National Intelligencer. (Washington [D.C.]), Vol. 47, No. 6806, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 6, 1846 Page: 1 of 4
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£02
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Vol XLVII.
WASH IN GJ ON: THURSDAY, AUGUST 6, 1848.
No 6806.
PUBLISHED BY GALES & SEATON.
THRICE A WEEK.
SIX DOLLARS A YEAS-PAYABLE IS ADTABfCI.
WEDNESDAY, AUGUST 5, 1846.
THE LAST VETO.
The Presidential document which we to-day
place before our readers—the Veto of the River
and Harbor bill, lately passed by large majorities
ot both Houses of Congress—will of course at-
tract a strong public attention throughout the coun-
try, not only for its instant effect in staying many
public improvements of which the growing need is
every where felt by our commerce, and in consign-
ing to rapid destruction other great works which
were in their progress, but in pronouncing, for full
three years to come, the irreversible doom of the
“ one-man power” against all further hope of like
measures under the present reign. Let the people
think as they may, without the extraordinary, fact
of a union of both parties against the great deposi-
tory of favor and office—.without such an union as
may bring about not merely a two-thirds vote in
the popular branch of the Legislature, but shake
into an equal change the less moveable majority in
the other House—the monarchical principle so
unhappily introduced into our Constitution prevails
over the People’s Will; and the People, whose
leave the President has not asked before he plunged
them into the heavy debt (a debt of many millions)
lor a cruel and a wrongful war, cannot have per-
mission to lay out only a little more than one mil-
lion of their own money, in the most needful and
most beneficent objects of peace.
With one hand the Executive has just struck
the Manufactures, and now, with the other, he
smites the Commerce of the country. His are
constitutional dogmas that so much prefer in every
thing the foreign to the Domestic, that ports and
harbois themselves must be those of foreign trade
or he can find no warrant for them in the Constitu-
tion ! The very clause of that instrument to which
he himself traces the power (which he admits) of
improving the accesses of external trade, gives pre-
cisely the same right over what belongs to “ com-
merce among the States” and “ commerce with fo-
leign nations and yet he condemns just the
same means as to that which he holds perfectly
proper as to this !
Admirable and beneficent and sacred nicety of
scruples ! He can turn out of public employment
into beggary men grown grayin the public service,
and as competent as they have been faithful, to re-
ward with places, forfeited by mere political opin-
ion, others whose political opinions are their only
rneiit; and for this he finds an “ express power,”
doubtless under the first amendment, securing the
“liberty of epooek,’1 cra,iilo ainunornenl
provides for unbounded freedom of conscience and
the non-interference of the Federal Government in
what regards religion : but this scrupulous Execu-
tive can take Mormonism under the public protec-
tion, and grant them the temporary use of the “ In-
dian lands,” provided always that five hundred of
them shall enlist as soldiers and agree to remain as
colonists, in a region (California) to which we have
not even the bad title of conquest or the shocking
pretence of a Texas statute ! Could their prophet
himself, autocrat and theocrat as he was, have ex-
ercised bolder attributes ? Such are the Executive
sensibilities about “ the exercise of doubtful pow-
ers !” Annexation and all its complication of out-
rages upon the Constitution could not give him a
moment’s pause; he can, not only in the face of
the limitation of the war-making power to Congress
alone, but in contempt of their direct and legal in-
struction “ to settle by negotiation all disputed ques-
tions of boundary with Mexico,” march an army
into a territory never out of her legal possession,
and make war for months without consulting Con-
gress, though in session ! All these powers over
men’s conscience as free citizens; all this right to
deal with even their religious faith; all these fatal
faculties of arms, invasion, and slaughter ; all these
wasteful faculties of spending millions upon mil-
lions for a purpose as wicked as it is bootless, the
President finds smooth and easy things, exempt
from the slightest constitutional or legal hesitation;
for surely in such perilous things the smallest doubt
would weigh more with good men than the greatest
in things pacific and beneficial only. On these
acts, however expensive or disgraceful or bloody,
he has not a grain of difficulty : but approach him
with what can only make a land smile or whiten its
waters within with the canvass of peaceful com-
merce, and lo ! he deals us abstractions and a veto!
We shall not at present examine the minuter
parts of this constitutional treatise of his. Just
now, we have only space to say that all its doc-
trine comes to little but what a great living states-
man said, many years ago, of this whole, system of
arbitrary interpretation, calling itself “ strict con-
struction “ You will find the people of this
‘ school always unable to deduce from the Consti-
‘ tution any authority for what is beneficent, but
‘ never at a loss to get a warrant there for mischief.”
We shall recur to the subject to show that even
Gen. Jackson approved and signed, during several
successive years, bills to carry on the improvement
of rivers and harbors, in its greatest latitude.
* Con stitution, Article 1, Section 8: “The Congress
shall have power— *
“ To regulate commerce with foreign nations and among
the several States, and with the Indian tribes.”
The Court of Inkuiry.—The Court of Inquiry at For-
tress Monroe, in the case of Gen. Gaines, merely met and
adjourned on Saturday. Gen. Gaines is closely engaged in
preparing a written statement of his case, which will probably
be laid before the Court to-day or to-morrow. One of the
grounds of justification is, thatthe Secretary of War, in a letter
to General G., under date of November last, speaking for the
President, used language which would authorize the General
commanding the western division, in a case of ‘ ‘ imminent peril, ”
to make requisitions for volunteers. And, should that point
not be conclusive of the case, that the call for volunteers was
a mere error of judgment, and not an offence against the laws,
subjecting the offender to a court martial, and that too upon
the former precedent and official admission in the case of the
call for the Louisiana volunteers last year .—Norfolk Beacon.
THE OLD FRENCH CLAIMS.
The House of Representatives yesterday per-
formed an act of grace for which we most cordially
give them credit. By a large majority, and against
a very strenuous opposition, they passed the bill
providing some, though inadequate, indemnity for
the French spoliations on American property prior
to the year 1800. A generation of men has passed
away since these claims were assumed by the Go-
vernment and were first presented to Congress
they have been strongly reported in favor of by suc-
cessive committees ; they have vanquished the pre-
judices of numerous opponents in both Houses who
have given them a candid examination, and bills
have passed one House or the other, at different
times, for their relief; but never, until now, has a
bill for the object received the concurrent vote of
both Houses. It does honor to the justice of Con
gress, and we rejoice at it. Although many of
those enterprising citizens, mariners or merchants,
whom these lawless spoliations ruined, have long
since sunk into their graves, and cannot be cheered
by this act of tardy justice, their children or grand-
children, we hope, survive to enjoy its benefit.
The New Tariff.—We see that the govern-
ment paper has been deceived in relation to the
valuation of dutiable commodities under the new
law. Friday’s paper says the duties are to be col-
lected on the “ actual market value in our ports ;
in New York or Philadelphia, not at Canton or
Manchester.” The reverse is the fact.—N. Y. Sun.
Ad Valorem Duties.—The ad valorem duties
are all on the foreign valuation, not the value of the
articles in this country, as many suppose. This
is an important, and will prove a serious, matter to
some of our manufacturers.—Philad. Chronicle.
FROM MEXICO.
1 lie frigate Raritan, Capt. Gregory, arrived at
Pensacola on the 24th ultimo from Vera Cruz,
Which place she left.on the 17th.
Gen. Paredes was still at the city of Mexico.
Gen. Moro, the new commandant of the castle and
city of Vera Cruz, had entered upon his duties, and
had a body of several hundred men at work every
morning on the low sand beach adjoining the castle,
where he is throwing up additional breastworks.
The British steamer arrived at Vera Cruz on the
14th, without Santa Anna.
FROM YUCATAN.
We are indebted to Capt. J, P. Levy, for the
latest advices from Tabasco. He left there on the
13th instant.
Advices had just been received from Peehucalsa that a de-
claration had been made there for Santa Anna and Federal-
ism. Gov. Belches was at the head of the movement. The
motives of the insurrection are represented as any thing but
patriotic, the chief object being to raise contributions from the
indolent agriculturists and overburdened merchants.
The conduct of the Government of Yucatan is represented
have. Mexicans avail themselves or me uvuiduu. ,_________
of Yucatan, and place their vessels under the protection of the
Yucatan flag to. screen them from our vessels of war. By
these vessels the other ports of Mexico are supplied with pro-
visions and other desirable articles. We have been informed,
from a source entirely distinct from Capt. Levy, that the Gov-
ernment of Yucatan is playing with our Government, and that
the most influential merchants of the country side with Mex-
ico in the war with the United States, and used all their in-
fluence to put down the late quasi revolution in Yucatan.
[N. 0. Picayune.
American Ice in London.—A late London paper con-
tains an advertisement that a cargo of six hundred tons of
“ this pure spring water ice” (Wenham Lake) has just been
discharged at St. Catherine’s Docks. It is added, that “for
actual use it is worth three times as much as rough ice, (the
‘ ice formerly used in London being so called,) while the re-
‘ tail price is less. * Price 10s. percwt., or if less than 28 lbs.
‘ 2d. per lb. Delivered twice daily in all parts of London.”
Along with the more general use of ice, “Refrigerators or
Portable Icehouses” have become an article of very increased
demand, and they are advertised at prices from £4 10 to
£10 10. A company for the sale of ice and refrigerators has
been established in London, with an agency in Liverpool.
There is little doubt that the demand for these articles will
very rapidly increase in England, and that agencies for their
sale might be advantageously established in all the principal
towns.
We regret to see announced, in the Abingdon papers, the
death, on the 23d July, of Mrs. Sarah B. Preston, widow
of the late Gen. Francis Preston, only child of the distin-
guished Gen. Wi. Campbell, of revolutionary memory, and
mother of the Hon. Wm. C. Preston, of South Carolina-
Mrs. Preston was about 70 years old at her death ; and was
well known as a lady of high character and valuable accom-
plishments.—Richmond Times.
Dreadful Accident on the St. Lawrence.—On Wed-
nesday night, about 12 o’clock, as the steamer Quebec, from
Quebec, for Montreal, was approaching the wharf at Three
Rivers, the Rowland Hill, which was racing with the Lord
Sydenham, and going at fearful speed, came in collision with
her. The crash was terrific, and striking the Rowland Hill
amidships, completely disabled her, and she floated past the
other, a complete wreck. Two men were crushed by the col-
lision, and several of the passengers were drowned. It is
supposed they jumped overboard in their fright, but the num-
ber could not be ascertained. Assistance was promptly given,
and those of the sufferers who remained on board and the bag-
gage were taken from the wreck. A passenger on board the
Quebec thus describes the fearful scene :
“ The violence of the collision may be inferred from the fact
that a solid iron shaft, eighteen inches in diameter, was broken
off, and the fragment of the shaft, with the wheel attached,
was left upon the bows of our boat. The water was covered
with fragments of the wreck, and here and there could be seen
struggling in the stream the heads and arms of those who, by
the shock, had been thrown from the boat, or in their terror
had leaped overboard. The air was filled with confused out-
cries in French and English ; and most appalling shrieks were
uttered by those in the water and those who were striving to
extricate themselves from the sinking boat.
‘ ‘ It was necessary to proceed very cautiously lest we should
run over some sufferer floating upon the water, or strike some
boat proceeding to the rescue from the shore. During all this
time, which seemed very long, fearful shrieks were incessant-
ly heard from the region of the sinking boat, and from differ-
ent points in the dark water around. At length, however^we
arrived at her side, while boats were put off from the steamer,
and one or two had arrived from the shore, to search for those
who were struggling in the stream. We found the Rowland
Hill, lying upon her side, sunk in about ten feet of water,
on a bar upon which she had providentially drifted. Had
she sunk a few minute? sooner or a few minutes later, she
would have gone down in ten fathoms water and few could
have been saved. The part out of the water was covered with
the passengers and crew.
“ There were, in addition to many cabin passengers, a large
number of French Canadians and some Indian families, and
as immense volumes of smoke began to roll from the wreck,
and the terrible cry of ‘ fire’ rang through the air, there ensued
a scene of terror and of uproar which is indescribable and un-
imaginable. To our infinite relief we soon saw the fire sub-
dued. The passengers were in the mean time removed from
the wreck.”
TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION.
Tuesday, August 4, 1846.
IN SENATE.
TREASURY DRAFTS.
Mr. ALLEN rose and called the attention of the Senator
from South Carolina (Mr. Calhoun) to certain reported re-
marks of that Senator in relation to the independent Treasu-
ry bill, wherein he was represented as declaring himself averse
to any restriction being placed upon the circulation of Trea-
sury drafts. [Mr. A. read a portion of Mr. Calhoun’s re-
marks upon that subject.]
Mr. CALHOUN said he believed that the report was sub-
stantially correct. His opinion in regard to the matter was
that, upon first putting in operation the system of a separation
of the Government from the banks, there ought to be no re-
striction imposed upon the circulation of the Treasury drafts ;
and none, in point of fact, thereafter, unless experience showed
that it was necessary. There was, in his opinion, no one ob-
jection that could be urged against putting these drafts into
circulation by paying them to the Government creditor, which
would not equally apply when it was proposed to exchange
them for gold and silver. He regretted to be obliged to differ
somewhat upon this point with his friends upon that side, but
he was governed in this instance, as in all others, by the con-
victions of his judgment.
Mr. BEN PON said he knew of no such use ever before
having been made of Treasury drafts as to allow the disburs-
ing officer of the Government to pay them away instead of
money. And he declared that he regarded it as a high crime
and misdemeanor on the part of any Secretary of the Trea-
sury to propose such a thing as making paper to be issued by
the Government a circulating medium.
Mr. LEWIS made a brief explanation, in the course of
which he took occasion to correct a misrepresentation which
he said had gone abroad through the Magnetic Telegraph, and
had been copied into all the Northern papers ; that he (Mr.
L.) had proposed, at the instance of the Secretary of the
I reasury, the issue of a limited amount of Government mo-
ney, and that the Senator from Missouri had resisted the pro-
position. It was true the Senator from Missouri had imputed
this consequence to the amendment which he had proposed
for the payment of the Treasury drafts to the public creditors,
but he thought this position of the honorable Senator from
Missouri was controverted. It was not intended to have, nor
would it have, any such consequence. These drafts were pro-
posed to be drawn upon actual deposites of money, and paid
to actual creditors of the Government. They would in this
way enter into circulation none the more than if thev were, as
provided by the original bill, exchanged for gold and silver.
He was opposed to a Government paper circulation, and he
had supported his amendment expressly on the ground that it
would not lead to any such consequence. Yet he had been
represented as proposing an illimitable issue of Government
paper. He hoped the newspapers would hereafter do him
better justice.
Mr. (AYLHOUN observed that, as far as he was himself
concerned, he had no apprehension that he was at all expos-
ed to the danger of being considered in favor of a paper cur-
rency. His views upon this subject had been expressed too
often to admit of being misconstrued by any portion of the
community.
Mr. SIMMONS said he was somewhat surprised to hear
the honorable chairman of the Finance Committee continue
to express the belief that his amendment would,-if adopted,
have afforded no greater facilities for putting into circulation
this paper money, as he called it.
Mr. LEWIS. Paper money, as others call it.
Mr. SIMMONS. Well, these Treasury drafts, then, if
under the bill as it originally stood they were to be exchang-
ed for gold and silver. In the latter case they were not like-
ly to become a currency unless some one would give gold and
silver for them. And he believed it would be a rather diffi-
cult matter to find any one who would do this. But as for
their being readily taken for debts due by the Government, he
was quite sure that many a creditor of the Government would
be glad to get even a draft before they got through the diffi-
culties in w/hinh they would soon find themselves involved.
. e “ought there was a very broad distinction between the
enough as it now stood, but it womu imTccv^i L’... -- bad
had the amendment prevailed. As the bill came from the
House there were various restrictions-
Mr. LEWIS. I did not strike out one of them. I pro-
posed additional ones.
Mr. SIMMONS. There were various restrictions contain-
ed in it, and yet the Senator set about amending it.
Mr. LEWIS. Yes, by adding other restrictions.
Mr. SIMMONS. If the Senator believed that the Treasu-
ry drafts would have answered their purposes equally well
under the clause which permitted them to be exchanged for
gold and silver-
Mr. CASS here interposed upon a point of order. The
bill which was the subject of this discussion had passed the
Senate. It was no longer before them, and he could see no
propriety in discussing it over again.
Mr. SIMMONS hereupon resumed his seat, and the dis-
cussion ceased.
REPORTS FROM COMMITTEES.
By Mr. ATCHISON, from the Committee on the Militia :
Asking to be discharged from the further consideration of the
petition in relation to the organization and equipment of the
militia of the Oregon territory.
Also, from the same committee, asking to be discharged
from the memorials of the Legislature of New York, and the
report of the Secretary of War of the 3d February, in rela-
tion to the militia of the States and Territories, all of which
were concurred in.
By Mr. DIX, from the Committee on Military Affairs :
House bill, without amendment, making appropriations for cer-
tain defensive works of the United States for the fiscal year
ending on the 3d June, 1847.
By Mr. PEARCE, from the Committee on Pensions:
House bill for the relief of Catharine Fulton, of Washington
county, Pennsylvania, without amendment, and recommend-
ing that it be indefinitely postponed.
This bill was accompanied by a detailed report; which was
ordered to be printed.
Also, from the same committee, the following House bills,
without amendment, and recommending that they be indefi-
nitely postponed :
An act for the relief of George Roush.
An act for the relief of Jonathan Brown.
An act for the relief of Polly Dameron.
Also, from the same committee, asking to be discharged
from the further consideration of the following petitions :
The petition of Hector and Jehn Butler.
The petition of Robert Armstrong.
__ The petition of Eliza Buchanan.
The petition of N. Nye Hall.
The petition of William Miller.
The petitioji of the legal representatives of Samuel C.
Montgomery. \
The petition of William De Courcy.
Mr. DAVIS, in pursuance of leave, introduced a joint reso-
lution authorizing the Secretary of War to adjust by arbitra-
tion a controversy between the United States and David
Ames.
BILL TO REMIT DUTY ON RAILROAD IRON.
Mr. EVANS said he should evermore move, as the oppor-
tunity offered, to take up the bill to remit duties which have
been paid or have accrued upon the importation of railroad
iron in certain cases. He expressed a desire to have the bill
taken up and disposed of, and as this was probably the last
effort that he would be able to make, he hoped it might be
successful.
Mr. BENTON gave notice to the Senate that he should
make it a point to oppose all attempts hereafter to take bills
out of their appropriate order on the calendar, with the ex-
ception of the appropriation bills, or others of grave public
import. As for this mode of picking bills out of their order
to suit the convenience of Senators, he w;as utterly opposed
to the proceeding. As soon as the appropriation bills were
disposed of, he should move to proceed with the calendar, and
take such bills only as could be disposed of after prompt ex-
planations. That, where they were likely to lead to debate,
the sense of the Senate should be tested on their merits
by moving to lay them on the table. He thought that in this
daily struggle to take bills out of their legitimate places
more time was lost unnecessarily than if they proceeded ac-
cording to the calendar.
The question having been taken on Mr. Evans’s motion
to take up the bill, it was decided in the affirmative : Yeas
24, nays 15.
The bill to remit the duties on certain railroad iron was
then taken up, and having been read—
Mr. EVANS rose and entered into an explanation of the
object of the bill. It was, he said, intended to remit the du-
ties which had accrued upon importations of railroad iron
already laid down, or which was ready to be laid down.
The policy of admitting this iron free of duty had been
commenced as early as 1832-’3, for the encouragement of
the construction ®f railways. He thought it was a very wise
policy, and one which had operated very beneficially by great-
ly increasing the number of railroads throughout the country.
The policy had continued so long that the States and indi-
viduals had. a right to expect that, unless the state of the
Treasury called for a different policy, it would continue to be
pursued. Many of the States, encouraged by this policy on
the part of the General Government, had entered into works
of this description ; contracts had been made abroad for iron,
and lunds had been provided for the prosecution and comple-
tion of long lines of railroad, without any expectation that
the policy would be interfered with by the imposition of duty
on railroad iron. In the embarrassments which occurred in
the years I837-’8-’9, a great many of the States were ob-
liged to suspend their works ; and this suspension occasioned
a failure to comply with the law, which required the iron to
be laid down within three years after it was imported. This
bill was intended to meet such cases. The committee which
reported this bill considered it nothing more than just and
proper that the expectation so naturally entertained that the
policy would be preserved, should not be disappointed. He
regarded this sort of iron in the light of raw material, because
it gave occasion for the employment of labor. There had
been, he believed, one hundred and fifty millions of dollars
expended in the construction of railroads in this country, from
which outlay, the Government itself had reaped no small ad-
vantage, whilst all that had been contributed by the Govern-
ment was the remission of duty upon the iron, which was
equal, perhaps, altogether, to about five millions of dollars.
He maintained that the Government had done too little to-
wards a description of works from which the whole commu-
nity derived incalculable advantages.
Mr. DICKINSON moved an additional provision, so as to
embrace iron which might hereafter be imported for the con-
struction of railroads.
And thereupon a debate ensued, in which Messrs. DAY-
TON, SIMMONS, CALHOUN, CAMERON, CASS, and
BAGBY participated.
A motion by Mr. BAGBY to lay the bill upon the table,
was negatived, as follows :
YEAS—Messrs. Allen, Ashley, Atchisou, Atherton, Bag-
by, Benton, Breese, Bright, Cameron, Cass, Dayton, Dix,
Fairfield, Hannegan, Houston, Miller, Niles, Semple, Sevier,
Sturgeon, Turney—22.
NAY'S—Messrs. Archer, Barrow, Berrien, Calhoun,
Cillev, John M. Clayton, Thomas Clayton, Colquitt, Cor-
win, Davis, Dickinson, Evans, Greene, Jarnagin, Johnson, of
Louisiana, Johnson, of Maryland, Lewis, McDuffie, Mangum,
Phelps, Simmons, Speight, Upham, Webster, Woodbridge,
The debate was further continued by Messrs. EVANS,
ALLEN, BERRIEN, ATHERTON, and ARCHER.
And the question being taken on Mr. Dickinson’s amend-
ment, it was negatived.
Further amendments were proposed by Messrs. JOHN-
SON, of Louisiana, ASHLEY, and MILLER.
Mr. MILLER addressed the Senate in support of his amend-
ment and in opposition to the provisions of the bill as it stood.
The question being taken on the amendments, they were
negatived, and the bill was ordered to be engrossed, by yeas
and nays, as follows :
YEAS—Messrs. Archer, Barrow, Berrien, Calhoun, Chal-
mers, John M. Clayton, Thomas Clayton, Colquitt, Corwin,
Evans, Greene, Jarnagin, Johnson, of Louisiana, Johnson, of
Maryland, Lewis, McDuffie, Mangum, Phelps, Simmons,
Speight, Upham, Webster, Woodbridge, Yulee—24.
NAYS—Messrs. Allen, Ashley, Atherton, Bagby, Benton,
Bright, Cameron, Cass, Cilley, Dayton, Dickinson, Dix, Fair-
field, Hannegan, Houston, Miller, Niles, Semple, Sevier,
Sturgeon, Turney—21.
Mr. LEWIS moved to proceed to the consideration of the
bill making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic ex-
penses of the Government; which motion having been
agreed to—
Mr. BENTON moved to amend the bill by adding an item
of some $300,000 to pay the claims of citizens of the United
States for indemnities by Mexico.
This proposition led to a protracted discussion, in which
Messrs. BERRIEN, NILES, CASS, McDUFFIE, JOHN-
SON, of Maryland, EVANS, and others participated ; when
the question having been taken on its adoption, it was decided
in the negative : Yeas 18, nays 23.
Mr. LEWIS moved to amend the bill by inserting a clause
to make permanent certain clerks for the statistical bureau in
the State Department; but after a brief discussion, in which
Messrs. NILES, LEWIS, EVANS, STURGEON, CAL-
HOUN, and others participated, the proposition was defeated.
Mr. LEWIS moved further to amend the bill by addina
Of iriissi/uii, rA-nvauocis, aim uiuer oiaies, otc. $ wxiicii niotlon
was agreed to.
Mr. L. moved further to amend the bill by inserting an
item of $4,500 as an outfit to Arthur Middleton, Esq. while
acting as Charge d’Affaires at Madrid, in Spain.
This motion, after a brief discussion, in which Messrs.
EVANS, McDUFFIE, JOHNSON, of Maryland, LEWIS,
and others participated, was decided in the negative ; Yeas
16, nays 21.
Mr. CRITTENDEN moved to amend by inserting a salary
for Professor Espy as meteorologist.
This amendment was opposed by Mr. BENTON in a few
brief remarks, which were replied to by Mr. CRITTENDEN.
The amendment was adopted on a division : Ayes 31, noes
not counted.
Mr. CRITTENDEN also moved an amendment in relation
to the appropriation for marine hospitals, which was agreed to.
And on motion ef Mr. McDUFFIE, the Senate proceeded
to the consideration of Executive business, and, after a short
time spent therein, adjourned.
The previous question having been seconded, it was put,
viz. Shall the main question be now put ? and decided in the
affirmative by yeas and nays—119 to 59.
And so the House decided that the main question should be
now put. That main question was, Shall the bill pass, the
objections of the President to the contrary notwithstanding ?
Mr, Dromgoole’s motion and Mr. Wentworth’s amend-
ment being set aside by the previous question.
The constitution of the United States requires that the ques-
tion on the passage of a bill vetoed by the President shall be
taken by yeas and nays :
And the question being taken in the form prescribed by the
constitution, the result was as follows :
NAY'S—Messrs. Abbott, John Q. Adams, Arnold, Ashmun,
Blanchard, Bowlin, Brinkerhoff; Wm, W. Campbell, John H.
Campbell, Carroll, Gathcart, J. G Chapman, Constable, Cran-
ston, Culver, Garrett Davis, De Mott, Dixon, Douglass, Ed-
sall, Ellsworth, John H. Ewing, Faran, Foot, Foster, Giles,
Goodyear, Grider, Grinnell, Hampton, Harper, Henley, Elias
B. Holmes, Hough, John W. Houston, Samuel D. Hubbard,
Hudson, Hungerford, Washington Hunt, James B. Hunt,
Charles J. Ingersoll, Joseph R. Ingersoll, Jenkins, Daniel P.
King, T. B. King, Leib, Lewis, Levin, Ligon, Long, McClel-
land, Joseph .1. McDowell, McGaughey, McHenry, Mclivaine,
Marsh, Miller, Morris, Moseley, Niven, Pettit, Pollock,
Ramsey, Rathbun, Relfe, Julius Rockwell, Jno. A. Rock-
well, Root, Rank, Schenck, Seaman, Severance, Truman
Smith, Albert Smith, Thomas Smith, Caleb B. Smith, Stan-
ton, Stewart, St. John, Strohm, Sykes, Thibodeaux, Thomas-
son, Benjamin Thompson, James Thompson, Thurman, Tib-
batts, Tilden, Trumbo, Vinton, Wentworth, White, Win-
fhrop, Wood, Wright, Young—95.
YEAS—Messrs. Stephen Adams, Anderson, Atkinson, Bar-
ringer, Bayly, Bedinger, Benton, Biggs, James Black, James
A. Black, Boyd, Brockenbrough, Broadhead, Burt, Reuben
Chapman, Chase, Clarke, Cobb, Collin, Crozier, Cullom,
Cunningham, Daniel, Dobbin, Dockery, Dromgoole, Dunlap,
Erdman, Ficklin, Garvin, Gordon, Graham, Grover, Ham-
lin, Haralson, Harmanson, Hilliard, Hoge, Isaac E.‘ Holmes,
Hopkins, George S. Houston, Edmund W. Hubard, Hunter,
J. H. Johnson, Joseph Johnson, Andrew Johnson, George
W. Jones, Seaborn Jones, Kaufman, Preston King,. Lawrencu,
Leake, Lumpkin, Maclay, McClean, McClernand, McCon-
nell, McCrate, James McDowell, McKay, Barclay Martin,
Morse, Moulton, Norris, Owen, Parish, Payne, Perry,
Phelps, Pilsbury, Reid, Rhett, Ritter, Roberts, Sawtelle,
Sawyer, Scammon, Seddon, A. D. Sims, Leonard H. Sims,
Simpson, Strong, Toombs, Towns, Tredway, Wick, Wil-
liams, Wilmot, Woodward, Woodworth, Yost—91.
To pass a bill, the President’s objections to the same to the
contrary notwithstanding, requires a majority of two-thirds.
As two-thirds of the members did not vote for the bill, it fell;
and cannot become, a law.
THE FRENCH SPOLIATIONS BILL.
Mr. HAMLIN moved that the debate on the French spolia-
tions bill be closed in one hour after it shall have been again
taken up in Committee of the Whole.
Mr. DROMGOOLE objected.
Mr. COBB asked a modification of the time to 3 o’clock.
Mr. HAMLIN declined.
Mr. COBB moved that the resolution be laid on the table.
Mr. HAMLIN, at the suggestion of many gentlemen, said
he was willing to modify his motion to two hours. lr, , ™ -, „ - . .------>
beetle oT Now .ha. . motion lay on ,he ..bio
e madL, oljed to any modjfiiata. | ver, Haralson, Harmanson, Henley, Hoge, Hopkins, Hough,
i he yeas and nays were taken on the motion to lay the re- G. S. Houston, E. W. Hubard, Hunter, James H. Johnson,
Mr. McCONNELL moved to add to the bill a section
granting one hundred and sixty acres of the public land to
every man, maid, or widow in the United States. Ruled out
of order. Appealed from, and the decision of the Chair sus-
tained.
The bill having been gone through with—
Mr. McCLELLAND moved to add a section appropriating
$50,000 for payment of claims of citizens of Michigan for pro-
perty destroyed by British forces in the war of 1812 between
the United States and Great Britain,
Mr. WINTHROP objected to the amendment as out of
order.
The GHAIR ruled it in order.
And the committee rejected it.
Mr. DROMGOOLE moved a substitute for the whole bill.
It was rejected : Ayes 63, noes 90.
Mr. HOUGH moved another substitute ; which—
The CHAIR decided out of order, on the ground that the
committee, having voted down one substitute, the bill was
thereby established in all its parts, and no further propositions
of amendment were in order.
This point was controverted by Mr. HOUGH , but, after
the Chairman referred to a case in point, he did not further
press his proposition. >.
And the committee rose and reported the bill; upon which
tnere was a great struggle for the floor, at least fifty members
springing from their seats and addressing the Speaker.
Mr. HAMLIN obtained it and moved the previous ques-
tion. It was seconded, put, and carried ; and, under its ope-
ration, the question was put, Shall the bill be read a third
time } and passed in the affirmative .- Yeas 93, nays 88. .
Before the yeas and nays were taken, Mr. PHELPS, of
Missouri, rose and said he was interested in the bill, and if it
passed he expected to be benefited by it; he could not, there-
fore, vote on the question; but, if he could vote, he would
vote against the bill.
The bill was read the third time ; and the question on its
passage being put, was decided by yeas and nays as follow : -
YEAS Messrs. Abbott, John Q. Adams, Arnold, Ashmun,
Blanchard, William W. Campbell, John FI. Campbell, Car-
roll, John G. Chapman, Constable, Cranston, Culver, Garrett
Davis, Dixon, Dockery, Dunlap, Edsall, John II. Ewing,
Edwin H. Ewing, Foot, Giles, Grider, Grinnell, Hamlin,
Hampton, Harper, Hilliard, Elias B. Holmes, I. E. Holmes,
John W. Houston, Samuel D. Hubbard, Hudson, Washington
Hunt, James B. Hunt, Charles J. Ingersoll, Joseph R. Inger-
soll, Jenkins, Daniel P. King, Thomas Butler King, Law-
rence, Leib, Lewis, Levin, Ligon, Long, Maclay, McClean,
McCrate, McGaughev, McHenry, Mclivaine, Marsh, Miller,
Morse, Moseley, Niven, Parish, Pendleton, Perry, Pettit,
Pffsburv, Pollock Ramsey, Julius Rockwell, John A. Rock-
well, Root, Runk, Sawtelle, Scammon, Schenck, Seaman,
Severance, Truman Smith, Albert Smith, Caleb B. Smith,
Stewart, Strohm, Strong, Sykes, Thibodeaux, Thomasson,
Benjamin Thompson, Tilden, Toombs, Trumbo, Vinton,
Wheaton, White, Williams, Wilmot, Winthron, Wood-
worth, Wright, Young—94
NAYS—Messrs. Stephen Adams, Atkinson, Bedinger, Bell,
Benton, Biggs, James Black, James A. Black, Bowlin,
Boyd, Brinkerhoff-; Brockenbrough, Brodhead, Milton Brown,
Burt, Reuben Chapman, Chase, Cobb, Cocke, Collin, Cro-
zier, Cullom, Cummins, Cunningham, Daniel, De Mott,
solution on the table, and it was lost : Yeas 68, nays 113
Mr. HAMLIN'S motion to close debate was then agreed to.
And the House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole
», JL-.. . * . utuiica 11. u UUIISUIJ,
Joseph Johnson, Andrew Johnson, George W. Jones, Sea-
born Jones, Kaufman, Preston King, Leake, Lumpkin,
McClelland, McClernand, McConnell, Joseph J. McDowell,
iluu UIC 11UUSC IboUlVUu llocll llilU VVUIIlLlJlliec OI 1116 VV ilOlG owicuauu, liCUUj XUUVUllLlCll, dUbCJJll itICOUWcllj
on the state of the Union, (Mr. Houston, of Alabama, in I McKaU P- Martin, Barclay Martin, Morris, Moul-
the chair,) and resumed the consideration of the said bill to t0'1’ -N°rrxs> R<ri'L F^lte, Rhett, Ritter, Ilob-
provide for the liauidation and Davment of claims arisino-fmrn S1- S’ &aw£?.r’ Seddon Ale*. D. Sims, Leo. H. Sims,
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
VETO—RIVER AND HARBOR BILL.
The House resumed the reconsideration of the bill making
appropriations for the improvement of rivers and harbors,
which has passed both Houses of Congress and was yesterday
returned by the President with his veto.
The question recurred on the amendment moved by Mr.
Wentworth yesterday, to the motion of Mr. Dromgoole, to
postpone until to-morrow and to print the veto message ;
when—
Mr. WENTWORTH, at the suggestion of Mr. TIB-
BATTS, modified his amendment so as to print, in connex-
ion with the message, the bill as reported by the Committee
on Commerce and the amendments adopted by the House,
with that part of the President’s message at page 25, begin-
ning with the words “I refer” to the words “national inte-
rest,” inclusive; that part of the report of the Secretary of
War, beginning at the words “ the report from,” at page 202,
to the words “repeated instances,” at page 204, inclusive;
that part of the report of the Chief of the Topographical En-
gineers, beginning with the words “river and harbor improve-
ments,” at page 297, to the figures “$2,861,964 39,” at
page 391, inclusive; and in that part of the letter of the Sec-
retary of the Treasury of the 4 th December, 1845, House
document No. 9, commencing at the words “harbors, rivers,
&c.,” at page 41, to the figures “$80,000,” at page 43, in-
clusive.
Mr. BAYLY addressed the committee in vindication of the
veto, and entered at length into a constitutional argument
against the power of making internal improvements by the Gen-
eral Government. After which, he proceeded to notice some of
theiemarks which had been made yesterday by Mr. Thompson,
ofPennsylvania, and Mr. Douglass, of Illinois, and Mr. Thos.
Butler King, of Georgia, and Mr. Brinkerhoff, of Ohio.
Mr. Thompson had complained that, after submitting the es-
timates for these improvements, and being fully apprized that
the House was engaged in discussing the hill, he had not given
the slighest intimation that he had any objections to the bill,
either on constitutional or any other ground. To this Mr. B.
said that if the President had made any intimation beforehand
of what his opinions were, the Capitol and the country would
have rung with complaints of his attempt to dictate to mem-
bers of Congress what bills they should and what they should
not pass. He expressed his astonishment that Mr. Douglass,
while so strongly condemning the constitutionality of one item
in the bill, should have ever felt it his duty to vote for it. Mr.
Brinkerhoff had noticed the Piesident’s admission that the
erection of pieis had so long been sanctioned by the practice
of the Government that he should not object to it; and had said
that the harbors on the lakes consisted only of piers : Mr. B.
replied that though the President said he should not interfere
on the subject of piers, lighthouses, buoys, &c., yet he plainly
intimated that he doubted the whole power, in every form of
its exercise. He called on Mr. King for the authority on
which he had stated that the harbor bill had been submitted to
the Cabinet.
Mr. KING explained, denying that he had made any asser-
tion in the case ; and showing the ground on which he had
put an interrogatory on that subject.
Mr. BAYLY concluded with some remarks on the gradual
and insidious prog-ess of anti-constitutional practices in the
Government, and inveighed against the admission of prece-
dent as any ground of action where a constitutional question
was involved.
Mr. LIGON, who was anxious to have the French spolia-
tions bill taken up, moved the previous question.
It was seconded—Ayes 84, noes 58.
Mr. SCHENCK said he wished information upon a ques-
tion of order or of privilege. It was, whether it was allowable
for a Whig to take any part in the debate on the subject be-
fore the House—seeing that no Whig had been able as yet to
obtain the floor ? He had made use of every exertion in his
power to obtain it from the commencement, but had not been
fortunate enough to do so,
provide for the liquidation and payment of claims arising from
French spoliations prior to 1800.
Messrs. THURMAN, McCLELLAND, and COBB op-
posed the bill in speeches of considerable length ; the latter
gentleman being on the floor when the hour fixed for closing
the debate came round.
Mr. DANIEL P. KING said no friend of the bill had
been able to obtain the floor to say a word in its support; he
wished to know whether he could now have the letter and
opinion of Chief Justice Marshall, highly favorable to the
claims, lead.
Mr. DROMGOOLE objected, as it was in the nature of an
argument or debate, which had been closed by order of the
House.
by ''st'riK.ul'f^tn inY'VvOiAs” 'Umare1!am.one-ship----
serting “ as may be admitted to he valid claims,” &c. Ne-
gatived : Ayes 52, noes 78.
Mr. ADAMS, of Mississippi, moved to strike out the words
“ to an amount not exceeding five millions of dollars.” Ne-
gatived.
Mr. SEABORN JONES moved to strike out “five mil-
lions of dollars,” and insert “ one million five hundred and
twenty thousand dollars, equal to eight millions of francs.”
Negatived.
Mr. COBB moved to amend the first section by inserting
after the words “nor such claims as were allowed” the words
“ or rejected.” Negatived : Ayes 51, noes 93.
The question was then put on striking out the first section
of the bill, (test question.) Lost: Ayes 62, noes 93.
Mr. LEAKE proposed to insert in the second section the
following, as an instruction to the Board of Commissioners to
be constituted by that section : “To ascertain and report the
number and amount of claims held by the original owners or
their heirs, and the number and amount of those held by as-
signees and transferees.” Negatived—ayes 38, noes 85.
Mr. BOWLIN moved an amendment that the Commis-
sioners should take an oath that they are not directly or indi-
rectly interested in any of the claims mentioned in the bill.
Negatived.
Mr. THURMAN moved to add to the second section a di-
rection to the Attorney General of the United States to attend
the sitting of the Commissioners, and to oppose and argue
against the claims which may he presented.
Mr. STANTON moved to amend the amendment by allow-
ing the Attorney General an addition to fiis salary of $1,500
per annum for this service. Negatived.
Mr. HOUGH moved to amend Mr. Thurman’s amend-
ment by inserting a direction to the Attorney General to advo-
cate any claim which he may think just. Negatived.
Mr. Thurman’s amendment was then negatived—ayes 61,
noes 83.
Mr. COBB moved to add to the third section a provision
that in cases of trariders of claims, the transferee sh ill state,
under oath, the amount paid by him for the claim. Ne-
gatived.
Mr. BOWLIN moved to amend the fourth section so as to
direct the commissioners to procure testimony from France
and other foreign countries, instead of the Secretary of State,
as provided by the bill. Negatived.
Mr. COBB moved an amendment directing that the ex-
pense of procuring testimony from France or other foreign
countries shall be paid out of the amount appropriated by
the bill. Negatived—ayes 38, noes 89.
Mr. SAWYER moved to add to the fifth section a clause
granting one hundred and sixty acres of public land to each
non-commissioned officer and private now engaged in the
Mexican war, or who served in the late war with Great Bri-
tain, and has not received such grant.
The CHAIR ruled the amendment out of order.
Mr. SAWYER appealed.
The decision of the Chair was sustained.
Mr. SAWYER moved to add to the seventh section a pro-
vision that all lands which may be located under the provi-
sions of the bill shall be liable to taxation from the time of
location. Negatived—ayes 48, noes 80.
Mr. McCONNELL moved that the land scrip to be issued
in satisfaction of claims provided for in the bill shall be located
in Oregon, north of 54 40. Ruled out of order.
Mr. CUMMINS moved to add a proviso that no scrip shall
be located in any State the Government of which is organized,
or partly organized, so as to confine the location of scrip to
the Territories. Negatived: Ayes 22, noes 92.
Mr. ADAMS, of Mississippi, moved to strike out the 7th
section, which provides for the issue of scrip, which is only
receivable in payment of public lands, and to insert in lieu
thereof a provision directing that the five millions of dollars
shall be paid in cash from the Treasury, in five annual in-
stalments oi $1,000,000 each. Negatived: Ayes 16, noes
101.
Mr. SEABORN JONES moved to amend the section so
that, instead of land scrip, there be issued to claimants certifi-
cates of three per cent, stock, reimbursable in twenty years or
more, at the option of the Government. Negatived.
Mr. ATKINSON moved to strike out the seventh section.
Negatived.
Mr. BARCLAY MARTIN moved to reduce the salary of
the Commissioners from $3,000 to $2,000 a year, and the
salary of the Secretary of the Board from $2,000 to $1,000 a
year. Negatived.
Mr. BO WLIN moved to strike out the tenth section, which
makes free from postage all documents and communications in
relation to said claims, addressed to or from the commission
through the Secretary of State. Negatived.
Mr. McDOWELL, of Ohio, moved to strike out the
eleventh section, which appropriates $50,000 to carry the bill
into effect. Negatived : Ayes 17, noes 102.
Mr. CUMMINS moved to add to the eleventh section “to
be paid by the claimants in proportion to their respective
claims.” Negatived.
Simpson, Thomas Smith, James Thompson, Jacob Thomp-
son, Thurman, Tibbatts, Towns Wick, Woodward—87.
And so the bill was passed.
And the House adjourned.
We are requested to insert the following as a fuller report
of what was said yesterday by Mr. Constable, in reply to
an inquiry of Mr. Thompson, ofPennsylvania :
Mr. CONSTABLE remarked that he was very much sur-
prised at the question of the gentleman from Pennsylvania, as
he had no intimation of his purpose to ask it; and that, so far
from that gentleman’s having received any such information
from him, they had never exchanged a word upon the subject;
<•- of 4k/v oiMocfmr* TVcnnncod fn tho
never seen the bill until it was introduced into the House, and
knew nothing of its items, not being a member of the com-
mittee. Some considerable time before the bill was reported,
he had exchanged a fevtf words with the President upon a sin-
gle matter connected with the subject of this bill, during which
the President had made a remark from which he (Mr. C.) had
inferred that the President was friendly to the item, and he
still so believed, as there was nothing in the veto message, as
he understood it, inconsistent with the inference he had drawn
from the remark of the President. So far from his having
conferred with the President upon this bill, either before or
after its passage, he had but a single interview with him, and
that was entirely confined to an item which was not included
in the bill reported by the committee.
LATE FROM EUROPE.
The steamer Hibernia arrived at Boston on Mon-
day morning, from Liverpool, whence she sailed on
the 19th ultimo.
We learn from Telegraphic despatches in the
New York papers that she brings to the United
States the Oregon Treaty, ratified by the British
Government, under the seal of the new foreign min-
ister, Lord Palmerston. This important document
was signed on the 17th, by his Lordship and Mr.
McLane, the American Minister.
The new Ministry had got fairly to work, and the
business of the country was again in a state of pro-
gression. In every quarter a disposition existed to
give the new appointments a fair trial.
The affairs of this session of Parliament were ex-
pected to be wound up by the middle of August.
The great movement to reimburse Mr. Cobden
for the loss of health and money was progressing,
and there seemed every chance that the hundred
thousand pounds fixed upon as the maximum of the
amount to be given to him would be raised. -
Efforts will be made to raise a splendid monu-
ment to Sir Robert Peel, by means of penny sub-
scriptions throughout the British Empire, as an ex-
pression of the nation’s gratitude.
THE MARKETS.
Cotton.—The manufacturing districts are busy, and con-
fidence prevails. The season conduces all that we could de-
sire. The cotton market is firm, with good steady business,
and prices have an upward tendency. The later arrivals from
the United States show that the last crop will not exceed
2,100,000 bales, and that the prospects of the crop for the
present year, owing to the lateness of the spring, are not par-
ticularly promising.
The sales at Liverpool for the week ending the 17th were
36,780 bales. Sea Island fell off a half-penny. On the 18th
there was a fair demand, but no change in prices.
American Flour Jult 19.—1,970 barrels of Ameri-
can flour have this week been taken by the Grand Junc-
tion Railway from Liverpool to Preston, and the company
have commissions to take considerable quanties more. Last
week about 1,000 barrels were sent by railway. Very supe-
rior American flour is now being retailed in that town, 6 lbs.
to 7 lbs., for a shilling. The cry of all the shop-keepers is
that nothing will sell like barrelled flour. Immense quanti-
ties of flour are piled along the streets every day. Thousands
of barrels have been purchased by the corn dealers in the
course of the week. Every baking day is now the celebration
of the blessings of free trade. The grain crops in England
look well.
American Provisions.—Since the 2d instant the demand
for beef has been on the most limited scale, and prices have
further given way. The decline is greater, however, on mid-
dling and poor qualities. Holders of really fine quality con-
tinue firm. For pork there has been but a few sales. I he
advice of lower prices by the Cambria tend to depress t e
market here. Further arrivals of new cheese of indifferent
quality have met a fair sale. A really fine article would com-
mand a high price. The market is well clear o. lard, and
prices have advanced 6d. to Is. per cwt. At t e present mo-
derate rates there is a great consumption of this article. Rice
continues in good demand, and the sales are 1,000 bags Ben-
gal, at 12s. 3d. for good white, broken, and 13s. 9d. for very
good white.
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National Intelligencer. (Washington [D.C.]), Vol. 47, No. 6806, Ed. 1 Thursday, August 6, 1846, newspaper, August 6, 1846; Washington, District of Columbia. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth1025074/m1/1/: accessed July 18, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu.; .