The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-02-18
Wsdnesday, February 10, 1853.

Tue Aekt06tuf6 u lOHb IOE tuo t6fm OF SAX
years from the 4th of March, 1859.
Mr.. DsNglas's Resolutions. - During the
morning hour, Mr.. Douglas made more than
one effort to take up his resolutions calling on
the President for certain information touching
the elections in Kansas, but without success.
The Vice President announced the special
order; when
MIR. Douglas moved to postpone the special
order, for the purpose Of taking up his resolu-
tons, and assigned many reasons why, as chair
man of the Committee on Territories, Ito which
the Kansas Constitution and the late special
message of the President had been referred J he
desired the information sought to be obtained
by his resolution. 1t was important to know
whether the allegations of fraud at the late cleo
tions IN Kansas were true or false. The Presi-
dent had said, in his Kansas message, that the
people of that Territory, if dissatisfied with the
Lecompton Constitution, could speedily instruct
them LEGISLATURE to provide for q new Conven-
ton. This, said Mr.. D., might depend upon
the apportionment contained in the Lecompton
instrument; for, if it was true that the number
OF representatives In each branch of the State
Legislature had been assigned upon the basis
OF the johnson or MCGEE county forgeries, it
might result that the political power of Kansas
would long remain in the hands of those by
whom these fraudulent returns had been origi
nally coucocted. In this way the anticipations
of the President would be frustrated, as the
soundness of his argument under this head must
depend upon the fairness of the apportionment
1t was also important, to this same end, to
have full returns of the late election for State
officers, with an authentic announcement of the
result. He also desired to procure complete
and official returns of the election which took
place on the 4th Of January last, and at which
the Constitution had been legally submitted to
vote of the people. Information upon all
these points was needed by the committee, in
order to report inteligently upon the subject
which had been committed to it by the Senate.
MIR. Douglas, in the course of his remarks,
was repeatedly interrupted by Mr.. Mason and
Mr.. Davis, who desired that the Senate should
pursue its regular order of business; and CON-
planned that Mr.. Douglas, on a motion to post
pone the special order of the day, was indulg-
ing in a latitude of discussion which tended to
provoke debate, and procrsstinate O decision
on the army bill. Mr.. Mason thought the in
formation demanded by Mr.. Douglas entirely
irrelevant to the simple question of duty pre-
scented to the consideration of the Senate, in
the matter of the application of Kansas under
the Lecompton Constitution. The inquiry be.
longed to the people Of Kansas, aud not to the
Congress of the United States.
Mr.. Douglas replied, that if the facts of the
case were to be smothered, it was competent
for q majority of the Senate to say so now;
and he therefore felt constrained to persist in
his motion to postpone the special order CT the
day, for the purpose of taking up his resolution.
The question was then taken on the motion
of Mr.. Douglas, and decided in the negative,
by the following vote
Ksas-Messrs. Bell. Broderick, Cameron,
Chandler, Collamer, Dixon, Doolittle, Douglas,
Durkee, Fessenden, Foot, Foster, Hale, Ham
lin, Harlan, King, Seward, Simmons, Stuart,
Sumner, Trumbull, Wade, and Wilson-22.
Ndys-Messrs. Bsyard, Benjamin, Bggs,
Bigler, Bright, Crittenden, Davis, Evans, FItz-
patrick, Gwin, Hammond, Houston, Iverson,
Johnson of Tennessee, Jones, Kennedy Nal
Tory, Mason, Polk, Pugh, Sebastian, Slidell,
Toombs, and Wright--24.
Increase of the Army.-The Senate then
proceeded to consider the special order, being
the bill to increase the military establishment
of the United States.
Mr.. Wilson, who was entitled to the floor,
said he would prefer to wait until the question
was taken on the amendment of the Senator
from Georgia, Mr.. TooMBs,l to strike out the
hrst section, before commencing his remarks.
Mr.. Mason then rose and addressed the
Senate in favor of the bill, and the debate was
until four o'clock, by Messrs.' Davis,
Crittenden, and Mallory, in favor of the bill,
and by Messrs. Houston and Hale in opposi-
ton to it.
Mr.. Davis commenced to reply, but, without
his remarks, gave way for a motion
10 proceed to the consideration of Executive
business.
The Steamboat Lato The House proceeded
TO consider the bill further to amend an act to
provide for the better security of the lives of
passengers on board of vessels propelled in
whole or in part BY steam, and for other pur-
poses.
Mr.. Wsshburne, of Illinois, said he had in
PRODUCED, at the beginning of the session, the
steamboat bill, which was perfected at the last
Congress-, and other bills had also been intro
duced, one bys gentleman from Louisiana. and
another by gentleman from California. These
three bills had been considered by the Commit
tee on Commerce, and substitute had been
agreed upon, embodyiDg some Of the provisions
of each. Events which had recently occurred
admonished them that some further provisions
Of law ought to be made, by which disasters
like those, which had carried sorrow into so
many families, might possibly be prevented.
The bill before the House brought under its
operation steam ferry-bosts and steam-tugs,
which were not included in the law of 1852,
and upon which some of the most terrible dis
Asters had occurred, because they were not sub.
iect to inspection. Additional restrictions were
imposed on the carrying of dangerous combus.
.ibles, and penalties for inscrbing false names
upon steamers. More complete and thorough
inspection of boilers was provided for; sailing
vessels were required to carry lights, and ocean
yoing passenger steamers were required to put
N wster-tight compartments and bulkheads,
Ind to carry additional pumps, hawsers, cables,
beats, and buckets. The provision in relation
% ocean steamers was especially important, as
vas also the limitation of the number of pas
'esgers; the want of which had sometimes,
through the cupidity of owners, almost revived
he horrors of the middle passage"
Mr.. Clark, of New York, moved to refer the
Dill to the Committee CT the Whole. II the
PROVISION restricting passengers to one for
very seven tons should become law, it would
onfscate ten millions of property in the city
# New York alone.
Mr.. Letcher, of Virginia, regarded the bill
Is Unconstitutional, aud violative of the rights
IT individuals and Of the States. II Congress
'ould limit the namber of passengers on steam
,oats, it could also limit the number upon stage
coaches and railroad cars.
At 81 o'clock, the House adjourned.
TAursday, February IL, 1858.
SENATE.
A report and accompanying resolution were
presented by Mr.. Mason, from the Committee
m Foreign Relations, in regard to a visit which
{ is understood an Admiral of the Tarkish
,avy will shortly make to this country. The
his act of this visit is to contract for the con.