The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-23
THIRTY--FIFTH CONGRESS-.



THURSDAY, APRIL 22, 1858
SENATE.
gxugrIvR COMMUNICATIONS.
oa PRESIDENT pro faa. laid before the Senate a
.,;on from the Secretary of the Navy in answer to
nIuon of the Senate Of the 18th instant calling for
;s of any correspondence OF other p@pers containing
Information OF the condition OF the United States ship
snsouehannah on her late arrival at the island Of ia
- and of the reception and assistance extended to
ha oers and crew disabled by sickness by the naval
ad civil authorities Of Great Britain at that island; which
a rad and ON motion by Mr.. MASON, 1t was referred
10 the Committee Foreign Relations and ordered to
he printed 60.
,nmittinp the annual report foreign commerce for
the wear ending September 30 1851; which was referred
N he Committee on Commerce and ordered to beprinted
MEMORIALS, PETITIONS,
Mr. SEWARD presented the petition OF the widow OF
the late Brevet Drgader General Charles Gratot setting
forth that her husband nusty dismissed from the SER
vice othe United States and praying to be allowed the
nount Of his nav subsistence, and emolunents colo
mel and chief OF engineers of the army from the day of his
dismissal TO that of his death which referred to the
Committee on Military AifaIs. IN
Mr. s. also presented the petition of George A. Wheel
ok for himself and other heirs of Joseph valliere, ask
inc the reference their claim to the Court of Claims
which was referred to the Committee Private Land
Claims.
Mr. s. also presented the and renlonstrance of
the American Telegraph Company to the memorial of the
Magnetic Telegraph Company and tho New England
Union Telegraph Company, and the supplement there
TO- recently presented to the Senate. The memorial
pys for the passage " of general law which shall pre-
vent combinations between citizens companies in the
United States and monopolists companies out of the
United States for the purpose of expressing telegraph
companies and monopoxng the business Of elegraphng
in the United States The remonstrants set forth that
the passage of such law would strike without at
tc
under and amenabo to- the laws Of the States govern
ments by which they created and would also tend to
embarras communication with other countries, to dis
courage enterprise, and to give to the fruits of the
labor and expenditure Of another.
BILLS INTRODUCED.
Mr. SEWARD asked and obtained leave to introduce
bill to secure prompt construction Of line of tee-
graph from San Francisco to Fort Smith, and from thence
to st Louis and to Memphis which was read twice and
referred to the Committee on Military Affairs
Mr.. s also asked and obtained leave to introduce a
Joint resolution to refer the claim of Joseph yaliere to
the Court of Claims which read twice and referred
to the Committecc on Private Land Claims.
REPORT COMMITTEES.
Mr. PUGH, from tho Committee on Private Land
Claims 10 whom referred the memorials of Hugh
Ferguson and Jane Robb asked to be discharged from
the further consideration Of the same which was agreed
RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
On motion by Mr. SEWARD, resolution was adopted
requesting the President of the United States If not n
compatible with the public interest to communicate to
the Senate such information the departments Of the
government may afford concerning the nature character
and extent Of the State duties exacted from foreign vessels
and merchandise navigating the Ebe by the Kingdom of
Hanover the grounds Of such exaaons and the pract
cabity and expedency of obtaining for American ship
ping and merchandise an exemption therefrom.
RESOLUTION SUBMITTED
Mr. aun +Ia foIl,,y;,, rauoI,,f;o,
which lies over until tomorrow, under the rule
Rolrd That the Secretary Navy furnish
le w an n estimate q the cost bringing up and preparing o
Ocean and Behring's Straits for the fiscal ending june 3o 1852
DErIcunrnss WITH PARAGUAY
On motion by Mr.. MASON the Senate resumed the
consideration Of the joint resolution for the adjustment of
the difficulties with the republic of Paraguay in con-
nsxon with the attack ON the United States steamer
Water Witch, and other matters referred to in the an
nua message Of the President The joint resolution au
thozs the President to sadopt such measures and use
such force a. in his Judgment may be necessary and ad
yisabe in the event Of refusal Of just satmacon by
the government of Paraguay ~
Mr. COLLAMER moved to strike out the words s.and
use such force Since the President had no constit-
tional power to declare war; he thought it unwse if
not unprecedented to confer upon him the authority to
employ force against foreign nation for the Of
force would be tantamount to declaration of war.
Mr.. MASON replied at some length, quoting from the
Presidents annual message to sustain the propriety Of
the course which he recommended and arguing In
favor Of the same hs
The hour having arrived for the consideration of the
special order the further consideration Of the subject
postponed
TliR Dxf'r. .hNcY BILL.
Mr. HUNTER moved that the Senate now proceed to
Inc consideration Of the bill the House of Repre-
htatyes to supply deficiencies in the appropriations for
me service Of the fiscal year ending the 30th of june
isas !; which was agreed to. N aae
Mr. PUGH moved to strike out the third section of the
OIL which, as il Ind been amended in committee of the
whole, Is as follows: "a ESQ ist
T Andbs Further snaetod That the accounting officers Of
treasury be authorized aud directed allow
m House Of Representatives. for such payments
' una az have been, be-
w Wv House OF Representatives during tho last Congrcss Pro
sDs % s" THAT hS ~ .ss s
DO paid out Of moneys this treasury otherwise
0pr,isd ~ And provided Further That shall hereafter
either house Of Congress apply part 0 the
Tor the contingent expenses any
mid expenditures of such House, apply Of
cnrsl a. extra allowance clerk
s' "enoant OF the said two houses or either Of them
~, botS moved to amend the section proposed to be
w. ssa ou' ny inserting after the word sCongress" " In
M ~ nv. nv, nhe, the following mot IN contraventon of
U oin' resolution to fix the compensation of the em-
nj " 'ne legislative department OF the government
pronipt the allowance of the usual extra compen-
s ao 80 ucn as received the benefits thereof approved
nl. WILSON thought that If this amendment should
:, h ~ would cover nearly every contempla-
'nc action Of the House and It would be better to
nv ou' ne whole section Of the bill than to amend IL
pn 'ep p1' some further discussion in which Mcss BAY
tna,. Diuus, ao fESsENDEN, BENJAMIN. TOOMBs and
es participated the question being taken ON the
aeadment On of Mr., Blcos It was agreed to--ycas &C.
sW zz-as follows '.s y s,'9ss -
Allen payard pen.,,n p,,s, pr,,h fsav ,sxo,