The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-19
PRIVATE DILLs.

Shields, simmons, Tranball, Wade Wilson, Yaloc2s
PRIVATE bills.
On motion by Mr. IyERsoN the Senate proceeded to
the consideration of those bills of the House of Repre-
senatives upon the private calendar 10 which obec
ton should be made. The following were seVeray reau
a third time and passed
Act TO authorize the claimants In right of John Huer-
tas TO enter certain lands in Florida
Act for the relief of Leonard Boomis.
act for the relief of John H. Cannon 4s
Act for the relief OF Francis Carver
Act for the relief of Robinson Cannon
Act for the relief OF Frederick Smith.
Act for the relief of David Watson.
Act for the relief Of the representatives OF Henry King
deceased
Act granting an invalid pension to John Lee, of the
State OF Maine.
The following bills were severaIy laid on the table
Act for the relief of Margaret Whitehead.
Act cor the relief of William Bullock.
Act for the relief of John G. Rlthbun.
The House bill for the relief OF Doctor George III How
ell was considered and indefinitely postponed
PROJECTION 10 gss TRANSIT ROUTES.
esape was received from Chs President of the Uni
ted States by Mr. Henry his private secretary which
was read. . ...r
It viii be found in another column
FIR MASON remarked that the recommendations made
in ,is message were to be found in the annual message
of the President which laid before Congress at the
commencement of this session That portion OF the mes
sage was referred TO the Committee on Foreign Relations
and that committee reported bill to carry into effect
fine recommendations of the Executive He presumed
it was because that bill had not yet been acted upon
that the President had thought IL wise and proper to
send in this special message urging upon Congress the
,assa..e OF such law. There might be found among
senators some difference of opinion as to the expedency
of adopting the legislation which the President recon-
mended but entertaining entire respect for the opinions
of the Executive Department and the recommendations
which the Executive bound to give to Congress- he
should be disposed to consider that il was incumbent
upon the Senate to give to that subject immediate con-
gdeaton He would propose, therefore, that the mes
sage be referred to the Committee on Foreign Reiaton
with the view of obtaining the opinion Of tho appro
pirate committees to the expediency OF acting upon the
law reported To the Senate by them.
Mr. CLINGMAN said there were several things IN that
message that he approved very much but he apprehend
ed that there would be great difficulty in carrying out
and he thought TIC difficulty would be Increased by some
occurrences that had TRANSFERRED within the last two years
In 1856 after the Panania occurrences he i introduced
bill authorizing the President to use force for she very
purpose named here but it was voted down by decided
1naoritv in the Other house Since then the only move
ments that had made seemed calculated in his Judg
ment to retard rather than advance the objects which we
have in view The President says he has no right to
fire. gun for the protection of citizens in Nicaragua
INIT net it must be remembered that Commodore Pauld
ing went that territory not to protect our own cl-
GEMS but foreigners and he has met with 20 censue
Whatever FROM the President for the Executive mess
while it says he committed ''grave error Is devoted
TO prasng his motives and excusing palliang the act
The only way keep tho transit routes in good condi
ton is to have body of troops there and that we had
agreed to do What the next step seeIned that
there was an effort going on according to the papers,
the part of our Executive to have joint occupation by
this country Great Britain France, and such other pow
era as may come into the arrangement The question
then was should protect those lines in right,
or were we going into joint occupation with Great
Britain and other European powersa That presented
very important subject for orr consideration We must
do one of two things either cut loose from the obliga-
tions of the Clay Buwer treaty and acquire the right
to keep open the right of way between Atlantic and
Pacific dominions, must have joint occupation.
Mr. MASON inquired where the senator from North
The
the United States and other powers of separate occu-
patton by the Omitted States Mr. NJ said he had
heard of ii.
Mr. CIINGMAN said hs had seen things published in
the newspapers Of that kind. There published last
spring. and there has been published again lately, the
proja OF treaty called the Cass- Yrrssai Gaay. Did
not the senator from vrgna know Of such arrangements
being made
MI MASON replied that he utterly ignorant of
any engagement either made prospectlyo with any
European government, to occupy any portion o. Central
America for any purpose Occupation was one thing ana
transient entering was another thing.
Mr. CLINGMAN thought it amounted to about the
same during the time when tfopls were actually there
Mr. BENJAMIN did not desire 70 nave inc SUBJECT re-
ferred TO the Committee Foreign hesions again. as
the committee had already had the subject uais ccsd
Grafton and had reported upon it, There was bl iS
ON the calendar authorizing the President of the United
states to use public forces of the United States in the
cases therein specified and he preferred TO take up that
bill at once and act upon it, He was unwilling thai any
responsibility should rest upon him IT, during the recess
of Congress Il should turn out that, Notwithstanding
these repeated calls of the President (which TO sug
est that he has information that makes him fear an at
tack upon persons property of American citizens
employed in peaceful passage that transt these
threatened evils should overake us. Ne moved that all
prior orders be postponed, and that bill taken up,
Mr. SEWARD objected to giving the President powor
TO make war without rst Obtaining the assent of Con-
qres and the passage of this bib would transfer to him
The power Of making and preserving peace.
M FESSENDEN said that last year we gave the
Preside power 10 send the naval forces against Para
puav Ha, succeeded In getting that power, the Prcs
dent now asks to have power granted him to make war
ar commence bos,, Titles against other nations The prin
chile Is the same with these small powers IL they
large ones and he did no. choose to dvest Congress Of
the power placed in its hands ~ the constitution lie
had not enough confidence in the resent Executive TO
do So except in case Of the most III ent necessity
But asked not only TO do this but TO 70 u bind
w. The President should send the facts and u.s. y
not in open session. least In executive session and
the necessity shown Mr. L might be willing TO
ccde 20 the Presidents wishes.
Mr.. DOUGLAS reoiced that the President had
called the attention of Congress TO this matter He be-
levcd the President ought 10 have the power that he
asks We have such interests that ought TO have and
Inust have the highway 10 Pacific possessions kept
constantly open. In order 70 do That, must neces
sily repose confidence in the Executive for unless