The Washington union. [volume] (City of Washington [D.C.]) 1857-1859, 1859-02-17

their native country at considerable expense he
knew OF constitutional provision which authorized
! that TO be done, but nobody objected TO IL Arpro'
priations also frequently made iof the tam
| lilies of who die in the public service and
/ IL would be difficult 10 find any constitutional
| provision 10 authorize the payment OF the expenReB
incurred in conveying the remains OF deceased member
! of Congress to his home There many thin2s OF
this sort which tacy admitted without authority
| from the constitution. Now, perhaps this case wopld
lead TO some mobilization OF the law hnt, nasmuoh
the President had simply done what the idea OF
i humanity required OF him. and had made a contmct
which stands as valid Mr. c. not disposed to change
M and should be obliged to vote against the amendment
] of his friend from Alabama ~
Mr.. IyERSoN remarked that the President had no
right to 80 beyond the law and If the law did not au
thorise him TO support and educate these Africans, tho
contract which he made not binding upon the govern
ment-it null and void Suppose he had thought
that benevoence required him. instead OF sending them
10 Africa to support and educate them in this country
would contract TO that effect have been binding upon
Congress-
| Mr.. CLINGMAN would admit that the senator might
imagine good many things which the President might
have done that he wond not have been willing 10 sane
ton but in this case nasmuo the contract has b,cu
made in good faith, we had better carry it out,
Mr.. DOOiIIILE undertook to prove that Liberia was
In hourishng condition, and fine place for colore
people to live in but he expected that the time
would come when the entire colored in this country
should be removed there. IL necessary that there
should be outlet nearer at hand. He commented
the speech Of Mr.. BENJAsS the other day in favor of
the African slave trade That senator hal denounced
the apprentice system and the coolie trade and yet he
had said that it necessary to continue the system Of
compulsory labor in Cuba. He would ask that senator
from what source he expected to get his supply Of
/ pusory labor
| Mr. BENJAMIN regretted that the senator from Wis
consin should totally have misunderstood his remarks
He had said nothing in of the African slave trade
means of supplying Cuba with labor; but what he
did say that Cuba must either lapse into barbarism
or that supply of compulsory labor must he obtained
for that island by the introduction of the benecent sys
tenn existing in the southern States to extent that
will such natural increase Of slave labor will
suffice for production. This to be obtained not from
Africa, but by natural increase and intercourse with the
! southern States
/ Mr.. DooLIlTLE was glad to find that he had misnn
dcrstood the remarks of the senator. He went at
considerable length discuss the subject Of slavery
Mr.. PUGfI suggested to him that il he wanted the bill
to pass the best way would be to avoid the Introduction
| Of collateral topics.
/ Mr.. DOoLlTILE accepted the suggestion, and waived
| further remark.
Mfr CLAY briefly replied and read documents 10 prove
! that Liberia had been failure. M
Mr. WILSON referred to secret organizations in the
South TO reopen the slave trade and stated that he he
evcd it was impossible in places to get grand jury
to convict man of that crime He had been informed by
gentleman who formerly member OF Congress
That he surprised at the unanmity Of feeling among
the people o the Gulf States in favor OF the rcopening Of
/ the slave trade.
Mr.. HAMMOND had no doubt but that there were
some people who wished to reopen it but from tho
formation he had received, he thought that nine cnths
Of the people of the South utterly opposed to it
and the the question discussed the fewer would
there be in favor of the reopenng of that trade As to
the remark about grand urics conyictng he would
morn the senator that during the last week the grand
nries in both Charleston and Svann al had found true bills
against persons who it alleged had participated in the
! African slave trade
Mr. WILSON was glad to hear that such were the sen
tments of the senator from South Carolina and he had
no doubt but they correct but still there
vigorous and active party at the South who wished to
! open that traffic
/ The question being taken the amcn} }ynont was not
| agreed toyeas IL, nays 40--as follows
YEAS Mss Chestnut, Clay Davis Fitzpatrick, Hammond Iver
son johnson of Tennessee Mason Reid Thompson Of Kentucky
ny NyAsNsssrs Allen Bates Bel benjamin. Bapr, Bright,
No. sslan nnkGa .n s''1asn D t @ FGe Green Hale In dma Harlan
Seward shields simmons, sldo, Smith, Trubu, Wade Wilson,
The hour having arrived for the consideration o. the
special order, the further consideration Of tho hll
postponed
ACQUISITION cusA
The Senate proceeded to the consideration Of the bill
making appropriations to facilitate the acquisition of the
! island of Cuba by negotiation.
/. MIR. THOMSON of Kentucky. made long speech in
opposition to the bill He regarded the whole scheme
attempting to acquire Cuba illtned and uncallcd for
IN the first place, Spain unwilling to sell and u
she was not we have not got the money to buy He
thought it woud ruin the trade OF New Orleans annex
Cnba for Havana would be the terminus and the place
transhpmrnt being nearer to Europe and New Orleans
would dwindle into insgncance of the towns in
the West haze done in consequence OF the opening
channes OF trade lie referred to the purchase Of Io
saaa as good trade; then got magnificent cupiro
ior hfteen Millions and afterwards when purchased
Florida we did pretty we'll although the whole State il
put up now and sold at auction would not than pay
the expense OF the Indian But the idea Of giving
one hundred and fifty two hundred millions for .no
little sand of Cuba preposerous ri that shatd be
done, could tell how much the govern .nent would
be Obliged to spend on her to put her in proper trim
a member Of the American family, lIe thought our
country about large enough aow and If We keep on
annexing il would fall to ,accos Of its own weight We
should be like some f..rines he knew OF who owned
much land that ,ney ruined by the taxes they had
10 pay on H. lie proceeded TO draw humorous picture
OF the way Cuba would be Amcrcanlzed. Some fillbns
seEs nom this country would go there, and would
Peshaps become the oyesccr of rich widow and marry
hef and get her plantation another would gratiatc him
self into the good gaccs of the daughter Of Spanish
don, and before they knew what they alout the
Americans would have the whole island.
Mr. L. mAde some remarks about the Pacific Ialroai
Henry Clay, the next presidency, the democratic plat
form, the Catholic religion and various other incidental
topics and ntesperscd his speech with many ai,ecdote
and hits at men and things, which kept the Senate and
the crowded galleries in almost constant laughter OWING
to III health, he obliged to remain seated during his
epeech When he had concluded
Mr.. CHANDLER obtained the aoor and, after the
consideration Of executive business
The Senate adjourned. Nf
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIONS.
No quorum having appeared at the opening of the
House
Mr. DAVIDSON, of Louisiana, moved that there be n
call of the House which motion agreed to.
nm .nI