The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-01-20
THIRT Y-FIFTH CONG RESS,
Second Session.
Thursday, January IL, 1859.
SENATE

E Ihis bill provides for two divisions of the
service--the first to be in alternate trips from
the ports of Portland Boston, New York, and
Philadelphia, to Liverpool the second to be in
alternate trips from Baltimore, Norfolk, Charles
ton, Savannah, and New Orleans, to Southamp-
ton, England. And authorizes the Postmaster
General to contract with Ambrose w. Thomp-
son for the service, which is not to be perform
ed by less than six steamers for the first divis-
ion, of not less than 1000 TORS measurement.
The service of the second division to be per-
formed by not less than eight steamers, not to
exceed 5000 tons each.
BY MIR. Seward "A bill in. addition to the
acts which prohibit the African slave trade.
This bill provides that, in addition to the
vessels now employed, the President is author
lzed to employ ten steam vessels, to be approved
by the Secretary of the Navy, I'D to cause them
to be properly equipped, to CRUISE on any fthe
coasts of the United States pr Cuba, or the
coast of Africa, or elsewhere, where he may
Judge attempts may be made To carry on the
trade IN cOntravention of the acts of Congress
coners the power on the Legislature of any
State to pass laws prohibiting foreign slave
trade within its limits, and to ,clare such pun
ishments they deem expe, lent, consistent
with the Constitution of the u ted States. No
vessel is hereafter to depart ON any port of
the United States for the coas of Africa until
due notice is given of the int lded voyage to
the District Attorney of the [ nited States for
that district the District Alto ney shall cause
an examination to be made be continued
until her actual departure, to certain whether
she be designed directly or Indirectly for the
slave trade. Vessels attempt az to depart in
violation of this act, to be dec< cred forfeited to
the United States, with their sss,res and equip
ments. ANY vessel departing without clear
m no f,.xf.., ta1 Ill,
any citizen of the United Sta IS shall on any
pretext depart from any fore On port to the
coast of Africa, when such sse shall have
been sold after her departure, vthout first re-
turning to the United States, and being duly
registered and licensed anew IN some port of
the United States, &c.
The Pacific Railroad Bill On motion by
Mr.. Gwin, the Senate resumed the considera
ton of the Pacific railroad bill
Mr.. Houston proceeded to yYply to the per-
sonal remarks of the Senator from Georgia,
Mr.. Iverson; and first he id like to have
that Senator explain what he meant by the
term antecedents," which occurred two or
three times in the course of hisremarks of yes
terday.
Mr. Iverson said that he meant this that
when he saw Southern man constantly sing
ing hosannas to the Union in tie face of North
ern aggressions, and denouncips! any man who
might call it in question, he coeld not but sus-
pect that he was endeavoring . make himself
a popular man in the countryr Tor the purpose
of leaching high positions. =
Mr.. Houston declared that .ys antecedents
had been entirely consistent. ale had voted
for the admission of California and against the
Nebraska bill and he had done so on princi-
Pile. He denied that he had been influenced
by Presidential aspirations in mis- course; for
lac I'll
that he would accept, if it wtre rendered to
him; and if the Senator from Georgia antici-
pated any rivalry ON his part / would set his
mind at rest by Withdrawing n claims as a
competitor for that Office Ii every political
party in this country should tesJer him nom
nation for the Presidency, he, Should decline
the honor. He had nobler duses to perform !;
and having served his feow-ci' izens in public
life for about fortyfve years he thought he
ought to be permitted to retire, 10 private life
and seek home for his family and a last rest
ing place for himself, with constitution not much
impaired, and with clean hans and clear
| conscience.
He reiterated his expression of devotion to
the Union, saying that the p .pudest epitaph
that he could desire to have sced upon the
| slab that covered his tomb woul be, " He loved
his country; he was patriot, ind devoted to
the Union" If it was for this hat he suffered
political martyrdom, he regard d himself as a
blessed martyr, and would a. thousand times
rather occupy that position On continue in
| Office while proving recreant -,uch principles.
! The State of Texas had chosen to dispense
with his services, it was true ind he was glad
they were able to get along wi, tout him, for it
demonstrated the increasing p. 1sperity of that
State. Laughter. He had pade gain, if
perchance they had made a lo,l.
NJ II al 20 oil l., IL. a.
ism, declaring that, in his opirt On, more Adolf
tionists had been made by tlrS repeal of the
Missouri Compromise than eve existed before
| in the country. He also referr d to the class
of gaseous gentlemen, street-co ner politicians,
who get together in Convent ,ns and talked
loudly about secession when tn re was no pub
| lie sentiment at home to back EN- up, but the
great mass of the people were a, ending to their
work and paying no attention % these ebulli-
tons. The Southern League hitch was got
up was an abortion. Ii had but one small
branch, and then tapered off inf, nothing; and
| the author of that league had snunciated the
sentiment that boys now-a-d VS. have more
| sense than the trainers of the institution and
the fathers of the Republic had That remark
| showed the character of the ms n who partici-
| pate in these movements. THsre were some
people at the North who were is Incorporate
in their zeal the Southern Extremists but
he did not believe it was yiol ion of the Con-
stitution for people TO express their opinions
That was no cause for keepine.p an eternal
quarrel but if they should Iirnceed to overt
acts it would be different matter
Mr.. I'll. concluded his remark by abiding to
Mr.. Iverson's attack upon him yesterday. as re-
rninding him of the old fable ofsthe dead lion.
who, being espied by certain snmal the lat,
ter took advantage of his defenseless condition
to plant his heels in the lions sface. Mr.. III.
would not name the animal, buta was the same
one from which Samson tooksthe iaw-bone /
[Great laughter, both on the tlesr of the Sen
ate and in the galleries.
Mr.. Iverson expressed regret shat he should
yesterday have been betrayed ir.o saying any
thing calculated to wound the sensibilities Of
the Senator from Texas, with WON he had al
ways been on terms of personal friendship.
Mr. Ward made some remarEs in reference
to the politics of Texas, stating hat the people
of that State had repudiated ts doctrines of
his colleague.
Mr. Collamer expressed hissviews on the
pending amendment and on u Q dill stating
that, as the bill now stood, wit. the route un-
determined, there would be great probability
that somebody in the end won be either de-
ceived or disappointed. Each ection Of the
country wanted the road locatec 10 suit its own
views, and all could not be acca 1modated.
Mr.. Broderick favored the PR POSITION Of Mr..
| Harlan, restricting the sOuther1" limits of the