The Congressional Globe, Volume 14: Twenty-Eighth Congress, Second Session Page: 229
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CONGRESSIONAL GLOBE.
■m
shall be settled by negotiation, or by war if they
pleased: the moment our title failed to the part on
which those citizens resided, they would drop
down to oftr Undisputed territory and say they
had lost their, pre-emption right; and who would say
that this government could not fit oftce give them
another pre-eroption right as'good? Did that embar-
rass the case? Not at all. "Who was there, then,
that was not willing to give a pledge to every man
that should go to that country and cultivate it, of a
libera:! renewal of pre-emption right elsewhere, if he
should be dispossessed by the establishment of the
British title to the land he might occupy? Would
' that injure the British government? Could she
take offence at such a provision in our law?
From these remarks the committee would per-
ceive that life had availed himself of every sugges-
tion which had been made, so aS towlafte the bill
acceptable to the House, as he thought it would be
acceptable to the British government He came
fiext to speak of the suggestions made by the gen-
tleman from Massachusetts, which, coming from
him, were of great weight and importance. The
objection was, that they had started at the Wrbng
end, and that they should give the notice first.
Now he (Mr. B.) did not so understand it. If that
were the correct course, he would, with pleasure,
follow in the wake of the gentleman from Massa-
chusetts} but he did not so understand it. "Why
aid they propose to pass this measure? Simply
because our people have gone to thflt country, and
are there without government, and we want to give
them the benefit of our laws. They had not fled
from their country, nor from our laws and institu-
tions; they have carried all with them, and what
was now proposed, was, to give them the benefits
of our laws in their urgent necessities. Some gen-
tlemen said they had got judges there already; but
they were laws for organized British society, and
they were British judges. They preferred our
laws to British laws. But it was said they had or-
ganized their own society, and had framed their
own laws. True, they had, for some government
■was necessary; but nothing could induce them to
adhere'to their own organization, but our refusals
to meet their wants and necessities. But if they
should first give the notice of twelve months, they
would be met with the plea that the British settlers
could not abandon the territory, because they had
contracts made and business unsettled. And if they
gave notice to quit, and the British did not then
quit, what would be the next step? Would they
drive away the foreign settlers? In such a case would
they not resist on the ground of the necessity to
stand in self-defence. This bill, however, avoided
the evils of a different course, and gave to Ameri-
can citizens a government and the protection of
laws which the British settlers enjoyed.
The honorable gentleman recapitulated some of
the provisions of this bill for the trial of persons
guilty of crimes, to show their liberality; and that
they must prove unexceptionable to Great Britain.
He said he was careful that they should do nothing
wrong; and then he could bid any power defiance.
He confessed that he was afraid of an unjust war
with England or any other notion; but when we
had justice on our side, he would quail before no
power on this globe; and this would account for the
zeal which he felt on this and on the Texas ques-
tion too, fie wanted Texas bccausc England
wanted it. Great Britain did not desire any in-
crease of our power which would make us more
formidable to the nations of the earth. The stars of our
republic shone so bright that they have attracted
the envy of foreign nations: the crowned heads of
Europe looked upon our prosperity with amaze-
ment; for they knew the impression which our ex-
ample produced on their own population, and
hence they were desirous to destroy the influence
of our example.
He wanted Oregon for the same purpose; he
wanted our population to spread from ocean to
ocean—from the Aroostook on the north to the Rio
Del Norte on the south—a magnificent empire which
should strike terror and dismay to the enemies of
our institutions, and of republican forms of govern-
ment. Give us this bill, (said Mr. B.,) guarded cau-
tiously, benevolently guarded, as it was; give us
Texas, and we will have an empire before us which
will fill every American heart with pride and with
joy-
Mr. WINTHROP obtained the floor; and at re-
quest, {[but with the notice that he had no purpqse
of making a speech,) he yielded to
Mr. HOPKINS, on whose motion the committee
rose and reported progress.
Mr. WENTWORTH, on leave, presented reso-
lutions of the legislature of Illinois, asking a dona-
tion of land for the Illinois and Michigan Canal;
which was referred to the Committee on Public
Lands.
The House then adjourned.
The following notified 6f petitions, presented to-
day,. were handed to the reporter's by the members
presenting them:
By Mr. HOPKINS: The petition of H. Safford artd 75
other citizens of the county of Muskingum, Ohio, praying
for a reduction of the rates of postage, and the abridgement
of the fraking privilege.
Mr. WHEATONs The petition of V2'2 citizens of the
county of Ondtid&ga, New York, asking for the immediate
abolition of slavery in the District of Columbia: referred to
thaCommittee for the District of Columbia.
By Mr. A. P. STONE: The memorial Of 52 citizens of the
State Of Ohio, praying Congress to furnish James Ilu&sell
with the means to construct a national planetaiitim at
Washington.
By Mr. M ACL AY: The memorial of the New York Insti-
tution tor the Deaf and Dumb, for the distribution of books,
&c., published by order of Congress, to their institution.
The memorial of many citizens of the city of New York,
praying Congress to divide the public lands into lots, for the
occupation of citizens not possessed of other land, or to re-
strict the division of them among the States with this condi-
tion.
By Mr. J. "VV. DAVIS: The petition of D. M. DobsOft and
108 other citizens, asking a mail route from Spencer, by
Mill Grove, to Futnamville, Indiana. The petition ot Joseph
Wheeler and 70 other citizens, asking a grant of land to as-
sist Indiana in completing the Wabash and Eric canal to the
Ohio river
By Mr. FULLER: The petition of Byron Kingsbury, ad-
ministrator of Captain Simo'n Spalding, asking that provi-
sion bu made to authorize the payment of a certain outstand-
ing certificate of commutation pay.
By Mr. ATKINSON: The petition of Jeftries Wilkinson,
asking compensation for extra work done by him oh the
wall at Cape Henry light house: referred to the Committee
on Commerce-
By Mr. WETHF.llRD: The memorial of Charles Ileedcr,
engineer, asking an appropriation for the purpose of testing
the utility of his invention for preventing explosions in
steam boilers: referred to the Committee on Naval AJiairs.
By Mr THOMAS SMITH: The petition ol" A.J. Cotton^
an older in the Methodist Episcopal church, and one of the
judges of the licaiborne circuit comt, Indiana, repiescnting
that he has, been intimately acquainted with Benjamin Man-
lift', un applicant lor a pension; and that the said Manliti' is
old, poor, and infirm, lie recommends strongly the appli-
cant's cate to the favorable and speedy consideration of
C'ongiens in consideration of his services. He ways the said
applicant, as will bo seen by his papers on file, was more
thixn live yeais a prisoner amongst the Turks at Tripoli, and
that subfaefjiu ntly he solved with General Jackson in the
Seminole w ai; alibied in taking Arbuthnot and -Vmbrister.
and that lie \\as enoajccU in several attacks on our "icd
foes:" refericd to the Committee on Invalid Tensions.
By Mr. ltOUEltT HMITH: The memorial of ^20 citizens
oi Randolph county, Illinois, praying Congie&s to grant
adequate relief to the distiessed sufferers by the late flood
in the Mississippi nver and some of its tributaries: referred
to tho Committee of Claims.
HOUSE OP REPRESENTATIVES.
Friday, February 1, 1845.
The journal was read.
Mr. RED IMG, on leave, ofieieil !i resolution di-
lecting the Committee on tho Judiciary to repeal
the act of August 29, 1842, to provide for other
remedial justice in the courts of the United State;
which was adopted.
Mr. G. W. JONES asked leave to offer a
resolution calling on the Secretary of the Treasury
for information, with reference to the operation of
the present tariff act, during the year ending De-
cember 31, 1844, iheamounts of imports, of the dif-
ferent articles, of free articles, &c.
Objections were made.
Mr. J moved a suspension of the rules for tho
reception of this resolution.
The motion was disagreed to.
Mr. TiliBATTS asked leave to report a bill
pursuant to notice; but objections were made.
Mr. BAYLY asked leave, and objections being
made, moved a suspension of the rules, to withdraw
certain petitions from the files of the House.
The House refused to suspend the rales.
Mr. HARALSON, on leave, made several ad-
verse and other reports from the Committee on
Military Affairs, viz.- on tho petition of citizens of
Nassachusctts, for the abolition of the army; the
petition of citizens of Pennsylvania, in relation to a
donation for a national foundry; the petition of
Captain A. Partridge for the loan of one hun-
dred and fifty stand of muskets, to be used at
the Univeisity at Norwich, Vermont; also, on the
resolutions of the legislature of Illinois, asking the
establishment of on arsenal at fort Massac. The
first and third were laid on the table, and the second
and fourth of which were referred to the Committee
of the Whole on the state of the Union, where are
pending bills on the same subject.
On motion of Mr. SIMONS, from the Committee
on Engraving,
Resolved, That the usual number of maps of the survey
and improvement in Dubuque harbor be published, to ac-
company House document No. 67.
MILEAGE OF MEMBERS.
Mr. HUNGERFORD called for the consideration
of the motion submitted by him some days since for
the reconsideration of the vote by which the bill
with reference to the mileage of members was order-
ed to be engrossed.
Mr. COBB (of the Committee on Mileage) said
the bill, as ordered to be engrossed, provided that
the mileage of members be computed according to
the most direct main mail route from their residence
to this House. The object of the gentleman from
New York in reconsidering this bill, was to move to
amend it by striking out the word "main,]' so that
mileage should be computed by the most direct mail
route. He trusted the amendment of the gentleman
■would prevail.
JWr. HUNGERFORD read from a document,
showing that 153,325 miles was the whole amount
travelled and charged for by the members of this
House, and that 107,028 was the whole distance by
the shortest mail route, thus exhibiting an excess of
46,29G miles, and for them a charge of about §50,000
over the distance and charge by the shortest mail
routes. He also urged that there were many ine-
qualities under the present system, which should be
corrcct^tl
Mr. J. W. DAVIS pointed out the difficulty
which would accompany the carrying out of the
amendment proposed, in ascertaining what was the
nearest mail route. From that portion of Indiana
from which he came there were not less than six
mail routes leading towards Washington. To carry
out the spirit and letter of this amendment, would
require the employment of at least one engineer to
ascertain what were the nearest mail routes; for all
the reports to the Post Office Department were very
wide from correctness.
But he hoped that the bill would be reconsidered,
and that another amendment would be adopted, to
make this reduction apply to themselves as well aa
to their successors in Congress. He asked as a
matter of justice, imd demanded as a matter of right,
whatever pruning was to take place, that that pru-
ning should begin at home, with themselves.
There were other and more important reforms
that he wanted to see under this bill. He was sur-
prised when the Committee on Mileage undertook a
reform, that they had not taken up the whole sub-
ject, and given them such a bill as would give satis-
faction to the country, aa well as to the conscience
of every man who desired to see justice meted out
alike to all.
Mr. COBR, in reply to Mr. Davis, aid there was
no difficulty in ascertaining what were the nearest
mail routes. All this information was contained in
the Poet Office Department, and would be furnished
on the application of the members of this House,
or of the committee. There was no difficulty in
ascertaining the most direct mail route, although
there might be with reference to the most dircct
"main" mail route.
He had no objections in reference to the applying
the provisions of this bill to the present House;
but he was aware that if these amendments, of one
kind and another, were added to the bill, they would
defeat it altogether.
The object of the bill was twofold: to reduce the
mileage, and to render it more uniform. There
were members living within fifty or one hundred
miles of each other, whose mileage exceeded the
one the other by some three or four hundred miles.
In reference to the complaint that the committee
had not gone further, he said the Committee on
Mileage had restricted their operations to that which
came within the proper limits of their jurisdiction.
They were not authorized to consider any other
question than that of mileage. If there were other
questions, let them be referred to the proper stand-
ing committee, or let a special committee" be raised
for them. But he insisted upon it that it was wholly
wrong lo vote down a measure of this kind because
it did not afford relief from all abuses. Let them
take them and correct them as they arise.
Mr. HOPKINS appealed to the House, as the
time for the debate of the Oregon question was
limited, to allow this bill to lay over by general
consent.
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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/m1/245/: accessed April 26, 2024), University of North Texas Libraries, The Portal to Texas History, https://texashistory.unt.edu; crediting UNT Libraries Government Documents Department.