New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-02-18
Thlr.y-Flfth oongress-second Session.

WASHINGTON, Feb. IO.-Senate.-vice President
Breckenridge called the Senate to order, be having
returned to the city.
A communication was received from the Secretary
| Of War, giving information as to the proprietary
rights of British subjects in the Territories of Wash
ington and Oregon. Referred.
House resolution allowing Capt NJ. F. Maury and
Prof. A. D. Bache to receive gold medals from the
Sandman Government was agreed to.
Mr. Hale said he should not vote against this reso
because there were too many against
Americans to receive medals and snuffboxes from
foreign Governments. The practice of taking snuff
was bad enough-that Of taking snuf:boxes was still
worse
Mr.. Broderck gave notice that be intended to
call up the Homestead bill at the earliest possible mo-
ment.
Senators Wade, johnson and Broderick presented
Mr.. Green, from the Committee on Territories, re-
ported adversely against the petition of Messrs.
O'Relly, Speed and Shaffner, who asked means to
construct telegraph line to the Pacific.
Mr.. Yulee, from the Committee on the Post Office
and Post Roads, reported bill for the transportation
of the mails between Havana, Key West, and Charles.
ton, S. q. 49,.
The special order-the bill for the acquisition of
Cuba-was postponed, and the revenue resolutions
were taken up, and Mr. Clingman spoke upon the
resolutions.
He declared himself in favor of free trade and
against high tariff, which, experience had showed,
always produced low prices He opposed protection,
and thought any branch of industry which could not
sustain itself ought to fall He referred to the ex
penditures of Government, and advocated retrench-
ment and reform.
Mr.. Simmons replied to the argument of Mr.
Toombs, and spoke in favor OF system Of duties so as
to protect our own industry. lie would go with him
for reducing expenditures to reasonable limits II
could not be possible that the expenses had increased
legitmatey during the last l6 years from forty to
nearly eighty millions of dollars. He differed from
the President on the mode Of eyyng duties he pre-
ferred an dd ualorem system of from 20 to 25 per
cent. He advocated the abolition of the ranking
privilege as one means Of a reduction Of expenses.
Mr.. Hunter obtained the floor, when the subject
was postponed until tomorrow
Mr. Slidell moved to take up the Cuban BILL and it
was taken up.
Mr.. Foot offered an amendment that the treaty
should be ratified oy the United States as well as by
Spain before any part Of the money was paid, He
concluded, to be acted upon by the Congress of the
United States before any money should be expended.
Mr.. Pugh gave notice of an amendment restricting
the amount to be paid for Cuba to one hundred and
fifty millions. he advocated the acquisition of Cuba
as the key to the Gulf Of Mexico, and alluded to
the Importance Of her commerce. He answered OBJ
ections, and declared that the European system of
dctation by one sovereign to another should never be
suffered to extend to this continent. He also de-
nonnced the Clayton. Bulwer treaty.
Mr.. Benjamin obtained the floor, and the Senate
adjourned.
House.-Mr Stephens, of Georgia, reported the bill
for the admission of Oregon. He said that the con.
sttution was republican in FORM and nothing need
be said upon that point In regard to the important
matter of population he would state that no census
had been taken since 1855 ,.when the population was
43472 but if the increase had been at the rate from
1850 to 1855, the population now must be about $780,,
600. He would not say it was that amount but he
felt perfectly certain it must exceed the number re-
qured for representative in Congress. He also
went into an examination of the returns of taxable
property, to show that the population must be suf
fcently large to justify her admission as State.
MIR. Howard, OF Michigan, asked what was the last
vote.
Mr.. Grow said 10,12l ...-~--
claimed by the gentleman from Georgia, the voters
must be very lazy.
Mr.. Grow said there was another point to which
he wished to refer. The constitution Of Oregon was
not in accordance with the Constitution of the United
States, inasmuch it provided that men recognized
as citizens in some of the States of the Union could
not in the State Courts. He never would vote to
admit any State which excluded men born on Ameri-
can soil from the courts of JUSTICE and he knew of
other State in the Union which shut the doors of
justice on any one. For these reasons he opposed
the admission of Oregon at this time.
After some further discussion, the House went into
Committee Of the Whole, and took recess till
Pm.
Evening Session.-Mr. Keim made a speech 10
favor of the protection of coal and iron.
Mr.. Taylor, of Louisiana, spoke in favor of the
acquisition of Cuba.
Mr.. Abbott spoke against the acquisition of Cuba
and against the repeal Of the fishing bounties law.
Messrs. j. Jackson and Farnsworth spoke on the
subject of party politics.
After other speeches, the House adjourned.