The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1859-01-22
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
THIRTY-FlFTH CONGRESS---SECOND SESSION,
WASHINGTON, Jan. 81, 1859.
CIV AVE

WASHINGTON, Jan. q, 1859.
SENATE.
| Mr.. king presented the petition of citizens of
| New York, asking for the passage of a law in
creasing the pay of officers of the navy. Re-
| ferred.
Mr.. SEWARD, on leave, introduced Joint resolu-
ton concerning the transportation of the mails be-
| tween New York and Liverpool, and New York via
Southampton to Havre and Bremen; which was ap-
proprlatey referred. 1t authorizes the Postmaster
General to contract with any parties who will give
adequate security, to carry the mails between the
ports named, the contractors to receive in payment
the sea and inland postage, 500 per trip as
they may elect, said contract to be made for such
term as the Postmaster General NAV elect not ex-
ceeding 10 years.
Mr.. HUNTER offered a resolution calling on the
secretary OF the Navy lfts not expedient to trans
Ter the revenue cutter service from the Treasury
Department to that of the Navy. Agreed to.
Also calling on the Secretary of War if some plan
cannot be devised to sell the old military posts and
devote the proceeds arising from the sales to the
erection OF new ones. Agreed to.
Also instructing the Secretary of War to enquire
whether the number of officials in the India service
could not be reduced.
Mr. HALE's resolution of inquiry in relation to
certain changes In the new Senate hail. was taken
up and agreed to.
Mr.. IT, remarked that this was the most illy ar
arranged, ill-ventated, and uncomfortable hall he
had ever been in. The reporters could not hear
what was going on /; Senators could not and he
thought some change seemed necessary.
| The CHAIR called up the private calendar at
o'clock. Pending which,
Mr.. BRoDERIcK made personal explanation, in
Wmch he stated he had been falsely reported in the
New York Tribune, and promised retraction had
not been made. He disiked to notice these person
al attacks, but felt it his duty to do so in this case
He pronounced the statement false
The private calendar was then considered and
six bills acted on, after which the Senate went into
Executive session, and subsequently adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
MIR. FAENswoRrH, of Illinois asked leave to sub
NIT resolution, requesting the Committee on
Foreign Affairs to inquire into the expediency of
acquiring all the British American possessions ad-
joining the United States, by honorable treaty or
otherwise, and to report by bill or otherwise.
| MIR. GARNET, of Virginia, objected
| Mr.. SHERMAN, of Ohio, from the Special Com-
mitee to report upon the charges preferred against
certain naval officials, offered resolution authoriz-
ing the committee to employ stenographer,
which was adopted.
The Committees being called for reports num-
Der of private nature reported and referred
The House went into Committee on the Private
Calendar, Mr.. Sherman, of Ohio, in the chair The
ai oiIi lor the examination and payment of certain
claims OF citizens of Georgia and Alabama, on ac-
count OF Indian depredations during the Creek
wars, was taken up.
Mr.. JACKSON, of Geo., gave notice of an amend
ment, authorizing the Secretary of War to settle
the claims of these citizens upon satisfactory proof
OF their validity, provided that no more than
S349 TO- less the sums heretofore paid to the States
OF Georgia and Alabama shall be paid, and that
sad sums shall be full satisfaction for these DANA
ges.
| Mr.. LETTER, of Ohio, advocated the passage of
! the BILL and said it was great error in the Com
mittee on Military Affairs to interfere in the House
ater the Dill mad received adequate consideration
at the hands of the Committee on Indian Affairs.
The claims were just, and reparation should be
made
Mr.. GRANGER, of New York, thought the bill of
too much Importance to be passed without great
| caution. 1t involves the payment of a large sum
of money, and, if allowed, would most assuredly
lead to the payment of similar claims to the amount
of many millions, and Congress should be very care
full not to incur any needless and improper expen-
ditures of the public money when there was not a
dollar to spare. He asked the friends of the ad-
minstration, and he was one of them. (laughter) }
not to allow the imposition of this additional tax
on the treasury for the payment of a doubtful
claim. The atlidavits file in the Treasury De-
partment amounted to some twelve or thirteen mil
lions of dollars, most of which had been disregarded
by the Commissioners, but if they can't get this
amount they modestly consent to take S350,OO
now and come again for more. If an investigation
cf the whole facts could be had, he had no doubt
that there would be large balance in favor of the
Indians: He hoped the bill would not pass.
Mr.. SMITH, of Va, advocated the Justice of the
bill and said it embraced two items, one for the
consumption of provisions by the United States
troops and another for depredations of the Indians
while in the custody of the United States He
asked Mr Granger If a band of Indians passing
through his village, were allowed bv the troops
who had them in charge to rob and commit depre-
dations, what would he do?
Mr.. GRANGER replied.-'"Lick them if | could -
Great Laughter He said he had lived near
large Indian tribes, had always treated them hon
estiy, and found them quite honest the whites
Mr.. SMITH said that was no answer and contend.
ed that these depredations had resulted from the
negligence of the Government, and thought the
Government ought to pay for them
=, Mr.. CLIPPINGS opposed the bill on the ground that
the depredations committed in time of ac-
tua war, and that there no precedents for the
payment.
On motion of Mr.. STEPHENS of Geo., the enact
rose and the House adjourned.