The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1858-02-25
CON CIR ESSIONAL
THIRTY-FIFTH CONGREss---First Session,
TUESDAY, FEBRUARY %, 1858.
SENATE.
MEMORIALS, PETITIONS. ETC.


Mr. Hamlin presented the petition of Grinnell
MInturn d Co., and other merchants and ship-own-
ers of the city of New York demonstrating against
! the passage of law to repeal the act allowing
bountles to vessels engaged in cod-fshing, on the
| ground that fisheries are the great school from
! which are produced the most effective masters
mates, and sailors in the merchant service and in
time of war some of the best in the navy of the
United States, and that the removal of such boun-
ties would almost annihiate that school for seamen
Mr.. Brown presented the petition of mechanics of
the city of Washington, praying for the enactment
OF law similar in its provisions to the laws en-
braced in the "Revised Code,' in reference to me-
chanies' liens real and personal property
Mr.. Jones presented memorial of the legislature
kof Iowa, praying grant of land in aid of the con-
struction of the McGregor, st. Petersburg and Mis-
souri, river railroad: also another in favor of add
| tonal mail facilities in that State.
Several petitions of private nature were pre-
sented all Of which were referred to the appropr-
ate committees.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES
Mr. Foster, from the Committee on Pensions. re-
ported bill for the relief of Mrs. Eliza A. Mer-
chant, widow of the late Capt. Charles G. Merchant
of the United States army; which read and
passed to a second reading.
Mr.. lyerSOn, from the Committee on Claims, re-
ported bill to provide for settlement of the ac
counts of the late Capt. John W. McCrabb; which
was read and passed to a second reading.
INTRODUCED.
Mr.. Jones asked and obtained leave to introduce a
Joint resolution to extend the limitations of the act
entitled ''An act for the relief of citizens of towns
upon lands of the United States under certain cir
cumstances," approved 23d May, 1874; which was
read twice and referred.
PRINTING ORDERED.
On motion of Mr.. Hale, resolution was adopted
ordering the printing of two thousand additional CO.
pies of the report of the Committee on Territories
on the admission of Kansas, together with the views
of the minorities of said committee.
SALARIES OF JUDGES.
n,
the consideration of the bill to equaze the salaries
OF certain judges of the courts for the District of
Columbia, and for other purposes.
Mr.. Pearce wished to look at the bill little, and
moved that its further consideration be postpOned
until tomorrow, which was agreed to.
LAND WARRANTS TO GEN. LAFAYETTE.
On motion of Mr.. Slidel the Senate proceeded to
the consideration of the bill to amend an act enti
tied :. An act to authorize relocation ofland
rants Nos. 3, A. and ., granted by Congress to Gen
eral Lafayette" approved February 26, ls45 The
provisions of the bill were explained by Messrs Sill
dell and Benjamin but, on motion of Mr.. Pugh, the
further consideration of the subject postponed
until tomorrow.
BILLS PASSED.
The following bills were severally considered and
passed.
Bill to amend an act entitled San Act to author
ize the President of the United States to to be
surveyed the tract of land in the Territory of Min
nesota, belonging to the habreeds or mixed blOods
of the Dacotah or Sioux nation of Indians, and for
other purposes" approved July IT, 1854.
Bill to amend an act entitled ''An Act to limit the
liability of ship owners, and for other purposes
approved March 3, 1851.
THE INSTRUCTIONS OF TENNESSEE.
Mr.. Bell presented Joint resolutions of the legis-
lature OF Tennessee, commenting on his course in
opposing the KansasN ebraska bill, and in favor of
the admission of Kansas under the Lecompton con-
stituti0n which were read.
Mr.. B. said that the novel and extraordinary char
acter OF these resolutions might justify him in max
ing some more extended remarks than he should
otherwise.feel at liberty to make. The first thing
that would most naturally attract attention would
be the date of the adoption of the resolutions, being
the 10th day OF the present month"; and about four
years since the vote was given which there cal
led in question 1t had been usual, when the con-
stItuents of member of Congress, in either branch
felt themselves aggreved by the action of their rep
resentative upon question materially affecting
their interests to take some method of expressing
their displeasure promptly, at least in some reas-
enable time after the knowledge of his course had
reached them, either by calling public meetings or
in some other way: and it remarkable that after
SO long time had elapsed, this subject should now
have been revived.
The next thing worthy of notice was that in the
first clause the legislature endorse and approve un-
conditiOnally, the repeal of the Missouri Compro-
mise, after the mischievous results of that measure
have become patent and unmistakable. Nor can
they plead ignorance of these results since the Pre-
sident has plainly and frankly informed them that
one OF these results has been to convuse the whole
flames
CIVIL war IN Kansas, and to produce dangerous sec
tiOnal parties throughout the confederacy
Mr.. b. proceeded to allude to the various cleo
tions that had taken place in Tennessee since the
vote which is now called in question. The first of
these was in August, 1855, three months after the
passage of the kansasNebraska bill. In that cleo
tion the principal question involved was American
ism. The next election was in November 1856, two
years and half after the passage of the Nebraska
bill. Americanism entered into that contest as the
prominent element, but the Kansas bill was to some
extent debated. The leaders of the democracy
dwelt upon that but little, but avaed themselves
of the indications of Fremonts in the North
and men OF all parties were implored to support
Mr.. Buchanan and defeat Fremont, as Fillmore had
no chance of election After the result of the Penn
syvania election became known, the Americans lost
confidence in Fillmores election, and went over to
the support of Buchanan, who carried that State it
being the first time the Democratic candidate for
President had carried the State for twenty years.
But Mr.. Fillmore, who had declared that had he
been member of Congress he would have voted
against the Nebraska BILL received &c. 900 votes in
Tennessee.
The next election came off in August, 1857, in
which the democrats carried the legislature and
elected their candidate for governor. The wings and
Americans, discouraged by their defeat the wear
previous, could not be aroused to go into the cleo
ton, and great numbers of them did not 90 to the
polls. AllusOn was made to the reelection of Mr..
Etheridge by an increased vote, notwithstanding
his vote against the Nebraska bill To be sure, two
of his colleagues, who voted the same way, were
defeated, but not account of that vote but the
question of Americanism. He thought that at no
time since the repeal of the Missouri Compromise
had there been any settled indication of the opinion
OF the South on that question. Party leaders, as
matter OF expediency, may have taken grounds in
favor OF that measure, and in some cases may have
carried large vote of those who have never inves
tigated the merits of the question; but he believed
if fair and impartial vote could be taken on the
question, an overwhelming ma jorty would pro-
nounce 1t one OF the most unfortunate measures that
Congress ever passed.
llMr. B. complained that the extracts from his
speech imbodied in the resolutions were earbled
and unfair. He had declared that after the people
had seen the mischievous consequences the repeal
of the Missouri Compromise, they would sustain
him in against it but that part of his speech
did not omit the purpose of those who passed these
resolutions. Their purpose was to disparage him
in the eyes of the public; and he regarded the pre-
ambe and the first two resolutions as pratuitous
and deliberate insult by those who plotted their pass
age although such might not have been the purpose
of all who supported them. He also remarked
that he regarded the doctrine of instructions as at
war both with the spirit and literal provisions of
the constitution; democratic senators, too were
disobeying instructions every day. As to the Ie-
compton constitution there were many important
facts connected with it of which he had no satisfac
tory knowledge, and which would be material to an
intelligent decision on that question; and he had no
reason to suppose that his legislature were better in
formed upon that matter than himself
Mr.. johnson, of Tennessee, regretted to differ
from his colleague upon this question: but Justice to
the democratic party of Tennessee required that he
should not remain silent upon this occasion In re-
ply to the statement that this rather late day
to comment upon the vote of the Kansas n Nebraska
BILL Mr.. j. remarked that in 1854 before the passage
of that BILL the Senate of Tennessee passed reso-
ton approving its principles and requesting the sena
tors and representatives from that State to give it
their support There were only eight dissenting votes
on the adoption of that resolution. In the Tennes
see House of Representatives other resolutions of a
similar character were introduced by whig, and
were voted for by every whig member of that
governor of the State in 1855, when he himself
was elected; and he claimed that the Nebras-
ka bill was the main issue which he pressed
his comnettnr. w no afrairn