ever unfounded and unworthy of notice they have been shown to be, the committee believe a service has been rendered to the institutions of our country, and to the decencies and hospitality of private life, in exposing them to the contempt they merit. The committee confine themselves, in this report, to the results established by the testimony, in which they unanimously concur. The testimony itself is set out in the minutes of the proceedings; and the committee have to say that all the witnesses summoned before them testified readily and frankly, except one, (a Mr. G. T. M. Davis,) who had acknowledged himself to be the writer of the extract of a letter copied into the Daily Times from the Missouri Republican, and charging corruption and British collusion on Senators and Representatives. After naming a Senator as being alluded to in the charge, and admitting that he had no personal knowledge of its truth, he refused to go on with his testimony unless allowed to repeat the hearsay of some person whom he refused to name, and who also refused to sign his own deposition as written down by himself, and in which no error was suggested. This individual was notified to attend this day, that the Senate, if it saw fit, might take some order with respect to him; but the committee propose nothing, believing that the vindication of the Senator named from the charge made against him, and all the ends of justice, will be fully accomplished by the publication of the accuser's own testimony, as far as it went. In conclusion, the committee have to remark that the editor of the Times (Mr. H. H. Robinson) declared that he was the writer of all the articles referred to in his paper, except the quoted extract from the Missouri Republican, and that he has no personal knowledge of the truth of anything he wrote in the said articles. In execution of that part of their duty, under the Senate's order, which required the committee to report what "measures" are proper for the vindication of the honor and character of the Senate, they believe it to be sufficient, in this case, to recommend the printing of this report, and of all the testimony taken by the committee; and that the editor and the publisher of the Times (Mr. H. H. Robinson and Mr. J. E. Dow) and their reporters be excluded from the gallery of the Senate reporters." The report was read; and, on the motion of Mr. Johnson, of Maryland, concurred in. On motion by Mr. Benton, Ordered, That the report, with the testimony taken by the committee, be printed. A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. French, their Clerk: Mr. President: The House of Representatives have passed a bill (H. R. 232) further to amend "An act supplementary to an act to fix the value of certain moneys of account in computation at the custom-house," approved March 3d, 1845; in which they request the concurrence of the Senate. The said bill was read the first and second times, by unanimous consent, and referred to the Committee on Commerce. The Senate resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration of the resolution (S. R. 1) advising the President of the United States to give notice to the government of Great Britain that the government of the United States will, in virtue of the second article of the convention of the , A. D. 1827, between the two governments, relative to the ory, annul and abrogate that convention: and, presented a petition of citizens of Paulding county, Ohio, ction of the price of the public lands in that county: which the Committee on Public Lands. n presented the petition of Newbold N. Prichett and Comto be allowed to take out a patent for the discovery of a mode the tea plant: which was referred to the Committee on PatPatent Office, and ordered to be printed. sented a petition of citizens of New York, praying the abroreaties of December, 1838, and May, 1842, with the Seneca h was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. sented the petition of Halstead, Haines, and Company, merw York, praying the reimbursement of duties alleged to gally exacted by the collector of New York on certain goods em: which was referred to the Committee on Finance. sented a petition of owners and masters of vessels navigating ing the construction of a harbor at the mouth of the Sheboyich was referred to the Committee on Commerce. presented the petition of the widow of John T. King, deg compensation for the services of her late husband as penEast Tennessee: which was referred to the Committee on submitted additional documents relating to the petition of K. Cheatham: which were referred to the Committee of ridge presented a petition of citizens of Berrien county, ying the establishment of a mail route from Niles to New t State: which was referred to the Committee on the Post =t Roads. Reed. That the rep by order of the Se Cd and directed to ca submitted an additional document in relation to the petition mpion and William S. Derring: which was referred to the Public Lands. n, of Louisiana, submitted the following resolution; which 1, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: 'hat the Secretary of the Treasury be instructed to report to condition of the new building intended for a marine hospileans; the sum required to complete the building; the sum by the United States for rent of the building now used as tal in that city; and also an account of the expenses attendshment per month, specifying the different items of said ex submitted the following resolution; which was considered, consent, and agreed to: hat the Committee on the Judiciary inquire into the exxtending the admiralty and maritime jurisdiction of the he memorial of th al of the member drawn appropriat e court for the e strict of New Jerse reported the follow Fred, That the p Ashley, from the tion of Nahum an bail of Thaddeu and passed to the On motion by M Ordered, That the the further consi mer. Mr. Thomas Clayto Thom was referred t am Alexander, L ordered to be prin district courts of the United States to cases arising on the navigable waters of the United States. Mr. Speight submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making an appropriation to aid the State of Mississippi in rebuilding the marine hospital at Vicksburg, Mr. Johnson, of Louisiana, submitted the following resolution for consideration: Resolved, That the reporters of the Senate who have seats assigned them, shall be furnished with one copy each of such documents, reports, &c., of which an extra number are furnished, over the regular number printed by order of the Senate. Mr. Bagby submitted the following resolution for consideration: Resolved, That after Monday next the Senate will meet at 11 o'clock, a. m. Mr. Breese submitted the following resolution for consideration; Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be, and he is hereby, authorized and directed to cause the maps, now in the room of the Committee on Public Lands of the Senate, and compiled from the actual surveys, to be finished so as to render them useful for the purposes for which they were originally intended: Provided, if the same cannot be finished with the force now at the disposal of the said Secretary, in the General Land Office, then, and in that case, additional force be employed for that purpose. Mr. Ashley submitted the following resolution for consideration: Resolved, That hereafter the Senate will sit on Fridays until otherwise ordered, and will appropriate that day exclusively to the consideration of the bills and joint resolutions on the general orders of the Senate, proceeding according to the order in which they stand thereon. On motion by Mr. Benton, Ordered, That five thousand copies of the report of the select committee, with the accompanying testimony, on the charges contained in the Daily Times, be printed for the use of the Senate. Mr. Ashley, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom were referred the memorial of the members of the bar of Philadelphia, and the memorial of the members of the bar of New Jersey, in favor of distributing the undrawn appropriation for the salary of the associate justice of the supreme court for the eastern and western districts of Pennsylvania and the district of New Jersey, among the district court judges for those districts, reported the following resolution: Resolved, That the prayer of the memorialists ought not to be granted. Mr. Ashley, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the petition of Nahum Haskell, reported a bill (S. 123) for the relief of certain bail of Thaddeus P. Haskell, of the State of Vermont: which was read, and passed to the second reading. On motion by Mr. Phelps, Ordered, That the Committee on Revolutionary Claims be discharged from the further consideration of the petition of the heirs of Gustavus B. Horner. Mr. Thomas Clayton, from the Committee on Revolutionary Claims, to whom was referred the memorial of the representatives of Major General William Alexander, Lord Stirling, submitted an adverse report: which was ordered to be printed. 1, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was I (S. 35) authorizing persons to whom reservations of land e under Indian treaties, to alienate the same in fee, reported ndment. 1, from the Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom was proceeded to consider the resolution submitted by Mr. R. 260) to repeal the act requiring one of the judges of the at it pass to a third reading. I was read a third time, by unanimous consent. hat this bill pass. at the Secretary notify the House of Representatives accor on (S. R. 17) for the relief of Peter Gorman, having been hat the Secretary request the concurrence of the House of s in this resolution. resumed, as in Committee of the Whole, the consideration on (S. R. 1) advising the President of the United States to Great Britain that the government of the United States will, second article of the convention of the 6th of August, A. D. the two governments, relative to the Oregon Territory, annul hat convention: and, on by Mr. Archer, adjourned. WEDNESDAY, MARCH 18, 1846. esented the petition of D. F. Manice, partner of Manice, ompany, and Manice, Gould, and Company, merchants of aying the repayment of certain duties alleged to have been d by the collector of that port: which was referred to the Finance. sented a petition of citizens of New York, praying the abroreaties of December, 1838, and May, 1842, with the Seneca h was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. ented a memorial of citizens of Pittsford, New York, praying fortifications at Rochester, in that State: which was referred cee on Military Affairs. red, in the settlemen the publication by sented the memorial of Henry R. Schoolcraft, praying to be All non-commissi aak of captain, shal mong themselves. All officers abov ent of the United provided, that e officers or mer ale from the office ch. Officers to drill t not exceeding one Each company On motion by M dered, That the re email between the .Ashley, from the memorial of M. H itted a report, ac sentative of Thom allowed, in the settlement of his accounts, a credit for certain disbursements, and compensation for extra services as Indian agent in Michigan: which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. Mr. Allen presented the memorial of Marie Loubet, representative of John Baptiste, Viscount de Lomague, deceased, an officer in the revolutionary army, praying to be allowed commutation pay: which was referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Claims. Mr. Dayton presented the memorial of the New Jersey Historical Society, praying the publication by Congress of an increased number of copies of the scientific works of the exploring expedition: which was referred to the Committee on the Library. Mr. Semple submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Private Land Claims be instructed to inquire into the rights of the ancient French inhabitants of Peoria, in the State of Illinois, to lands and lots at that place; and if it shall be found that they had rights to lands or lots which have not been confirmed, then to inquire and report what action is necessary to be taken to confirm those rights. Mr. Semple submitted the following resolution; which was considered, by unanimous consent, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on the Militia be instructed to inquire into the expediency of organizing the militia of the United States on the following bases, to wit: 1st. Within each and every district containing one thousand free white male citizens of the United States over the age of twenty-one, and under the age of fifty years, there shall be raised, by voluntary enrolment or otherwise, one company of one hundred militia men, to be organized and disciplined as may be provided by law, and the whole, or any part of them, may be called into the service of the United States whenever Congress may order it. 2d. Whenever any part of the militia shall be called into the service of the United States, they shall be bound to serve for five years, unless sooner discharged. 3d. All non-commissioned officers, and officers of the line, as high as the rank of captain, shall be elected by the men composing each company from among themselves. 4th. All officers above the rank of captain shall be appointed by the President of the United States, by and with the advice and consent of the Senate; provided, that no officer shall be appointed unless he be taken from the officers or men composing the militia, and all promotions shall be made from the officers or from the ranks according to merit. 5th. Officers to drill by regiments once a year, and to receive time, not exceeding one week. pay for the 6th. Each company to drill once a year, or oftener if they think proper. On motion by Mr. Niles, Ordered, That the report of the Postmaster General on the transportation of the mail between the United States and foreign countries be printed. Mr. Ashley, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the memorial of M. H. De Leon, executor of Thomas Cooper, deceased, submitted a report, accompanied by a bill (S. 124) to refund to the legal representative of Thomas Cooper a fine imposed under the sedition law. |