Martinsburg gazette. [volume] (Martinsburg, Va. [W. Va.]) 1833-1855, 1842-01-06
THE HOLIDAYS.

adjourned over to Monday next, Saturday
being Christmas Day, and many of the
Members from the districts least distant
from Washington intending to pass the
holydays at home. The two Houses OF
Congress are now fully organized, and
the business of the Session has commenced
with a fair prospect that much may be
done both for the hundreds of private
claimants who are waiting with what
patience they can) for the action OF Con.
gress, and for the improvement of the al.
fairs Of Government, in whose success we
are all so much interested.
The Hon. Daniel J%enifer, Minister of
the United States to Austria, sailed from
New York on Monday last, III the packet
ship Westminster, Tor London, on his way
to Vienna, accompanied by Thomas ii.
Morris as Secretary of Legation, and Jas.
c.. Jenifer, as Attache. A letter to the
Editors from New York conveys the wei.
come Information that his health was
much improved, and it was hoped tha: he
would have entirely recovered from his
late indisposition by the time he got to
London.
In the same vessel, we observe, nlso
went passenger for London, u esteemed
townsman, Mr.. Anthony Preston.
THE THIRD WEEK OF THE SESSION
has passed away, and, so far as concerns
action on the part of the popular branch
Of Congress, the business OF the Session
is pretty much where il was at the close
of the second week that is 10 say, its
progress continues to be entirely OBJ
structed by the Debate which supervened
a proposition for disposing Of so much OF
the Presidents Message as relates TO the
Customs and to Manufactures. As hong
as that debate continues, there is no such
thing as edging in a proposition about
any thing else, unless by consent of "
thirds OF the numbers present. We made
up our minds from the beginning of the
second week of the session that no inpor-
tant business would be consummated in
Congress, until after New Years Day !;
and, there being no apparent ~slackening
Of the debate in the House upon things in
general, and the Tariff in particular, and
the one-hour rule Of debate being at pre-
sent suspended, VIC do not know that the
pending debate will terminate even with
the end OF the year.
The debate, however. is lar from be-
ing altogether Improbable. At some
time or other, opportunity ought to be al
lowed to every Member who desires 1t to
present to his fellow-members his vie VS.,
and those of his immediate constituents,
in reference 10 the Tariff question, and
also as TO things in general and all the
time consumed in such debate nov will
be Cor ought to beg so much time saved
for the House or the country when speci'
fc propositions on the subject shall be re-
ported by the proper committees. 10 the
olden time, when it was customary for
each House to answer the Speech (~instead
of a Message) then annually delivered by
the President, the discussion Of the an
swer in each House opened a field, which,
in the House of Representatives, was ca
perly seized, for a full and free debate
upon the State of the Union. This de.
bate, though the House consisted OF less
than half of the present number oil Mem
bers, sometimes occupied that body, ex-
clusively of any other business 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 re-
member to have heard regretted 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 Begin
ming 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.
Ia the Senate there were, during the
four days of last weeks sitting, plain
manifestations ola disposition not only to
bring forward business, but to push it on.
Many bills were reported, chiefly OF a
private character; and several bills for
the adjustment of claims passed their third
reading. There were several incidental
discussions, also, on matters oil greater
a. .k,A4e nnnnrfaI