The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-06-24
SPECIAL SESSION OF THE SENATE.
Tuesday, June Is, 1853

SPECIAL SESSION OF THE SENATE.
Tuesday, June Is, 1858.
The Senate was called to order at twelve
o'clock, and the proclamation of the President
under which they had assembled was read bv
the Secretary.
A committee of two were directed TO wait
upon the President of the United States, and
inform him of the presence of quorum ready
to- receive any communication which he might
desire to make. Mr.. Allen, of the committee,
soon reported that the President would send in
message during the day, in writing.
A memorial was presented from citizen of
Massachusetts, complaining of breach of con-
tract by the resident Russian Minister in re.
gsrd to supply of arms and munitions Of war.
ard inviting the interposition of the Senate.
Ms. Green, who presented the memorial, thought
1t: incumbent on the Government to see TO
the rights OF its citizens and offered resolutions
csHIng for information the subject; which
we're adopted.
British Aggressions.-Mr Mason introduced
the following resolutions:
Rtsotred, las the judgment of the Senate. J
That American vessels on the high seas. in
time OF peace, bearing the American flag. re-.
main under the jurisdiction of the country TO
which they belong, and therefore any visitation.
| mplestation, or detention of such vessels by
force or by the exhibition of force, on the part
Of foreign Power, is in derogation of the SOW.
ereienty of the Uaited States.
RESOLVED, That the recent and repeated viola.
ti1ns OF this immunity, committed by vessels OF
war belonging to the navy of Great Britain in
the Gulf of Mexico and the adjacent seas, by
teing into, interrupting, and otherwise forcibly
al r. QT hnr ar, H.
the Judgment of the Senate, such uneuuiyocsl
ard final disposition of the subject. by the
governments of Great Britain and the United
States, touching the rights involved, as shall
satisfy the Just demands of this Government.
ard preclude hereafter the occurrence of like
aggressions.
ReSotred, That the Senate fully approves the
action OF the Executive in sending a naval
force into the infested seas, with orders to pro-
tect all vessels OF the United States Oh the high
seas from search or detention by the vessels of
war of any other nation" And it is the opin.
ion OF the Senate that, if it become necessary,
such additional legislation should be supplied
| In aid of the Executive power as will make
such protection effectual.
| Dir. M. moved that the resolutions be referred
to the Committee On Foreign Relations which
was agreed to. he then Immediately report ed
them back, and asked that they be taken uu
tor consideration which was agreed to.
MIR. M. said that these were substantially the
same resolutions which were before the Senate
at the close of it's regular session; it was a
| matter of moment that the Judgment of the
Senate should be passed upon the resolutions,
from the probable bearing it might have upcr
the negotiations which might now be pending
between the two Governments DE WAS OF
| the opinion, that when the subject was brou sh'
10 the attention of the British Government.
there would be an 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 it i'm portant that the iudg
nent oil the Senate should be known IL advance
upon that subject, and he hoped a vote would
be taken upon the resolutions to-day.
Mr.. Wade did not doubt but that the resolu.
tons expressed what was in accordance with
the laws of nations, as they have always been
understood by this Government, and only in.
dictated such principles as we ought to main
tam yet he would inquire of the chairman of
the Committee on Foreign Relations whether
these aggressions were not really committed
for the purpose of putting down the slave trade.
and whether our flag had not constantly been
ueed to cover that trade, and particularly
whether, if this country and Great Britain and
France were all really DESTROYS of putting down
that trade, there was any difficulty in making
such arrangements by treaty as would be at once
honorable to all parties concerned, and effectual
IN preventing that trade, or at least to prevent
our flag from being used as a screen by vessels
engaged in carrying on that trade
Mr.. Mason replied, that it was an undoubted
fact that the Government of Great Britain had
been endeavoring for many years to obtain from
all nations an acknowledgment ard concession
of the right of search and it was equally true
that the United States have always resisted that
claim. The British Government contend that
there is difficulty in putting down the slave
trade unless they can visit all suspected vessels
in order to ascertain whether or not they are
engaged in it but that is a concession which
can never be made by the American people.
1t is alleged by the British Government that
the flag of the United States is very often
fraudulently used to protect vessels engaged
in the slave trade; but be that as it may, the
American Government reserves to iteelf the
right to vindicate its own laws. He would not
say that there might not be some practicable
mode by negotiation for the final disposition of
this question, but he did not see clearly how it
could be done. He was satisfied, however, that
this Government had left nothing undone in
maintaining Get upon the coast of Africa,
fer the prevention of this trade.
Mr.. Benjamin hoped these resolutions would
he adopted before the Senate adjourned, and
had hoped also that some opportunity would
be cffsred for more elaborate discussion of
them than had as yet taken place. This was
subject deeply Interesting to the country at
lsrge, who are desirous of having steps taken
which shall forever put an end to the assertion
of this right by Great Britain.
Without taking the question on the resolu-
tons, the Senate proceeded to the considers
tionof Executive business, and after some time
adjourned.
CLAYroN.BULwER TREATY.-The London
Times says:
"According TO the dispatches received by the
last mail, the House of Representatives at Wash
layton had ordered to be engrossed the resolution
calling on the President to take steps for its
abrogation. This drrangemt mt, howeoer, is
permanent, and there is no pO,Cer of abr0qation
either ON one side or the other. 1t contains no
clause rendering it optional for either party 10
put an end to it. In fact, such a provision
you'd have been obviously absurd, since, in
that case, either Power might have used it for
6 certain time to suit it's own wishes, and then
Nave broken it eff when new designs had been
taatured. England has shaped her course in
sec ordsnce with it for eight years, under the
assumption that it was to be mutually binding,
and cannot now be told that the matter ,cas only
during pleasure. Even if either of the Powers
we're to allege that its conditions had been
neglected or violated, the point would merely
sbsolve itself into one for arbitration, so that
elmpliance might be insured for the future
Still the obstacle it presents to an extension of
empire ia, among a certain party in the United
states, felt 80 keenly, that IL IS TO be feared the