Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1860-06-27
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WASHINGTON June 25.-SEvATE-Alr. Sumner pre
sented petition Of citizens Of Massachusetts, pray
ing for the repeal Of the fugitive slave law the inter
State slave trade, and the prohibition Of slavery
the District Of Columbia. He asked that it nigh
lay on the table, and it ordered.
Mr.. lulee asked that the Post Route bill be takeI
up. Agreed to.
Mr. Yulee offered an amendment that the Post
master General be authorized to advertise for pro
posals for Transporting the mails to California
land the central route within twenty days. and on
the Northern route from Dallas, Oregon and that be
be also authorized TO contract for temporary steam
snip service on the route to CALIFORNIA; also pro-
Yiso that the Butterfed contractors have permission
to change with some suggestion the withdrawal of
the proviso which was DONE
Mr.. Wilson then commented severely on the Van
deroilt route, and was opposed to any more steam
! ship contracts.
The bill was then read third time and passed.
The bill amending the act granting lands to certain
| railroads in Mississippi was passed
The House Consular bill was laid over.
The mail route bill between the United States and
Mexico was laid over
4 proclamation for an extra executive session
for tomorrow was read.
A committee appointed to wait on the President
returned and reported nothing further to commu-
nicate.
The Vice President returned thanks and the Sen
vte adjourned sine die.
HOUsE.-The House acceded to the request of the
Senate to appoint another Committee of Conference
on the PostOfiee deficiency bill.
The President sent in a message notifying the
House that he signed certain bills, including that
making appropriations for civil expenses with pro
test against the clause designating Captain Megs as
superintendent Of the expenditure Of Onehalf mill
lion of dollars for the completion of the Washington
aqueduct BE did not believe it was the intention
OF Congress TO interfere with the constitutional
rights of the President as commander-in-chief Of
the army to order Captain Meigs elsewhere, and
send him away to superinend the erection Of forti
cations or other works.
It is evident to him that Congress intended more
than to express decided opinion that Captain Meigs
should be continued in employment Is the apPrO-
priaton constitutional and VIII it fan if he should
not think proper and expedient egard this desig
nation are questions which shall receive his serious
consideration, because on this will depend whether
the water works shall be arrested for another sea-
son. He now desired to express no opinion but the
question shall be carefully considered.
Another message from the President, reeapitu-
lated the grounds Of his protest of March last
against the proceedings Of the COYOde Committee.
The charges against HIM being vague and expressed
in equivOcal terms he did not for moment enter
tain doubt to the result He did not believe it
possible there existed a man who could basely per-
Jure himself. The proceedings Of the House, he re-
peats are viOative Of the rights Of coordinate
branch Of the Government, which, if enforced,
would establish dangerous precedent. The House
had acted without constitutional warrant and in a
manner tending to degrade the Presidential Office
and render it unworthy Of acceptance by an honor
able man.
The aceusatory resolution was nothing more nor !
less than that the President has used corrupt
to accomplish certain purposes By what authority
did the House undertake TO investigate the Execu-
tive course to the LecomptOn Constitutional |
pry into relations, assailing Mexican minis
ter as to the Tehauntepec rOute-to investigate re-
moYals from office, notwithstanding the power Of
removals belongs to the President under the eOnstU
ton, and was decided by the first Congress accord
lngly, and has ever been so exercised. There was
no authority for the committee to investigate the
subject of printing of the postOce blanks, because
that question had previously been examined by two
other committees. and the witnesses were examined
in the most vindictive manner.
The first information he had received Of any tes-
tmony that would or could injuriOusy affect him,
was published in q New York journal, but which, |
was disprOved by most respectable witnesses The /
telegraph, however, was silent to the cOntradc-
ton He says that only such dispatches were publish
ed would reflect his character, thus intiIctng
most fragrant injustice, and that different versions
were given of private conversation, when there
was no opportunity to refute them.
Members of the Cabinet and others were sum-
mOned to discern if possible something to his dis
credit Disappointed applicants for Office, becoming
hostile the Administration, appeared before the
These were most dangerous witnesses.
The committee spread a drag-net over the whole
Union TO catch disappointed men, willing to malign
his character The tyrranncal star chamber was not
worse than TINS. There has been nothing Ike u
since the days OF RObespierre. Should the proceed
ings of the committee be sanctioned by the House,
the constitution will have been violated. and the
Executive be no longer an independent branch of
Government, and the worst fears Of the early pat
riots and statesmen viii have been realized in the
name of the representative Of this great people;
and, standing on the ramparts Of the constitution,
which they organized and established, he solemnly
protests against these unconstitutional proceedings
Aftes some debate including remarks by Mr..
Stanton against it, the massage was referred to Sc
ect committee.
The House refused to suspend the rule to take
Up the post route bill and it is consequently dead.
At noon the House adjourned sine die in good
lumOF.