New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1843-12-28
By This Mornings Mail.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.


gY THE REPORTER OF THE NETWORK pAILYTRIBtSE
Reduction OF Postage-Naval Appropria-
tions-Cabinet Nominations, sc.
WAsHISGToS, TUESDAY, D-c o.
IL THE House OF REPRESENTATIVES, to-day, al
ter several Intellectual attempts 10 take up business
ont of the regular order the petition presented on
former day by Mr.. KING Of n. y from St. Lawrence
County n Y on the subject OF a reduction OF post
age, the reference OF which he had moved TO the
Post Office Committee, with Instructions 10 inquire
INFO the expediency of abolshng the ranking priv
ia0es. OF regulating the rates OF postage according
to the COINS of the t. States, and TO submit an estl-
mate of the lowest rates OF postage which would
enable the Department to sustain lt-came up
Mr. X. said the petition came from portion OF the
people deeply interested in the subject, and as the
committee had only had the subject generally referred
TO them he had thought proper 10 move the itStrnc
tons. and desired 10 bring the subject before the
House. that they might indicate by the adoption OF
the resolutions their desi TO act upon at the pre-
sent session
MIR. CARROLL OF n. Y, referred to the wide
spread and clamorous interest felt upon this SUBJECT
throughout the country. and to the probability that
more petitions would be presented upon II than any
other and thought il premature 10 instruct the Com
mittee when rs vet but few petitions had been re-
ceived and when they did not know what could be
the wishes of majority of the people.
Mr.. DAVIS DIN. y. thought the information sought
necessary ar any rate; hereafter farther lnstruc
tons might be moved, If deemed proper.
The instructions were lost by q large vote. and
| the petition only was referred
The roll of the States was called through Tor Pc
! ttons n the reverse order. Among those presented
was one by Mr. ADAMS for an amendment 10 the con-
stitution TO exclude slave representations or as an
alternative for the dissolution of the Union. Reer-
red to the Select Committee OH that subject
Also several from Pcnnsy lvania, by Mir. BIDLAck
and others, for the establishment OF u National
Foundry, and on motion of Mr.. 3. Select Commit
tee was ordered, to whom they were referred
| One BY Mr. ADAMS from Woodstock, CT. contain
inr several pages some (for the abolition OF slavery
&c.} excluded and others admissible underline rule.
The SPEAKER decided that itmust be rejected entire
| W. 4. contended that those parts not coming within
the rulc should, according to lnvarable precedent,
| be received. and deeming it matter OF much I'M
porance appealed from the decision, but, az usual,
| it was sustained Yeas l05, Nays 10.
The Committees were called III order Tor reports,
| and one only of importance was made by Mr. FAR
| MESrER, from the Committee on Naval Affairs, OF Il
bill TO authorize the President transfer appropra-
tons for the naval service from one head TO another
in certain eXigencics, to be OF force TO the close OF
| the next session.
Mr.. p stated that its passage was absolutely m
dispcnsablc to enable the Department to repair Drift
ont any vessels during the ycar-he present fiscal
year as we'll as to continue in employ the w0rknen
| at various stations and to rc-!nsate many who tor
want of funds had been discharged and were now
suffering. He proposed that IT be taken up ana
passed at once, or lad on the speakers taple 10 De
| taken up soon.
| Messrs c. ]. IyGERsoLL, CAVE JOHNSON, LEVY,
| HALE and BLACK of Ga. opposed action upon the
subject, without full and deliberate investigation,
Mr. H. adverting TO the increase of appropriations
| from wear 10 wear until instead Of three or four mil
| lions dollars the annual expenditure in Jackson 5
administration, the enormous sum OF over nlle mil
lions asked for the present year by the Secre-
tarv, in time of profound peace.
Mr.. BEARDSLEY concurred with Mr.. Parmenter,
that the passage of this bill necessary at present.
in order to provide for unexpected contingencies, the
question of former extravaganza or OF the proper
amount Of appropriations having no bearing on the
present question, bur proper subject for discussion
and action when the bill of Appropriations came up.
The bill referred, on motion OF Mr. Cave
|JoHySoN, to the Committee Of the Whole on the
! Union.
The call of the States for resolutions COM
menced, and Mr.. BURKE having offered one for the
election of Postmaster on the 9TH proXlmO, without
taking the question, the House adjourned.
In SENATE, the bill to refund TO Isaac lslcy Col
lector of Portland Me-, in 1922, but removed OF the
close of the first quarter OF the year. s9l IS salary,
was discussed at some length and laid over
After brief Executive Session, III which no busl-
ness of importance was ransaCted--the consldera-
ton of the Cabinet and other nominations being post
poned as is understood, Oh account OF the absence
| OF several SenatOrS-tne SENATE dulOuIlltu Af"Co.
a DUEL-A duel was fought near Washington
on Sunday morning between De Veaux Powell, son
of Col. John Hare Powell, and MIR VIM. Norris,
of Baltimore. Cause Of quarrel-refusal of young
Powell to take Mr.. Norriss hand !! Weapons--ri-
,-distance-eighty yards,-result-two young
boobies escaped unhuit, perfectly satisfied.
The following nominations, made by the Pre-
siden to the Senate some days ago, have been con-
| frmed
ALBERT DAVIS, of Pennsylvan Consul at Leeds
in England.
LOUIS MARKS of New York Consul at Bavaria
| and the Prussian Provinces Of the Rhine
DESTRUCTIVE FIRE AT WILKsBARRE.-A FIRE
broke out on Saturday last in the public square at
Wilkesbarre, Pa. Several large buildings occupied
as stores were consumed with all their contents.
The loss is estimated by writer in the Z. 5. Ga
zette at about Sl40O0, Of which only about $4,000
| is insured. Philadelphia Gazette
Things I'm Philadelphia.
Correspondence of the Tribune
PHILADELPHIA, Dec. 21-3 7. NJ.
A observation-disclosures Roberts, the Collector
of Taxes for the Unincoporated Northern Liberties,
has absconded, according to general report, with
about $4,000 OF the funds of the District