Mr. Underwood accordingly read the extract as follows:
‘An act for the relief of Chastelain and Pouvert, and for other purposes.
‘Be it enacted, &c. That the collector of the port of New York is hereby authorized to deduct from the amount of a bond given by Chastelain and Pouvert, for duties on merchandise imported in the schooner Gen. Jackson, Hawes, master, from Neuvitas, in the island of Cuba, such duties as may have been charged on that portion of said merchandise which was not landed in the United States, having been destroyed by fire in the harbor of New York, upon their producing proof to the collector of New York of the destruction of said merchandise.
‘And be it further enacted, That the following sums to pay the balance of accounts for which no appropriations now exist, and which have been passed upon and allowed by the proper accounting officer of the government, are now before them for audit, and for the payment of which appropriations are recommended by the heads of the proper departments, be and the same are appropriated, viz: For an award made by the proper accounting officer of the treasury in favor of the owners of the steamboats Stasca and Dayton, for services rendered under an agreement with Major Charles Thomas, quarter-master for the transportation of supplies, laborers, and other things for the use of the works at Fort Smith, Arkansas, in the year 1838, $13,350. For the payment of a balance due for supplies furnished to the Creek Indians, and medical services rendered to those Indians, after the commencement of the disturbances in the Creek country, and before and during the removal of the said Indians west of the Mississippi, which accounts were incurred under the direction of the proper officers or agents of the government, $7,741.44. For the payment of the expenses of a division of the lands of the Brothertown Indians among the members of the tribe, in obedience to the act of congress of the 3d of March, 1839, entitled, ‘An act for the relief of the Brothertown Indians in the territory of Wisconsin,’ the duties having been performed and the accounts presented, $1,830.’
Mr. Clay.—There are a great many others.
Mr. Benton.—What is the date of that act?
Mr. Clay.—It was approved July 1st, 1840; but I have one of a later date, if the honorable senator will prefer it. Here is one in 1849, entitled ‘an act for the relief of James Norris, and for other purposes:’
‘Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the secretary of the navy be, and is hereby, directed to place the name of James Norris, of Sandwich, in the state of New Hampshire, on the roll of invalid pensioners, and pay him a pension at such a rate per day as is provided by law for the total disability of an assistant surgeon in thenavy of the United States, to commence on the first day of July, A. D. 1848, and continue during his natural life.
‘Sec. 2. And be it further enacted, That there be, and hereby are appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, the following sums, for the government of the territory of Minnesota. For salaries of governor, three judges, and secretary, nine thousand dollars. For contingent expenses of said territory, three hundred and fifty dollars. For compensation and mileage of members of the legislative assembly, pay of the officers and attendants, printing, stationery, fuel, and other incidental expenses, thirteen thousand seven hundred dollars.—Approved, March 3, 1849.’
I never knew that our young sister Minnesota thought her dignity at all affected or offended by this association with James Norris. There was a civil and diplomatic bill under consideration the last session. The senator’s recollection will assist me if it were not last session. To that bill the senator from Missouri (Mr. Benton) moved to add an amendment, to pay certain expenses incurred in the conquest of California. At the second session of the thirtieth congress, the bill ‘making appropriations for the civil and diplomatic expenses of the government for the year ending June 30th, 1850, and for other purposes,’ being under consideration of the senate, Mr. Walker proposed an amendment, the object of which was to provide governments for the territory recently acquired from Mexico, including California, which was adopted; yeas 29, nays 27. At the same session, the same bill being under consideration, Mr. Walker, for the first time, proposed the amendment quoted above as agreed to; and Mr. Bell proposed an amendment to the amendment of Mr. Walker, which was disagreed to: yeas 4, nays 39.—Senate Journal, second session, Thirtieth Cong. pp. 241–’43.