The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-10

In the Senate yesterday Mr.. Sumner presented
resolution which was adopted, instructing the Com
mittee on Foreign Relations to inquire by what au.
thority the commander of the United States steamer
Saratoga fired upon and seized the two Miramon
steamers in the Mexican waters; and, Also to con-
slider if any action of Congress be required to pre-
vent the recurrence of such a collision and such
assumption of power to make prizes of war and
prisoners in time of peace The Territorial resolu-
tions of Mr. Davis taken up, considered and
postponed. LIN the House Mr.. Thayer introduced
bill providing for the admission to the House of
a delegate from Decotah Territory Mr.. Scott
introduced bill authorizing the running of the
boundary line between the Territories of the United
States and California. Mr.. Morse offered resou-
ton calling upon the President for all the orders
that has been given to the United States naval
officers on the coast of Africa in relation to the
slave trade, and asking the opinion of the Pres-
dent as to whether any further legislation is re-
quired to enforce the same. Mr. Wiuslow called
up the resolution empowering the Speaker to issue
his warrant for the arrest of Collector Schell, of
New York, who refuses to divulge the names of
the subscribers TO what is known as the ''New
York Hotel Fund.- asserting that to do Sc
would be to violate private confidence. Mr.
CovOde said that the committee did not want
the list because ot the names OF private
individuals thereon, but because of the names of
Government nflnars Tho further confederation OF
the subject postponed till Thursday. Mr..
| Hickman, from the Committee on the Judiciary
| presented report the Presidents recent pro-
test against the action of the House in connection
| with the Covode Investigating Committee. The
report asserts that the House resolutions of inves
tgation into the conduct of the Executive contain
no charges whatever but that the Covode Commit
tee based upon those resolutions, was raised only
to inquire into and investigate whether there are
any grounds for the charges; and if it shall be
shown that there are, the question of impeachment
will follow, and the House will then use its owa
discretion how to treat the SUBJECTIVE COnsttu-
ton prescribing no rules for it, but leaving it per-
fectlv free to adopt its course The report
cites Jackson, Polk, Randolph, Cushing, and other
the Committee. They recommend the adoption of
resolution to the effect that the House dissents
from the doctrines of the special message of the
President; that the extent of power contemplated
in the adoption of the resolutions of inquiry of
March 5, 1860 is necessary to the proper discharge
of the Constitutional duties devolved upon Con-
gress; that judicial determinations the opinions of
Presidents jackson and Polk, uniformly sanction
its exercise, and that to abandon it would leave
the Executive department of the Government with
out supervision or responsibility, and would be
likely to lead to a concentration of power in the
hands of the President dangerous to the rights of
free people. Mr.. Houston, from the minority of
the Committee on the Judiciary, made report
controverting the positions of the majority and
taking the ground that the public conduct of the
President can be inquired into only under the i'm
peach ment clause of the Constitution
We learn from Washington correspondent that
Messrs. Taylor, of Louisiana, and Houston of Ala
bama, are the only two members who did not sign
the majority report, ana Mr.. Taylor is on the
cord for Douglas, the burden of the minority re-
port naturally rests upon Mr.. Houston. The
position taken by the majority will be sustained by
Messrs. Adams and Train, of Massachusetts,, Davis,
OF Maryland, Nelson, of Tennessee, Corwin, of
Ohio, Haskin, ofNew York, and others, Mr.. Hick
man making the closing argument.