The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1870-04-23
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, April %.
SENATE.


asked for the printing Of voluminous
report of testimony taken by the sub
committee in relation TO the Southern
Trans-continental Railroad Company.
Mr.. Sumner, from the committee on
Foreign Relations, reported adversely
to the bill to pay Mr.. Mckenzie $44 900
in addition to the $4,000 already paid
him for defending the Fenian prisoners
The Senate then took up Mr. Chan
dlers resolution directing the President
of the United States to appoint com
missioners to open negotiations for the
annexation of the Winnepeg district as
a Territory or State.
Mr.. Chandler said he had offered Il
resolution in the interest of peace and
good will and proceeded to show reasons
upon which negotiations should be
commenced:
First. That the Government had
shown itself for some time against all
attempts for its suppression.
Second, That our free Republic, which
had invited the whole world to come in
sad eeeupy the entire continent, could
not countenaRce the theory OF do
minion on our bonlers-that any part
of this continent belonged to the Crown.
Third, That the injury indicted upon
us in the haste of the British Govern
ment to acknowledge the rebels rs be-
ligerents upon the breaking out Of the
rebellion, and her spoilations on our
commerce during the war must now be
repaired and made good.
Mr. Chandler continued some length
in the enforcement Of his proposition,
closing as follows: Referring to the ex-
istence of the Canadian Dominion as
antagonistic to our institutions, he said
that if the British Government designed
to continue indefinitely her sway there,
she must be prepared to maintain 1t by
such force az would withstand the Gov
ernment of the United States. He
hoped, in the interest of humanity, that
the rumor of the setting out Of an armed
force to suppress the Red River insur-
rectionists would not prove true, as their
ultimate destruction would certainly
follow. An army of less than 100000
British regulars would be utterly futile,
and if the American people should pro-
test even these would not be better than
force of one hundred. He then re
terred To the facility with which the
American volunteers were disciplined
and Injured To the hardships of war as
compared with the soldiers of other
nations, claiming that the United States
to-day was the strongest military power
on earth, and only needed to manifest
its strength to secure favorable
hearing by foreign governments.
Mr.. Ramsey inquired Of the chair
man of the committee on Foreign Re
! latiOn1, Mr.. Sumner, what disposition
| had been made ot the resolution he III
troduced similar to the one now pend
ing. lie thought the subject would ere
long prove of great importance The
action of the British authorities in or
ganizing the Canadian militia, in send
ing over British regulars and in calling
in the Indians between the west coast
of Lake Superior and Red river would
require the attention of the American
Government.
Mr.. Howard desired to know whether
the Canadian Government were enlist
ing these Indians in their service.
Mr.. Ramsey replied there was no
doubt of the fact and the coming
conflict threatened to involve other In
dians on our frontier. He also called
attention to the report that the proposed
expedition was to proceed by way ofthe
Sault st. Marie Canal in the State of
Michigan. He read from q private
letter in corroboration of his statement,
and to show the difficulty of transpor-
tation for the expedition in any other
than American vessels that might he
chartered for the purpose.
Mr.. Howard expressed the assurance
that the Michigan State authorities
would not permit the use of st. Marie
I'canal in futhering any military opera
tions bv the British authorities; the
country need not fear any assent by
that State to such expedition. He
would 90 further and say he had 1t
from authoritative sources that permls-
sion would not be given by the United
States authorities for the moving of
these troops within our limits. Great
Britain had no right to ask any such
license, and he predicted she would not
Mr.. Sumner thought the apprehension
which had been expressed would prove
unfounded; that it was not contem-
plated by the British authorities to use
the canal referred to.
The discussion was terminated by the
reference of the resolution, on motion of
Mr.. Chandler, to the committee on
Foreign Relations.
The Invalid appropriation bill, appro-
priating some thirty millions, was passed.
The bill to prevent the counterfeiting
of foreign trade marks protected by
treaty stipulations, was passed,
At AS the Senate went into Execu-
tive session, and shortly after adjourned
till Monday.