MAY 7, 1834.] President's Protest. [SENATE. again in March, 1832. Mr. B. deemed it due to the cause proclaimed. For some time these deplorable labors of truth and justice to present to the Senate, and through seemed to be but too successful. Consternation pervaded it to the public, some extracts from the bank periodical the country; terror invaded the stoutest hearts; agitation alluded to, that all America should see and know that the shook cities and States. The work seemed to be accomSenate of the United States, in arraigning the Albany re- plished, and the encouraging whisper was heard in this gency-in attacking the credit of the safety-fund banks, chamber, Revolutions never go backwards! But, hapascribing the origin of their system to political motives, pily words cannot make revolutions. They break no and holding up the Bank of the United States as the bones, however hard they are; they spill no blood, howcorrector of that system of banks-the preserver of the ever sharp. Catastrophies, and especially bloody catasproperty of the people--the guardian of the political trophies, can alone make revolutions; and the nineteenth purity of the State of New York, and the frustrator of century is not the age in which people kill themselves, the safety-fund scheme, was only following a lead that or get others to do it, to fulfil predictions. The catastrohad been given it, and was, in fact, acting under the au- phies would not come. The elections went over-the ju spices, obeying the impulsion, and promoting the de-bilees passed by; the tocsin orators had sounded their last signs, political and pecuniary, of the Bank of the United peal; and no blood was shed. A few banks broken; States. The following are the extracts: some merchants ruined; the Sabbath abolished; and that was the sum total of the incidents and trophies of that re"Let us, for example, suppose that a system of bank-doubtable revolution which had been proclaimed from the ing was adopted for a State, by which, under the color of Senate floor, and which was to end in the destruction of guarding the public against their insolvency, those insti- every thing sacred and valuable. tutions were subjected to a surveillance and control which Two incidents in this drama, Mr. B. said, deserved the were calculated to make them feel their dependance on distinction of a particular notice; namely, the manner in the State Governments; and when this plan was matured, which the Senate received the news of the abolition of to make them obsequious to its will. Would not every the Christian Sabbath, and of the President's intention to friend of the political purity of the State, and the inde-attack the Senate with an armed force. A Senator from pendent spirit of its citizens, wish to see a scheme of this character frustrated? And, what means so conducive as the Bank of the United States?" From the March No., 1831. * * one of the oldest States, rising in his place, and evidently much affected by the awful occurrence which he was about to communicate, related what had happened to the From the March No., 1832. Sabbath, precisely as he had heard it at Baltimore, in "Besides these contrivances to consolidate the banking stepping out of a steamboat, in presence of a multitude, system of that State into one great machine, a further such as no man could count." An elder of the Presconcentration of power is obtained, and vested in a few byterian church was his informant; and the fact admitted individuals (regency) around the seat of Government, by of no doubt; "for in times of revolution there are no means of that portion of the public revenue appropriated Sabbaths;" and this was a revolution, the actuality of to the redemption of the canal loans. which having been vouched on the Senate floor, could This institution is in the hands of a few leading men of not be doubted in the body of the Senate; so that in this the prevailing party in that State; and in the incorporating nineteenth century, and in this America, the Christian of the new banks, for several years past, efforts have been Sabbath seemed to be as clean gone as it was in France made to provide, in the distribution of stock, for such as during the sad revolution in that country, and when the fraternize with them in political sentiment in the places architects of ruin, as Edmund Burke called them, abolwhere the new banks are located; so as, in general, to ished the seventh day, and established their decadi the give them (the regency) a control over them. The con- tenth. The annunciation of the Senator was heard with sequence has been, that an undue share of banking influ- profound emotion in this chamber; and instantly flew ence has been concentrated in the hands of the dominant across the empire of the Christian world upon the black party, and they now stand ready to control the banking wings of horror and amazement. Another Senator ansystem of the State, or in case the United States Bank nounced the approach of the military force which was to be not re-chartered, to take upon themselves the transac-disperse this august body. The force was to consist of tion of the exchange business," &c. infantry and marines; the latter, doubtless, intended to We have, indeed, said Mr. B., passed through a strange, cut off all retreat from the capital by water; while the eventful scene, so checkered with unreal and illusive rep-land forces would do business on the terra firma of the resentations, that the shadowy figures of the magic lan- Senate floor. Upon this intelligence, the defensive gethorn, or the phantasmagoria of bewildered senses, could nius of the Senate was immediately put into requisition. not leave a more confused sensation of mock and mimic To arm our first door-keeper with the rod and the mace, images upon the mind. We constantly saw and heard while the second should lead on the boys and messengers, things so extravagant and incredible, that it required an with sticks and staves, was the plan of defence which it effort of the reason to convince ourselves that we did see was the prerogative of genius to present to the fearful and hear them. At the opening of the session, in the emergency. Individual Senators took noble resolutions. midst of calm and tranquillity, when patriots and sages Some decided that they would be killed, as they sat, like would have labored to maintain the quiet and happiness real Romans, in their curule chairs; and it was observed ⚫ that prevailed, we were saluted with the cry of a revolution! that those who took this resolution began to let their and the immediate impending ruin of every thing sacred beards grow, that its length and venerableness might proand valuable. The first sentence of the first speech, in voke, upon some rash soldier, the sudden fate of the sacrifavor of the impeachment resolutions, proclaimed the legious Gaul. Others, more impatient, determined to sally country to be in the midst of a revolution! with the por-forth; to meet the daring host at the front gate; and there tentous declaration, "hitherto bloodless!" as if the shed-to fall, like Constantine Palzologus, the last of the Greek ding of blood had with difficulty been restrained up to emperors, under a mountain of dead, the useless carnage that time, and its fatal commencement was then to begin. of his own remorseless sword. Happily the Senate was Such was the opening of the session of the Senate of the not put to this direful test of its fortitude and heroism. United States; of that body which ought to be the most The day was fixed for the arrival of the armed force: the grave and sober upon the face of the earth. Such was day came, but the troops did not! and from that hour the the opening; and from that moment the whole action of revolution lost its march, fell backwards, and vanished! the body seemed to be directed to produce the revolu- and the Christian Sabbath, recovering its place in the lution, and the bloodshed, and the ruin, which had been calendar, survives its imminent danger, continues to solace SENATE.] President's Protest.—Memorial from Boston. [MAY 8, 1834. So the resolutions were agreed to, in the following form: the pious, to refresh the weary, and to attest to the whole world the respect which American Senators bear to it. The greatest mistake, said Mr. B., which a politician Resolved, That the protest communicated to the Senate can make, is to underrate the intelligence of the body of on the 17th instant, by the President of the United States, the people. It is also the most common and reiterated asserts powers as belonging to the President, which are mistake into which they fall. It was particularly the mis- inconsistent with the just authority of the two Houses of take of the present day, and of the present Senate. The Congress, and inconsistent with the constitution of the public intelligence had been manifestly and grossly un- United States. derrated in the great experiment which had been made Resolved, That while the Senate is, and ever will be, upon it. The credulity and the ignorance of the people ready to receive from the President all such messages is not what such an experiment presumes. Few among and communications as the constitution and laws, and the them who will not see, eventually see, and that with shame usual course of business authorize him to transmit to it, and resentment, the theatrical efforts made on this floor yet it cannot recognise any right in him to make a formal to alarm and agitate them. The time is at hand when protest against votes and proceedings of the Senate, dethis long list of "gorgon's heads and chimeras dire"-claring such votes and proceedings to be illegal and unrevolution, bloodshed, seizure of the Treasury, union of constitutional, and requesting the Senate to enter such the purse and sword, invasion of privileges, overthrow of protest on its Journals. the Senate, war upon the bank, alarming doctrines of the Resolved, That the aforesaid protest is a breach of the protest-which have been conjured up, by the madness privileges of the Senate, and that it be not entered on of ambition, to deceive and distract the public mind, will the Journal. be viewed by the people at a distance with the same con- Resolved, That the President of the United States has tempt and indifference with which they are now witness- no right to send a protest to the Senate against any of ed here. At a distance, our theatrical exhibitions have its proceedings. been formidable; to those present, they were nothing but a grand farce, amusing some, flattering the hopes of others; but deceiving nobody! not even the little misses who came here with their matron mothers, and bearded sires, to witness the performances of the American Senate. But enough, said Mr. B., enough of this mortifying retrospect. I close the debate on the protest message, and the deposite question, with announcing to the Senate the judgment of the age, and of posterity, which will consign to the most inglorious page of American history, the whole subject which has occupied our deliberations for the last four months. When Mr. BENTON had concluded Mr. POINDEXTER gave notice that he should, on Friday, call up the report of the Committee on the Rhode Island Election. The Senate then adjourned. THURSDAY, MAY 8. PRESIDENT'S PROTEST. Mr. KANE rose and said, he had been unexpectedly absent when the vote was taken yesterday on the resolu tions submitted by the Senators from Mississippi and Kentucky, with the amendment of the Senator from South Carolina. He asked to be permitted to record his Mr. POINDEXTER said he had desired to deliver his vote on these resolutions; and at the same time remarksentiments on the subject, but that his desire to proceed ed, that, whenever a similar indulgence should be reto the legislative business was such that he should for-quested by any Senator, provided the question should rebear. He was willing to rest his vote on the arguments main unchanged, he, for one, would cheerfully accede which had been already offered, and on none with more to it. confidence than on the argument the Senate had to-day Mr. CLAYTON observed, that he should have no obheard from the gentleman from Massachusetts, for which jection to indulging the Senator from Illinois, were it not he accorded that gentleman his sincere thanks. He for the violation of an established rule. When the bill should therefore show his desire to expedite the legisla- commonly called the Force Bill was passed, two or three tive business of the Senate, by refraining from any obser vations. Mr. FORSYTH asked for a division of the question, and expressed a desire to make some remarks. Mr. BROWN moved that the Senate now adjourn. ordered. The question was then taken, on the motion to adjourn, and decided in the negative-Yeas 12, nays 27. gentlemen were absent, who, the next morning, asked leave to record their votes in opposition to it. He suggested these reasons for not according to the gentleman's request, though he did not believe it to be a matter of importance, as the vote could not vary the result. Mr. MOORE said, he remembered that he was one of those Senators who, having been accidentally absent when the vote was taken on the Force Bill, were anxious to record their votes against it, and were refused the privilege of doing so. He was, however, not particular about the matter, though he thought the request ought not to be granted, as it would be a violation of an established rule. If the Senate adopted the motion of the Senator from Illinois, he should make a similar motion to The question was then taken on the resolutions sepa-record his vote on a question taken when he was unexrately, when they were decided in the affirmative, as fol-pectedly absent. lows, the vote being the same on each of the four resolu- The motion of Mr. KANE was then rejected without a Mr. FORSYTH then spoke at length, in reply to Mr. WEBSTER. Mr. WEBSTER briefly replied. tions: YEAS.-Messrs. Bell, Bibb, Black, Calhoun, Clay, Clayton, Ewing, Frelinghuysen, Kent, Knight, Leigh, Moore, Naudain, Porter, Poindexter, Prentiss, Preston, Robbins, Silsbee, Smith, Southard, Sprague, Swift, Tomlinson, Tyler, Waggaman, Webster.-27. NAYS.-Messrs. Benton, Brown, Forsyth, Grundy, Hendricks, Hill, King of Alabama, King of Georgia, Linn, McKean, Shepley, Tallmadge, Tipton, White, Wilkins, Wright.-16. division. MEMORIAL FROM BOSTON. Mr. BENTON presented a memorial from the city of Boston against re-chartering the Bank of the United States, and against the restoration of the deposites, and expressing the opinion that the affairs of the bank might be wound up without necessarily producing general embarrassment, or any evils the apprehension of which should prevent the National Legislature from discharging a great debt to the preslent age, and to posterity, by permitting that institution to MAY 8, 1834.] Memorial from Boston. [SENATE. expire upon the limitation of its charter. He said that the April. These importations for that brief period amountmemorial was very numerously signed, the letter which ac-ed to near eight millions of dollars. Upon this point, he companied it stating the number at upwards of three (Mr. B.) had the satisfaction to speak with certainty and thousand, and from his information and belief, comprised precision; for the Secretary of the Treasury, Mr. Taney, a mass of intelligence and respectability which entitled with a view to ascertain the specie resources of the counthe opinions expressed to the highest regard. Mr. B. try, had given orders for the weekly returns of specie said that he fully concurred in all the sentiments expressed imported and exported since the first of December last. by the memorialists, but that he would only avail himself These returns presented the gratifying result of about of the present occasion to present some considerations in seven millions eight hundred thousand dollars imported, favor of the concluding sentiment expressed by them. and less than a quarter of a million, to wit, $229,918 exThat sentiment was the expression of a belief that the ported. Here, then, was the void filled at once, or rathaffairs of the bank might be wound up, upon the expira- er provided for, before it occurred; and long before the tion of its charter, without necessarily producing any expiration of the charter, the importations of specie, and general embarrassment to the community. The belief, the product of our own gold mines, now estimated at thus expressed, by a body of citizens so numerous, so in- two millions per annum, will make up the deficiency, telligent, so respectable, inhabiting a great city, and pos- not once, but three or four times over. Mr. B. said that sessing ample means to judge of the subject, and solemn- a brief measure of legislation from Congress, if Congress ly addressed to the National Legislature, was itself an ar- could only find time to legislate, would supply the coungument, and a very strong one, in favor of the truth of try with an adequate currency of gold and silver; he their position. It was, however, susceptible of being alluded to the palpable object of raising the standard of sustained by extrinsic arguments; and of these, he would gold, and making foreign coins current at their fair present one or two to the consideration of the Senate. money value. These measures, the work of a few days' The winding up of the affairs of the bank, Mr. B. said, legislation-if we could only spare a few days to the would affect the community at two points, namely: the business of the people-would fill the country with collection of debts due the bank, and the retirement of gold and with silver. They would increase the imits notes from circulation. He spoke first of the collec-portations, great as the importations now were, and tion of these debts, and said, that in addition to the two would retain in the country a great part of what was years allowed by the charter for the bank to use its cor-imported; they would also detain for circulation the porate faculties in collecting its debts, and closing its af-mass of our native gold, the whole of which was now fairs, the institution might take as much more time as it exported. Mr. B. therefore held that the memorialists pleased, by having recourse to the ordinary and well-from Boston were well justified in expressing the opinknown alternative of all corporations on the eve of disso-ion, that the dissolution of the bank, and the winding lution, that of creating trustees, and putting its affairs up of its affairs, would not, necessarily, produce any into their hands. All corporations acted in this way, that general embarrassment to the people of the United States. choose to do so. The first Bank of the United States After a few more remarks to show that the Bank of the had done so, and had not finished the collection of its United States had diminished the quantity of circulating notes in a dozen years after its dissolution. The present medium, especially in the South and West, by collecting bank might act in the same manner, and was certainly and carrying off more specie than she furnished notes, bound to do so after the extraordinary manner in which Mr. B. concluded by the usual motion to read, print, and that institution had increased its loans after it began refer the memorial. to have reason to believe that its charter might not be renewed. There could, therefore, be no necessity for oppressing the debtors to the bank by forcing them to pay up their loans at the expiration of the charter. The available means of the bank would enable it to pay up its deposites, and redeem its circulation, and the debts would chiefly be used for the reimbursement of capital to the stockholders; and as these debts, when secured, would be bringing an interest to the stockholders, they would have no other inducement than other creditors have, to proceed harshly and rigorously against its debtors. Mr. EWING did not concur with the Senator from Missouri, in regard to the exportation and importation of specie. He had made the charge that the whole exportation of specie had been made by the bank; but the specie had not been exported without something returning in its place, and specie itself was an article of commerce. As to regulating this commerce in specie, by law, Mr. E. thought that no laws could prevent it. They might cause the importation of silver to be greater than that of gold, or vice versa; but they could not prevent exportation; it had been attempted in other countries, On the next point, the withdrawal of the notes of the and wherever it had been attempted, it had failed. The bank from circulation, be, Mr. B., believed that the exportation of specie would have taken place, if the community need not fear any necessary embarrassment Bank of the United States had not existed. If there was from that measure. The amount withdrawn would prob-no bank, the merchants would export specie to pay their ably be much less than was generally imagined, and the debts. Now, the bank gave drafts on Europe to pay void, if any, might be filled-ought to be filled-and those debts, and had exerted an equalizing power; but probably would be filled, with something very prefera- the amount of gold and silver exported in a long series ble to any description of bank notes whatsoever. The of years would be exactly the same, whether or not the bank had about seventeen millions of notes in circulation; bank existed. The bank, however, had collected and and it had about eleven millions specie in its vaults. The exported cheaper, and on better terms, than would be difference was about six millions; so that a diminution of done by private merchants. Did the gentleman suppose, six millions was all that the community had to apprehend, if the bank did not exist, that specie would have remainas the eleven millions of specie now in the bank would all ed and circulated in a greater degree in the Western be paid out, either in refunding deposites, taking up notes, country. How was it before the Bank of the United or returning the capital to the stockholders. A diminu- States existed? Why, the specie was carried up the countion of six millions is all then that will have to be provi- try from New Orleans on pack-horses. It found its way ded for; and we have the facts in hand, said Mr. B., which eastward, and would do so again. The only difference authorize us to affirm that this diminution will be far more between the period to which he had referred and the than provided for by importations of foreign specie. present, was, that now it reached the East by a cheaper These importations, in the last five months-he might mode of transportation. It went there, and would consay four months, for some of the custom-house returns, tinue to go there. But the Bank of the United States especially that of New Orleans, were only to the first of had not exported all the specie. The State banks had VOL. X.-108 SENATE.] Memorial from Boston.—President's Protest.—Cumberland Road. [MAY 8, 1834. had their share in this matter. He did not know how it Mr. BENTON. He complained of the bank dealing in was at present, but last summer the State banks had car-coin, first, because it was a breach of the charter; secondried off the specie by wagon loads. The fact was, that ly, because it was a positive injury to the country, conwe exported articles from New Orleans which brought verting the bank into a great shaving shop for specie, and specie to that place, and imported articles at the Atlantic enabling it, by its capital and organization, to monopolize cities which required to be paid for in specie. Specie that article, to raise its price, to convert it into a comwould therefore always find its way from New Orleans modity of merchandise, and to export it from the counto the Atlantic cities. Take away the facilities afforded try. This was what the bank had done. Up to 1832 it by the bank, and the merchant would have to pay both had collected above forty millions of specie from the for the time and cost of transporting that heavy article, States where she had branches, and sold or exported a specie. The censure passed by the honorable Senator large portion of it. It had collected the greatest part of from Missouri was not just; he (Mr. E.) felt satisfied that this sum from the South and West, say twenty-three milthe honorable Senator had misunderstood the operations lions up to May, 1832; and several millions since. In of the bank. place of this specie carried off from the South and West, Mr. E. said that the Senator from Missouri had replied the bank had issued small notes and checks, chiefly five to statements which he (Mr. E.) had never made. He and ten dollar notes, and these had fallen into the current (Mr. E.) had stated distinctly that it was in the power of trade, and flowed to the northeast; so that the South of the people of this country to have either a gold or and West lost both their specie and their paper by the silver currency; but that they could not prevent the ex-operations of this bank. It may have issued fifteen portation of one or the other of these articles. He had or twenty millions of paper in the South and West, of said nothing to convey the idea that this country could not which very little now remained in those sections of the have a metallic currency. He had long known that the Union, perhaps not more than three or four millions, low price of gold was the cause which deprived us of it. while the specie taken away certainly amounted to twenThe honorable Senator from Missouri seemed to think ty-three millions two years ago, and probably amounted that he (Mr. E.) contradicted the fact, that a large to thirty millions now. Certain it was, that near a million amount of specie had been taken from the West. He had of specie was taken from New Orleans last winter, which not done so; he had admitted the fact, but had said that certainly depressed the money market there, and conif the bank had not taken the specie, it would have been tributed to that depression in the price of flour and bacon withdrawn in the ordinary way of commerce. which the Senator from Ohio [Mr. EwING] mentioned a The Senator from Missouri had also stated that the few days ago. Mr. B. did not complain of the specie amount of specie taken from the Western country was which went from New Orleans and the West in the course in addition to the amount carried away through the me- of trade; what was incident to commerce must be borne dium of commercial transactions. Where was the evi- with, and is not to be counteracted by law; but he com dence of this? Such a procedure was againt the nature plained of the Bank of the United States for adding its of things; was a violation of commercial principle, and vast operations to those of commerce, and carrying off required proof. He asked if the bank had never sold twelve or fifteen millions from New Orleans, which that bills payable in the Eastern cities; if the bank had not city ought itself to use and distribute through the chansaved merchants the expense of exporting specie. How nels of its own trade. These twelve or fifteen millions, was it? In the case of a simple mercantile transaction, thus taken off by the bank, diminished the ability of the the merchant bought drafts at the bank, with which he city of New Orleans to purchase Western produce, and paid his bills in New York or Philadelphia. Otherwise was thus an injury to the whole West. It also diminished he would have to carry the money by wagon, or by pack- the supply of specie at that place, from which place the horse, as the amount might require. The bank having Western country received those metals. Mr. B. repeatsold its drafts to the amount of ten thousand dollars, sends ed, it was not of the operations of commerce that he comthe money through New Orleans, by steamboat, to Phila-plained, but of the operations of the bank, which had delphia. The country lost nothing by this, and he did engaged in the specie trade in violation of its charter, not see how that abstraction by the bank was over and and by its capital and organization, had deprived the above the regular mercantile abstraction. For this spe- South and West of, probably, thirty millions of specie, cie the Western country must have received an equiva-substituting a large issue of small notes and checks in lent. What was it? Why, the paper of the Bank of the place of that specie; these notes and checks had chiefly United States, which paper sold in his part of the coun-gone off to the Northeast; and thus the South and West, try at a premium for specie. But the honorable Senator by the operations of the bank, had suffered an actual had said that the bank had violated its charter by selling diminution of more than twenty millions of their circulaspecie. He was not disposed to discuss that subject now. ting medium. The question was, whether the country was injured by the transactions of the bank. The gentleman had asked whether he (Mr. E.) sustained the Bank of the United States in withdrawing specie from New Orleans. No, he had been complaining, all the winter, of the Executive act which had compelled the bank to do so. The gentleman had made a small mistake in his estimate of the settling of the affairs of the bank; he had forgotten eight millions of stock, which was held by parties in the West. That would be withdrawn; and it would be a long time ere confidence would be restored in the monetary system. It would be restored in time-the wound would heal itself. Mr. E. understood the gentleman to blame the bank for taking away specie, not in the course of trade, and then taking its notes in the course of trade. The whole subject of complaint was, that the bank became the carrier of money from one part of the country to another, instead of another and a more expensive agent being employed. The memorial was referred and ordered to be printed. PRESIDENT'S PROTEST. Mr. CLAYTON, who voted with the majority on the rejection of the motion of Mr. KANE, to allow him to record his vote on the resolutions of yesterday, moved a reconalso withdrawing his opposition to it; and after a slight sideration of the vote taken on that motion-Mr. MOORE discussion between Messrs. CLAYTON, MOORE, EWING, PRESTON, and CALHOUN, the Senate refused to reconsider the vote. CUMBERLAND ROAD. On motion of Mr. HENDRICKS, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of the bill for the continuation of the Cumberland road-Yeas 15, nays 10. Mr. HENDRICKS moved to amend the bill by striking out the sum of $662,400 and inserting $652,130. After a discussion by Messrs. HENDRICKS, FORSYTH, PRESTON, WHITE, and SOUTHARD, MAY 9, 1834.] Cumberland Road.-Memorial from Rhode Island. [SENATE. Mr. SWIFT submitted as an amendment to the amend- and the just hopes and expectations of the memorialists ment, "that, as soon as the sums appropriated by this shall be realized, and they shall not only know, but feel, act shall be expended, the road shall be surrendered to their country's respect and gratitude. the States through which it passes, and that the United I will not detain the Senate with a recapitulation of the States shall not be subjected thereafter to any further statements of the memorialists, but will notice one fact expense on its account." only. They state that 50,000 cotton-spindles were stop This amendment was then carried without a division, ped at the time of subscribing the memorial: at this time and the question being taken on the amendment as amend- a greater number are in that condition-100,000 have ed, it was carried; whereupon the bill was ordered to be tried the experiment, and now are standing still. The engrossed-yeas 21, nays 13, as follows: memorialists tell their own story, and have made several YEAS.-Messrs. Benton, Ewing, Frelinghuysen, statistical statements of great interest, which I move may Grundy, Hendricks, Kane, Kent, Linn, McKean, Poin- be read, and the memorial printed, and referred to the dexter, Porter, Prentiss, Robbins, Silsbee, Smith, South-Committee on Finance. ard, Swift, Tallmadge, Tipton, Tomlinson, Webster.-21. After some remarks by Mr. ROBBINS, the memorial NAYS.-Messrs. Black, Brown, Forsyth, Hill, King was read, referred, and ordered to be printed. of Alabama, King of Georgia, Leigh, Moore, Naudain, Preston, Shepley, Tyler, White.-13. On motion of Mr. POINDEXTER, the Senate took up the bill authorizing the relinquishment of the 16th sections of public lands granted for the use of schools, and the location of other lands in lieu thereof: the bill being on its third reading, it having been laid on the table on motion of Mr. POINDEXTER. Mr. CLAYTON having suggested that this bill, being an important measure, would doubtless occasion some discussion at a late hour in the day, and that there was Executive business requiring the action of the Senate, Mr. POINDEXTER moved to recommit the bill to the Committee on Public Lands; which motion was agreed to. On motion of Mr. CLAYTON, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of Executive business; and when the doors were opened, The Senate adjourned. FRIDAY, MAY 9. MEMORIAL FROM RHODE ISLAND. Mr. WEBSTER, from the Committee on Finance, reported the bill from the House of Representatives making appropriations for the army for the year 1834, with two amendments; and moved that the Senate proceed to its consideration; which was agreed to. The amendments were an appropriation of $2,000 to certain Michigan militia, to compensate for the expenses of the late war with Black Hawk. Also, $700 to Captain McGeorge's company of Indiana militia, for services in the same war. The bill being considered as in Committee of the Whole, these amendments were agreed to. Mr. BENTON then offered an amendment, appropriating $968 79 for arrearages of pay and subsistence to Col. A. R. Woolley. Mr. WEBSTER had no objection to the item; but he thought it a case of claim, and preferred that it should be made the subject of a private bill. Mr. TIPTON was not opposed to the allowance, but he was unwilling to embarrass the military appropriation bill with a claim. Mr. BENTON explained the nature of the case. It was not properly a claim, but arrearages of pay, to supply an Mr. KNIGHT said: Mr. President: I have been request-outstanding deficiency; and it had been submitted by the ed to present to the Senate the memorial of 2,238 mecha- Military Committee, in accordance with the recommendanics and artisans of the State of Rhode Island, who feel the tion of the Secretary of War, to incorporate it in the genpressure of the times, perhaps, with as great if not greater eral appropriation bill. severity than any other class of the community. The daily The amendment was disagreed to, on a division: yeas bread of many of them depends on their industry and em-11, nays 16. ployment. It is true that many of these memorialists have The rules being suspended, and the bill having been a habitation and a home-a shelter for themselves and fam-ordered to be engrossed, it was read a third time and ilies-but their chief means of support is derived from the passed. sweat of their face. It is also true that many of them are The bill for the preservation and repair of the Cumbernow unemployed, except to a small extent, compared land road was then read a third time and passed. with former years, and when employed, their wages are greatly reduced, and, consequently, their means of living more uncertain. On motion of Mr. HENDRICKS, the title was amended, by inserting the word "repairs," and striking out the words, "Indiana, Ohio, and Illinois," so as to leave the Sir, these memorialists are among the most useful class- title "A bill for the making and repairs of the Cumberes of society; their business, collectively, embraces al- land road." most all the useful arts of civilized life. Whatever is Mr. CLAYTON reported a bill, the object of which necessary or convenient, or adds to the comfort and hap-was, to reform the treatment and discipline of criminals piness of man, is the work of their hands. Among these sentenced by the United States courts, and confined in memorialists are inventors and projectors of many useful the jails and penitentiaries of the States. machines, now in use in the various manufactories of the Mr. WILKINS said there could be no objection to the country, and others are men who carry out the designs of bill. There was now a want of harmony between the the great geniuses of the age in which they live. With- treatment of prisoners sentenced by the United States out such men the inventions of an Arkwright, of a Watts, courts and those who were sentenced by the States. The and Fulton, would have been useless and almost unknown; criminals sentenced by the United States courts were now but by their skill and ingenuity the inventions of those allowed to go about the prison idle, and it was desirable great men have been improved and established, and are that they should be kept to labor, and treated in all renow the wonder and delight of the age in which we live. spects in the same manner as the other prisoners. It is deeply to be regretted that so much skill, ingenuity, The bill was read a first and second time, and ordered and capital, should be paralyzed by the hand that should to be engrossed for its third reading. have fostered and protected them. Although suffer they have, and suffer they must, I hope and trust they will survive this wreck of matter, and that their ingenuity, skill, Mr. GRUNDY objected to the adoption of the resoluand industry, will not be lost to their country, nor to them-tion. The Post Office Committee, of which he was chairselves, but that the time will come when they will revive, Iman, were engaged in a most laborious and extensive in The Senate then took up the resolution to meet at 11 o'clock for the remainder of the session. |