Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1859-01-11

Mr.. Crittendcn desired to take up the French
spoliation bill. The yeas and nays were or
dercd.
Agreed to-yeas 30, nays %.
Mr.. Davis then proceeded to address the
Senate upon the bill. He was opposed to it
The Senate was called upon to adiudicate the
claims of those who have long since passed
away.
At | o'clock. Mr.. Davis suspended his re-
marks. and the Vice President called up the
snecial order-thc Pacific Railroad bill.
The Pacific Railroad bill came up.
Mr. Shields then addressed the Senate. He
had a strong objection to 4 bill which did not
locate the route. The termini were agreed up
IN hut the route was not fixed. In its con-
s~trrction It might turn either to the North or
the South, as the public lands would prove
most valuable to the contractors. He wished
a central route so constructed that it would
benefit all sections. The country would not
he satisfied unless it had a central route oene'
fitting all. or either a northern. n central or 4
southern route. .
The objection to the Northern route that it
was a cold one. was untenablc. The very oest
railroads had been built in cold countries. on
that route, at the summit of the Rocky noun
tains, there was never more than two feet snow,
and it was so light that it would he no impedi'
ment to the road. On this route. too, there
were less asccnts and dcSccntS, and the cnsi-
nccrs had reported that there was less tunnel
inc to be done than on the other routes.
Mr.. Clay, on leave, introduced a Joint rcSolri-
ton for the appointment of two regents OF the
Smithsonian Institute. recently made vacant;
which was adopted.
The resolution simply rejects Mr.. y. D.
Bache and ex-senator Badger, of y. C., two OF
the present incumbents.
Mr.. Doolittle addressed the Senate in support
of the general provisions of an amendment
which he offered. He concurred with other
! Senators in the necessity Of 4 Pacific Railroad.
Mr.. Trumbnll was in favor Of q central rail
road route. lie thought that Congress and the
country should sanction that route as being
productive Of more national blessings than any
other The termini which was fixed in the
bill under consideration, that is, from a point
ON the Missouri river. between the mouths of
the Big Sioux and Kansas rivers, to San Fran
cisco, Cal, he was pleased with.
lie differed, however, from others in the state
ment that no power was conferred on the Pres-
ident TO locate the general route Of the road
lie thought that the bill gave the President all
the mower. IL directed him to accept bid for
the construction of the road 'from a point on
the Missouri river between the mouths of the
Big Sioux and Kansas rivers to san Francisco.
on the most eligible route. reference being had
To feasibility, shortncss and economy
The President, then, of course, had all the
, mower of location. a discretion which he thought
in some cases dangerous. The President, I'M
doubtedly, therefore, had the riehtto select the
route.
Mr.. r. then proceeded TO show that the Post
master General advertised for the shortest routes
I to the Pacific for the overland mail; but in
openinc the bids he disregardcd them, and To-
Gated one himself. This discretion might he
exercised in this case.
Mr.. Gwin replied, and thought that the Sena-
! for was wrong in such a conclusion. 1t was
, s~pcciallv intended in the bill to prevent this
power from being delegated to the President.
Mr.. r. thought that it was absolutely neceS-
sary that the route of the road should he fixed
in the bill. lie then proceeded to review the
spcech of the Senator from Georgia, (Mr. lvcr-
SON. delivered Yesterday. and defended the
principles of the Republican party. lie denied
that the recent triumph Illinois was one Of
.Frce.Soil Democracy over Abolition Whigge-
~" The Republican party was not an Aboll-
ton Wing party.
At the conclusion of Mr.. Trumbull speech,
| the Senate. a few minutes, after 1 o'clock, adj
iourncd until Monday.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
Mr.. Blair, Of Missouri, introduced a bill
for the establishment Of an assay office in Il.
Louis.
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia, said that gentle
men on ali sides Of the House had made cnqui-
rics concerning the bill for the admission of
| Oregon. The bill had been in his desk for
SOM time. and was ready to be reported when
the Committee on Territories was called. He
hopcd that it would be reached by Tuesday
next.
The committees were then called through
for reports of n private nature.
Mr.. Hopkins, of Va, reported from the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs the Senate bill for
the relief of the owners, officers and crew Of
the p~rivatecr brig General Armstrong"
Mr.. Phelps, of Mo-, reported from the Com
mittcc of Ways and Means the Fertilization
bill.
Mr.. Jones, of Tenn, asked leave, which was
refused Yesterday, to Introduce a resolution
calling on the Secretary Of the Interior for in.
formation in reference to the authority and
laws under which the Advisory Board of Ag-
riculture'' has assembled in Washington.
Mr.. Hughes, of Ind. said that he would
withdraw the objection he made yesterday, ms
members showed q desire to look into the mat
ter. lie did not, however. think that the reso-
luton would lead to any practical result
TIE resolution was adopted.
On motion of Mr.. Chailec, of Mass, the
House went into the Committee Of the Whole
CMr. Colfax in the chair and took up the pri-
vatc calendar.
The calendar was called through, and bills
disposed Of as follows:
i bill for the relief of. VI. Brooke, propo-
sing to donate him the sum Of $4,000 for in
venting the "deep.sea sounding apparatus the
inventor not being able to obtain patents for
the same. Objected to.
A bill for the relief Of the heirs Of William
Edmonston. an officer of the Revolution in the
Virginia volunteers. Laid aside, to be reported
with a recommendation that it pass.
After disposing of a number of private bills
the committee rose, and the House passed twelve
bills reported by this committee. and then adj
iourned.
SATURDAY, JANUARY 5. 1883.