Burlington free press. [volume] (Burlington, Vt.) 1827-1865, 1836-03-04
CONGRESS-.

WdshingiOn, REQ. %
The House did not sit to-day, it being
the ED of February. The Senate came
together, but did not continue in session
more than an hour. A message from the
President was received communicating
official intelligence of the mediation OF
Great Britain, together with certain cor
rcspondence between Mr. Forsyth, the Sec.
rotary ofState, and Mr. Bankhead. the En-
gish Charge at Washington. This cor,
respondence is marked with great courtesy
and good feeling on both sides. After The
message and the documents had been read,
Mr. Clay took occasion to address the Sen.
ate briefly. congra,uating them upon the
happy adjustment of our difficulties with
France, and reviewing some of the most
prominent circumstances of the 0narreL--
He alluded to the decided stand which had
been taken by The close of the last session
in reference to our relations with that gov
ernment and he attributed the peaceable
issue OF the controversy to their unanimous
refusal to grant The President the power OF
issuing letters of marque and reprisaI, and
to place the sum of Three Millions at his
disposal. War must have been the unvo
dable consequence of a compliance with
one or both of these demands. Mr. Clay
said that the principle contended for by the
President, that foreign power has no right
to take exception to any thing which may
be said in his message, though calculated to
wound its senslbil;Ies, TO derogate from its
character, or to insult its honor, was a
noval and most remarkable doctrine. On
this principle. foreign potentate might in
his maniestos accuse us of bau faith, and
then deny us the privilege of asking an ex-
PLANTATION. This administration had not
always been so squeamsh in rendering ex.
plantations. A former Secretary of State,
in his instructions 10 our minister in London
upon the pending negotiations in relation
10 our trade with the British West India
Colonies, had made use OF language the
most apologize. which could well be en-
poyed in diplomatic communication. 1t
proved that the Executive had not always
considered that foreign powers had no right
to be acquainted with the incidental events
which traDsplre in our own Country in re-
ference to subSisling relations.
Abiding to the mediation Of Great Brit.
ain, Mr. CLAW paid handsome and merlted
'iloutS w 'HO COIuutI VI tIidl
power. 1t had foregone the benefits which
1t might have reaped from the monopoly of
the commerce of the two belllgerent pow.
ers, it had stepped in and acted the part
of a generous friend to both. On motion
Of Mr. Preston, the Senate adjourned inn
medately after Mr. Clay concluded his re.
marks.
WAsUINGToN Fob o.
The plot begins 10 thicken. 1.-The par.
ty" glowing more and more desperate at
the dread escape of the Key. stone State,
from her former thraldom to them, seem
indeed to stop at nothing, in order, to re,
tain their ascendency elsewhere. The for.
tlfictaon humbug was broached in the
Senate to day with the same plausbilly
that the gold humbug was last year, but
with less covering to conceal lis deformities
The object Of the bill is avowed in terms by
Mr. Benton, to be, the Administration
scheme TO dispose of should say squan-
der the surplus revenue for the benefit of
the faithful yerSus. Mr.. Clays proposition
to divide il rateably among the whole peo-
pie OF the United States, for the purpose of
internal Improvement at their own free will
and pleasure. Upon this scheme, Mr..
Benton avows his determination to stand
or fall, and when the startling facts con