The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1858-04-18
THIRTY-.FlFTH CONGRESS-.
SATURDAY, APRIL ", 1858.

First Sessions. hah
lslts ~ ffl
sa.3s SATURDAY, APRIL "a 1858 ao
SENATE. % q inyaaa +,
= li xEsoRiAIs, PETITIONS rru n
Mr.. SEWARD presented the pettpn Of Thomas George
Clnton pIaying that certain ehases and anendlnents
may BE- male In the existing laws in reference patents
One VI the objections which he makes is that the Patent
Oce ~ sustained BY tax upon iiyentos and he urges
that the doctrine Of supporting the government by
other than from uniform tax Is the most dcmoal-
idng that the pseudo statesman devised He con-
tends that the Patent Office should have but mind
aud one set OF prccetents, and that individual
should bc allowed to absorb the knowledge acquired by
certain modes Of research ALSO that the grant Of letters
patent should emanac from board consisting of the in
dyidual examiners, with the Commissioner of Patents
The controlling power over the decisions Of the bureaus
subject in turn to be controlled by the Secretary the
INTERIOR when in his opinion the merits Of any appca
ton require it, The petition rcferrel 10 the Com
Inttee ON Patents and the Patent Office. 81 =
Mr.. GREEN presented additional papers in relation to
the claims OF j. G. Irwin Co, and Of !. and Il. IL.
Porter ~. st,6srd Il 5s =
Mr. TRUMBUIL. presented additional papers relative
to the claim OF benjamin Page and Henry f. Page heirs
of Benjamin Page, for indemnity for spoliatons by the
French prior to the year 1900. 1890 a4
Mr.. CHANDLER presented the petition of citizens of
Detroit, Michigan praying the adoption Of the northern
rontc for railroad to the Pacific ocean. M \.
Mr.. KING presented petition Of citizens of New
York, praying that pensions may be granted to the
viyng officers and soldiers Of the Of 1912 which
referred to the Committee Pensions. ssg
Mr. X. also presented the petition of the heirs of Rob
ert and John Montgomery praying indemnity for spolia
tons committed by the French prior to the year 1900
sei REPORT coMMrrEs.
Mr. BIGLER, from the Committee on Commerce to
whom was referred the memorial Of Charles Knapp re-
ported bill for his relief which read and passed to
second reading
ea NEXT MEETING ~
Mr. FOOT remarked that he had introduced a resolu-
ton few days since changing tho time of the meeting
OF the session of Congress- He desired that
that resolution should either be withdrawn laid the
table, in order that he might introduce bill making the
provision he found that to be in accord
The motion that tho resolution be laid the table was
agreed to.
Mr. f. then asked and obtained leave to introduce a
bill fixing the time for the next meeting Of Congress
which read twice. and lies for consideration 1t
provides that after the adjournment Of the present
sion the next meeting of Congress shall be the first
Moilay of November next
THE DEFICIENCY RIrL. f4
Mr. HUNTER moved that the Senate now proceed TO
the consideration OF the bill from the House Of Repre-
sentativcs to supply deficiencies in the appropriations for
the service of the fiscal year ending the 30h Of June,
1858. t45i a
Mr. GWIN hoped that motion would not be agreed to,
as he desired to have the Pacc railroad bill disposed of
before the appropriation bill was taken up.
Mr.. FESSENDEN said he averse to taking up the
deficiency bill now, for the that certain nforma-
ton which he called for by resolution day two
since had yet been received He might desire to pro-
pose ccrtai amendments the bill but until that in
formation should be sent in, he did not know how to
frame them fs
Mr HUNTER replied that the bill had better be taken
up and that information would probably be received in
the course of the day
Mr. TRUhiBUII said that the bill had only been print
ed and laid upon the tables Of senators this morning. and
he had not vet had time read It, He did not know
tv actip buf
he hoped some time would be afforded to examine the
matter u little
Mr. HUNTER reminded the Senate that day had been
fixed the adjournment Of the session. and it would be
impossible to get through with the public business with
using despatch lie thought the appropriation bills
should have priority over all other business.
After further debate, "a A
Mr.. BENJAMIN remarked that it must be manifest
that much time being wasted and suggested that the
bill should be postponed until half-past ~ o'clock
Monday next which would afford some time to look at
the telms and probably facilitate its consideration
Mr.. HUNTER said he would agree to the adoption of
that course, if by general understanding the bill could
be taken up then. Rf
The question being taken, the bill made special
order for halfpast ~ o. clock next Monday.
Mr.. HALE gave notice that he had an amendment
which he intended to proposeto the BILL and asked leave
to state the nature Of it, IL add the following
a new section TO the bill
bc made by officer the under
law authorizing the under appropriation adequate TO M
fulhment'
The for offering this amendment was that by
the sixth section of the of May L. 1920 all contracts
entered into behalf of the government must be made
under n law authorizing the same appropriation
adequate to their ulflment, except contracts for the
Quartermasers department and he simply proposed to
repeal that exception. F
PACIFIC RAILROAD SEES HH as
On motion by Mr. GWIN, the Senate proceeded to the
consideration of the hill to authorize the President of the
United States contract for the transportation of the
mails troops seanen munitions of war; army and navy
supplies and all other government service by railroad
from the Missouri river 70 San Francisco in the State OF
Californ,
Mr. BENJAMIN alluded TO the present exhausted con-
don OF the treasury the small receipts of revenue and
the expenses incident to the with Utah, many
reasons why the bill could not be passed during the
present session OF Congress and he therefore moved to
POSTPONE its further consideration until the first Monday
in December next
Mr. GWIN said he should regard vote of that sort as
evidence that Congress did not intend to authorize any
railroad to California.
Mr. JOHNSON, of Arkansas, thought that within the
few weeks remaining of the session there would not be
time mature this lI and he therefore in favor Of
its postponcmcnt. He also Of opinion that the
route selected for the road would not be such
to afford any advantage to the South.
Mr. HOUSTON said that he was in favor Of having the
eastern terminus at point the Mississippi opposite
Memphis.
Mr. INVERSION announced his intention to vote for the
postponcment believing that there would be
house of Congress 10 have such scheme would bc
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