Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1860-04-19
THIRTY-SIXTH CONGRESS-.
FIRST SESSION.
WAsHrNcMos, April 9, 1860.

SESATE.--Mr. Brown presented tne resolutions
adopted at the meeting at Nashville, Oct. 10Th,
1859, in regard to the Improvement of the Missis-
sppi River. Referred to the Committee on Com
merce.
Mr. Hale called the attention of the Chairman
of the Committee on the District of Columbia to
the condition of the Jail of Washington City which
would disgrace tribe of sayages
Mr. Brown said new Jail Was about being erect
Cd BY the General Government
: After some conversation the subject drop
ped.
On motion of Mr.. GUNNER it was Resolced, That
the Committee on Foreign Relations be instructed
to consider by what title or right the Saratoga,
ship of war. belonging to the United States, has
undertaken in time of peace, without the sanction
Congress- to use force against two other yessels of
war at that time in Mexican waters, and after a
bloody contest to capture the same and bring them
as pretended prizes ofwar into port of the United
States, holding their officers and crews prison
crs, and also to consider if any action of Congress
be required to prevent recurrence of such collis-
ion and such an assumption to make prize OF war
and prisoners in time OF peace.
Mr.. Wilson gave notice OF a bill to more effec-
tually suppress the slave trade.
Mr. Davis resolutions taken up and Mr..
Chesnut made speech in their favor The res
olutons were then laid aside.
Mr.. Hunters motion to take up the Indian
! Appropriation bill lost. Yeas, "a navs "a.
! The House Homestead bill was then taken up
by 26 against %. Adjourned.
! HousE-Mr. Thaver ntroaduccd bill cunst-
tuting Dacotah a land District, and providing for
the admission to the House of delegate there
from.
Mr.. Scott introduced bill to authorize the Pres
ident, in conjunction with California, to run and
make the boundary between the Territories of the
United States and California.
! Mr. Morse offered resolution, which. after
amendment adopted. calling for all informa-
ton concerning the slave trade, with instructions
to naval officers. and the opinion of the President
whether further legislation is necessary
The House proceeded to the consideration of the
report of the Covode Investigating Committee,
asking for the arrest of Augustus Schcll when Mr..
| Winslow made minority report, maintaining that
there is no authority to inquire into the private
contributions of any persons unless it be first de-
| termned that the purposes were corrupt.
! Mr.. Covodc questioned the right OF Mr.. Wins
| low to bring in minority report.1
Mr. Winslow maintained that he did so a
question of privilege.
Mr. Covode wished to postpone the considera-
ton of the subject in order to allow Mr. Hickman
to report on the Presidents protest.
Mr.. Hickman raised to a doint of order, that Mr..
Winsow's course was irregular under the parlia-
mentary law.
The Speaker decided Mr.. Covode was entitled
to the floor and an appeal by Mr.. Winslow was Ia
bled, l25 against 80.
| Mr. Covode said he wanted the list in Mr..
Schell's possession because it contained the names
OF Government officers, and not because it was
signed by private individuals.
Mr.. Hickman Intellectually sought to present
his report.
After call of the roll, during which there was
| much confusion, the report recommittcd, on
| motion of Mr. Stevens, l05 against 50.
Mr.. Hickman, from the Committee on Judiciary.
made report on the Presidents protest refuting
the position of the latter. They say. among other
things, "They cannot refrain an expression of their
deep regret that an officer who pridcs himself upon
the fact that the people have thought proper to IN
vest him with the most honorable, responsible, and
dignified Office in the world, and who declares he
feels proudly conscious, there is no public act OF his
| life which i'll not bear the strictest scrutiny, and
] that he defies all investigation, should forget,
among the surroundings place, and hattery.
that he is the servant of that same people, and that
he should shrink back in anger and terror from a
simple inquiry into his stewardship. This Is the
first time under the Republic tina. Chief Mag
istrate has left recorded admission that he has
been made obivious of the origin and emphemcral
character of his position by the venalIes OF hs en-
| oyment. To distinguish such conduct 10y appro-
baton would be to sanction the kngy prerogative,
and proclaim that rightful rule came by the grace
| of God, and not from the confidence of man. The
nation always charitable in the Interpretation CT
acts and motives, is not prepared TO overlook such
a delinquency"
J The Committee take the ground that the Pres
/ ident under the Constitution possesses neither a
privilege nor an immunity beyond public citizen,
| and is less favored in this respect than Senators
and Representatives i'm Congress. "Unfortunatc-
ly," they say, "for the attempted defense OF that
officer, there is no charge made of any grade OF
offenss calling for trial of any kind. 1t is mere
inquiry that is proposed. Mr.. Covodes resolutions
do not contemplate judgment. and therefore there
' H.
are the proofs that the wise and great men OF our
earlier history entertained opinions of the very
| opposite character from those the President as
cribes to them that it is difficult to resist a dis
position to attribute nsincerty TO the President to
accomplish the purposes OF his protest. The world
is but great battle field for power, and it univer-
sal history teaches lesson it is this: That power
is always stealing from the many to the few; that
executive heads of nations absorb peculiar rights.
and that all revolutions on the part Of the people is
not to establish thrones, but to regain that which
has been rung from them by the thrones. The cit
zens Of the United States have reason to fear that
! from which every other nation has suffered The
Committee entertaining the views therein express
ed, recommend the following resolution:
Resolred, That the House dsscnts from the doc
trines in the Special Message of the President of
the United States of March 2oth, 1863; that the
extent of power contempatedn the adoption OF the
resolution of inquiry of March 5th, 1860, is neces
eary TO the proper discharge oil the constitntion2i
duties devolved upon Congress; that Judicial de-
termination the opinions Of former Presidents. and
uniform usage, sanctions its exercise; and that to
| abandon it would leave the Executive Department
of the Government without supervision or responi
sbiity, and would likely lead to a concentration
of power in the hands Of the President dangerous
to the rights ofa free peopc!''
| Mr. Houston said that Mr. Taylor a. d himself
were the minority of the Judiciary Committee, but
for want of time they had not been able to get to-
| gether to agree upon joint report. Each of
them, however, had prepared separate report,
both agreeing on general principles and sustaining
the Presidents special message. Mr.. Houston's
views we're read: "The trainers OF the Constitution
sought to confnc each department within proper
limits, so that ore might not encroach upon the
other and thus disturb the equilibrium, therefore
the House Of Representatives should confne its
action TO the limitations and requirements ofthe
Constitution. 1t was alike due TO justice and the
character Of our government at home and abroad
that it should not be perverted for the oppression of
individuals, or mere party advantage, by investiga
ton into vague and slanderous imputatons found
ed on street rumor and newspaper articles. There
is possibility that these things may already have
done much TO lessen the confidence of the country
in the legislative we'll rs the other departments
of the government, while Congress should not
make assaults individuals in public and private
life. The powers and duties of each branch of the
governmnnt are plainly set forth in the Constitution
The departments are independent the one of anoth
or, except when by the Constitution they are de-
clared otherwise. The President may be impeach-