The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-06-14


Wisconsin to do that.-After further debate tn
amendment for funding for five years the $40 0G0,
OOO loan was then agreed to-yeas 30, NAYS l9.-
Mr.. SEBASTIAN offered an amendment appro
priatng s., 600 for paying the claims OF thu
Choctaw Indians under treaty stipulatiOns which
after much debate, was carried over BY an adjourn
ment
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The House proceeded to the consideration of the
special order of the day, being the resolutions re-
ported back from the Committee on the Expendi.
lures OF the Navy Department, which declares that
the Secretary Of the Navy with the sanction of the
President, has abused his discretionary power in
the selection of a coal agent for the purchase OF
fuel for the governments that the contract with
Mr.. Swift for live oak timber was in violation OF
law; that the distribution of the patronage of the
Navy ards among members of Congress Is de-
structive of discipline and injurious to the public
service, ETC., etc.--Mr. BOC0Ck in opposing
the resolutions, said the first question was whether
it was right and proper for the House to form
itself into judicial tribunal, and pass Judgment
and inilict punishment on the highest Executive
officer, together with one of the members of the
Cabinet, on erpdrte testimony, taken bv n COM
mittee of a past Congress fthey could go back
to former Congress, why could they not go back
TO all the preceding ones, even to the time of
Adams This was the first proposition Of the kind
ever made. The resolutions proposed nothing
more nor less than the condemnation and inliction
OF punishment upon them. He would not be sur
prised to see them followed up by warrant to
bring the President and Secretary of the Navy be-
lore the bar Of the House, to be censured The in
hcuon OF censure, deliberately and cruelty per-
formed, Is one of the most serious acts The Presi-
dent Is independent of Congress and Congress is
independent of the President, each in their egit-
mate sphere He did not speak of the resoIu-
llohs ol inquiry as looking to legislation
or to impeachment but to the contested
right of the House to resolve itself into =
Judicial tribunal to pass judgment and intlict nm
lshment on On the officers Of the Executive Depart
ments' by what authority was this proposed to
be done! 1t has been suggested that the npx +
thing would be to ccnsure the Supreme Court for
the bred Scott decision. He would not be sur
prlsed to see this come at any time it would be
pertinent to the programme. The censure of the
Secretary of the Navy contained in the resolutions
was not, he argued, sustained by the testimony,
nor had the President ever nterfered with the
award of contracts, as charged. d.-Mr. SHER-
MAN replied it was a singular proceeding that the
h'gh Executive officers of the Government should
deny the jurisdiction of the court and plead techni
cal objections. The gentleman from Virginia
complained that this testimony was taken during
the last Congress. This was not unusual when it
was known that every public bill depended on the
evidence or estimates prepared the year before its
passage. Objections might as well be argued to
testimony taken before a Judge was appointed
to his seat on the bench. The testimony on
the subject under consideration was taken in
the legal and proper way. Every witness the
Secretary of the Navy desired was examined by
present either in person or by witnesses, and was
furnished with copies of all dispositions which af
tected him either directly or indirectly. The
Committee strictly confined themselves to the
charges and the rigid rules of law
Why did not the last House pass on the resolutions?
There was then majority of Democrats here In
stead of doing they were postponed till the pre-
sent session. The gentleman frem Virginia said
the house had no power to investigate Was it
ever before dreamed of questioning the power of
the House? The gentleman himself at last session,
reported resolutions of implied censure The House
have passed resolutions of commendation as to the
officers OF the last war, etc. They could pass reso.
lutions of censure as well as of praise This was
pertinent to every legislative body. The mode of
overthrowing the government of England, is by
passed by the House Of Commons after
which this House is patterned. 1t was matter of
surprise to him, that the Secretary of the NAVY
did not court vote. He then proceeded to advert to
the resolutions, referring to the testimony in their
support The adoption of the resolutions would
have healthful and restraining influence. They
were clothed in the mildest language which
could be possibly used under the circumstances.
In conclusion, Mr.. Sherman demanded the previ-
ous question, which was seconded d.---Mr
had previously made unsuccessful eff
fort to obtain the floor to reply to portion of Mr.
Sherman's remarks about the Brooklyn Navy
vard.-Mr. FLORENCE said the gentleman from
Ohio had assailed members, and then refused them
an opportunity to defend themselves Tie was
called to order by members the Republican
side. MIR. BURNETT wanted to see who were
in favor of sitting debate, and therefore demanded
the yeas and nays on ordering the main question
on the adoption of the resolutions The ques-
tiOn was decided in the atirmative-yeas lGI nays
7l'--Mr. HATTON, who reported the resoIu-
tions, had the privilege of making the closing
MILLSON, who argued that the Committee on
the Expenditures in the Navy Department lad
no right to the case where a de
funct select committee had left off 1t was a
most dangerous precedent, certainly mischievous
for one Congress to revise the evidence reported
to previous one, when this House cannot have
control over the Committee by which the evidence
was reported. 1t was now sought to condemn or
censure Executive officers who have opportunity
to defend themselves.--Mr. HATTON, resuming
the floor, said that the protest of the Secretary oil
the Navy should not deter him from a conscien-
tious performance of his duty He then proceeded
to argue that the pending resolutions of censure
were abundanty justified by the evidence taken by
the Select Committee of the last Congress-Mr
BOCOCk moved to lay the resolutions on the ta-
BILE, and the question decided in the negative
yeas 65, nays l2O.-The first resolution, con-
demnat0ry of both the President and the Secretary
of the Navy, was adopted without a count of the
number voting either side.-The second reso-
luton, characterizing the contract with Mr.. Swift
Tor the delivery of white oak timber as in violation
of law and in a manner unusual, improper and in
furious to the public service, adopted-yeas
ll9, nays G0-Messrs. Davis, Harris and Webster
voted yea; Messrs. Hughes and Stewart nay; Mr.
kunkel absent.-The third resolution, condemna-
tory of the distribution of the patronage of the Ma
w ards, was read, when Mr.. REAGAN sought to
lffer an amendment, characterizng as corrupting
he proposition of Mr.. Detrees to divide the profits
IF public printing, in he elected printer to
she House. The third resolution was adopted
yeas l23, nays 6l 1t relates to the distribution
If Navy Yard patronage. )-The fourth resou-
ion, condemnatory of both the President and the
Secretary of the Navy, about awarding contracts
% political partisans, was adOrted-yeas LOG, nays
il.-Tha House took a recess at halfpast until
O'Clock.
The House re-assembled at o'clock, when the
asst in the series of resolutions was adopted-yeas
20, nays 81. This resolution is as follows
Resored That the appointment by Secretary Toucey
Daniel B. Martin, Chief Engineer, a member of the
3oad OF Engineers TO report upon the proposals for
ructing machinery for the United States said Martin at
he time being pecunary interested in said pro-
'osals, is hereby censured by the House
The Senate bill amendatory of the act to ascer-
ain and settle private land claims in California,
vas passed.-Mr. GURLEY, from the Committee
On Printing, reported a resolution that fifteen
thousand copies of the Agricultural part of the
oatentoilice report be printed for the use of the
: 'atentoftice, and two hundred thousand for dis
ribution among the members of the eHouse-Mr
CLARK, of Missouri, moved to increase the whole
number to three hundred thousand. Agreed to by
so majority.-The resolution was then passed
7eas l02, nays 60.-Mr. GURLEY also reported
resolution, which was passed, to print five thou
he Smithsonian Institute, Of 1859. Also, a reso-
ution to print the same number of the report of
Lieutenant Ives on the exploration of the Colorado
# the West This latter was tabled.-Mr. BUR-
41NGAME, of the Committee Foreign Affairs,
moved under a suspension ofthe rules the passage
# the Senate bill for the relief of Francis Damese
he claim having been long contested. The great
st possible confusion prevailed throughout the
roceedings, and gentlemen frequently complained
hat they could not understand what was going on.
MIR. MARTIN, of Virginia. said the noise was
wing to the presence of strangers on the floor and
e called on the Speaker to enforce the rules. -
he Speaker gave directions accordingly, but this
reduced no sensible improvement. Repeated mo-
ions were made to adjourn, and finally at 9
CLOCK prevailed.
WASHINGTON NEWS
HE CAPTURED WAR STEAMERs-A PROTEST FROM |
Pixies PEAK-FoRNEY's TESTIMONY BEFORE THE |
COvoDE INVESTIGATING COMMITTEE.
Official information received here leaves no doubt
hat the Spanish vessels captured off Vera Cruz by
ur squadron, while in the act of CARRYING supplies
o Mramon, will be condemned in New Orleans. |
t appears that at the time of capture Capt. Marin |
an Al