The national Republican., 1861-01-07
THIRTY-SIXTH CONGRESS,
SECOND SESSION.
Saturday, January 8, 1861.


mittee on Finance.
Mr.. Mason, of Virginia, introduced resolu.
ton asking the President to communicate to
the Senate copy of all orders given to mill.
tary officers, plans submitted by military off.
GERS, and instructions relative to the same, in
regard to the occupancy of any United States
mitay posts in Virginia, the District of Co.
lumba, and the States bordering on the Allan.
tic ocean, south of Virginia.
Mr.. Slidell called up his resolution relative
to excluding from the gallery Of the Senate
all reporters connected with the Associated
Press.
Mr.. Slidell said that, in not making proper
efforts to discover the perpetrator Of a false
dispatch to the Ne,o Orleans Crescent, the
agent of the Associated Press in Washington
had made himself responsible for the erroneous
statement.
Mr.. Wilson thought that the agent of the
Associated Press at Washington had shown
that he was not responsible for the dispatch.
Mr.. Anthony remembered to have seen the
dispatch in New York paper first. He did
not think it would be proper to punish a man
in Washington for an offence committed by
another man in New York.
Mr.. Seward thought the better way was to
let this thing correct itself.
Mr.. Cameron was inclined to vindcate the
character of the Senate by voting for the reso-
luton; but he thought perhaps, it had better
be left alone.
Mr.. Slidell said that as the mendacity of the
reporters of the Associated Press had been
sufficiently testified to by all the Senate, he
withdrew his resolution.
The Senate then took up the special order
being the House Pacific railroad bill, with sun.
dry amendments.
Mr.. Seward, of New York, said he had long
labored to promote this object, which he had
always viewed as one in the most need Of legis.
lative assistance. In the course of his re.
was sectionalism, and the great danger was
on the record, that at the time when it was said
that the Union was falling to pieces forever,
the Congress of the United States had appro.
priated $9S 1000, 900, the largest appropriation
ever made, to aid to construct material chain
to bind together the people; enabling Northern
civilization and Southern civilization to progress
together. The mail facilities and ease of trans.
portation of military munitions afforded by the
new road would more than compensate for the
large expenditure. Practically, this road would
cost nothing. Bonds were to be issued, payable
in thirty years, and by that time the wealth of
the United States would have doubled, and the
debt be as nothing. The mouth of the Missis-
sippi was to this continent what the delta of the
Nile was to another; and San Diego occupied
the position of the Isthmus Of Suez. Complete
this road, and you at once poured American
influence upon the shores of Asia.
Mr.. Rice, of Minnesota, advocated an amend.
ment proposed by him some months since.
Mr.. Polk, Of Missouri, proposed an amend.
ment altering the Northern route as laid down
,p tha Ha oIy
Mr.. Gwin, of California, advocated the pas.
sage of the bill, without amendment, lest amend.
ments might delay or peril the whole scheme.
Mr.. Green, Of Missouri, deprecated the idea
advanced, that the Senate should not exercise
its constitutional duty in amending this bill,
where it was deemed proper, because it was
feared that such amendments would leopard
the passage of the bill in the other House.
Mr.. Wilson, of Mass. favored the amendment
of Mr.. Polk, because he thought that no blow
should be struck at St. Louis.
Mr.. Foot, of Vermont, advocated the subst.
tute of Mr.. Rice, as more Just than the House
bill. He deprecated the introduction of amend
nents to the details of the bill. The question
was between one of the bills as it was, and no
bill at all. The opponents of the bill would, of
course, resort to legitimate parliamentary tao.
tics to defeat the bill but he hoped the friends
bate it to death.
Mr.. Pugh was unwilling either to vote for the
bills before the Senate, or be considered an
enemy to Pacific railroad. He opposed the
bill.
The debate was continued by Messrs. Latham,
Polk, and others.
The amendment of Mr.. Polk was agreed to-
yeas 35, nays %.
Mr.. Bragg, of North Carolina, introduced an
amendment, that the act of incorporation cre-
ating the Pacific railroad be submitted and ap
proved by Congress.
The amendment was discussed by Messrs
Chandler, Bragg, Pugh, Benjamin, Davis, and
Baker.
Mr.. Lane, of Oregon, gave notice of an amend.
ment changing the line of the road.
Mr.. Lane moved that the Senate adjourn.
Mr.. King, of New York, hoped that the Sen.
ate would remain and consider an important
executive communication now on the table.
Mr.. Davis said it was too late. 1t would re.
quire an executive session.
And at half past four O'Clock, the Senate ad.
journed.
The Force BILL.-Mr. Bingham's bill, re.
ported by him from the House Judiciary Com.
mittee, provides, whenever, by reason of unlaw.
full distractions, combinations, or assemblages
of persons, it shall become impractcable, in
the judgment of the President, to execute
the revenue law and collect the duties on i'm.
ports in the ordinary way, it shall be lawful for
him to direct the custom. house for such district
to be established and kept in any secure place
within some port or barbor of said district,
either on land or on board any vessel and in
that case it should be the duty Of the collector
to reside at such place, and their detain all