The Congressional Globe, Volume 14: Twenty-Eighth Congress, Second Session Page: 93
xv, 408, 421 p. ; 25 cm.View a full description of this legislative document.
Extracted Text
The following text was automatically extracted from the image on this page using optical character recognition software:
CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
9f:
sections of land for six miles on each side of the Al-
ton and Mount Carmel,. and Alton arid Shawnee-
town railroads, for the purpose of completing the
said roads; which were read.
Mr. DICKINSON presented a memorial from
Gregory Thomas and others, owners of the New
York pilot boat Washington, praying indemnity for
injuries incurred by a collision with the United
States steamer Colonel Harney, -on the 2d October,
1844, at sea: referred to the Committee on the Ju-
diciary.
Also presented a memorial from" the Society of
Friends of New York and Vermont, treating of the
subject of slavery, and remonstrating against the
annexation of Texas to the United States.
The memorial having been read, the question of
reception was raised,' and it was ordered to lie on
the table.
Mr. MERRICK submitted the following resolu-
tion; in support of which he said' the Postmaster
General had received authentic information of the
working of the penny-post system in England,
which it was desirable should be laid before the
Senate before action was had on the post office bill.
The resolution was adopted as follows:
Rssolved, That the Postmaster General be requested to
communicate to the Senate any information of an authentic
character, which he may have ~ received since the com-
mencement of the present session of Congress, illustrative
of the operation of the British post oliice S) stem, and the
effect upon its revenues of the reduced rates of postage.
Mr. BUCHANAN presented a memorial from a
number of citizens of Washington county, Pennsyl-
vania, requesting Congress to pass a bill, without
delay, for the proper organization of the Territory
of Oregon into a Territory of the United States: re-
ferred to the Select Committee 011 Oregon.
Mr. BUCHANAN presented a memorial from
the Board of Trade of Pittsburg, and a great num-
ber of citizens of that place, setting forth the great
importance of the commerce of the Mississippi and
its tributary streams; stating that there are now em-
ployed on that river and its tributaries more than
500 steamboats, of a tonnage, in the aggregate, of
125,000, and annually navigated by more than
80,000 seamen; and that the estimated value of the
property passing thereon is $200,000,000. They
ask an appropriation for the improvement of those
great rivers, and Mr. B. expressed the hope that
they would not ask in vain: referred to the Com-
mittee on Roads and Canals.
Mr. CHOATE presented the petition arid papers
of Alborne Allen, asking the allowance of his claim
for building for the government, in 1843, a revenue
boat for the district of Nantucket: referred to the
Committee on Claims.
, Mr. ASHLEY presented a petition from J. E.
Pelhana, and 100 citizens of the counties of Inde-
pendence and Searcy, Arkansas, praying for the
establishment of certain mail routes in that State:
referred to the Committee on the Post Office and
Post Roads.
Mr. TAPPAN presented a memorial from Tlios.
Johnson and a Number of citizens of Ohio, asking
. for the passage of the bill now before the Senate for
the establishment of the Smithsonian institution for
the increase and diffusion of knowledge among men:
ordered to lie en the table.
Mr. HUNTINGTON piesented a memorial from
Edward R. Tyler, representing himself as the pub-
lisher and editor of a periodical work called the
New Englander, representing that postage on works
of this character is very enormous, and praying for
its reduction: ordered to lie on the table.
Mr. HENDERSON presented a memorial from
the West Feliciana Railroad company, praying for
the remission Of duty on certain railroad iron: re-
ferred to the Committee on Finance.
Mr. BENTON presented a petition ef captains
and owners of steamboats, pilots, cngineeis, and
others, directly interested in the navigation of the
western rivers, praying that a canal may be con-
structcri'around the falls on the Indiana side of the
Ohio river.
On motion by Mr. B., the memorial, with the
names of the petitioners, as they are practical men,
was ordered to be printed.
Mr. FOSTER presented a memorial from Gen-
eral N. V. Knickerbocker and 200 others, citizens
0f county, New York, praying the passage
of the bill for the establishmentof the Smithsonian in-
stitution: ordered to lie on the table—the bill being
now before the Senate.
Also, a memorial from Wm. W. .Woodworth,
of Hyde Pack, New York, the administrator of
Wm. Woodworth, praying for the passage of a
law extending for seven years the privileges here-
tofore granted by patent to the deceased: referred to
the Committee on Patents.
Also, a memorial of Thomas Beveridgeand other
citizens of Washington county, New York, against
annexation and against slavery. The question of
reception being raised, it was ordered to lie on the
table. . . ,
On motion by Mr. BAGBY, leave was granted to
withdraw from the files the petition and papers in
the case of the administrators of Phillips;
Mr. BAGBY gave notice of his intention to intro-
troduce several bills, the titles of which were not
heard.
On motion by Mr. SIMMONS, it was ordered
that the memorial of Robert Perkins be withdrawn
from the files and referred to the Committee on
Claims.
POSTAGE BILL.
Mr. MERRICK, from the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads, reported back, with sev-
eral amendments, (which were ordered to be printed)
the bill reducing the rates of postage, to limit the use
and correct the abuse of the franking privilege, and
to protect the revenues of the post office depart-
ment. ;
ANNEXATION OF TEXAS.
Mr. NILES gave notice that he would to-mor-
row ask leave to introduce a bill for the admission
of Texas as a State into* the Union, and for other
purposes.
Mr. MERRICK, from the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads, reported back, without
amendment, the bill authorizing the making of per-
manent contracts for carrying the United States mail
on railroads.
Mr. SEVIER, from the Committee on Indian
Affairs, reported a bill for the relief of Asahel Brairi-
arcl; which was read, and erdered to a second read-
ing.
Mr. JOHNSON, on leave, introduced a bill tore-
peal the act for the better organization of the district
court of the United States, in the State of Louisiana,
and for other purposes; which was read twice, and
referred to the Committee 011 the Judiciary.
Mr. HUNTINGTON, on leave, introduced a bill
relating to revenue cutters and steamboats; which
was read twice, and referred to the Committee on
Commerce.
Mr. HENDERSON, from the Committee on
Private Lat-d Claims,, to which was referred the
petition of Pierre Chouteau, jr., and others, report-
ed a bill to confirm the title of a tract of land, in the
Territory of Iowa, to the legal heirs and assignees
of Julian Dubuque, deceased; which was read, and
ordered to a second reading, and the report accom-
panying to be printed.
Mr. BR.EESE, on leave, reported a bill allowing
a drawback on foreign merchandise exported in
original packages to Chihuahua and Santa Fe, in
Mexico; which was read twice, and referred to the
Committee on Commerce.
Mr. WOODBURY presented two series of resolu-
tions, adopted by the legislature of New Hamp-
shire—one in opposition to a tariff for protection
merely, and not for revenue, against the tariff'act of
1842, and recommending its repeal or modification;
the other concerning the imprisonment of Thomas
Wilson Dorr, and denouncing the course pursued
towards him in Rhode Island; which were read, and
ordered to be printed.
Mr. RIVES, on leave, introduced a bill for the
relief of Joseph Ramsey; which was read twice,
and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
On motion by Mr. HENDERSON, it was
JxesolviJ That the Committee on Military Affairs be
instructed to inquire into the expediency of constiucting
and establishing permanent bariacka at or near the Fast)
Christian, upon the Gulf of Mexico, and within the State of
Mississippi, sufficient to accommodate such portions of the
army of the United States as have been usiully ordeied, or
may be herafter required, to resort there, for summer quar-
ters, to preserve their health, or for the furtherance ofother
military objects
Mr. FOSTER of Tennessee, on leave, introduced
a bill for the relief of Hugh Wallis Wormley;
which was read twice, and referred to the Commit-
tee on Pensions.
On motion by Mr. HENDERSON, it was
Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be in-
structed to inquire into the expediency of continuing the
pension heretofore granted to the child of Frederick A.
Bacon, late a passed midshipman in the navy of the United
States, who was lost with the United States schooner Sea
Gall in a gals ofl'Cape Horn, in the year 1839.
On motion by Mr. BAYARD, the previous or-
ders of the day were postponed, and the bill for the
relief of Mark Simpson was taken up as in commit-
tee of the whole, amended, reported to the Senate,
and ordered to be engrossed for a third reading.
On motion by Mr. EVANS, like action was had
on Senate bill 54—title not heard.
Engrossed bill entitled an act for the relief Mary
Reeside, administratrix ofthe'last will and testament
of James Reeside, deceased, was taken up, read the
third time, and passed.
The bill for the establishment of the Smithsonian
Institution was postponed till to-morrow.
On motion of Mr. HUNTINGTON, the previous
orders were postponed ,"'^and the bill providing for
the appointment and regulating the pay of engi-
neers and assistant engineers in the revenue service,
was taken up, considered, and ordered to be en-
grossed and read a third time.
The bill for the relief of Miles King coming up
• next in order, and involving the question of ground-
ing a claim on the verdict.of a circuit court,
"On motion of Mr. BERRIEN—who remarked
that the senator from North Carolina, [Mr. Hay-
wood,] opposed to this class of claims, was- not in
his seat—it was passed by informally.
The next thing in order was the Senate-bill enti-
tled "A bill increasing the pay of certain officers of
revenue cutters while serving in the navy of. the
United Sta&s;" which was taken up, as in com-
mittee of the whole, and certain amendments re-
ported by the Committee on Commerce were
adopted. The bill was then leported back to the
Senate, and the amendments were concurred in.
On the question whether any further amendments
were to be offered,
Mr. CRITTENDEN called for some information
on the subject. It seemed to him that officers in the
revenue were always considered in the civil service.
He wanted to know upon what grounds the pro-
visions should be made for them, or why they
should be entitled to consideration, as in the naval
service?
Mr. HUNTINGTON explained that it some-
times, tiut very seldom, happened that cases occur-
red when it was found advantageous to the govern-
ment to employ the revenue-cutters and their officers
as assistants in the naval service; and whenever this
occurred, the revenue officers in charge of the cut-
ters were not only put under the control of the na-
val service, but employed in performing other and
different duties than those required in the revenue
service. In such cases it was deemed reasonable
and just that they should have an increase of pay
while so employed—not an increase to the amount
paid officers of the same grade in the naval service,
but barely sufficient to compensate them for the ad-
ditional duty.
Mr. BUCHANAN inquired whether this law
would not have the effect of inducing persons in the
revenue, where their services were most important
and necessary, to changc into the naval service.
Mr. HUNTINGTON thought no such effect had
resulted from the general law, in existence since
1799, empowering the President of the United
States to employ revenue cutters in the naval service
in cases of necessity.
Mr. ARCHER inquired of the chairman of the
Naval Committee what was the foundation of the
law authorizing the President to make such transfer
from the revenue to the naval service.
Mr. BAYARD said that he would lefer to the
original law, and make the explanation required.
Mr. HUNTINGTON believed that the law was
founded in the consideration that the revenue cut-
ters, being vessels of lighter draft and better for coast
service than vessels of war, could be advantage-
ously employed in the naval coast service in time of
war, or Upon cases of emergency; and hence the
President was authorized to transfer their services
whenever the Navy Department found it necessary
to call for them.
Mr. WOODBURY pointed out that it was a mis-
take to suppose this law converted their revenue
cutters into vessels of war, or their officers into
naval officers. They were only to be .temporarily
employed in the naval service, and when the occa-
casion ceased, they reverted to the revenue service.
It seldom happened that they were required to be
attached to the naval service longer than a couple of
months at any onetime.
Mr. BAYARD, having referred to the Original
law of 1799, recited its provisions, and then ex-
plained, that the bill now under consideration mere-
ly was intended to provide for a temporary increase of
Upcoming Pages
Here’s what’s next.
Search Inside
This document can be searched. Note: Results may vary based on the legibility of text within the document.
Tools / Downloads
Get a copy of this page or view the extracted text.
Citing and Sharing
Basic information for referencing this web page. We also provide extended guidance on usage rights, references, copying or embedding.
Reference the current page of this Legislative Document.
United States. Congress. The Congressional Globe, Volume 14: Twenty-Eighth Congress, Second Session, legislative document, 1845; Washington D.C.. (https://texashistory.unt.edu/ark:/67531/metapth2366/m1/109/: accessed April 25, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.