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Congressional

Congressional image
Parent Issue
Day
9
Month
January
Year
1847
Copyright
Public Domain
OCR Text

In the House Dec. 21, Mr. Thomasoi presented n resolution, with a long preamble declaring the acquisition of territo ry by conquest not absolately necessary for our self protection, being repugnan to the genius of our republican constitution, and to require from a conquered nation, payment for the expenses of the war wffich was unjust, and that when Mexico makes her reparaiion for acknowledged ndebtedness and establishes the Rio Grande os a boundarv, the conquered territory should be restored to her. Mr. T. called for a suspension of ihe rules to receive the resolulion. The House refusbd to suspend the rules 33 to 38. John Y. Masón of Va. has been confirmed as Secretary of the Navy, vice Geo. Bancroft, resigned. The bill reported in the House by the Committee on Territories to establish a Territorial Government in Oregon, is a verbatim copy of that which passed the House at the last session of Congress, with the exception of a single section. - Instead of "the prohibition of slavery and involuntary servitude, except for crimesr" in the territory, the committee reported a new section imposing all the restrictions and allowing all the privileges granted to the people of the North West territories under the ordnance of 1787. Mr. Boyd of Ky., has introduced in the House, a bill to increase the compensation of the privates in the U. S. army. - It provides that from and after the first of May last, the pay of each non-commissioned o(Kcer, musician and private, hall be increased one dollar per month. All who have volunieered for six months nd served in the field three, shall be enijlieé to 160 acres of land. Those w!;o have, or shall volunteer for twelvc, and go into ctual service, shall be entitled to the same quantity, wilh the privilege of locating t in any unsold tracts belonging to the United States. The same provisions aro made in reference to the noncommissioned oiïïcers, and prívales of the regular army, who were in service on the first of May last, and shall continue to the end of the war, or till they are honprably diacharged.== P In the Senate, Dec. 28, a message wa: , received from the President, but waa no ■ read. Petitions complaining of the res duction of duly on foreïgn sugars and mo , lasses ttere prersernted. The Vice Presi dent signed the bill admitting Iowa into i the Union. The bill io purchase the pa- pers of Alexander Hamilton passed 26 to 12, In the House, the message debate was continued by Messrs. Sawyer and Baker, and it was resolved, 92 to 77, to close the debate the next day at 3 o'clock. The Speaker signed the Iowa ndmission bill, A joint resolution was offcred to refund fo the sevc-al states the money spent in raising volunteers- referred to the military commiitee. Gen. Leslie Coombs of Kentuckj', is at Washington, urging upon Congress a claim of about .$70,000 fur money which he loaned Texas in 1838-9, receiving a pledge of the cusioms of that republic as socurity. The United States having taken the customs he insists that they should pny the debt. The proceedings have been enlivened by a regular quarrel, afier the mostapproved faslu'on of the slaveholders. A letter writer tells the story thus : 11 The scène in the House, yesterday, has resulted in a challenge to fighf a duel Mr. Bayly, of Va. and Mr. Davis of Ky. are the combátanla. Theorigin of the quarrel was the Mexican war debate. While Mr. Bayly was defending the President, and replying to Mr. Davis, who had taken the ground that the President had committed treason, by letting Santa Anna pass our blockade, he alluded to the advocates of Mexico. Mr. Davis rose ío ask if Mr. Bayly referred to him as an advocate of Mexico.Mr. Bayly rcfused to yield the floor to Mr. Davisto ask ihequestion. Mr. D. then snid the genileman should not make false assertions about him. Mr. B. inquired whother Mr. D. intended to impute false asser'.ions to him, lo wliich Mr. D. replied affirmatively, and Mr. B. rejoined that h is false, or a lie. Tlius ended the scène in the House, and it has been carried fjrther to-day. I believe a challenge has been given and accepted, but I understand, to-night, fhat one of the parties, probably Mr. Bayly, is under arrest, and the pólice are on the rearen fur the other. The cnse, as it stamis, is an iigly looking one; stil!, I hopeihere will be sense enough to scttle it without a meeting. I believe Mr. Senator Bnrtow, and Mr. Burt, of South Carolina, act as the friends of the respective parties. Mr. Davis and Mr. Bayly had sotne sharp encounters last session."In Senate, Dec. 27, Mr. Mangum nn nounced the death of the Hon. Alexan der Barrow, one of the Senators fron Louisiana, who died that morning in Bal timo re. In the House, Mr. Harrison, of Ga. reported a bilí increasing the regular ar my. The bill proposed the addilion ol one regiment of dragoons and nine ol infantry. It is proposed that they serve five years or during the war wiih Mexico. Mr. Burt reported a bill for the more efficiënt organization of the House, nccompanied by a resolution that the refectories in the capítol be closed, unless they ceased the sale of spirilous liquors. The members of Congress from the new state of Iowa, nppeared. In Senate, on Wednesday, nothing ras done except the customary resolulions, on the death of Mr. Barrow. In the House, the resolution submitted by Mr. Black, requiring the Secretary of War to furnish the volunteers with clolhing and deduct the same from their pay, was amended, by requiring security to bc given, and adopted. Mr. Baker addressed the House in reply to Mr. Starkweather's remarks yesterday, on the subject of the war, andupon concluding bis reply, resigned his seat and left the House. The Washington correspondent of the Buflalo Express writes that the committee on commerce in the House have prepared a River and Harbor Bill, and that there is a large majority in the House in favor of such a bill. The committee stood seven to two in its favor. The seven for it are McClelland, of Michigan, Tibbats, of Kentucky, Wentworth, of 111.; Grinnell, of Massachusetts; Lawrence, of New Y.; Thibodeaux, of La.; and Levin, ofPenn. Those opposed are Atchison, of Virvinia, and Simpson,of S. C. The bill is framed soasonly io embrace such appropriations as have been sanctioned in bilis approred by Jackson and Van Buren. This will exclude the St. Clair flats.