Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-06-22
Congressional.
The following proceedings were held in Con- gress at the dates specified:

cretarv of the navy communicating an abstract of offers for furnishing articles falling under the cogniZance of the bureau of wards and docks, reported in favor of the motion; and it was agreed to.
 The bill for the construction of telegraph to Utah being under consideration.
 MT. JOH NSON. of Arkansas. 1 should not rise now to say word in regard 10 this bill if were not member of the committee on ml- tary affairs, rom which 1t has been reported I was very much opposed to the measure in com mlttee. It excited but very little discussion there, and IS brought before the Senate without any very strong lmpre essons on its behalf in the committee. l believe the agreement of the committee was. that the bill should be reported for the acton of the Senate. The committee were equally divided upon it. but assented that 1t might be brought before the Senate, so that this body shall determine the question. That IS the only authority with which it comes be- fore the Senate. It proposes to appropriate S5OOOOO for the making of a contract. that think according to the language of the bill, has no limit. l have never known such power pro- posed to be given to any one man as the Ian- guage of the bill we are now asked to pass will give. 1 will read one or two clauses, and then leave to the reflections of the Senate to say what it does mean, and how far it will go.- The substitute presented by the Senator from Massachusetts Is more carefully guarded and bet ter prepared than the original bill, but believe what may be said of the one may be verilv said of the other. The substitute provides
 "That the secretary of war be- and he is here by, authorized to contract for the extension and use of an electric telegraph, from the frontiers of Missouri or Iowa, to such military posts as he may deem necessary for the public service"
 suppose we should conclude, and the secre- tarv, in carving out provision of this kind would also conclude, that there should be but one telegraph line established; vet l do not see that that is plainly declared here but there is no limit to which, under the terms of this clause he may not go. He may stop at the first mjli- tary post to which the line goes. at the distance of ten miles, or he may go on one hundred miles and stop therr; or he may go to the Salt Lake and stop there. lie is to commence the line anywhere upon the borders of Missouri or Iowa. at his discretion, according to the repre- Sentations that may be made to him, presume bg interested parties and probably by the same parties who now ask that this appropriation shall be made, and this business consigned to their care.
 The line is to extend from the frontiers of Missouri or Iowa ito such military posts as he may deem necessary for the public seruce.''-- There are a great many military posts in every direction. IL does not say that when he has commenced to run the line westward, he shall continue to run westward but he may djverge | in any direction. It goes on to saw
 "The said contract to provide for the man. agcment and working of the said telegraph by peivate enterprise after the necessity for the means of communication with the army in Utah | shall have ceased <"
 When he makes a contract for the cons true ton of the telegraph, he is to provide in the l terms of that contract, at q time when he will l have had no practical experience on the subj feet, when this experiment will not have been tasted | when the only information he can receive will | be from those interested in the matter in some way, for allowing them to do what they please with the line after the necessity for its use for l the connection with the army i'll Utah shall have ceased. This is provision to be made at once hv the secretary, who, l presume, IS not better able to judge on this subject than most men who reside in the eastern States, and who know little or nothing of the wildS of the west suppose, under the authority contained in this l clause, he may give away the line to have it worked by private enterprise, or he may do what has been done in Congress in regard to the | Memphis navy-vard- -afl CT spending a large sum of money on public work give it away: md the men who receive pay for constructing | ii may take il afterwards, and charge what they l please; or he may do what is wo,sc, make ar engagements bv which the government shall con- tiuue to be the owner of it. and pay these par ties for any length of time, or annualy, a fixed sum for its use; and there is no limit upon the amount.
 This is the unlimited character of the powers which this bill proposes to give; and on reading | it. l lo not see how there is any escape from the conclusion that these powers were unuucs- | tionablv coufded to the retarv of war The object is to facilitate the operations of the army l in Utah. We are anxious to help the admins 1 ration to get communications to and from Utah. | on account of the war; but we are scarcely will l ling to give them single regiment of troops | to carry on the war. This strikes me as a strange course of proceeding. The bill goes l further, and provides that the telegraph shall not cost more than $500 900 to Salt Lake City. in the territory of Utah." l. does not say that
 the secretary shall run 1t far; 1t does not say. 1 that when he has got there ne shall stop: but there is full power for him to % as far west or | in any other direction, as he may choose to %. l He may carry 1t to the military posts hich we have onIhe borders If the Pacific, and there is nothing to arrest him The only limitation is that it shall not cost more than S5OO,O0O to oct 10 Utah. This power is not given to the pre- sent secretary of war mere ", but to any one who may occupy that department. What is to prevent him from givirg million of dollars more, to construct telegraphic line to San Francisco? l should not be surprised if the delegation form California were in favor of this bill
 Mir. GWIN. They are; or, at least, am, as one of them.
 Mir. JOHNSON, of Arkansas. They ought to be in favor of it; and if I were a representa- tive of the State of California, as the honorable Senator is 1 should be in favor of it.; because this bill. 1t seems to me, grants the power to ex- tend it to the Pacific 1 have no idea that the present secretary of war would, under this bill. give to this line that extension but the power is contained iI the loose terms of the proposition which we are now called on to pass. There are a great many objections to it, but as really do not believe that the Senate has any serious notion of passing this hill, will not consume time further in debating it.
 Fidoy, April 16, 1858. SENATE.- ne Dlll\O. No IJ9) Tor the reef of Livingston, Kinkead, & Company, was read q second time, and considered as in committee of the whole
 It's purpose is to authorize the payment to Livingston, kinkead, & Company, merchants, of Salt Lake City. Utah territory, of the sum of S1O,070. as indemnity for the amount of money of which they were robbed by party of Sioux Indians, near Fort Laramie, in the Indian terri tory in November 1854.
 Mir. BENJAMIN. There is no report ac- companyng that bill. It provides for the pay ment of ten or eleven thousand dollars. Un- less there is statement that we can understand, 1 object to it,
 Mr. SEBASTIAN. The Senator from Lou isana is mistaken. There is report in that ease l made it myself.
 Mir. BENJAMIN. It is not printed
 Mr. STUART. The calendar states that the report Is not printed.
 The PRESIDING OFFICER. There is a report, but 1t is not printed.
 MT. SEBASTIAN. 1 know there is re. port
 Mir. BENJAMIN. Let the report be read
 The clerk read the renort m adp p durino tho