The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-01-06

| Toombs Irumbull, and Wade--3l
/ NAYS-Messrs Bell Benjamin, Cameron, Clay, Crit
tenden Dixon Gwin, Hale Houston, Jones, Kennedy
Mallory Mason, Seward, and Thomson of New Jersey
ate adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE. 10y
After prayer the Journal Of yesterday read and APP
The SPEAKER called the attention of the body to Ger
tain bills from the Committee Of Claims that
disposed OF at the last session Of Congress The law of 1855
required that these claims should be taken up and
sidered II there had been no adjournment In con
STRUNG that law he constrained to hold that where
bill had received first and second reading ut prece
ding Congress- it would be incompetent to resume it's
consideration at the point where suspended by the
adjournment Therefore these bills would have to be
considered dc noco and he had instructed the Clerk not
to place any OF them on the journal. They would now
be read first and second time sd referred 10 the Com
mttee Of Claims that they might be acted on in
formty to law. Adverse reports he had instructed the
Clerk to put upon the calendar
Accordingly various bills from the Court of Claims
read first and second time by their titles, and
specvey referred to the Committee of Claims and the
Committee on Revolutionary Pensions, AZ their nature
seemed to demand.
The SPEAKER laid before the House letter from the
Secretary Of the Treasury, transmitting report Of the
Superintendent of the Coast Survey, showing the
Der of persons employed therein and the expenditures
of that Office for the past which laid on the
table and ordered to be printed @ M
Also the annual report of the Superintendent Of the
Coast Survey which laid on the table and ordered
| to be printed. 81 H.ae
Also certain papers reference the contested cleo
ton case from the Territory of Nebraska which
referred to the Committee of Elections and ordered to be
printed.
| KANSAS AFyArRs,
! Mr. GROW of Pennsylvania asked consent to submit
resolution requesting the President to communicate
copies Of his instructions TO the officers of the Territory
of Kansas and correspondence with the officers of the
same, not already communicated to the House also a
Of he ifutip form at OYnptOn
turns of the recent elections with the number of votes
cast and copies of any official papers not already
municated to Congress but objection made.
| NEUTRALITY
On motion of Mr.. j CLANCY JONES' of Pennsylva
MA the House went into Committee of the Whole the
state of the Union r Phelps of Missouri in the chair
MIR, J. CLANCY JONES submitted the following reso
buttons
l. Resolved That so much of the annual message of
the President of the United States to the two houses of
Congress at the present session relates to foreign
affairs together with the accompanying correspondence
in relation thereto and to the seizure of property of c
of the United States by the republic of Paraguay
! be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
! Q. Resolred, That much Of said message and
companying documents relates to loan, the public
finances the receipts and expenditures the
public debt the tariff paper currency and bank credits
be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.
g. Resolved That much of said message and accom-
panyng documents relates to uniform bankrupt law,
and to the neutrality laws be referred to the Committee
ON the Judiciary.
f. Resolved That SO much of said message and accom-
panyng documents as relates the army the United
States, the raising of four additional regiments and to
the construction of military road through the terrific
es of the United States, be referred to the Committee
| on Military Affairs. ns
5. Resolved That so much Of said message and accom-
panyng documents as relates to the navy Of the United
States and to the construction of ten small steamers be
! referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
6. Resoired That much Of said message and accom-
panyng documents relates to the Post Office Depart
ment its operation and condition. be referred to the Com
mittec on the Post Office and Post Roads.
2. Resolord, That much Of said message and accom-
panying documents relates to the public lands be
i ferred to the Committee on Public Lands
8. Resolved, That much Of said message and accom-
panying documents relates to the commerce of the
United States and to the fitness OF the river La Platte and
its tributaries for navigation by steam be referred to the
| Committee on Commerce
g. Resolved That so much of said message and accom-
panyng documents relates to intercourse with and
relation to- the various Indian tribes be referred to the
| Committee on Indian Affairs.
TO- Resolved, That SO much of said message and ac
companying documents relates to the Territories of
Kansas Utah, and of Arizonia be referred TO the Com
mittee on Territories
H. Resolved That much of said message and accom-
panyng documents relnes to the District of Columbia
be referred to the Committee the District of Column
| bia.
H. Resolved That much of said message and accom-
panyng documents relates to the subject of Pacific
railroad be referred to the Committee Roads and Ca
nails
Mr.. J. CLANCY JONES remarked that the message
of the President had been before the House for
ly month and the subject matter of it had not yet
been distributed to the appropriate committees Until
this distribution made the House could not properly
take action the of the message When
It was the House might take into consideration the
speve parts of the message that might be referred to
| them.
Mr.. QUITMAN of Mississippi, then moved to amend
the third resolution by striking the words neutraity
laws and inserting in lieu thereof the following resolu
| ton
Resolved That much of the Presidents annual mes
sage relates to the duties of independent State in its
relations with the members of the great family of nations
to restrain its people from acts of hostile aggression
against their citizens Subjects and much relates
to the present neutrality act of goth of April 81S to
the fitting out within the limits of country of lawless
expeditions against of the Central American States
to the Instructions issued to the marshs and district at
torneys and to the appropriate army and navy officers
together with the Presidents recommendation that
should adopt such measures will be efectual in
straning citizens from committing such outrages he
referred to select committee to consist of five members
| with power to report by bill or otherwise y
Mr. QUTTMAN said that the resolution should be sub
mitted to select committee because there stand
ing committee to whom 1t would properly and exclusively
belong. The whole country demanded that something
should be done. They might attempt to get rid of the
question: but much as they did II forced upon them
by the country. The people calling for modifca
ton Of the existing neutrality laws He had come to the
conclusion that the greater portion Of these laws should
be swept from the statutebook and he believed that
large portion of the House would como to the same
clusion and untamme the citizens from the restrictions
/ VIII thev m uDOn enterpriae. He would