The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-17

| pressed THIS measure, ne UOOk IL 10 DC al expo
sition of the way in which the President pro-
noses TO administer the Government, and sup
posed it would be called factious to oppose him.
The President had recommended the measure
in his message, on grounds of humanity, to
which his side ought to have some regard; he
proposes it as a way to put down the slave trade.
He thought it was the great question, upon
which was suspended the destiny of this nation.
He did not desire to go home liable to the re-
proach of having refused to take up the club of
debate which the Administration had thrown
down, and would rather take the hazard of an
extra session as a consequence.
Mr.. Seward thought vote in favor of taking
up this measure would naturally be construed
as vote in its favor. He thought no good
would result to the Democratic party from the
discussion, but they evidently fancied they were
to derive some advantage, and they must gain
it by their own votes, unaided by his.
Mr.. Collamer warned the other side, that if
this Cuba discussion commenced it must 90 on,
to the delay of other business. They could not
consent that it should be discussed upon one
side only.
Mr.. Doolittle looked upon the proposition to
buy Cuba as wholly impracticable at this time
The proposition was only a step in the making
up of the great issues for the contest of 1860
The Republican organization was living or
| reorganization VI Jnc democracy I;
and in the formation of the issues for 1860
those upon the other side would find blows to
take as well as blows to give. The Republi
cans were ready at any moment to join in ma
king up the peadings. There was no prospect
or hope of acquiring Cuba. The project had
been unanimously and officially rejected in
Spain, and spurned as an insult by all parties.
If he were friend of the acquisition of Cuba,
he would oppose this proposition to insult
Spanish officials by an open offer of bribery. But
he was willing to hell to make up the issues
for the great suit to be tried before the people
in 1860. The present Administration was
stepped and dyed in Federalism it was libel
upon the names of Democracy and Republican
ism. This bill would be very likely to drive
Spain into treaty with England and France
binding herself never, under any circumstances
to sell Cuba to the United States. He would
vote against taking up the measure but if it
should be taken up, he was ready to meet it,
Mr.. Wilson said the last session of Congress
was consumed in discussions on the Lecompton
question. Those discussions were resumed at
home, and the result before the country.
The Republican Senators came to this short
session with no desire to bring up extraneous
issues. When the President took the oath of
Office there were $25000,000 in the Treasury
That had been expended together with all the
revenues, and $40,O0O,00O more of borrowed
money. They had but few days left to pre-
pare to meet the emergency. The Senator
from Georgia had to-day demonstrated the IN
bounded and reckless extravaganza of the Ad-
mnistration. He agreed with him. that they
could and ought to reduce the expenditures.
They ought this session to carry through com
prehensiye system of retrenchment, and not
waste time upon anything else. Upon that
side of the chamber they were ready to address
al H.. Thora ole
hundred private bills, some of which were
founded upon just claims, which ought to be
honestly and honorably adjusted.
Mr. Crittenden was entirely opposed to the
policy of the Cuba bill, and would vote against
taking it up.
Mr.. Clark alluded to the agitation which
had resulted from the repeal, by Democratic
votes, of the Missouri Compromise. The Lee
compton scheme was born Of that repeal, and
the discussion thus forced upon them soon tired
II originators. The same would be true Of
this proposition. If the President and his par
ty chose to bring up this measure, to consume
the time of the Senate, they must not complain
that the discussion did consume the time He
would not vote to take it up, but if the fight
came on he might be counted in.
The motion to take up the Cuba bill was
agreed to by the following vote:
IeqS-Messrs. Allen, Bayard, Benjamin. Big.
Ter, Brown, Chestnut, Clay, Clingman, Oritten.
den, Davis, Douglas, Fitch Fitzpatrick, Gwin,
Houston, Hunter, Iverson, johnson of Tennes-
see, Jones, Mallory, Mason, Polk, Pugh, Reid,
Rice, Shields, Slidell, and WARDS.
Nays-Messrs. Broderick, Cameron, Chand-
Ter, Clark, COllamer, Dixon, Doolittle, Durkee,
Fessenden, Foot, Hamlin, Harlan, King, Sew
ard, Simmons, Wade and Wilson-27.
Mr.. Slidell said by some mistake, only
rough draught of the bill was sent to the printer,
and moved to amend it by providing that the
interest the loan shall not exceed five per
cent. This had been accidently omitted, and
he asked general consent to make the amend
ment.
The amendment was agreed to-
Mr.. Slidell then asked that the bill as amend
ed be printed; which was also agreed to-
Mr.. Doolttle offered substitute for the bill,
consisting Of a preamble and resolutions which
was also ordered to be printed. The preamble
refers 10 The utter impossibility of acquiring Gu,
ba, in consequence Of the action of Spain since
the PRONUNCIATION of the Presidents message
charges the Administration with tendency to
aid in the extension of Slavery; and speaks of
the advantage of colonizing the African race in
a warm climate. The resolution appropriates
$4,000 to be used in negotiating for the ac-
QUESTION of territory in Yucatan, Central
America, or South America, for the establish
ment therein of colony OF free blacks the
President to furnish a strict account of expend-
lures under the appropriation to the next Con-
gresss.
The Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE.
The General Appropriation BU.-The regu-
lar order of business having been called for. the
House resumed the consideration of the amend
ments reported by the Committee of the Whole
to the bill making appropriation for the legis-
late, executive, and judicial expenses of the
Government, for the year ending June 80,
1860.
The amendment striking out two hundred
thousand doiiaIs mileage from the appropria-
ton for the compensation OF tiae members of
the House was concurred in-yeas H. NAYS IS
The amendment providing that no officer of
the House shall receive pay for more than one
office at a time was concurred in.
The amendment increasing the appropriation
for Capitol police from five thousand eight hun
dred and ninety dollars to eight thousand four
hundred and twenty dollars was adopted-yeag
II, nays So.
The amendment striking out the appropria-
ton of thirty -four thousand eight hundred and
forty-eight dollars for twenty-four copies of the
Congressional Globe and Appendix for each
member and delegate to the Thirtysixth Con
gress was adopted-yeas 81, nays So
The aEendEent striking out the appropria-
tons for reporting the debates of the Thirty
sixth Congress, and for binding copies of the
Globe for members of that Congress, was agreed
to.
The amendment striking out the appropria-
ton of two hundred and fifteen thousand dol
lars for the purchase of property in the city OF
| New York, nov under lease to the United States