Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1844-01-26
CONGR ESS.

der consideration. He was rejected by
very decided majority, Senators Of both par
ties voting against his confirmation.
If the majority Of that body had looked to
policy alone he would, no loubt, have been
confirmed, but in relation to appointments
they have higher duty to perform, and one
which they will, in every case, meet with
frmness and decision, however unpleasant
it may be to them as individuals Mr.
Henshaw was not rejected on political
grounds, but upon unreiuted charges against
his moral fitness for an office of high public
trust. Mr.. Hill, Mr.. Spencer, and some
others will share his fate. 1t is probable
that Mr.. Porter may escape their DOOM as
there have, as yet, been no well substantial
ted charges against his fitness for the office
he occupies, most of the objections urged
against him being of political and partlzan
character.
Jan. l6.
An immense number of petitions have
been presented again, in both Houses, on
the subject of the reduction of postage, to-
day; and Postmaster Graham, aud the Post
master General, were both before the Post
Office Committee for several hours.
n CuIlOuS SCGuc OCCuIIGu DGIt lO-ulNul
in connection with the rejection Of Mr..
Henshaw. About half past seven an alarm
was raised that the Navy Yard was on fire.
Crowds rushed thither, and found that it
was only an enormous bonfire that had been
made by the discharged workmen at the
Yard, out of Joy for the rejection of Mr..
Henshaw by the Senate; and soon after
wards fire engine was dragged through.
the streets, on which was a man crying out
"Three groans for Henshaw :" and then he
began scraping on fiddle, and saying Get
out of the way, old David Henshaw," while
the mob laughed, shouted, hooted, and
made all sorts of cries and noises 1t rails
ed quite an excitement for an hour or two.
Wednesday, Jan. IL.
ISendte.--In the Senate, Mr.. Moorehead
presented petition from several thousand
citizens of Ohio, for reduction of postage.
The improvement of the Fox and Wiscon-
sin rivers, in Wisconsin, was taken up, dis
cussed, amended in some particulars and
passed over for the present. The Senate
then went into Executive Session, at which
it is understood the nomination of Isaac
Hill was rejected.
In the House, resolution of Mr.. Thorn
sons instructing the Committee of Ways
and Means to report an appropriation for
the removal of distractions in the MISSISSIPPI
pi river, after some discussion was amended
so as merely to direct the Committee TO in
quire into the expediency Of such an appro-
priation, and passed.
Thursday, Jan. Is.
In the House, Mr.. ]. Brown Of Pa, Of
fered a resolution granting the use of the
Hall for colonization meeting in the even
ing. Mr.. Black OF Ga. objected furiously,
saving they were as bad as aboitionists--
After delay for want of a quorum, the
rules were suspended-Yea cas- 1919, Nays AZ,
and the resolution was received and a.
dopted.
The report Of the select committee on
the rules came up, and Mr.. Hudson, OF
Massachusetts, spoke at length aud with
much cogency of reasoning against The 2lst
rule. He took higher ground than did
those who simply held that abolition peti.
tions should be received. The right of pc
ttion involved the reception, reference,
consideration, and action, and was not sat
isiied by mere reception and then laying on
the table.
Mr.. Hudson claimed for these petitions
the same course of treatment as for others
He contended for Exclusive legislatio -
for all legislative powers-for the full and
unqualified power Of Congress over Slavery
in the District. He referred to the acts o.
almost all the State Legislatures and tc
some Of their oastitutions--certain OF the
latter e. e. that of Mis.) containing pro
vision against the abolition of Slavery by it.
Legislatures, thus acknowledging directly
Slavery to be a legitimate subject for legis
lation; to the amendment to the Constitu
ton proposed by Va. a few years ago, to re
strain Congress from abolshng SLAYER,
here, except by the consent of Md. and Va.
to the debates in the Va Convention which
adopted the Constitution, it being opposes
on this very ground by Patrick Henry AM
others, and urged on the same ground b.
Madison there and in the Federalist; to tn
abolition of the Slave trade by Congress il
1908; to the concordant opinions Of al
American Statesmen, sc. &c. to show tina
Slavery was legitimate subject of legisa
ton; and this being proved, it followed tina
Congress had power to abolish it or not a
they chose in the District and in the terrific
ries, He pretended not that they had an
thing to do with it in the States. He refer
red to the deeds of cession, in which, not
withstanding the off repeated contrary dec
laration, there were no tenutatlons on tn
subject of Slavery; and replied to the que'
: ton whether Va. and Md. would have mad
d the cession, had they supposed Slavery woul
d have been abolished, saying that they mad
e the cession with their eyes open, that wit
: limitations in the deeds, the District coul
not have been conslitutionaly received; thu
n they were moving towards its abolition
. their own boundaries, and probably antic
# pated it here, &c. &c. Before he conclude
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