The Ashland union. [volume] (Ashland, Ashland County, Ohio) 1854-1868, 1859-01-19
CONGRESSIONAL;
. WAsH1NaraN. Jan. la.

4 t6rQay. he QCIcnQeQ inc .COnslStcHCy OF MS
antecedents, and said If devotion to the Union
had caused his political immolation, he gloried
in it as the proudest moment of his life. The
offices he had held suficed for his ambition,
and some Of them had been attained through
scenes of anguish and peril. He would relieve
Mr.. Iverson's mind as Ito his (Houston's) hav-
ing any aspiration for Office, by saying he would
not accept the nomination if it were offered by
all the political parties; he had higher, Gobler,
tenderer duties. His life had been extended
to sixty-hve years, forty-ive of which devoted
to the service of his country entitled him to
an honorable discharge. He had performed
his duties with fidelity; he wished to retire to
his humble home where the absence OF wealth
just suited his rugged nature. He concluded
with severe but good natured remarks, e%liciting
loud applause in the galleries, which the Presi-
deaf promptly stopped.
Mr.. Iyerson said a few words in generous
apology.
Mr.. Ward took occasion to refer to the po-
sition of the party in Texas with a view to show
that that State was more in favor OF disunion
than Mr.. Houston supposed.
A discursive debate then ensued on the Pa
ciic Railroad bill, the pending question being
Mr.. Bigler's amendment to locate the eastern
terminus between parallels 81 and 43.
MIR. Collamer spoke in opposition to a South
ern route.
Mr.. Broderick and Mr.. Clark supported the
Central route.
Mr.. Douglas spoke against excluding any
section of the country by limiting the parallel.
Without taking a vote upon the question the
Senate went into Executive Session, and upon
opening the doors adjourned.
H.UsE.-The controversy relative to the
difference Of the Naval Appropriation bill was
ended by referring it to the Committee of the
Whole on the State of the Union.
Mr.. Comins, of Mass, from the committee
on Commerce, reported the Senate bill to repeal
the law of 1856, authorizing the Secretary of
the Treasury to change the names of vessels in
certain cases. Mr.. Comins said so frequent
were the applications heretofore, that it was
deemed expedient to pass a general law, but it
had not answered the purpose designed, hence
the Committee on Commerce were unanimous
in the opinion that it ought to be repealed.
After a brief debate the bill passed by rs
against ~.
Mr.. Lundy, of Pa, from the Committee on
Commerce, reported a bill for two ocean reve-
nue. cutters, one to be stationed at Philadelphia
and the other at New Orleans.
Mr.. Hatch, of New York, wished to Know
where the Senate bill making appropriation for
deepening the St. Clair Flats was. The Spea-
ker replied on the table.
Mr.. Washburne, of Ill.,. moved that it be
referred to the Committee on commerce, but
Mr.. Garnett, of Va, objected.
The House resolved itself into a Committee
of the whole on the state of the Union.
On the special order of the bill to codify the
revenue laws of the United States and for other
purposes, Mr.. Barksdale, of Miss, wished. to
know from Mr.. John Cochrane, who reported
the bill, whether it affected the tariff.
Mr.. Clark, of New York, who was entitled
to the floor, said he would yield it to his col
league to give a reply, yes or no.
Mr.. Cochrane declined to answer under that
limitation.
Mr.. Clark said if this bill was merely for
codification, he would have no objection to it,
but it introduced features entirely new to the
legislation of the country, and there are pro-
visions therein which could be constructed to
repeal the navigation laws and open the coast
ing trade to foreign commerce. He proceeded
to show that the chapter in relation to marine
hospitals and health laws ought not to become
law. This part did not meet with the approba-
ton of the secretary of the Treasury.
Mr.. Cochrane, in explanation, said the Ian
guage Of the Secretary was to the effect that
he approved the bill. There may be some er-
rors iii which his Judgment does not approve,
but he is anxious that it should pass rather
than be defeated.
Mr. Clark said, in the course of his remarks,
that instead of hospital money being spent for
- ddO odDlN SSNiiCh II hdo " nv
benefit Of disabled politicians. 1t was true in
one case that 81 900 a year was spent for hos
pitfalls and pay of liveried officers, while not a
dollar was spent for the mariners designed to
be benefited.
biz. Burlingame, of Mass, gave notice of This
intention to offer amendments to the bill, in
which he said there are three methods by
which foreign built vessels may be entitled to
registers, being a departure from the
present law which was passed for the shipbuild-
ing interests of this country-was it wise for
Congress, while commerce is depressed, to in
a policy which would operate as a par
repeal to that law, or greatly relax the pres
mode for the naturalization of foreign YES
under which our commercial marine has
grown to be almost if not the first in the world
1t was desirable that so much of the bill as
codifed the existing laws should be passed.
The committee rose and the House adjourn
ed.
HoUsE.-On motion of Mr.. Kunkel, of Penn-
the Secretary of the Navy was request
ed to furnish a statement of the amount of
coal used by the Navy since 1852, what COM
mission has been paid to coal agents. and by
authority such officers have been appoint
ed.
The select committee to investigate the ac-
counts of Mr.. Seaman, the late Superintendent
of Public Printing, was authorized to employa
ste~nographer; as was al:o the on the
Judiciary to aid in the examination OF the
charges against Judge Irving.
Reports were submitted after which the pri-
vate calender was considered.
SENATE-Mr. Fitzpatrick, of Ala, present
ed a memorial for a line of mail steamers from
New Orleans and Mobile to numerous points
in the Gulf of Mexico. Referred.
Mr.. Hunter, OF Va, called for the yeas and
nays on the resolution to pay $50 for the funer-
al expenses and a quarters salary to Morton
the deceased furnace-keeper, and it was carried,
by 50 against II.
Capt. Hartstien was allowed 5000 expenses
in the matter of the Arctic discovery bark
Resolute, by unanimous resolution.
Considerable time was occupied in a discus
sion whether the Senate would take up the
bill to make a Railroad along Pennsylvania
Avenue, Washington City.