The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-19
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
THIRTY-FIFTH CONGRESS- SECOND SESSION,
WHAAsHI N Jan. IS, 1859

The CHAIR presented a communication from the
Secretary of the Navy, transmitting report of the
number OF officers of the Navy and their compensa-
tion and stating that in his opinion would not be
expedient to reduce either their pay or number
On motion of Mr.. SEWARD resolution was passed
calling on the President to communicate any cor
respondence between this government and Spain in
regard to the purchase of Cuba not heretofore fur
nished.
A bill was passed authorizing the President to
expend the Indian arnuties for educational and
other improvements amongst them.
On motion of MIR. YULEE a resolution was adopt-
ed instructng the Committee on Printing to inquire
into the expediency of having the reports of the
Heads of Departments printed in advance of the
meeting of Congress.
Mr.. HALE introduced resolution authorizing the
President to restore to their former position all the
officers of the Navy who were displaced by the
Retiring Board
The Pacific Railroad bill was then taken up. Mr..
BIGLER's substitute introduced on Friday last was
adopted after some slight verbal notifications
The amendment of Mr.. SEBASTIAN fixing the east
ern terminus at Fort Smith was rejected
Mr.. WARD offered an amendment fixing the east
ern terminus between the 32nd and 49th parallels OF
of latitude. Rejected "a yeas, 80 NAYS
Mr.. GREEN offered an amendment fixing the East
ern terminus at the most convenient and eligible
point on the western boundary of Missouri with
two branches. Rejected-9 yeas to As nays.
Mr.. DooLITTLE offered amendment extending
the provisions of the Homestead bill to the even
numbered sections of the bill.
Mr.. TRUMBULL, of Illinois, advocated the amend
ment as the very of building the road by
building up population along the route. If the
road was to be selEsustaining it could be only done
by giving one-half the land away to actual settlers
MIR. DAVIS, OF Mississippi, suggested some modf
cations, proposing to divide the fertile spots through
the desert in small quantities among actual set
tiers.
Mr.. DooLITTLE's amendment rejected.
Mr.. BELL moved to recommit the bill and amend
ments with instructions to report back forthwith
substitute, which he submitted, inviting proposals
for three roads-Northern, Southern and Central
and then Congress could decide which road was the
most practicable, at its next session.
MIR. Brown moved to lay the bill on the table
pending which, the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr. BoYCE, OF South Carolina, from the Com
mlttee of Elections, reported the evidence in the
contested election case from the territory of Ne
braska, and it was ordered to be printed
The Committees were then called for reports
Mr. EusrIs reported the Senate bill to authorize
the issue OF register to the steamers America and
Canada, and change of their names. Passed.
number OF bills of no general Importance were
reported and put on their passage.
Mr.: GoBB, of Alabama, from the Committee on
Public Lands, reported bill providing for satisfy
ing the claims for bounty lands and for other pur-
poses, which was passed.
Mr.. SHERMAN, of Ohio, introduced resolution
authorizing the appointment of Select Committee
of five to investigate charges Of corruption pre-
for the building of ships.
Mr. SHERMAN said he had received of Mr. f. B.
Lane, citizen of New York, of respectable stand
ing, written communication making specific
charges against certain civil officers of the Navy
Department, which if true would involve case Of
impeachment. Also, letter from former mem
Der of the House, stating that as matter of COM
mon occurrence certain officers of the BROOKLYN
Navy ard have sold employments and offices in
that Department, and he had been shown the affi-
davits of workmen proving these allegations He
had also received similar statements in regard to
the Philadelphia Navy Yard.
Mr.. HUGHES hoped Mr.. Sherman would post
pone his resolution until the Oregon bill could
be reported; after some conversation Mr.. Hughes
withdrew his objection and the resolution was adop-
ted. The papers referred to by Mr. Sherman were
also sent to the Special Committee
Various communications were received from
heads of Departments &C., and among them a
communication from the Secretary of the Interior
in reply to the resolution of inquiry as to the au-
thority by which the Advising Board of griculturc
had been assembled which was REFERRED to the
Committee of Ways and Means.
The House then went into Committee upon the
bill to codiy the Revenue laws. motion to strike
out the enacting clause was lost.
After some discussion ct the amendment of Mr..
BURLINGAME of Mass, proposing to protect the ship
ping interests and the navigation laws
Mr.. kElTT, of s. c., moved that the enacting
clause of the bill be stricken out. Agreed to-yeas
81 nays53.
The Committee then rose and the House agreed
to the report of the Committee, striking out the
enacting clause by yeas los, nays "a.
So the bill was killed
Mr.. HoUsroN of Alabama asked consent to in.
troduce a resolution instructing the Committee oil
Ways and Means to inquire into the expediency OF
authorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to ne.
gotlate loan, to provide for temporary excuses
of expenditure, which now exist and NAV be ex.
pected to exist on the seth of June next. Objected
to.
The House then went into Committee on tbe
Presidents message.
Mr.. Cox, of Ohio, reviewed our foreon rela
tions, contending for the principle that STRONGER
nations must control and absorb the weaker and
the propriety of its application to Central Ameri
ca, although such course might involve a contest
not only with the people of those territories hui
also with the Governments of France, Spain
and England. He agreed with the Pres
dent in the reasons assigned for the an
nexation OF Cuba, its geographical position CON-
manding advantages to which we could not he in
different-the Coastwise and Mississippi trade
amounting to some $3.50, 900, 900 per annum and
which, before ten years, will amount to double that
sum, must pass under the range of Cuban cannon
1t necessary that this trade should be guarded
| and protected but he did not believe that, in the
present condition of the question, Spain would sell
| Cuba, for the reason that she could not overcome
| her old pride. He was willing, however, to vot.
for the bill introduced by Mr.. Branch but he was
not particular to the amount of the appropriation
looking to negotiation for the purchase of Cuba and
then to the orderly seizure of it. He regarded the
| Clayton, Buwer treaty to be the great stumbling
block in the way of the occupation of Central
America, and thought it the diplomatic blunder Of
the nineteenth century. The United States must
grow without fail within, for the nation that
did not embrace opportunities of advancement
would surely decline. He replied to Mr.. Ham
mond's Barnwell speech, and said the South was OPP
posed to Cuba annexation, because it would reduce
the price of Louisiana sugar and thus affect the
price of negroes and incidentally the price of
and other staples depending on negro culture. He
then commended that the same principles should be
applied to Mexico, and in strong terms condemned
the course of England and France towards this
country.