The native American., 1837-12-30
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS.
[rRoM OUR REPoRrER.l
Fourth Week of the Session.

4 !
The Christmas holidays intervened and broke
the regular session. Those frolics are now over,
and the bodies have settled down to business, with
the glorious recollections of eggnogg and plumb
lpuddngs rising before them on the wings of the
past.
| As yet nothing has been done by Congress,
though many things have been attempted. no
ticed in my last the discussion on the District
Bill of Pains and Penalties, and since then an
other debate has occurred and the bill has passed
the Senate, after hard struggle. It's principal
feature, now, is imposition. If | owe you four
dollars, and give you my due bill for the same,
will be persecaaed-not prosecuted. There are
many men in this District who deal in such sums,
and their whole stock Of wealth consists in multi
farious little due bills from debtors. This process
of business must be abolished, and the small ira
ders must extend their business in order to have
no debts outstanding under five dollars. How
are they to increase their business! The warfare
against the District banks is in high blast, and
notes of the best men cannot be discounted-and
why? Because the banks are trembling at the
the banks are competent to go on or not, they are
doomed; and although the Bank of Washington
has been lately paying out specie, she will be
crushed beneath the feet of Mr.. Benton and Mr.
Wright. And for what purpose is this ruin in
hicted? Is il to encourage the Dstrict!-to foster
the pet child Of twenty-eght fathers. If this is
the protection extended to the Ten Miles Square,
Congress had better strike off the mask of affected
guardianship, and tell us at once that we are
slaves; and then perhaps we will hail with plea
sure the memorials from the North for the aboli-
ton of slavery in the District, for under the prayer
we will be included. Then we will 60 hand in
hand for manumssion, for we should like once
more to be free. | do not believe that the bill
will pass the House. Last session (extra) many
members informed me that the House would re-
ject the bill; and if they do, we will promise them
a hearty and unanimous bonfire.
In the House, on Tuesday, Mr.. ADAMS again
raised storm. It is said that ice-bergs generate
cold weather, they move along our coast; and,
upon the opposite principle, Mr.. Adams should
produce glorious summer, for he is perfect
|torpedo-burning and glowing in all the radiancy
and vigor of intense heat Baked on the aboli-
ton scheme, the venerable gentleman has walked
up the Texas question, and for four hours he
poured his sarcastic eloquence into that combusti-
Bile subject. As usual, he moved down all ranks,
and spared no party-no act-no opinion. At
last he breathed his peroration to vacant Hall.
Texas does not wish union with these States;
nor should we desire the annexation. Already our
extended territory is sharpening into the sword
that is to sweep off the northern and eastern
lPopulations-that is to hold out inducements to
the vagrants Of Europe, and finally will discover
the Union. Spreading, spreading, eternaly on
the increase, the chords that bind us as one peo-
lple will be SO stretched that the penknife of a
knave will be able to dissolve the glorious COM
pany of States, and roll us back into chaos
and civil war; and then look out for the battle,
fierce, bloody and desperate. The natives and
. the aliens, mixed up in one cauldron Of national
carnage, fighting for power and for place, while
the sun Of liberty will sink upon dissolved, mis-
cellaneous and conflicting empire.
i In the Senate bill to graduate the price of the
public lands has been introduced and the lowest
price fixed is twenty-five cents per acre. The
flag is up, and thousands of eyes from Europe
strained in their sockets to witness the triumph
of the agrarian over good sense and national poll
cy.
| The letter-writers have been severely ham
died by Mr.. CAMPBELL Of South Carolina, who
has been shamefuly misrepresented by some
abolition spy hid among the pillars and drapery
of the Hall.
| After the first Of January, Congress will get
to work. / cannot omit telling you that your
paper has made good debut among the members;
and | overhead one two say some excellent
things about you and the cause. Work hard,
night and day in the good cause, and you will
eventually succeed in rallying round your STAN
dard the honest and the sensible Of the whole
Union. There is no doubt in my mind on that
head.
| In the Senate, Mr.. CALHOUN has introduced
his State Rights and anti-Abolition resolutions
They are characterized by powerful reflection,
| deep and abiding patriotism, and, if adopted will