The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-26
WASHINGTON CITY, SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 2e, 1855

fruit into hands Such the policy OF the early
statesmen Of this country but tho tunes had greatly
changed and ideas Of national progress strength
and glory sprung up The passion Of faeqston of more
territory had developed itself and obtained ascenaney
over the minds OF large class Of citizens and then
commenced what might be called hlli5ustenng IL
at this period that the long cherished idea of south
republic received its most dangerous development
lle referred to the 0stend manifesto calculated to
arouse spirit OF resistance in Spain but this recent
message OF the President calculated TO Increase that
spirit OF resistance 30 the point OF hazrng
equal war IN defence of her possessions and Cuba would
bc at last surrendered to only backened and ruin
| ed waste
| Mr. b. considered il IA great mistake FOR the President
TO make open demand for money preceie negotia
ons. When President Jefferson asked for money for
similar purpose the proposition made to both houses
Of Congress in confidential messages and il consi1
cred by them with closed doors The most corrupt gov
ernment ON earth would reco from bsibc when 1t was
openly rendered and it inatuaton to suppose that
success could follow negotiations initiated under such
auspices. He regarded IL as public calamity that
almost Immediately after great commercial revulsion,
and when the treasury almost bankrupt, such meas
this should be thrust upon the country
sectional strife We were not in condition now even
to accept Cuba gift for unless could defend her
she would be than useless The FIRST blow struck
at MS in war with France or England, would be to
wrest the island from possession Mr.. b. concluded
his remarks at about o'clock p. m
Mr. WADE said that there but few senators pres
cnt and he therefore moved that the Senate adjourn
Mr.. SEIDELL hoped that motion would not be pressed
If however there could be general understanding that
final vote could be taken tomorrow the bili, he
would have no objection to an adjournment.
MIR. WADE insisted on his motion and the question
being TAKEN the result was-yeas TO- nays 23-as fol-
lows
YEAS Mesrs ncu Brolerck, colamc pooluc Foot Harlan
Keunedy, King, Tr4nbul and Wade-l0.
NAYsMesrs Benjamin Brown Chesnu,, Cay Cingman Fitch
ltzatrk Green, win, Hunter johnson Arkansas
Tennessee Lane Mallory rearce Polk, rugh Reid Rice, Sebastian
siiiell Smith, ami ward-23.
SO the Senate refused to adjourn no quorum voting
Mr.. SI4lDELL hoped the senator from Ohio would go
on with his remarks There would be number OF
other senators present by nine O'clock
Mn. WADE replied that this was not a measure that
was expected to pass and he preferred not to speak unless
these was a quorum present.
Mr.. SLlDELL moved that the Sergeant AIMS be di-
rected to request the attendance OF absent members
which WAS agreed To.
Mr.. KENNEDY then took the floor and expressed his
views the bill He regarded this n measure which
might involve the whole civilized world in war; and lose
to us this union of States for which much has been
periiIed and endured He had examined the able report
of the committee with great care and he regretted that
ho compelled to differ from most of those this
floor from the southern States He thought we could
not possibly acquire Cuba without CONFUSION which
must rend this country in twain aud destroy this gov
ernmcnt under which have lived long Before he
could consent TO vote this money he wanted to know
what the which induced the President
suppose that Cuba could he peacefully and honoaby
quiied
Mr.. sILDELL Inquired if il might not readily be sup
posed that the President might have information
which should lead him make this request of Congress
Mr.. KENNEDY thought he as senator, could not be
expected to agree to the appropriation of large
without any definite information and with the prospect
10 s a WV, not Up pru"cnt % my @ pere @ sS ae
world he might ut least communicate the facts to the
Senate in executive session. For himself he believed
that il would be evil day when should come into
the possession of Cuba either with without price.
Mr. X. proceeded to express tho opinion that the
suit of the acquisition OF Cuba would bo to necessitate
the increase Of the army and navy and he would vote
for hundred war steamers and increase of the stand
Ing army of not less than thirty thousand men. We
should be involved in with England France, and
Spain, and in able to maintain ourselves
against them should come out of the contest with
debt of at least thousand million of dollars.
Mr. WADE said that the Senate sat very late both last
night and the night before and as it was now nine
o clock, he would move that the Senate adjourn
MIR. SIIDELL remarked that, inasmuch as it WAS the
determination of the advocates of this bill to press
final vote tomorrow, if the Senate should adjourn
it would either be necessary sit on Sunday or else
Of those who desired to speak the bill would le
deprived of the opportunity of doing So
The question being taken, the motion not agreed
toycas IL, nays 2s as follows
YEAsNegsys lu Frederick Cameron Chandler Clark
ixo Doite Foot Foster, Iiimln Harlan, King simmons,
rrambal, Wade and wl.on,rl1
Douglas Fitch f'zck Green GNn Hunter, Iverson Johnson al
Reid Rice sebastian sldell smith, Wad Wright
Mr. SEWARD stated that ho had paired off with Mr.
TnoMa.
Mr. DooLITILE said that this bill if acted upon by
the Senate could not receive the action of the House
but there q which had already passed tho
House, and had been fully discussed he alluded TO the
homestead bill Inasmuch tho majority of this body
seemed determined to waste the time of this session
Just about 10 expire, he moved to postpone the pending
bill and all other prior orders for the purpose of taking
up the homestead l and that motion he asked for
the yeas and nays
Mr. LANE would vote against that notion because
the granting of homcsesds would prevent emigration to
Oregon.
Mr. JOHNSON, of Tennessee said he had long been
known ardent and persistent advocate of the
homestead bill, and he intended to continue such ho
would speak that bill and would vote for it until he
thoroughly satisfied that either to be postponed
finally or to become law but he knew that it would
not add TO tho strength of that BILL but the contrary
IL would weaken it, to place in antagonsm to the pend
ing BILL He therefore appealed to the senator from Wis
consin to withdraw his motion.
Mr. DOUGLAS remarked that he had originally voted
for taking up the homestead bill in preference to tho
Cuba bill but since the latter had taken up, he
should vote to connuo les consideration and dispose of
thing at tme aud when this should have been dis
posed Of he would go for taking up the homestead bill
and sticking to that until IL was disposed OF also
Mr. CLARK moved to adjourn which not agreed
to-yeas II, nays so.
The discussion assumed a wide range and was par
tcipated in by Mossrs RICE. TRUMBULL SEWARD,
TooMBS, WADE FESSENDEN, and others.
Mr. BROWN said that If the friends of the homestead
bill-woud permit the Cuba bill to go now he would
vote with the senator from Wisconsin take Up sne
homestead bill this bill should e disposed of
and he felt that he could pledge enough Of his polit
zeal friends TO have tho bin taken up lie wanted it lis
tncty understood that he would only take sp
the homestead BILL and not that he woul for its
passage would he promise that hs would not vote to