New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1859-02-23
thirty. F,fsh congre.s-seeons session.

Thirty, Flsh Congressional Session.
WAsHrNaroS, Feb I5-S enaie.--At ten minutes
past IL A. M ten Senators appeared, and me wee
President called the Senate to order and ordered inc
The Ii Il @ then laid beisrs the Senate
communication from the Secretary Of War enclosing
copies of the report Of Colonel wright OF the indian
campaign in Washington and Oregon , s;I'
the salaries Of the officers Of the army. After amend
ment the bin was debated at great length.
Mr. Pueb did not think this was bill for retrench
ment. and said that II II passed as amended he
shoud bring il bill reducing the salaries of Sena
he offered an amendment to the bill repeating
the section OF the act Of 1857 which increased the
pay and allowances Of the officers Of the Army.
Nj, p advocated the reduction OF the number Of
the engineers In the army, and attributed useless
expenditure of money in the erection Of public build
ings to the control they exercised as architects over
them.
Nj. Davis replid, and defended the engineers from
The bill then passed without amendment.
The discussion of the thirty million bill was re.
sumed.
Mr.. Crittenden said he was in favor OF the hon.
orable acquisition of Cuba, but she belonged to
Spain, and we could not dispossess her without her
consent. While, however, we should acquiesce in her
possession, We should not permit the island to pass ny
purchase or otherwise into the hands of any other
power. We had already made proposals for the pur.
chase Of Cuba which Spain had declined and it was
an insult to press the subject upon her now.
At any rate there was nothing to prevent the
President from negotiating for that object, and legs
lative aid was therefore superuOus and unnecessary
Spain had regarded the suggestion of the Presidents
message as an insult, and why should Congress re-.
peat the oense? The $50 900 could not purchase
Cuba $260 600 was the estimated price and
where was the money to come from? When be
knocked on the Golfers of the treasury they returned
q mOs audf FINN 0ur WAC
deficient, our expenses increasing, and it was idle.
under existing circumstances, of paying out $780,,
DOC, 900.
He could not agree to place $4,000 900 in the
hands of the Executive, until the Senate had first
seen and ratified the treaty. In his opinion this
Cuba bubble would soon burst-the bill was mere
piece Of fanar0nade, could accomplish good pur-
pose and had only been brought forward for political
effect.
Mr.. Hale said the argument manifest destiny and
necessity had been used by the advocates Of Cuba
quisiton. The same argument applied with equal
force to Yucatan or Central America, and might be
used for the same purpose. he opposed the bill at
length.
House.-Mr. Grover, the member from Oregon, was
sworn in and took his seat. as5@
Mr.. Taylor, of New York, from the select commit
tee appointed to investigate the accounts of the late
Superintendent Of Public Printing, reported resou
ton, which adopted, authorizing the Sergeansat-
Arms to seize and bring before the House the body Of
John Cassin, who has refused to give evidence before
Mr.. Dowdel, Of Alabama, failed to obtain leave to
introduce resolution calling for information in refer
ence to the cost Of returning to Africa negroes cap
ured by United States vessels since the passage of the
| law of 1919.
On motion of Mr.. Phillips, Of Mo-, the House went
into Committee Of the Whole, and resumed the con.
sideIatOn of the Senate amendments to the Indian
| Appropriation bill
tleman from Virginia Chr. Garnett) compare the ex
psnses Of the t .Eaf 81
! Fillmore. he had shown that, without any good
reason therefor the expenses OF the Government had
been increased since 1851 to the extent of $50 600
| 600. He had shown that the items of expenditure
coming directly under the control of the President
there had been an increase of 100 per cent.
1 He thought when be heard these statements from
the gentleman from Virginia, be had found real
friend OF retrenchment and reform, and was there
fore greatly disappointed when the gentleman under
took to show that the minority in the House, with
few Of his political friends from the free States
responsible for this increase of expenditure. The
gentleman seemed to forget that at the other end OF
the capitol the Democratic party had majority Of two
thirds, and that in the Executive Departments from
the Secretaries down to tide walters, all we're Demo
Gratis. 1t was also notorious that the Senate added
additional millions to the appropriation bills which
we were obliged to vote for or leave the Government
without means. The President also expends with
lavish hand, according to his caprice or judgment
and it was ridiculous to charge the extravaganza
the Government upon the party which was in til
minority.
He said there would never be reform in the e:
penditnres until prescription was prescribed, and tt
corrupt use of money in elections, drawn from tt
treasury for the use of partizans was abandone
What would become Of the gentleman from the Fir
District Of Pennsylvania (Mr. Forence) without tt
, navy yard, where men were employed who rendere
service only on election days, shouder.hitters
balot-box suffers? There was at this time gre
discord and rebellion in the Democratic choir. Viii
the President chanted the solemn tune of Old HUI
dred, the Secretary of the Treasury gave US the il
4 spiriting air OF Yankee Doodle.
The discussion continued for some time, and IL
House adjourned without action