The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1861-01-10
TIIlRTY-SlXTH CONGR ESS--SEC0N SESSlON.



TIIlRTY-SlXTH CONGRESS---SECOND SESSlON
SENATE.
WAsHINGTOS, Jan. "a message was received
from the PRESIDENT of the United States MIR
SEWARD presented the petition of the chamber o
commerce of New York city, praying for steam
| postal communication between Mexico and Califor
mia. Referred. He also presented a memorial o
citizens of New York, on the present state of The
country SEWARD said he desired the floor
for Saturday, and Mr.. HUNTER said he desired the
| hoor for Friday on the Presidents message.--
| Mr.. YULEE introduced bill to facilitate the
peaceful adjustment of difficulties between the
| States.--Mr. BIGLER presented sixty-four me
MORALS of citizens of Pennsylvania on the affairs Of
| the country.--Mr. SLlDELL offered the follow.
| ing:
feeolred That the President be requested to inform
| the Senate whether John B. Floyd appointed Secretary
of War; and confirmed by the Senate in 1857 continues
to hold said office; and if not, whether said Office became
vacant and further to inform the Senate how and bv
! whom the duties of that office discharged and
II an appointment of An acting or provisional appoint
ment of Secretary of War has been made; and how
when, and by what authority it was made, and why
the fact of said appointment has not been made to the
| Senate.
| Laid over.-Mr. CLARK offered the following:
ResOled That the provisions of the Constitution ere
ample for the preservation of the Union and the proec
tion of all the national interests of the country that
needs to be obeyed rather than amended and that an
tricaton from present dangers is to be looked for
property and enforce the laws rather than in any
| particular difficulties to unreasonable demands
ReSOLred That all attempts divide the present Union
or overthrow or abandon the present Constitution with
the hope expectation of constructing one,
dangerous usory and destructive that in the opinion
of the Senate of the United States reconstruction is
practicable and therefore, to the manainance of the
existing Union and Constitution should be directed all
the energies of all the departments Of the government
and the efforts of all good citizens.
The resolutions were laid over.-bir SEWARD
called for the reading of the special message of the
President.--Mr. MASON desired his resolution,
| offered by him some time since, cOnsidered.--The
| President decided that the reading of the message
| was in order. The message read, together
with all of the correspondence exchanged between
| the President and the South Carolina Commission
ers.--Afer the reading-Mr. DAVIS said-Mr.
President, at this time, when the whole country was
looking to South Carolina, and especially to the port
of Charleston, the excitement intensified by the
! arrival of the Commissioners from South Caro-
| lima, with an effort to make peaceable negotia-
ton, and to adjust the diff culties between South
| Carolina and the United States. The high char
acter of these Commissioners was well known-es-
| peciav one OF them was well known to those who
have served in the Senate for many years, for his
urbanty and Christianity in all the relations of
ife and gave assurance that this negotiation might
be peaceable; it gave reason to hope that they
might be successful. They were, however, sudden
y terminated, and the rumor went forth that, not
witbstanding the high character of these gentle
men, they had violated all the amenities of life,
and had insulted the President and the fact was
known everywhere that the Commissioners had re-
tired from Washington, and the negotiations were
abruptly terminated. The President in his mes
sage here does not even, allude to the
cause of the failure Of those negotiations
and does not even tell that the
commissioners have gone home. He stops with the
letter which he sent to them and which, must say,
with all respect to the high Office which he holds,
was wanting In frmIeSS, and was perversiOn of
the arguments which they had presented. They
replied to him and exposed the unfairness Of his
treatment of the facts which they stated, and
tainly being most uncomfortable to him, he return
ed their letter as one which he could not receive
and in his communication to US he does not even
permit US to know that these commissioners had at
tempted to reply to the positions he had taken
But with this misstatement of his paper to them he
sent that paper to the world without even a ref
erence to the fact that he was answered. | have
an authentic copy of their answer, and send it to
the desk that it may be read.-Mr: KING
said that the Senator from Mississippi
talked of the high character of these
commissioners. Benedict Arnold and Aaron Burr
once also had high characters.-Mr. DAVIS
(interrupting with much vehemence)-t Senator
position than he does now. l call him to order,
sir.-Mr. KING-These are messengers of
treason. [Cries of order order!l-Mr. DAVIS
i call the Senator to order. sent that paper to
the Chair to be read. Cries of order! order!l -
Mr.. KING-I call the Senator from Mississippi to
order. | object to the reading of the paper
Mr.. DAVIS-lf the Senator from New York has
the meanness to object, let him do so. Cries of
reading. do not want to hear the paper read.-
A very long discussion ensued on the point of
order, as to whether the Senator from Mis-
siSsippi offered the paper as part ofhis remarks
or for part of the proceedings of the Senate Mir
KING said that he supposed the paper was sent up
to supply defect in the Message of the President.
Mr.. DAVIS said that he intended to present
the paper portion of his remarks, but as the
Senate had taken possession of it, they could keep
it or let it alone--The Chair Mr.. FITZPAf-
RICK) decided that If the paper was presented to
the Senate it formed part of the proceedings. As
to its reception, that was a question, objection
being, made, for the decision of the Senate under
the rue.--This decision was sustained, an ap
peal being taken; and on vote, it agreed
that the paper should be read-yeas SO, nays 3D.
The paper was then read. 1t is authen-
tic copy of the reply returned by the President to
the committee 1t has been published in all of the
daily journals. mir. DAVIS, resuming, said
that the long episode between the first part of his
remarks and his present words, had essentially
changed their tenor. | feel now, even more than
BEFORE pity for the chief executive of the United
States. The proposition was made here to read a
paper as part of my remarks, when the Senator
from New York (Mr. King), took upon himself
the duty of protecting the executive. Fall
en- indeed is that executive who so lately
was borne into the high office which he holds
upon the shoulders of the Democracy of
the land, when he comes down to depend upon the
Senator from New York for protection.--He
thanked the Senator for being the means of bring
ing to light communication which might not
otherwise have been specially noticed. He then
yielded to a postponement of the message till to-
morrow, when he will address tho Senate.-Mr
Crittendens resolutions were taken up and post
poned until to-morrow.--The Pacific Railroad
bill taken up after brief efdebate.--Mr. RICE
moved to postpone it ely.--Pending a
vote the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
The Speaker laid before the House communica-
ton from the Secretary of the Navy, relative to
ShiDS-Of-war q
ferred to Committee on Naval Aifairs.--Mr. MORSE
Intellectually sought to introduce resolution ma
king inquiry as to the use of coast telegraphs or
night signals by the navy.-0n motion of Mr.
GROW the Territorial business was postponed till
Tuesday and Wednesday Of next week.-Mrs..
STANTON submitted some papers from the War De-
partment as to the number of arms sold by the gov
ernment Referred to Committee on Military Affairs
MIR. STRATTON presented a memorial
from citizens of New Jersey, with reference the
present condition of the country, and praying that
Congress would take the necessary steps to restore
peace and harmony. STRATT0N moved to
have the memorial referred to the Committee of
Thirty y-three.-Objectons being taken tie memo
rial could not be received.--The message from
the President of the United States relative to the
South Carolina and secession movement generally,
and seizure of forts, &C. at the South was received
and read.--Mr. HOWARD, of Michigan, reintro-
duced his resolutions to the following purport: lst
Whether any officers of the Government are now
treating with South Carolina. End. Whether any
officer had proposed arrangements with South Car
olina, relative to the forts, &c. in Charleston Har-
Dor. 3rd. Whether any demands had been made
for the reinforcement OF said forts and why they
had not been furnished. 4th. Where the ships of
war of the United States were stationed and their
condition. and orders issued to the officers in com
mand 9th. Whether any Government buildings
had been seized by the people of Charleston ,
and the particulars of the seizure. 9th. Wheth-
er any revenue cutter had been seized
and whether steps taken for her recapture.--
Mr.. HOWARD moved the previous question
on the adoption of his resolution. HOUS-
TON objected to the latter part of the resolution
giving instructions to the committee to report at
any time.-On motion of Mr.. CRAWFORD, the
latter part was struck out.-Mr. GARNETT
moved that the Message be referred to Committee
OF Whole on State of Uniop.-The SPEAKER
ruled the motion out of order.-Mr. PHELPS
locked upon the resolution an attempt got up to
indict some body and he would vote against it
Mr.. FLORENCE was opposed to the language in
which the resolution was couched, and he would
vote against it.-Mr. MARTIN, of Va, looked
upon it as tire-brand cast upon the country, and
| would oppose it.-The previous question being
seconded, the yeas and nays were taken on the
main question-shal the resolution pass and it was
| carried by yeas 133, nays 6S.-Mr. MAYNARD
| offered a resolution to the effect that leave be
| granted that a minority report may be sent in at
| any time from the Committee of Thirtv-tnree.-
Mr.. BURNETT moved that the Committee of Thir-
ty-three be discharged, there was no probability
| oil their coming to any result whatever.-There
was no action TAX en- on Mr.. Maynard's resolution
| On motion of Mr.. SHERMAN, the House went into
Committee of the Whole on the State ofthe Union
| MIR. BURNETT chairman, upon the civil and mis-
| ceaneous appropriation bill.-After protracted
| debate the committee rose, and the Chairman re-
ported progress.--Mr. LEAKE, of Virginia, pro