ed opposition--
not yielding to every friendly request, not yielding to every urgent
demand, not yielding to every appeal--that we can expect to reform
the abuse in the administration of the government.

"At the beginning of this session, I did hope that a majority of
this House would compose such an opposition; and while on the one
hand it crushed the unholy attempt to impose an odious constitution
--by force, or with threats or bribes--upon a free people, it would
be prepared to check the reckless extravagance of the administration
in the disbursement of the public funds. But the power of party
ties and the executive influence were too potent. We can only look
now to the virtue and intelligence of the people, whose potent will
can overthrow Presidents, Senators, and majorities. I have an
abiding hope that the next House of Representatives will do what
this should have done, and become, like its great prototype, the
guardian of the rights and liberties of the people."

At the beginning of the 35th Congress I was appointed by Speaker
Orr a member of the committee on naval affairs, with Mr. Bocock as
chairman. Among the subjects referred to the committee was the
capture, by Commodore Paulding of the United States navy, of William
Walker, engaged in an armed foray against Nicaragua. It was fully
considered, and on the 3rd of February, 1858, the majority of the
committee, through Mr. Bocock, made a full report, accompanied by
the following resolutions:

"_Resolved_, That the act of Hiram Paulding, a captain of the United
States navy, in arresting General William Walker, was not authorized
by the instructions which had been given him from the navy
department.

"_Resolved_, That while we have no reason to believe that the said
Paulding acted form any improper motives or intention, yet we regard
the act in question as a grave error, and deserving, for the reason
already given, the disapproval of the American Congress."

By direction of the minority of the committee I submitted a minority
report as a substitute, as follows:

"_Resolved_, That Commodore Hiram Paulding, in arresting William
Walker and his associates, and returning them to the jurisdiction
of the United States, acted within the spirit of his orders, and
deserves the approbation of his country."

It appeared, from the documents submitted, that in September, 1857,
Walker was fitting out, within the limits of the United States, a
military expedition a