The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1842-12-22
Washington.

Another day in the third week of heshort session
has elapsed, and nothing has been done In either
house.
In the SENATE, Mr.. Beren reported bill for the
relief of Samuel Swartwout's sureties, which was
referred Mr.. Evans reported bill for regulating
the foreign currency of gold and silver and also for
regulating the currency of the United States. Mr.
Bates reported bill for allowing compensation to
Pension agents, and for continuing the Office of
Commissioner OF Pensions. Mr.. Bayard presented
a memorial from the Bank of the Metropolis pray
ing for modification Of its charter. slight de-
bate then sprung up between MIR. Benton and Mr..
Archer. Mr.. Benton again brought forward his
resolution calling on the President for all the details
of the Treaty relative to the African Squadron, and
denounced thesTreaty, and thei President, and Mr..
Webster in violent manner. Mr. Archer said,
the President had no information to glve more than
had been given. Mr.. Benton said there had been a
respondencesbetweenMr. Webster and Mr.. Cass,
and heswaned that, and everv matter connected
withit Mr.. Archer denouncedIMr. Benton's move
men as intended only for the sake Of harassing the
President, and,fhat he could not bring forward his
eliminating resolutions against Mr. Tyler, by any
suchsslde winded movement as that. Alter some
turthers desultorykrem several Senators ex-
pressed desire to enquire further INTO the matter,
and the subject was postponed till Thursday morn.
ag. The Senate then went into Executive Ses-
sion.
Mr.. QUINN, who offered resolution calling on the
President for all the information he possessed rea.
tive to the late mutiny ON board the brig Somers
the number of men hung, &c. &c.
Mr.. WISE opposed the resolution, as Court Of
Inquiry would be ordered Immediately, when the
whole subject would be examined.
The House refused to entertain the resolution:
MIR. FILLMORE then moved that the House go into
a Committee OF the whole, and take up the Appro-
prlation Bill.
The ayes and nays were called, and resulted thus
Mr.. Everetts Bankrupt Bill being the special or
der OF the day. was then called up. The following
is the whole of the Bill -
Be it enacted the senate and House of Representa-
tives Of the Uni states of America Congress assem-.
bled That entitled An to establish uniform
system of bar uptcy throughout the United States ap
bred and forty be- and the hereby Is repealed
Provided That this act shall affect any case or pro-
December eighteen hundred and fortytwo or any pains
penalties, or forfeitures incurred under said act
Mr.. EVERETT, Of Vt, said that he originally con-
siderrd the bill good one but it had done its Office
and he now moved Its repeal In obedience to the
Instructions OF his Legislature. He spoke so mi
s=rably Indstinc that scarcely word he said could
be heard across the House.]
Mr.. BARNARD of Albany, said that the wing party
were doomed like Sisyphus 10 be eternaly rolling
enormous burdens up steep ACTIVITY when Just
as they reached the summit, they and their burdens
this instance, by. their own friends AT the extra
session, the Land Distribution and other important
laws were passed. and at the last session the Con-
gressonal District Law, and the Tariff were passed.
The Land Distribution Is now nuity the Tariff
is to be modified out OF its protective character; the
District Law is threatened with repeal next session;
all the other laws are gone; and 1.-THE Bankrupt Law
isrepeaed, what shall remain at the close of this
session Of all the acts passed by the present Congress-
which will then expire! Nothing whatever What
a spectacle shall we then present to the American
people. A Congress to have sat for three fe.s
sessions and actually undo in the last House
all that they had LETT of their precious work.
Shall we not give cause to say that our mode
OF legislation is not only unwise, but unsafe
to the last degree. am opposed to the system
of instruction by legislatures that temporarily re-
oresent part of the popular will Let Congress pre-
serve its independent character of legislation and de
what is right, regardless of consequences Credit
ors sir are not buzzards that feed on carcasses;
and the carcasses of debtors ought not to be kept
above ground, for the mere within of these creditors
till they taint the very atmosphere. Unless the in
dependence OF the representative character of Con-
gress is preserved there can be stability in legs-
laAon. A temporary bankrupt law is nothing but a
sPonge-repudiatlon In its worst and most odious
iorm. The present bankrupt law is valuable, mas
much as 1t checks excessive credit, and gives sta
bity to trade By the passage Of the bankrupt act,
creditor you have thereby driven many honest
creditors to such extremities that they themselves
are compelled to go TO the bankrupt law for relief
You have ruined them, and you now deny to them
the privilege you have granted to others far less
worthy.
fsMr. BARNARD spoke the entire hour in a similar
strain, and was listened to with great attention by
the House. His style and manner remind me very
much of the House of Commons In the course of his
remarks he said that in the United States the gem
eral creditors received an average OF about per
cent, from the estate OF an insolvent, and in Eng
land about 50 per cent. In the United States over
80 out of every 100 of those who buy and sell, be-
come bankrupts; and in England, about 50 out of
100.
Mr.. WINTHROP, Of Boston, spoke short time
against the repeal of the law, and took the same
ground that Mr.: Barnard did. He said he never
would hove voted for the retrospective action of the
law, had he supposed it was to be repealed
IL had done all the mischief it could do, and now it
likely TO do real goodi protessed friends
proposed TO repeair. He would rather vote to have
banks and corporations included in it, than vote for
its repeal. [Mr w. is good clear, concise speak
eT, ana invariably commands the attention of the
House.
Mr.; G.; J. ISexRsoLL moved as an amendment to
luntary applicants.
Mr.. PAYNE, OF Alabama, spoke in favor of the
bill Tor immediate repeal, and against the amend.
ment. He was unwilling to throw so mncb mower
into the hands Of the Executive over banks and cor
porations, as the amendment would give him. mir
Payne must speak louder and clearer, if he wishes
to be reported Icoud scarcely hear word he sad
at my desk He is handsome, good narured fai
man, and like all fat men has weak voice ]
Mr.. GORDON, of N. ", was in favor of the imme-
diaic repeal. He believed that the passage Of the
tremendous defeat Of the wings at the last election
When this was repealed there would be nothing
left Of the Hard Cider and Coon Skin Congress, and
there ought not to be any thing left of them [Roars
of laughter.] The log cabin and hard cider party
must have psssed this act when they were in high
state OF intoxication from power. [Great laughter
II was not moral courage.
A MEMBEn.-No, they were sober The courage
of depravity.
Mr.: GoRDoN--(turning round sharply, and bend
ing his dark bushy brows on the Speaker What
A MEMBER.-lt was when they were getting So
Der. The courage OF depravity.
Mr.. GoRDoN-WelI, then, it was when they had
the defirium hemens Great lauehterl on them from
drinking much cold cider. tRoars Of laughter /
Hard cider, mean tShouts OF laughter all around,
Mr. Gordon looking black and as grave as a
deacon all the while. He finally, after abusing the
log cabin and coon skin campaign, down by say
ing, "Mr. Speaker, shall conclude, because ]
think that short speech, and one to the point, is
the best kind of speech after ALL" (Roars Of laugh
teri