The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-05-20
Monday, May II, 1858.
SENATE.


Mr.. Seward submitted the following resolu-
ton, and asked its present consideration:
Resolred That the Committee on Foreign
Relations be instructed to inquire whether any
legislation is necessary to enable the President
OF the United States to protect American yes
sells against British aggression in the Gulf of
Mexico or elsewhere, and to report by bill or
otherwise.
This resolution merely instructed the com
mlttee to inquire whether any additional legis-
latlon was necessary; because, if 80, it should
at once be considered. as the session was draw.
ing to close. These sggressions were be-
coming intolerable; already, it would seem,
eleven OF our vessels have been detained, and,
in some way, fred into by British cruisers.
Mr.. Mason said that he had no further in.
formation on this subject, save what was de-
rived from the newspapers of the day, which
was not Of such a character rs would warrant
the Senate to act in the matter. If the facts
were as had been stated, they would indeed in.
Volve matters for very grave inquiry. He would
prefer that the resolution lie over.
The resolution was laid over under the rule
The special order of the day was the bill
making appropriations for the Legislative, execu.
tive, and judicial expenses of the Government
for the year ending the 30th of June, 1859,
lie.
on motion of Mr.. Doolittle, for the purpose Of
introducing an amendment granting the usual
extra compensation to the reporters of the Sen.
ate. The debate on the propriety of this propo-
sltion was resumed and participated in by
Messrs. Toombs, Brown, Shields, johnson of
Arkansas, Pugh, Stuart, Mason, Davis, Fessen.
den, Hunter, Simmons, Trumbull, Bell, and
others. H.
At the conclusion Of the discussion, which
embraced the whole range of Congressional
reporting, its expense, nature of the contract
under which it is executed, DC, the amendment
allowing extra compensation to the reporters OF
The Senate was adopted; after which, motion
10 strike out the whole section containing this
appropriation for the benefit of the reporters in
ooth branches of Congress was rejected-yeas
20, NAYS 81
motion still further to amend the bill, by
inserting an appropriation for two assistants,
70 De appointed by the Attorney General, to
serve IN his office, was lost, after brief debate
ana the bill, being again put upon its passage,
was carried.
\, The Senate then proceeded, on motion Of
ar. ohdell, to the consideration of Executive
business.
Inc admission of NeD States.-Mr. Quit
man, OF Mississippi, asked leave TO introduce a
JOINT resolution concerning the admission Of
new States into the Union, as follows:
hesotred, dc, That hereafter no new States
formed out Of the Territories of the United
oates shsll be admitted into the Union until i,
snsn have been ascertained by a census, taken
" authority of Congress, that the Territory
seeking admission contains q fixed population
equai to the number required for Representa-
IN Congress, according to the ratio
ren existing; nor until the people of such
iefrnory shall have been authorized b,
act OF Congress TO hold a Convention and
form a Constitution, and shall have
presented the same for admission into the