The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-12
PROCEEDINGS ON THE THIRTY.SIXTH CONGRESS
SENATE

fhVUEEDlNGO UF IllB IlllRli-SlAIh CONGRESS
| SENATE
WASHINGTON, April 11.-On motion by MIR. MA
| SON, the bill to declare the meaning of the act
entitled can act making further provisions for the
| satisfaction of Virginia land warrants" passed
| August 81, 1852, was recommitted to the Commit
| tee on Public Lands.--Mr. BIGLER moved that
the Senate proceed to the consideration of the bill
in addition to can act to promote the progress of
the useful arts, being the bill remodeine the pat
ent laws.--Mr. HALE asked for the yeas and
| nays on that motion, which were ordered
| MIR. BlGLER stated that this was a yery
| important public BILL and one which ought
to be considered promptly. He thought
| it could be disposed of during the morning
hour and he should be under the necessity of be-
ing absent for some time, he wished the bill passed
before he left. He thought that when the Senator
from New Hampshire knew the object of the bill,
he would give his vote in favor of it.-Mr. HAL LIE
replied that he would make no opposition to the
bill after the morning business was through
Inc question being taken, the vote was announced
yeas 10, nays 49, The Vice-Presdent decided
the question in the negative.-Mr. HALE asked
and obtained leave to introduce bill for the pro-
lection of witnesses in criminal cases in the bis
| trict of Columbia which was read twice and re-
| ferred to the Committee on the Judicary-On
motion by Mr.. CHANDLER, a resolution was
adopted that the chaplans of the Senate and House
| of Representatives for the time being be ent-
| tied to admission upon the floor of the Senate
| Mr.. GWIN moved that the Senate proceed to the
consideration of the bill to provide for the trans
| portation of the mails between st. joseph, Mo.
and Placerville, CAL, within twenty days sNMr.
| GREEN hoped that bill would not be taken nm du
| ring the morning hour. He was Obliged to leave
the city, to be absent for some tme and he asked
that the subject might lie over until his return as
he had not time to discuss it to-dav-Mr. GWIN
| insisted on his motion, urging the Importance of
the measure, in view of the fact that the contract
| for ocean mail service expires upon the 3Oth of
| June. and this ought to be passed at once-Nr
| GREEN stated that he had a measure of his own
to offer in lieu of this. He thought Congress ouobt
not to make contract for mail service, but thew
might authorize a contract to be made He now
merely asked the privilege that had been accorded
to almost every Senator, that the subject might be
postponed until he could discuss it fairly.HMr
RICE hoped this bill would not be considered to-
day, and adverted to the action of the Committee
on Post Offices and Post Roads in reference to the
various projects for overland mail service TO the
Pacific He received no notification of the meet
ing OF the Committee who agreed on this bi and
hence he was taken by surprise when it was re-
ported yesterday-entirely ignorant of the great
Northern route to Pugets Sound. He should re-
sst the passage of this bill to the utmost of his
power, and hoped it would be recommitted, in Or
der that it might be properly considered. d.-Mr
HALE explained the action of the Post Office Com
mittee in regard to this subject. There were three
routes advocated-the Northern, the Central and
the Southern, and there was great diversity of
opinion in committee in regard to these several
propositions. In view of the urgency of the case
and the fact that there seemed to be a greater de-
gree of unanimity in favor of this central route
than either of the others, the committee concluded
to report that as separate measure, leaving the
other two routes to stand upon their own merits
There was no disposition to slaughter the North
ern route. The great difficulty about this matter
in his Judgment was that the Buttertield contract
stood in the way, for which the government were
spending S60O,00 year on a route in the shape of
an ox-bOw, where the service was worthless If it
not for that, for the of 81 900, 900 year
a 6a ha tbo
that anybody wants; but it has been decided that
we are bound to carry out the Butterfeld contract
and that makes it difficult to regulate the addition
al service setisfactoriy.-Mr GWIN stated
that he was in favor of the Northern route but it
was not indispensably necessary, hence his anxiety
to have this bill passed.--Mr. BENJAMIN re-
marked that this too important measure to
be considered during the morning hour. 1t would
be better to pay an indemnity to those who hold
the Buttereld contract, if necessary and break it
up, in order to establish service that would ac-
commodate the whole country. FThat route had been
well said to be in the shape of an ox-bow; it was
neither northern central nor southern route, but
wandered about over the whole western part of
the continent GWIN said he should urge
this bill every day until he got it considered -
Mr.. GREEN would RELY upon his friends to keen
it off until he returned.-Further debate was ar.
rested by the expiration of the morning hour
Mr.. MASON submitted the following resolution,
which lies till tomorrow:
Resolved, The House of Representatives concurrng
that the President of the Senate and Speaker the House
OF Representatives do adjourn their respective Houses
from the 18th to the 3Oth of April instant
On motion, by Mr.. HALE, a resolution was adopt
ed instructing the Committee on Naval Affairs to
inquire whether, since the abolition of fogging by
law in the naval and merchant service of the
United States, any corporal punishment has been
practised or allowed in the naval service, and if so
to what extent, and whether the same has been
with the knowledge or consent of the Secretary of
the Navy; and what steps, if any, have been taken
by the Navy Department relating to the recent
inn of hoo orI ol,Tu, oF, H.,
United States; and also what legislation if any, is
necessary for the protection of sailors in the naval
or merchant service of the United Staes.-Mr.
LATHAM presented the petition of John Butter
field and other contractors for carrying the over
land mail from st. Louis and Memphis to San Fran
cisco, demonstrating against the enactment of any
law which would change or annul their contract
The Homestead bill taken up, and Mr.. JOHN
SON, of Tennessee, advocated it at great length
saying that Washington and jefferson were the
fathers of the homestead policy. The Republican
party, looking about for something in the way of
capital, and finding that this was a popular mea-
sure. had adopted it in their platform. 1t was
originally Democratic measure, but when the
Republican party took it up, the Democrats be-
came frightened and abandoned it. He concluded
by urging every friend of the measure to stand by
it, and press its passage in form, and he be-
lieved the President would not veto it.-Mr.
MASON replied to some animadversiOns upon him
in the speech of Mr.. Johnson.-Mr. WIGFALL
spoke in opposition to the homestead BILL stating
that it was not a Democratic measure, but part
of the Republican platform.-Mr. PUGH in
qured in what part of the Republican platform he
found it-Mr. WIGFALL said that it was an
nounced as such by the embodiment of that party
sitting with Lord Lyons. Mr.. Seward and
the British Minister were conversing at this mo-
ment on one of the sofas in the Senate chamber
Lord Lyons looked up, somewhat surprised, at
being thus unceremoniousy y called by name, and
Mr.. Wigfall spoke of the significance of the fact
that the British Minister and the Senator from
New York were thus comforting together; when
Lord Lyons rose abruptly, and left the chamber.
Mr.. WlGFALL proceeded with his harangue,
replying to the remarks of Mr.. johnson, of Ten
He also advocated an amendment to the
hill. which he had snhmittod Mr.. JOHNSON,
of Arkansas moved that the bill, and all the pro-
posed amendments, hall dozen or more in num-
ber, be recOmmitted to the Committee Public
Lands, for their examination, with instructions to
report it back next Tuesday morning.-Mr.
DOUGLAS hoped there would be an early vote on
the bill, so as to have it finally disposed ot-The
motion of Mr.. JOHNSON agreed to, and the
Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The House resumed the consideration of the bill
for the admission of Kansas into the Union
Mr.. MAYNARD said this subject came before the
House under different circumstances from what it
did two years ago The contest then between
border rufians and emgrant aid societes-between
Sharpe's rifles and bowie-knives. Blood was then
flowing from her wounds and her virgin soil was
desecrated. Now all was peaceful. He was salts
fed from the argument yesterday, of Mr.. Parrott,
the delegate from kansas-nOt from his expression
of opinOn-that Kansas has not the population
quired for representative in this House. He
opposed the admission of Oregon and Minnesota
because their respective Constitutions permitted
alien suffrage; and besides he did not believe Ore
gOn now has population of fifty thousand. He
referred to the Opposition Tennessee platform, in
which the extension of the period of probation for
foreigners is advocated, and that foreigners not
naturalized should be prevented from voting at
elections. On this declaration of principles, seven
out of the ten members of Congress on this floor
were elected. The provisions of the Wyandotte
Constitution, he argued, are obnoxious to this OBJ
lection, and come within the category. If resi-
dence of six menths is sufficient to entte foreign
to citizenship, then change the naturalization
laws. If this period is too long, declare them citi
zens the moment they reach our SOIL and admins
ter to them the oath of citizenship so they may be
| punished if guilty oftreason, and make them true
| and loyal to our country and her interests. He
! moved the bill be recommitted to the Committee
on Territories, with instructions to limit the boun
| daries to exclude all the lands belonging to
| the Cherokee Indians. This we owe to the Ameri-
can character and treaty faith with this tribe.
| Mr.. G00CH, of Massachusetts,, denied that
the people ofKansas in the formation of their Con-
stitution, have acted in violation of law. No Con
gress has power to say that people shall not send
| up Constitution, a petition asking for admls-
| sion into the Union. The English Compromise
| could not take away any rights secured under the
| Constitution of the United States There was au-
| thority in that instrument ard precedent tor the
| admission of Kansas. lhe people acted correctly
The English bill imposed no restraint which Con-
| gress is bound to respect. The admission OF new
State a matter for the discretion OF Congress.
Even if he had voted for the English bill, it would