sentiment held by men, without reason and without argument; nothing but a sentiment, and not a very wholesome sentiment either.' It is difficult to characterize an expression like this, coming from the representative of a free state, without transcending the limits of parliamentary order. 'A sentiment!' Yes, sir, a sentiment! It is a sentiment which the Almighty has implanted deeply in the human heart, and no earthly pow er can eradicate it. It may be insulted, and overborne, and trampled in the earth, but, thank God, it can never be extinguished. The fires of martyrdom have been kindled often to subdue it, but in vain; it has seemed to expire on many a battle field, but only to revive with new energy and beauty. It is the spirit of liberty, which is inherent in the soul of man. It is the sentiment which has inspired the friends of freedom in every age. Why, sir, it was a sentiment' which impelled the Pilgrims to encounter the perils of the ocean, and the privations of a life in the wilderness, to establish freedom of conscience, and secure civil liberty for themselves and their posterity. The American Revolution was the offspring of a sentiment; the right of man to self-government is a sentiment. Let the gen tleman sneer; it is a sentiment as eternal as the throne of Divine Justice from which it emanates. It may never warm the heart of that gentleman; he may speak of it in tones of levity and ridicule; but, fortunately, a general truth is not weakened by individual exceptions."

At an early day in the present session, Mr. Hunt gave notice of his intention to introduce the following joint resolution, which, on the 7th of January, was introduced accordingly by him, and was passed unanimously (excepting only one negative voice): "Joint Resolution expressive of the thanks of Congress to Major-general Winfield Scott and the troops under his com mand, for their distinguished gallantry and good conduct in the campaign of 1847.

"Resolved unanimously by the Senate and House of Rep resentatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the thanks of Congress be, and they are hereby presented to Winfield Scott, major general commanding in chief the army in Mexico, and, through him, to the officers and men of the regular and volunteer corps under him, for their uniform

gallantry and good conduct, conspicuously displayed at the siege and capture of the city of Vera Cruz and castle of San Juan d'Ulloa, March 29, 1847, and in the successive battles of Cerro Gordo, April 18th, Contreras, San Antonio, and Churubusco, August 19th and 20th, and for the victories achieved in front of the city of Mexico, September 8th, 11th, 12th, and 13th, and the capture of the metropolis, September 14th, 1847, in which the Mexican troops, greatly superior in numbers, and with every advantage of position, were, in every conflict, signally defeated by the American arms.

"Resolved, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby requested to cause to be struck a gold medal, with devices emblematical of the series of brilliant victories achieved by the army, and presented to Major-general Winfield Scott, as a testimony of the high sense entertained by Congress of his valor, skill, and judicious conduct in the memorable campaign of 1847.

"Resolved, That the President of the United States be requested to cause the foregoing resolutions to be communicated to Major-general Scott in such terms as he may deem best calculated to give effect to the objects thereof."

The several propositions introduced into Congress for the relief of the Irish people under their recent terrible visitation, have been made matter of some controversy. The first movement was made by Mr. Hunt. On the 10th of February, 1847, in pursuance of notice previously given, he introduced, by leave of the House, the following bill, which was read twice by its title, and referred to the Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union:

"A Bill for the Relief of Ireland.

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the Secretary of the Treasury be authorized and directed to expend the sum of five hundred thousand dollars in the purchase of articles of subsistence for the people of Ireland, now suffering from famine, and in paying the cost of transporting such articles to proper agents in Ireland, for gratuitous distribution; and that said sum be paid out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated."

The reference of the bill, under the one hundred and thirtieth rule, which requires that "all proceedings touching appropriations of money shall be first discussed in a committee of the whole House," was sooner or later unavoidable. It is, in fact, little better than a burial of the dead to give to any measure that direction, unless it has strong claims upon the favorable consideration of the House. It is worse, if possible, than placing a resolution among the business on the speaker's table— which Mr. Adams once designated as the "Limbo of Vanity and Paradise of Fools"-so little chance is there of any thing that goes there being ever heard of again. At a subsequent period, Mr. Hunt made an earnest effort to bring the House to its consideration, but failed.

On the 26th of the same month, Mr. Crittenden, in the Senate, pursuant to previous notice, introduced the following bill:

"A Bill to provide some Relief for the suffering People of Ireland and Scotland.

"Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States of America, in Congress assembled, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized to cause to be purchased such provisions as he may deem suitable and proper, and to cause the same to be transported and tendered, in the name of the government of the United States to that of Great Britain, for the relief of the people of Ireland and Scotland, suffering from the great calamity of scarcity and famine.

"And be it further enacted, That the sum of five hundred thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated, out of any money in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, to carry into effect this act.

"And be it further enacted, That the President of the United States be, and he is hereby authorized, at his discretion, to employ any of the public ships of the United States for the transportation of the provisions to be purchased as aforesaid.”

The phraseology was subsequently modified by Mr. Crittenden, on the suggestion of Mr. Webster, so as to make the act a tender in the name of the people of the United States to the people of Ireland and Scotland, and not of one government to

the other.

The bill was met by some objections both as to constitutionality and expediency, but was read a first and second time, and was eloquently advocated by Mr. Crittenden, Mr. Cass, and Mr. John M. Clayton. On the following day it was passed, Mr. Hannegan, Mr. Webster, and Mr. Dayton appealing to the Senate in its behalf, and answering objections which were raised by Mr. Butler, Mr. Westcott, Mr. Mason, Mr. Niles, and Mr. Bagby. The vote stood twenty-seven in the affirmative and thirteen in the negative.

On the 1st of March (the intervening day having been Sunday), the bill was taken up in the House, and had its first and second reading in the usual way. A motion was made by Mr. George W. Jones, of Tennessee, that it be laid upon the table, but the House rejected the motion by a vote of eighty-four against seventy-four.

The Congressional Globe says:

"Mr. Levin moved that the said bill be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, with the following instructions: "Whereas the proposed relief for Ireland can not even apply an emollient to the evil, and is designed to afford food for party vultures to feed upon rather than bread for the starving people of Ireland:

"And whereas the people of the United States themselves are contributing in the most liberal manner to afford that aid which the Congress of the United States can not constitutionally grant:

"And whereas there are thousands of American poor who are excluded from the benefit of American alms-houses and poorhouses because of the influx of foreign paupers and criminals who now fill them to overflowing:

"And whereas the American poor have claims upon the American government equal to those in a foreign land; therefore,

"Be it enacted, That the like sum of five hundred thousand dollars be, and the same is hereby appropriated, out of any moneys in the treasury not otherwise appropriated, for the purchase of fuel and flour for the benefit of such American poor as may be found in a state of distress; and the President of the United States is hereby directed to distribute the same in such manner and in such proportion as he may deem expedient.'

"The speaker decided that the motion to refer, with these instructions, was not in order.

"Mr. Levin appealed from this decision, and the question being put, Shall the decision of the chair stand as the judgment of the House?' it was decided in the affirmative.

"Mr. Carroll moved that the bill be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, with instructions to report the same forthwith.

"Mr. Washington Hunt* moved to commit the bill to a Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union, and make it the special order of the day for two o'clock this day, and moved the previous question.

"The speaker ruled the motion out of order.

"Several points of order and inquiries were here made, after which

"The speaker said he had decided the motion of Mr. Hunt to refer the bill to the Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union out of order, as the motion to refer to the Committee of Ways and Means took precedence. This was an erroneous decision; the motion to commit to a Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union took precedence of all other motions to refer, and the question would, accordingly, be first put on Mr. Hunt's motion.

"Mr. Boyd inquired what would be the effect of the previ ous question, if seconded.

"The speaker said it would bring the House to a direct vote on committing the bill to the Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union.

"The previous question was seconded, and the main question ordered, namely, Shall the bill be committed to a Committee of the Whole on the State of the Union?'

"It was decided in the negative, yeas 69, nays 107. "The question recurred on referring the bill to the Committee of Ways and Means, the previous question still operating.

"Mr. Carroll inquired if the question on the amendment to the motion to refer to the Committee of Ways and Means, namely, with instructions to report the bill forthwith,' was not to be put.

"The chair stated it was not, as Mr. Carroll had withdrawn it. * This motion is erroneously assigned on the journal to Mr. Boyd, of Kentucky.