River raft.
Mr. Jones moved an additional $50, 900
for the Des Moincs and Rock River Rapids,
which was lost by 80 against L..
Mr.. Pugh's amendment was then voted
on, and rejected, by 26 against %
Mr. Pugh next moved to strike out all the
appropriations for llfe-boats and life-saving
stations on the Atlantic coast, with the view
he said, of ascertaining whether the North
western States are to have Justice, or whether
they were mere conquered provinces.
Mr. Seward declred he could not support
any such proposal, and the Senate voted il
down by 81 against H.
Mr.. Polk moved to reduce the appropri
. alton for the Coast Survey from $3.50 900 tt
Sl5O,00O.
Messrs Fessender, Hunter, Pearce, Seward
Ilayne and Mallory earnestly defended thu
necessity Of the coast survey, and the abl'
, manner in which it has been accomplished
while Mr. Turnbull opposed it with all Iii
, might, but vainly, for the amendment was
, lost by 2S against IL.
Mr.. johnson of Tenn moved to strike ou
the million appropriation for the Washing
ton Aqucduct, and Mr.. Pugh to reduce the
! appropriation to SiOO,OOO.
, Both proposals were lost and the Sentat
adjourned.
, IlousE. Mr.. Clancy Jones of Pcnsylvani
asked leave to introduce Il joint resOlutio
, providing that the next session of Congrcs
commence on the second Monday in Noyeu
! Der, but objec tions were made.
The House then proceeded to the consider
alton of the Fort Smelling Report.
! Mr. Morrill, of Vermont spoke of the grca
, wrong done in the sale of the reservation.
/, frank ard honorable man placed in the pos
. ton of the Secretary of War, when he ioun
- that he had made Il blundcr and mistake
, the appointment of agents or superntcnt
cnts, would frankly have admitted the fac
y and correct it; but, instead of that, there W;
a not only remarkably persistent and studied c
"a tort to justify, but an attempt to persuade |
a hat he was right in relation to the dellbcl
~ ~ ate concealment of the prclminaries preceC
y ing the sale. No corpse in the Catacoml
was more closely looked up than this tram
. action. No one could worm out of the S,
"a cretary what was going on Mr.. Morrill, r.
- viewed the testimony, condenning the comb
:, nation, arguing that the property was sol
II for less than its value, and insisting that It'll
~ ~ House should place its seal Of .disapprobatio
- on the whole manner in which the sale W;
- effected.
" Mr.. Faulkner of Virginia expressed h
~ condemnation of the tone, temper, and spir
;" of the report of the majority of the Comml
tee, the ability of which was displayed in pr
: senting this transaction to the country in
;, light wholly different from what the test
. mony warranted. AS report, he had l
; hesitation in saying it was more characterize
y. by partisan feelings than any document her
;ss tofore made to Congress. The speech of Il
s gentleman from Vermont (NlorrilD W
~ ~ marked by the same partisan spirit. III
w document was loose and inaccurate in its stat
y. ments and evidence. The Committee omittt
y to do Justice to the Secretary of War in Il
W ", only virtual and moral point. They we
.o required to ascertain whether there was al
nv nv corruption in the high places of the COVER
ad ment, and, if 50, to bring the offender to pu
~, ishment. There was not word or syllat
~ in the testimony injuriously affecting t
,oe official character and purity of the Secreta
IiS of War, and this fact should have been chez
W. fully announced to the House.
w lie showed that the Fort Smelling reserv
w. T." tion was useless for military purposes to
" government. The Legislative assembly a
to S.;.,,.;o,,,I ranrontIo,, Of M;nnesota no