1st Session. No. 38. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES. JANUARY 17, 1854.-Submitted and ordered to be printed. MR. ADAMS made the following REPORT. [To accompany Bill S. 127.] The Committee on Indian Affairs, to whom, on the 4th of January, 1854, was referred the petition of John Phagan, do respectfully report: That, having examined the said petition and having found the facts set forth to be true, as appears from the official records of the Indian Bureau and the War Department, they do recommend that the sum of four hundred and forty-four dollars be paid said John Phagan, in full of his claim; but that so much of said petition be rejected as relates to the interest upon the same, and for a full statement of the facts refer to the petition and to the exhibits hereto, marked C, D, and E, copied from the records of the War Department and the Bureau of Indian Affairs. 1st Session. No. 39. IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES. JANUARY 17, 1854.-Ordered to be printed. Mr. MALLORY made the following REPORT. [To accompany Bill S. 128.] The Committee on Navai Affairs, to whom were referred the memorial and accompanying papers of Captain Hiram Paulding, U. S. Navy, praying that the proper accounting officers of the treasury may be directed to adjust his accounts and pay him certain sums of money disbursed by him, and specifically set forth in his memorial, has had the same under consideration, and report: Captain Paulding was assigned to the command of the new frigate St. Lawrence, by the Secretary of the Navy, in the year 1848, and ordered upon special and independent service, having reference to the then political difficulties on the continent of Europe. A copy of the Secretary's order is herewith appended. The difficulties in regard to Holstein and Schleswig, and a general revolutionary movement throughout Germany, and the pending struggle between Austria and Hungary, seemed to call for the presence of a naval force in the northern part of Europe, to which the cruising ground of the Mediterranean squadron could not be extended. Under this order, the St. Lawrence arrived at Southampton in December, 1848, where she was received, as the representative of the United States, with distinguished honors by all classes of people. The municipal authorities visited the ship, and presented to Captain Paulding an engrossed resolution, sealed with the seal of the borough of Southampton, passed by them unanimously, inviting the officers to a banquet. Upon the landing of the first boat from the ship, the British flag from the pier-head was lowered, and that of the United States hoisted in its place; and every mark of kindness and honorable welcome in their power was exhibited while the ship lay there. It was the first opportunity our naval officers ever had of accepting similar attentions from the authorities or people of Great Britain upon their own soil. Captain Paulding regarded all these demonstrations not as mere idle or personal civilities, but as designed to express towards the government of the United States those kindly feelings and generous sympathies of the people of England which it is manifestly our interest to cultivate, and which he did not feel himself justified to disregard. In return for the civilities thus extended to his flag and officers, Captain Paulding received the visits of the authorities and people of the borough on board the ship, and the expense attending the courtesies thus extended was defrayed by the purser of the ship, as a proper expenditure in behalf of the government under the orders of the memorialist, and amounted to the sum of $963 92. The ship next proceeded through the channel to the north sea, to Bremerhaven, the port of Bremen. Here the Arch Duke of Oldenburg, with a numerous suite, in accordance with his previous notification to Captain Paulding, visited the ship, and was received in a manner, and by an entertainment, suitable to his rank; and successively the senate of Bremen, with a numerous suite of from seventy to one hundred, and many of the most distinguished persons of Germany, the Queen of Greece, the Duke of Oldenburg, with his royal family, and Prince Stephen of Austria, the Baron Von Gagern, late president of the imperial parliament of Frankfort, and Duckwitz, minister of the German marine, were received on board and entertained. In the summer of 1849, deputations from the Prussian government and from the parliament of Frankfort were recommended to Captain Paulding, with reference to the formation of a German navy, and visited the ship, by which expense was also incurred. The ship thence proceeded to Stockholm. Here Count Platen, king's chamberlain, minister of marine, and the representative of the sovereign authority in the absence of the king, with a numerous suite of distinguished persons, was received on board and entertained. The aggregate of expenses thus incurred in the entertainment, on board the ship, of these and numerous other visitors, was $3,653 92, of which sum the amount of $2,690 was expended in the entertainment of the civil and military officers of the governments of the countries visited by the ship, and who were received on board by their request. The balance was expended at Southampton in entertaining the municipal authorities and the people of that borough, as heretofore stated. Of the obligation of the government to pay the amount just stated, your committee does not entertain a doubt. No commander of a public vessel abroad is at liberty, unless under peculiar circumstances, to decline such visits as were made to the St. Lawrence by the sovereign authorities of countries with which it is our interest to cultivate amicable relations. The interchange of such civilities exercises a decided and beneficial influence, while, at the same time, the naval preparation and efficiency of our country is most wisely and humanely displayed; and for the payment of this sum your committee refers to the action of Congress in similar cases. [See naval appropriation act of February 20, 1833, section 5, allowance to master commandant John D. Sloat, $1,360. Civil and diplomatic appropriation act of March 2, 1833, allowance to Captain Daniel Turner of $1,182 78, and to Captain George W. Storer, $500. Act of July 7, 1838, for the relief of Captain Daniel T. Patterson, allowing him $3,391; and act of June 17, 1844, for the relief of Captain Chas. W. Morgan, allowing him $4,200.] Your committee is not aware of any precedent for the payment of the last specification. Its expenditure, however, took place under peculiar circumstances, at an interesting and exciting period of the political movements of Europe, and was governed by the most patriotic considerations. The ancient borough of Southampton pass, by the acclama |