The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1841-12-28
C o 10 ar e s s : O 20 q !.
Correspondence of the Atlas.


WASHINGTON, Dec. ID, l64I.
The House has been wholly occupied with the
reception Of petitions, more or less of which were
presented from the States Of Maine, Vermont, Con-
necticut, Massachusetts and New York. Many
offered had relation to slavery, some Of VIII ich
were rejected under the twenty first rule, but still
a great many have found their way upon the table
such as never reached their before. Petitions >.
Iating to the slave trade others praying that The
free States light be freed from all enactments
uuring them TO protect and maintain slavery, such
for instance, as those which require the remission
Of fugitive slaves-suppresslon of serViIe insurrec-
tons and the ko--al relating to The Island of
Hayti as we'll as to Texas-and several praying
for The abolition Of the 2ls. rule. Most were
referred to tho Committee on Foreign Affairs, of
which Mr.. Adams is chairman. Those relating TO
the 2lst rule still unconmtted Mr.. Adams
offered that effect from Cincinnati, headed
by Dr. Beecher, which he moved 10 have commit
ted to a select committee, with instructions to re-
port an abolition of that rule. The Speaker deci~
ding that such instructions were of out order, he
withdrew that portion of his notion but pressed
the remainder.
A motion to lay il on the table, by Meriwethef
of Georgia, was lost, yeas 81 mays 80. Objections,
however, to the reception of tho resolution were
made. The motion, therefore, lies until to-
morrow. Another motion of similar character
offered by Smith of Connecticut, which he al
so asked to have committed to a select committee.
This motion being objected to, lies over until to-
Several other petitions, principally Of some
House adjourned without getting farther than New
York with the presentation Of petitions
In the Senate hardly anything was done except
the annuncaton of Stumbling Committees, which
you will find below communication from the
Treaaury Department, and another from tho De-
partment Of War, were received and announced
by the Secretary.
An hour was then consumed in the presentation
fpeutions, and the reference OF misce aneos bills
after first reeding, to committees, when the SEN
ate adjourned.
Washington, Dec. 49,
The resolution of Mr. Mangum raising a select
committee public printing, whose duty it shalt
be TO examine documents proposed to be printed
and report The necessity of printing the same,
was passed. The object, as Mr. NJ. stated, to
reduce the expense of printing Thus both Houses
appear already to be taking steps towards economy
and retrenchment-the House having abolished
the office of assistant door keeper.
Mr. Woodbury. submitted resolution having in
view the re reorganization of the Navy, and placing
it on permanent footing, like the Army so That no
change can be made without the authority of ex-
press law. AT present the whole system is loose
and Auctuating
Mr. Wright presented petition praying the in
reference OF the government in be half Of Ameri
can citizens imprisoned in Van Dieman s Land, by
the British Government by way of punishment for
their patriotic services IN Canada.
Many private bills were introduced.
In the House to-day the principal subject Of dis.
cussion was the reception and disposition of Abo
,ition petitions. Ii supposed, the other day,
session.
so at ALL Nj Adams would not let il remain quiet
It is a remarkable fact too, that he has carried his
points with the Speaker-for he has procured such
a construction OF The Rules that he can get in his
petitions in some form or other.
Mr. Fillmore then made report from the Com
miltee Ways and Means making provision, in
part, for the expenses Of the present session.
The bill was then read third time, and finally
passed.
Among the petitions, Mr. Underwood presented
one from Samuel Raub Jr praying Congress to
purchase his improved self acting valves 1t was
referred to select committee of seven. who have
power to take up the whole subject Of steam nuvi>
CATION, and to report by bill or otherwise.
MIR Gushing asked leave to present resolution
from the Committee Finance calling the
Secretary Of the Treasury for the Plan of Finance
spoken Of in the Presidents Message. Leave
granted and the resolution passed.
Mr. Hopkins, Of Va. gave notice of his intention
10 move, at an early day, proposition for the re-
peal of the Bankrupt Act
Mr. Thompson of Miss. gave notice of his inteu>
ton to introduce Bill to repeal the whole of The
Distribution Act, except such parts relate pre-
emption.
Washington Dec 16
The first portion Of the morning occupied
in the reception Of petitions from the territories
When they had been gone through with, the
House, motion of Mr. Fillmore, took up the sub
.ject of the Presidents Message, and referred the
different port ions to the several Standing Commit
tees. That portion which relates to the foreign
correspondence referred TO the Committee on
ForeiSn AHairs, ana other portions to that on Inc
Judiciary.
When the question on referring that portion
which related to the finances to the Committee on
Ways and Means came up. MI Wise made consd
cradle objection, and contended that it taking
away what belonged to his Select Committee. AZ
ter brief discussion, motion to amend Mr.. Fill
mores motion of reference was lost, and the orig
,nsl adopted.
The question then coming up of referring that
portion of the Presidents Message which relates to
the Tariff to the Committee on Manufactures Mr.
Anterior was put forward the tool Of the free
trade destruciives to make the nsidious motion of
referring the subject to the Committee of Ways
and Means a warm debate ensued, which con.
tinued ill the House adjourned have not time,
at this moment, to give in detail this debate, hut
will in my next go into il more at length. Suffi-
cient for the purpose say that the most bold and
openly destructive views openly avowed by
the Loco Foco leaders, and the ground even assu-