Herald of the times. [volume] (Newport, R.I.) 1830-1846, 1835-03-19

OOvlate tCOUUSHtcUCc Ol euCi iotc
and hurried legislation, a rule was adopted,
some years ago, forbidding any bill being
sent to the President, for his signature OH the
last day Of the session; in consequence OF
which, for several of the last Congresses, the
two Houses have merely met, early III tho
morning of the Sd Of March, in the alternate
years, to receive back bills from the Presi-
dent, &c. This year, that rule was s,spen-
ded, because of the great pressure OF bust
ness, which suspension again brought back
the old question about the legality of sitting
after I2 o'clock. On the night of the Sd,
some of the most important Of all the legisla-
zion of the country has been perfected after
that hour, at the close of the Congresses
within our own knowledge; and there was, in
our view, no sufficient Justification Of the ex-
traordinary course Of things oil Tuesday
night
1t is worthy of remark, that one Of the
most important acts of the last session, 1.-THE
bill appropriating $G46 900, for the continual
ton and repair of the Cumberland Road,)
passed Congress after I2 o'clock, and long
after the House had (accorJing to Mr.. Cam
breleng and Mr. Beardsley) ceased to erist!-
We now put the question, tohy the Fortfca-
ton Bill had not good right to pass as
the Cumberland Road Bill, and why the con-
stitutional scruplc seized upon gentlemen
exactly at the moment when they were ~
pass upon the compromise of disapTeeing .
votes on that bill as recommended by the
committee Of conference?
/ Whilst in this way Of putting questions, we
will ask one or two more. Why did not Mr.
Cambreleng make his report, and leave It to
the House to decide upon its own compctcn-
cy. to act upon it? b..
/! Why did he leave the conference commit
"a ntn I'm, uLp IA
yet not make it?
THE ATTACKS UPON TIE SENATE.
The article from the Globe, falsely chars-
ing the loss of the appropriation bill upon tho
Senate, and to which the annexed article
from the National Intelligencer is reply
having been re-published with aggravated
commentaries, we deem it duty TO give the
dcfence:-
4 tFr,m III Naii nal nellisencrr .f rday.
! The Official Paper of this city, as n matter
Of course, charges the loss Of the Forlilica-
ton Bill upon the Opposition in the Senate,
although it was bill from the House-al-
though the Senate Immediately agreed to it,
and seasonably returned it: and although tho
J House then kept it whole week, sending it
back only in the evening Of the last day Of
the session; and although the Senate then
= fastened the bill, in u most remarkable man
ner, through all the process of a conference,
in order to bring the two Houses to an agree
mcnt, in season to pass the bill into Il law.
Defeated by the Opposition in the Senate!
, Why what would have become of the West
Point Academy-of the Bill for the improve
mcnt of the Public Grounds--Presidem's
house. &c. &c. if this same Opposition in ths
Senate had not made perfect Omnibus Of
the Civil List Bill, for cursing along these
measures, thus dropped cut and left behind
by the House Of Representatives?
The Opposition in the Senate! Was there
ever n session, since the Government began,
in which the Senate finished off 80 clean, and
the House OF Representatives. left such mas
ses Of nndOne icork by means whereof We
might add, with great truth, SO many worthy
! citizens, interested in private and public bills,
are in danger Of being undone themselves.
1t was melancholy thing to go into tho
House Of Representatives OH Wednesday,
and see the great number Of printed bills,
waiting only for the concurrence OF the HouSo
in some slight, (perhnps even verbal) amend
ments. Six hours of untalking industry would
have been worth half q session. We stood,
ourselves, at the door Of the Senate, occu-
slonally, for the last three or four days.-and
we noticed an incessant calling out of Sena-
tors by members of the House, for the pur-
pose Of saying, in reference to bills which
haG the good fortune to reach that body
spray do not alter it, though you think it i'm
perfect. Let 1t pass for Heavens sake for if
1t get back to us, We cannot get it up, were il
only to dot an I or cross I. Mend il next
session, if you please, but for the present
T keep it out of the gravel" 1t was only
through the influence Of such solicitations,
that the bill for the benefit of the Navy, and
several other important bills, passed at all.
~ The opposition in the Senate! We'll, we
have looked over the yeas and nays on tho
motion for the THREE MILLloNs,-and We
should like to be informed among other things
,chtn Mr.. Hendricks joined the opposition in
the Senate, and, more especially, how long it
!. is since the Globe has counted Mr.. WmIrr,
OF Tennessee, among the opposition men,
bers! The gentleman last named, not only
voted against the grant of three millions to
! the President, to be used at his entire dscre-
ton, but he spoke against it also, and dclv-
|, cred one OF the most condensed, sensible and
earnest speeches, we ever heard from him.
"Si semper SIC ~
The sum and substance of the case is this:
!, The House passed the bill for fortiications;
the Senate thought, in the present state Of
the country, prudence required larger appro-
prlations; the Senate added these larger ap-
preparations, and defined their objects, point
!, ing out fortresscs, arnamcnts, &c. &c.
The Senate put every thing into the bill
which the President, or the War Department
required or recommended, and it made still
J. further additions to the bill, on the authority
of the Committees OH Military Affairs Of bot,
Houses.
! The Senate missed tho hill s.osoo,,LI,, aud