Mr. JQHISON. I move to amend the bill by striking out all utter the enacting clause and inserting the following as a substitute: That the POTUShe and he is hereby, authorized to tender to the Governor of the state of mninc. in thenanio of the U.S., for the relief of the snfferorsby the late fire in the city]of Portland, 550.000to. be used in such manner as 0 may think best. Sun. 2. Am! Abife: t, hat saidsumof,000be and the sumo is herch. appropriated, to be paid outof anymoneysin the Treasurynot otherwise appropriated. Mr. President, if a measure like this is to pass, the sooner it is done the better, The re at Portland was unexampled in its ‘de strirction, covering miles of streets, and has thrown upon the world, houseless and impov erished, 1,000s of citizens. The individual contributions that have been made throughout the U.S., I see, are not adequate to meet the immediate wants of the people. I I find that in 1827, after the occurrence of a destructive fire at Alexandria, Congress passed a bill in this language: “That the sum of 8!).000be and the some is hereby appropriated.to be paidout of any mone in the Treasury not otherwiseappropriated, for ta reliof of the indigent winners by the fire in the city of Alexandria." Prior to that time, in 1812, when a town in Venezuela was almost entirely destroyedby an earthquake, and the citizens were left Without any immediate provision, this law was passed: An act for the relief of the citizens of Venezuela. Be it enactedbythe Senate and HoRep of the U.S.A. in Congress assembled. [but the Presiilentof the U.S.be and he is hereby.authorized to cause to be purchased such provisions as he shall deem advisa lo, and to tenderthesame in the nameof the Government of the U.S. to that of Venezuela.for the relief of the citizenswho have sufferedby the late earth qu. to. SEC. 2. Abife: That a sum not exceeding$50,00h0e, and thesame is hereby. approprinted, to be paid out of any moneysin the real In not otherwise appropriated.to carry into operationthis act. Approved May 8, lfifl. And subsequently, when Ireland was so much nfilicted and brought to a state of starvation, although we appropriated no money for the purpose of relieving those who were sufferin at that time, we directed two ships of the U.S. to lie used for the purpose of transmit ting to Ireland the contributions which the citizens throughout the country made for that end, and it answered a very excellent purpose. I do not know any mode by which the moral strength of the country can be so much increased ns by these acts of charity to our citizens who by a visitation of Providence have been subjected to so sad and addictive a suffering. I hope, therefore, the bill will be passed at once.