The Sun.
London, England, 1868-12-29 00:00:00

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CONGRESS."

The Fortieth Congress met for its third Session
at noon on the ith inst. The day was wet and
stormy, and the atmosphere chilly, with snow fast
falling. The galleries then did not present the usual
gay appearance, yet many closely wrapped-up ladies
took their seats there. In the House the object
of most interest was Colfax, who was kept employed
in answering congratulations on the double event,
and in shaking the hands of his well-wishers. As
Vice-President elect, and as a bridegroom, Colfax
took his seat to preside for the last session, and so
his friends bad much on which to wish him joy
Tender inquiries were made by facetious members
as to Andy's health—that Andy who was about to
explode a bomb a:nongst them. Ben Butler, when
he appeared at 11 o'ciock, seated himself in the
vacant place of Thad. Stevens,and no man dared ask
what he (lid there; for though all knew what it meant
few chose to question it. Ind ed Mr. S'evens, just
before his death, expressed the desire that the place
should be taken by l3:itler. Maynard, a negro Repre-
sentative from Louisiana, took his scat at the extreme
rear of the hall, but as few noticed him he left the
Chamber for a place among his coloured friends in
the gallery. After the prayer many bills were in-
troduced referring to the currency and specie pay-
ments, and to universal suffrage. Fernando Wood,
of New York, called for the instructions given to
the American Minister at Loudon on the Alabama
claims, and the correspondence between him and
the British Government. Another member moved
a resolution that the Minister having injured and
degraded the United States by his course should be
recalled.—Referred to the Committee of Foreign
Affairs by 94 to 41. It was then moved that $50,000
should be granted to cover the President's ex-
penses in the Impeachment trial, which was
tabled by a decisive vote. In the Se-
nate a member from Georgia was objecte4—
to on the ground that the State Legislature had
violated the reconstruction laws by the expulsion
of its negro members, while many of those by whom
they were replaced were ineligible, and the matter
stands over. Mr. Sumner presented a resolution
for universal suffrage, another for the compulsory
resumption of specie payments on next Indepen-
dence Day, a third for cheap ocean postage, a
fourth of sympathy with the revolution in Spain,
and advising the emancipation of slaves in the
Spanish colonies. The House on the Bth inst.
passed a bill transferring the Indian Bureau to the
War Department. The resolutions of the Oregon
Legislature calling for the resignation of the Oregon
Senators were read, and contemptuously returned.
W. G. Robinson, from the third district, New York,
boiling over we presume with his defeat last month
by General Slocum, made a speech and the "faithful
Fenian," as a leading New York daily styled him,
banged away at the much-abused British lion. In-
deed the tone of this wild Irishman's remarks may
be gathered from his assertion that " bad he the
control no man should eat his dinner, no woman
marry a husband, and no business of life be carried on
until there was a declaration of war by the United
States against Great Britain." We fear that under
these circumstances the citizens would take to eat-
ing other people's dinners, and women to marry
men who were not husbands. Fernando Wood en-
tirely concurred. The name of this fire-eating
party who calls himself an Irishman reminds us of
what Lord Mayo said, that most of these men who
swaggered as Fenians about New York had no true
Irish blood in their veins, while he had little else ;
insinuating indeed that they were arrant impostors.
If this Robinson be an Irishman he is most likely the
descendant of those English ruffians whose robbery
and ill-treatment of the natives brought most of
the disgrace and misfortune of Irish misrule on
England. On the 9th both Houses were crowded
to hear the President's Message read. In the Senate
Mr. Conness, of California, describing it as a tirade
of abuse from beginning to end, and an indecent
attack upon the Chamber, demanded that the read-
ing be stopped. This was opposed on the ground
that Aticlrew Johnson was still President of the
United States, though his Message was, as Mr.
Wilson, of Massachusetts, described it, like the
ravings of a disappointed, bad man. Senator Came-
ron, however, renewed the discussion, insisting that
the Senate should not hear the Message, which he
regarded as a '()Toss insult under cover of the ordi-
nary forms, and the S.-mate filially adjourned, leav-
ing it unread, the Clerk having got through only
half-a-dozen pages. Although the Representati% es
patieni.ly listened, they gave the more vent to their
anger when they reached the end of the dreary pla-
titu(leP, enlivened only by vicious insults to the
Ilouse. General Schenck, of Ohio, then charac-
terized it as a gross, shameless, most impertinent,
and most scurrilous document. Mr. Washburne
spoke on the same side, and was opposed by Fer-
nando Wood and other Democrats, but the House
refused even to refer the paper to a Committee, but
ordered it to be laid on the table with the lumber
which constantly reaches Congress from beggars
and wild schemers, which is there deposited, and
never again brought up. Bingham's Bill for an
election in Virginia, Jan. 20, was discussed, and
Washburne's amendment adopted, substituting the
fourth Thursday in May. Mr. Washburne ten-
dered his resignation as Chairman of the Com-
mitte on Commerce. The Tribune says—" The
Committee of seven Senators, selected to con-
sider the question of revising the Senate committees
on the 9tia. An effort was made to remove Mr.
Henderson from the Chairmanship of the Indian
Committee, and a vote was taken having that
object. For retaining him the votes were four—
Messrs. Sherman, Edmunds, Trumbull, and Ram-
sey ; for deposing him the votes were three—
Messrs. Conkling, Pomeroy, and Rice. The effort
to change the Chairmanships will therefore pro-
bably be abandoned. The Committee will be ready
to report to-morrow or next day. The House Com-
mittee on Freedmen's Affairs, of which Mr. Eliot is
chairman, will meet on the 11th to hear the views of
Gen. Howard and others on the propriety of continu-
ing the Freedmen's Bureau in Virginia, Mississippi,
and Texas. The General is opposed to a continuance."
At the meeting of the Military Committee of the
House on the 19th the bill of last session for the re-
duction of the army was considered, and the sub-
ject was abandoned. Ihe bill for abolishing
brevet ranks is to be again presented during
the present session. Strong efforts are being
made to increase the pay of army officers thirty-
three per cent., and petitions and letters urg-
ing the increase are already annoying the com-
mittee. The Judiciary Committee were to report a
bill that week introduced by Mr. Lawrence of Ohio,
to establish a Law Department of Government.
This bill, if passed, will reduce the expenses of
the law officers of Government over $lOO,OOO per
year. The Committee at the same time will report
back a bill, introduced by Mr. Butler, to repeal
the Tenure-of-Office Act. John Boyd, Esq., of
lowa, has received the appointment of Assistant
Doorkeeper of the House in place of 0.5. Buxton,
recently elected Doorkeeper. Both Houses ad-
journed ou the 10th till the 14th, and there was
little chance of anything being done till after the
holidays, which were to last from the 21st Dec. to
sth January, and the cable informs us that Con-
gress did adjourn as announced.

SUNDAY TnAvEL.--lbe New York Sabbath
Committee has published certain statistics, derived from
a correspondence with 124 of the principal railroads of
the country in reference to travel on the first day of
the week. Of these 124 companies, 65 run no trains of any
description on Sunday, and 59 run 177 passenger trains
and 42 freight and cattle trains. The latter roads, how-
ever, except the short railways out, of cities, run
about one-fifth the usual number on week days. The
question whether Sunday trains are profitable was an-
swered by 16 companies in the affirmative and 38 in the
negative, the remaining 70 making ne response. The
general experience of the managers of railroads is that
nothing more highly conduces to the health and work-
ing powers of employes than rest from labour on Sunday.
LADVERTIEEHENTJ—Avoid Medicines: they always aggravate
chronic complaints: but Du Barry's delicious health-restoring
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by Du Barry's Food. Cure No. 63,413. " Rome, July 21, 1366.
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to Du Barry's Revalenta Arabica Food, of which he consumes
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lent food too highly." From the " Gazette du Midi, July 23 Cure
No. 53,216, of the Marchioness de Brehan, of seven years' liver
complaint, wasting away, debility, nervousness, with a nervous
palpitation all over, bad digestion, constant sleeplessness, and
the most intolerable nervous agitation.." Cure No. 1,771; Lord
Stuart de Decies, Lord Lieutenant of Waterford, of many years'
dyspepsia. No. 49,832: " Fifty years' indescribable agony from
dyspepsia, nervousness, asthma, cough, constipation, flatulency,
spasms, sickness, and vomiting.—Maria Joly."—Cure No.
46,270: Mr. James Roterts, of Frimley, Surrey, of 30 years'
diseased lungs, spitting of blood, liver derangement, and
partial deafness. Important Caution.—Beware of the many
unsavoury and more than sloppy imitations to which, without
authority, Baron Liebig's name is most audaciously attached
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2?s. ; 24 lbs., 40s.—Also DU BARRY'S REYALENTA ARARWA CHOCO-
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are sent free of carriage in England on receipt of Post Office
Order.—BAßßY DU BARRY and Co.,
Lon-
don; and all Grocers and Chemists. No. 77, Regent-Street, Lon-

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