Boon's Lick times. [volume] (Fayette, Mo.) 1840-1848, 1842-01-15

such debate now will be Tor ought to be)
so much time saved for the House or the
country when specific propositions on the
subject shall be reported by the proper
committees. In the olden time, when it
was customary for each House to answer
the Speech Gnstead of a Message) then
annually delivered by the President, the
discussion of the answer in each House
opened a field, which, in the House of
Representatives, was eagerly seized, for
full and free debate upon the State of the
Union. This debate, though the House
consisted of less than half of the present
number of Members, sometimes occupied
that body, exclusively of any other bust
ness whatever, for ten or twelve of the
first days of the session. The House has,
at this session, practically returned to the
usage of the olden time, the abolition of
which we remember to have heard regret
ted by old Members of Congress, who
thought that the debates of each session
had become more prolix in consequence of
the want of an opportunity for debate at
the beginning of it. We shall see, in the
course of the session, what effect upon the
debates will be produced by the present
recurrence to the old practice.
In the Senate there were, during the
four days of last weeks sitting, plain mani
festations of a disposition not only to
bring forward business, but to push it on.
Many bills were reported chiefly of pri-
vate characters and several bills for the adj
ustment of claims passed their third read
ing. There were several incidental discus
sions, also, on matters of greater conse-
IL ;,1l c,,H
Gent was disclosed to satisfy US that there
is no intention on the part of the Senate
to touch the LAND ACT of the last Session;
which may, therefore, be set down as safe,
not only for the residue of the present
Congress, but, as we hope and believe, for
the remainder Of the present century.
One act only has yet passed both Houses
and received the signature Of the President.
That act makes appropriations in part Ter
defraying the expenses of the present ses-
sion of Congress. An attempt, or rather
suggestion, laudable in its motive, was
made in the Senate, to include in the bill
partial appropriations for the pay of other
public officers, and pensioners, as well as
of members Of Congress: but it was thought
that more time and consideration were ne
cessary for such a change in the general
practice of appropriations than the two
Houses were then prepared to make un-
derstandingly, the estimates of expend-
lures for 1912 not being then in their pos
session, Ohough they have since been sent
in.) Some such change in the fiscal year,
so as to make it begin on the first of April,
or first of July instead of the first of jan
uary, is III every respect desirable.
The Annual Report of the Secretary of
the Treasury was sent to both Houses of
Congress on Monday last, and is now be-
fore our readers. A bill has already been
brought in, in the House of Representa-
tives, in pursuance of that Report, to make
such an alteration in the terms of the
Twelve Million Loan of the last Session
as will render it available, &c. which will
it is presumed, become law in the course
of this week, or else, before the end of it,
there will be no money in the Treasury
to meet the demands upon it even for the
compensation to Members of Congress-
But the most interesting incident of the
last week is, undoubtedly, the Report from
the Treasury Department on the subject
of the proposed Fiscal Agency. There has
been no action upon it yet in Congress,
though there is some promise of an express
sion of sentiment upon it in the Senate
by individual members, within day or
two. Our engagements have not allowed
US to mix with Members of Congress. so
as to know what is the prevailing opinion
or feeling concerning it. 1t is altogether
probable, however, we think, that before
the end of this, the fourth week of the
Session, we and the Public will be in pos
session of clearer light on the subject.