Worcester daily spy. [volume] (Worcester [Mass.]) 1850-1888, 1858-06-01
THIRTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.
WASHINGTON, Saturday, May %.
SENATE.

SENATE.
Mr.. Seward of New York presented petit
ton from <. K. Collins and assoc ates asking
payment of the money due them on the mail
contract Referred to the eommitte on Post
Roads.
On motion of Mr. Seward, three thousand
extra copies of the resolutions of the Com
mittee on British Aggressions were ordered to
be printed.
Mr.. Mason spoke on the resolutions, show
ing that international law recognizes no right
of visitation in time of peace and in time of
war only accedes to it to the extent of pre-
venting acts of eontraband of war.
MI Mallory proposed an amendment that
American people cannot permit such agrees
sIons, and therefore legislate to enable the ex-
eeutive to adopt measures at once to prevent
the continuance of such indignities.
Mr.. Hale moved to amend the amendment,
to the effect that &he acts of British are bellig
erent in character, and should be resisted by
all the power of the country. He considered
the acts of the British should be met by acts,
and not by arguments,
Mr.. Mallory withdrew his amendment in
favor of Mr.. Hale's.
Mr.. Tooombs was in favor of Mr.. Hale's
amendment, and further; that the British war
ships in the Gulf should be seized and brought
w Out OWll POItS, OF SUNK anu blidt blQuAu
be satisfied with nothing short Of this.
Mr.. Seward of New YORK gave his concur
renee and the concurrence OF the minority of
the Committee in the spirit of the resolutions.
The assumption of Great Britain is founded
on force, and is claimed by no other than the
British or such as, like her, asserted the mas.
terry of the seas. But the United States set
out with the intention to be equal to any
nation, and cannot permit an affectation of
superiority by any power, even in the modi-
fled form of visitation the right of search
and visitation being terms Synonymous. The
principles of police at sea are identical with
those on land. Any one may seize pirates at
sea, or cul prits on shore, but he does it sat
his peril" If the arrested party be culprt
he is abandoned to justice. If not, it is sg-
erosion, and the aggressor is liable to make
reparation. This nation will never permit its
flag to be Frustrated to purposes of piracy,
but; it must resist every aggression its
peaceful commerce.
Mr., Douglas of Illinois asked, what good
does it do to resolve that this search is a bel
iigerant acts He recommended another
coarse. Let a ship f-war, say the Wabush,
get on the track of the Styx, or Buzzard, follow
her up, capture her, and bring her into an
American port, and it will then be the time
the cruisers acts, it becomes an International
question. If she disavows the acts, it only
remains for US to say what punishment we
shall intiiet on those lawless persons who
have perpetrated these outiages. The Presi-
dent having gone as far as he can go, let him
have at once such powers as are necessary to
protect our flag, and maintain the rights of
our citizens at home and abroad. Mr.. Doug.
las held to the general policy, to keep the
President clothed with power to protect citi-
zens outside of the United States by sum-
mary process, without going through this old
formula of resolving that the aggressors must
not do it again. He was in hopes there
would have been no speeches., but that the
bill would have been passed unanimously,
without word, which expression of sentl-
ment would have carried more force than the
Army or Navy.
Mr.. Wilson of Massachusetts was proceed
ing to address the Senate in support of the
resolution, adding that it was our duty also
to see that our flag be not prostituted by men
engaged in the slave trade, but the special
order coming up, he concluded by moving
that the President is hereby authorized and
empowered to employ the naval forces of the
United States and send Ethe same to the
SCENES Of the recent outrages, with instruc.
tions to capture the ships which have com.
committed OF may commit these belligel EN-
| acts.
The miscellaneous appropriation bill wa,
taken up and further debated.
HOUSE.
Twenty private bills were passed.
| Mr., Clay of Ky. said that while the whole
country from one end to the other is excited
in regard to the recent British outrages, anC
while the Senate Chamber was ringing with
the same subject, he thought the Hous,
should take some action, and begged to intro
duce bill to restrain and repress the outrage
on the-fag and citizens, and to give the Pres
ident authority in the premises.
Mr.. Garnett of Va. opposed the bill. Ad
| journed.