Arkansas true Democrat., 1858-05-11
CONGRESSIONAL.
IN SENATE.
SATURDAY, April, 17, 1858.
THE DEFICIENCY BILL.

IN SENATE.
 SATURDAY, April, 17, 1858.
 THE DEFICIENCY BILL.
 Mir. STUART If there are no further ne- tltlonS and reports, move that the Senate pro- ceed to the consideration of the unfinished bu- siness of yesterday.
 Mir. HUNTER Does the gentleman moan only for the morning hour or for the day?
 Mir. STUART. Only to dispose of the un. finished bnsiness-a little bill which can be passed Tn fifteen minutes.
 Mir. HUNTER. l will say to the Senator that l will not object if he will agree to lay it aside at one o'clock, if 1t be not disposed of then.
 Mir. GWlN. 1 have no objection to the mo- ton of ;he Senator from Michigan, with the understanding that at one o'clock the special order shall not be interfered with shall ask the Senate to proceed to the consideration of the special order at that hour
 blr STUART The business Of the Senate 1 will say to the senator from California, will take precedence at 1 o'clock; but it is small blll, and suppose 1t can be got out of the way in very short time.
 MT. HUNTER. Is it in order for me now to move to postpone all pIior orders in order to take up the deficiency bill?
 The PRESIDENT, pro tempoe That would be in order
 Mr. HUNTER. Then I submit that mo- tion.
 Mr. GWIN. Would that supercede the special order at one o'clock?
 Mr HUNTER understand that it would.
 Mr. GWIN. Then 1 must oppose that mo- ton. The Pacific railroad bill has been Dost poned again and again, and feel it to be nv duty to insist on its being considered. If the deficiency bill could be disposed of to-day. I should have no objection to taking it ID and passing it; but 1 believe there will be debate of days upon it; and feel myself bound to op, pose taking up any measure that will set aside the special orier which has been so long before the Senate. l do not wish to interfere with the appropriation bill if it will not take long,
 MT HUNTER. If the deficiency bill is to be debated for days, there Is the more reason for proceeding at once with its consideration.- l cannot tell how long it will be debated. I think the Senate ought to take it up. and de- termine whether they will furnish these SUD- plies or Tot. It is time it should be known one way or the other move 10 take it up
 The PRESIDENT pro tenlpore. will re- mark to the senator from Virginia that 1t would not be strictly in order now tomove to postpone the special order, which does not come up un- til one o'clock. When the hour arrives, and the special order is before the Senate, the Sen ator canmove to postpone it. | Mir. HUNTER. Then I move that the Senate proceed to the consideration of the de- 1 hclency bill, and at one o'clock 1 shall move to postpone the special order Mr. STUART. The motion submitted is one that takes precedence over that of the Sen- ator from Virginia.
 | Mir. HUNTER. But if move to postpone all prior orders, mine will have precedence; and 1 make that motion.
 Mir. STUART. think not Mr. FESSENDEN. am averse to takino up the deficiency bill at present, for the reason that the information that was called for a day or two ago from the Secretary of War has not vet been sent to the Senate. l am unwilling to proceed and 1 think the Senate ought not to pro- ceed with its consideration until we are furnish ed with the information which has been called for by the Senate, and which 1 consider to be material
 MT. HUNTER will state to the Senator that believe the information will be here, pro- bably, iu an hour. I do nos think that it is material. It is mtre call for copies of con tracts an abstract of which we have already in
 
 a call from the Holse of Representatives. [ think the Senate will have the information here long before the bill is decided upon, and we had better proceed with it at once
 Mir. FESSENDEN. The Senator may be correct, but we cannot tell with certainty whe- ther the information will be here in the course of an hour or of day; and when it is here 1t will require some time for its examnation- The Senator should reflect that there is more than one Senator who would like to look into 1t. II he does not deem 1t material, 1 do. think that the facts which may be developed Tn answer to the call which We have made, may be very material to the consideration of the bil-at any rate the Senate ought to have an opportunity to judge. And as this bill has been brought into Congress at so recent date: and as the necessity for that portion of it which is disputed, was known just as well on the 1st day of January as it is known to-day, or ought to have been known and understood. there cer- tainly can be no very great occasion for hurry Ing 1t now when the bill was only reported yesterday, and when we are yet calling for in- formation connected with it.
 W hy, sir, it is perfectly manifest that so far as 'lie necessity for these supplies is concerned oli Ine pr,hcple upon which they are demand l VI "isei dtlon Knew lust as well OD the lst day oi January what they should want. as they do to-day; and yet this bill did not come from the committee on ways and means of the House of Representatives until within short time past; and when the recommendation went | for it to that committee we do not know It is little too late when the matter has been so long delayed, and all the information on which it is founded has existed for so long atime now to-day Especially when we are calling for in. formation which is of much conseouence, if shall be pressed through. do not believe it will be debated very much in this body. Mr. HUNTER. I think the Senator is mis. taken in supposng that the necessity for it is not more pressing now than it was on the 1st January. The necessity for it is increasing every day with the lapse of time
 Mr. FESSENDEN. l did not say that said the facts on which the necessity for it is predicated, were just as we'll known to the go- vernment then as they are to-day. MT. HUNTER. I think the Senator is mis- taken in that. Some of the facts on which the necessity for the bill is predicated were as well known then as now, but others were not Be that as it may, however, think it is perfectly manifest and | submit if to the Senate without