Mr. JOHNSON. I propose to amend the resolution by adding the following as an additional section: Abife: Resolved.That a sum not exceeding i.000 is here!) appropriated. out of any money in fictlfiuly not otherwise appropriated to enable the t a President to reward, in such manner as he may deem appropriatc. the officers and crews of thosevesselst at aided in therese ueof the survivorsof saidwreck and such other persons as distinguished themselvesbyoliiecsof humanity and heroism on that occasion.the reward to be proportionateto the na ture of the efforts made and the merit of the services renderedso far as the samecan be ascertained. The resolution proposed by the ComMilAffrs is one of 2 resolutions heretofore before the Senate and adopted by a very decided vote. The Military Committee, however, on this occasion, did not report the 2nd of the original resolutions. The originalresolutions gave 1st a gold medal for the services stated, and 2ndly, as reported by the committee of the Senate, $100,000; but the appropriation of $100,000 was amended in the Senate by being reduced to $50,000. The circumstances which, in the judgment of the Senate at that time, rendered it due to the reputation of the U.S and to the aid which the parties whose names are mentioned had contnbnted to save the lives of the soldiers of the U.S., may, perhaps have ese aped the recollection of the Senate. Iwill therefore, very briefly call to the attention of the Senate now the facts as they were known to the Senate at that time and as they certainly existed. The SanFrancise o, a steamer of the U.S., left the port of NewYorkin the month of December 1853, with several hundred soldiers on board. It was apprehended at that time that there might be difficulty on the north western border; and the Government thought it advisable to have troops there. The officers carried with them their families, and the number of officers and soldiers and the fami lies of the officers and the families of some of the soldiers constituted an gregate of about 900 souls on boariif. he SanFrancise o had been out a few do s when she encountered a terrific storm, an during 6 days of that storm before any aid was received by her there were about 107 washed overboard. The storm continued with terrific violence during the whole of that period. While they were in that condition and expected all of them to be lost, almost every moment of time, one or 2 vessels hove in sight, but they refused to assist, pleading their inability to assist. believing that an attempt to render aid would be fatal to themselves, when finally the steamer 3 Bells, an English steamer commanded by Captain Creighton hove in sight. The American steamer, the SanFrancise o, was commanded by Captain Watkins, known famil iarly upon the Pacific, as the Senators from California will hear me out in saying, as commodore Watkins, a Maryland man by birth, but one who has been following the sea all his life, and for the last 15 or 20 years has been a citizen and resident of California. He coni manded her, and notwithstanding his great skill and unflinching courage and his attempt to kee up the spirits of those who were on board, it was very evident that destruction was inevitable unless assistance was soon received. In this condition of things the 3 Bells hove in sight. Distress guns were fired. As soon as the captain saw that the steamer was in peril he went to her aid. His own vessel was leaking then to the extent of making about 9 inches of water an hour. He was short of provisions. The moment he came within a distance to be communicated with directly, Captain Watkins the wind being so high that it was impossible to make himself heard, either by his own voice or with the aid of the tram etplaced upon a board in large letters what t“he captain of the 3 Bells understood to be, We are in distress; save us; we will charter your vessel.” This British captain, true to the instincts of humanity, and true, too, to the general instincts which characterize the sailor, said at once, with some surprise and some indignation, “ What does the man want? Does he suppose that I am here for the purpose of chartering my vessel to make mone ( Iam here to save all who are on board, if can, and I will lay by your vessel as long as in own will swim." The storm continued wi una bated violence, and he remained within sight, sailing round and round, (his sails having been all destroyed except one or 2 of the lighter sails) in the hopes of takin up any who might be washed overboard in 51s interim, before he could take from the impending wreck anyone of the passengers or crew. During the whole of that time it was very doubtful which would go down 1st, his own vessel or the SanFrancise o; but he succeededin keeping his own afloat. He then launched 2 of his small boats, and with those 2 boats he got off about 2 or 300, I think, from the SanFrancise o. Captain Watkins then informed him that there were a great many sick, and there were women and children on board whom he was unwilling to trust in a small boat. Captain Creighton had been afraid up to that time to launch his larger boat but be determined at all hazards to make teeffort. She was launched, the sea running mountain high, all expecting to go down on both vessels, when fortunate] for himself, and for the U.S., an for all who were on board, he succeeded in getting on board the SanFrancise o eve soul, sick and well, man, woman, and chil. Captain Watkins was the last to leave his vessel; and they had barcl got to the 3 Bells and another vessel that had hove in sight in the mean time, and who aided in etting off a part of the crew, before the SanFranciseo went down. One of the vessels, after the 3 Bells had saved some 170 or 200, came to their aid and with great humanity and daring skill tooksome 100 of the passengers. They were on their way to Europe, and they carried them to Euro ie. The 3 Bells sailed for NewYork. She was a great many days in getting to NewYork. She was kept afloat by the untiring exertions of the crew, for she was making water at the rate of 9 inches an hour. She was short of provisions, and she was obliged to put all on oard upon short allowance; and in order to take care of those who were received on board she was compelled to throw overboard the whole of her cargo that was under deck, it being impossible to accommodate the rese ued above dec, it being absolutely necessary to give them the protection which they would have by being under deck. He immediately made for NewYork. Hewas 6 days in reaching that port. When he did reach it, he had but a very small quantit of water; it would not have lasted another dyay; and he had been compelled to place the assengers and crew upon an allowance, each i, of 2 ounces of water, half a bise uit, and one ounce of bacon, during the whole of the 6 days that he was making the port of NewYork. On his arrival at NewYork, he had but 50 gallons of water and he landed in NewYork 300 passengers, men, women, and children. Perhaps Senators do not bear in mind the scene which took place upon the arrival of the vessel at NewYork, and the solicitudo that was felt for the fate of the vessel before the arrival of the passengers. He was feted in NewYork the moment of his arrival. The Government paid for the loss of the cargo;, but so signal was the service of rese uing from inevitable death some 6 or 700 soldiers of the U.S., having with them many of the wives and children belongin to the men and the officers, that the Senate of the U.S., upon the 0th of February, 1854, passed a resolution identical with the one now reported to the Senate by the ComMilAffrs, and soother resolution, after reducin the amount originally named in it, identic with the resolution that I now offer to the report of the committee. As the Senate committee at that time reported the 2nd resolution, they gave $100,000. Pending the consideration of the subject in the Senate it was reduced to $50,000; and I propose new that the Senate should adopt what the Senate adopted then, by a vote, I think, of 27 yea: to 16 uays. The Senate, perhaps, may have forgotten, even those who card at the time of this val uable service, the great enthusiasm which was manifested throughout all the commercial cities upon the arrival of the British vessel with a plortion of the passengers of the lost vessel in NewYork. The others that were taken on board by one of the other vessels that came to the rese uewere safely carried to Liverpool, and found their way back to this country. Captain Creighton, of the 3 Bells, was feted in NewYork. Every demonstration of titude was shown him. The Senate of the U.S., by a very large majority, deeming it due to him, and to the others who had contributed in saving some 7 or 800 officers and men of the Army of the U.S and their families, passed a resolution such as is now reported by the ComMilAffrs, With the other resolution which I now propose by way of amendment. I so pose many Senators may now have freshly before them, when the subject is called to their recollection, the enthusiastic joy with which the arrival of the 3 Bells was received at the port of NewYork, and the tidings that some 3 or 400 of the rese ued of the bill fated ship were on their way, perhaps in safet, to Euro c. Captain Crei liton was feted al through NewYork by near y all the societies engaged commercial y. Every possible honor was evinced toward him. The heart of the nation gushed with gratitude for such services, and the passage in this body it failing in the other hfbuse only for want of time of a resolution such as is now reported by the Military Committee, with the addition which I propose now as an amendment, was hailed with grateful joy, as I well remember, by the people of the U.S. It was a tribute due, not only for the humanity evinced by the parties who were engaged in the rese ue, but for the daring allautry they displayed, and the imminent ris 1 they ran of losing their own lives in an effort to save the lives of citizens of the U.S. The whole nations heart gushed with rati tude for such distinguished services, an the passage of a resolution distributing $50,000, as well as a gold medal, was hailed, as I remember, with unmin led joy throughout every portion of the U.S. At that time, Mr. President, it was a matter comparatively unimportant to the captains of these 3 vessels, and particularly the captain of the British vessel, whether the gratitn e of the nation should be evinced in a ecuniary way or not; but he was engaged in the American trade; he has always been an enthusiastic admirer of the American character, and has felt, as I know an earnest solicitude for the success of the HU.S. in the rebellion through which she has so happily and gloriously passed and in consequence of that very rebelhon he has been reduced almost to pov erty. He is now here, and has been here for many months, and he seeks at the hands of Congress some valuable manifestation of their recognition of the services rendered without the slightest view at that time to anytion recogjni of them of a pecuniary character at now, when the recent unfortunate condition of the country has placed him in a situation of comparative want, ie is willingto receive, anx ious to receive, and as I think the honor and character of the U.S. require that he should receive some substantial manifestation of the gratitude which the U.S. owe to him as a gallant sailor, looking to no other reward at the time than that which flows from a noble action performed in the cause of hu manity. He is now anxious to receive the comparative pittance which the amendment I have proposed will give him, when divided between the 3 who were engaged in the humane cffort. As I have said, about 170 were washed overboard before he could come to the rese ue; but he, and the others who came afterward to his aid, saved some live or 600 lives of officers and soldiers of the U.S and several of the families of the officers and the soldiers; and I remember as if it were but yesterday, although I was not in the councils of the nation at that time, with what joy the passage by the Senate of the resolution, such as it wi lbe if you adopt the amendment I have proposed, was hailed throughout the U.S. It was hailed as a mani festalion of national gratitude for distinguished services, rendered at the imminent peril of life, not only of himself but of his crew, and at the certain destruction of the cargo which was in trusted to his charge; and the answer that the man gave when, misunderstanding the tele gra by that Catain Watkins sent him by means of the board which he held up, (a telegraph, as he supposed, indicating the opinion of Wat kins that he would not lay by his vessel except on the promise of some reward.) evinced the character of the true sailor. “What does the man mean?" was his indignant reply. substantially he said, “ HereI will remain; and if it be possible I will save all on board the evidently sinkiu vessel or lose my own life in the effort, ” an he succeeded. The book that I hold in my hand, which the honest and bold and humane sailor has kept by him from that time to this, is filled with manifestations of the nations gratitudeand he was able to save from the elements the letter that was thrown overboard by Captain Watkins, which I will trouble the Senate by reading. It was picked up at sea: SrnxsairJa SnAuNarFyas1s, crse o. 155 1. DRAB CAPTAIN: We are in great distress. Do not leave us. We have already lost about 180 of our number. washed overboard. We haveU.S. troops on board and the commanding officer will charter your ship. We have plenty of water and provisions on board. We now number about 420. all told. I find it too rough to do anything with our rafts; they are madeand waiting a calm. Yours. 550., JAMES T. WATKINS. Captain. That was on the 1st of January, 1854; and this noble and humane as all noble men are sailor remained, at the imminent peril of his life and the lives of all those who were on board of his own ship and of the loss of his ship alongside during the terrific storm that lasted for 6 days, during the whole of the 6 days, and he succeeded in rese uing every living soul left on board on the 1st of January; and I remember (and I recollect the proud feeling with which I received the information) the de light with which the vote given by the Senate on the occasion thrilled the public heart of the nation. 6 or 700 soldiers of the U.S. destined to the furthest Territory of the U.S. to maintain the honor of its flag were rese ued not only from imminent but certain death by the gallantry of this English captain and his noble officers and crew, and the disappointment, if disappointment was felt at all at the passage of the resolution through the Senate, was that the amount given was not the amount recommended by the committee. The committee recommended $100,000; and it was amended in the Senate by beingreduced one half; and it only failed of receiving the sanction of the other House for want of time. After that, not wanting the money, this Englishman, or rather Scotchman, I believe, by birth, went a on his own way rejoicing in that which gave ini more satisfaction than money could at that time have given him, that he had contributed so much to save so man fellow bein s, and especially to save the soldiers and saiers of the U.S and their families, and everywhere where the tidings reached of what the Senate of the U.S. had done in manifestation of their gratitude for the distinguished service he had rendered the U.S. by saving the lives of her soldiery, it was hailed with delightful gratitude everywhere. Money then was to him of little or no account; but he has suffered now because of our trouble. His trade was with us; the rebellion through which we have so happily and gloriously passed in a great measure, broke it up; he is now year; until although at the time the service was rendered he had not the remotest idea of ever appealing to the gratitude of the U.S. for compensation for an act which he did from an impulse of pure humanity and at the risk of his life, he asks at the hands of the U.S. some small compensation for that peril now when the troubles in which we have been engaged and during which no one I have reason to e lieve more solicitonsly watched over us than he did for he was always a true friend of the U.S. have placed him in a condition of almost entire poverty. Now, I propose in behalf of him and of others who were engaged in the same noble and humane undertafring that we manifest our gratitude to a heroism unsurpassed; the sea was running mountain high, threatening toingulf him and his crew, his ship leaking and making water at the rate of 9 inches an hour, and be unable to keep her afloat except by the untiring exertions of himself and his crew. I ask in his behalf, and as a debt due to humanity; Iask in behalf of the officers and soldiers who were saved through his gallantry and the gallantry of 2 others who came to the rese ue, that we shall, when we are able and he is poor, manifest our gratitude by contribu tin what will render, perhaps, the remainder of his days comparatively happy. The amendment was agreed to. The JtResolution was reported to the Senate as amended, and the amendment was concurred in. The JtResolution was orderengross for a 3rd reading, was read the 3rd time, and passed. LAKE PORTAGE SHIP CANAL.