The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1844-01-17

pba, and another very numerousy signed from Pitts
After some few reports upon pensions &c. the Senate
went into Executive Session. where they now are.
House OF Representatives.
WASHINGTON CITY, Monday night, Jan. IT,
The Eternal Subject of the Wester1. Wafrs-poH
Office Reforn,-R Resolutions Printing Committee.
As soon as the journal was read, motion was
made to suspend the rules IN order to stop all de-
bate upon the 18th section of the Presidents Mes
sage relative to the Improvement OF the western
waters. You know that. the first ten sections OF
the Presidents Message, including all the most I'm,
porant matters therein, have already been referred
to the appropriate committees without debate
The only three remaining sections OF the Message
to be disposed of are three, viz
1.-THE Western Waters.
l2-The District of Columbia.
l3-The Smithsonian Request.
These two last unfortunate subjects being cared
for by no one but Mr.. Adams the House does not
care how long they postponed, or if they are
never acted upon. And as the subject OF the
western waters is a most fertile field tor the
''young guard" as Benton calls them. from the
west to launch out upon and to talk to Bunkum the
House does not seem inclined to stop debate there
on. In fact, Mr.. Ingersoll said on Saturday that
there was much superfluons gas in the House, that
violently had to be let of at some time during the
Sc sion, and he really did not know any better time
If subject to expend it upon than the present, and
his matter of the Western Waters. You are aware
hat the simple question at issue is. whether that
Dart of the Message shall be referred to the COM
mittee on commerce or to select committee, COM
posed principally or wholly OF Western members:
This subject has now been discussed four weeks,
and twenty or thirtv members have spoken upon II.
motion was made to-day to suspend tn" rules, IN
order that all debate thereon might be stopped and
that the subject might be taken out OF committee
tomorrow at o'clock. But no. there are too ma
nv new members want to talk on this subject yet,
and therefore this very sensible proposition was not
carried-ayes, II; noes, GO. Two-thrds not vot-
ing aye, the rules were not suspended; and the de-
cate will go on, to end, God only knows when
Ia tlrsA akn INN Ia nln e.
renee to a committee, has cost the country over
$40 900; and let it also be observed, that only l3l
members voted One of these days may send
list of the absenees. The whole debate Is idle and
nonsensical IN the extreme because either the
Committee on Commerce or a select committee,
will do full and ample justice to the subjects and
after all, as much money VIII be expended upon
improving these waters as the country can AFFORD
have been thus precise on this subject, as II may
be several days before the debate on this subject Is
brought to close.
To-day being resolution day, after the above vote
the States were called upon in order for resoutsns
md this subject, with few trfing remarks upon
the question of reconsidering one or two resoiu'
tons, consumed the time OF the House until the
hour of adjournment, 4 o'clock.
The first question taken up was the reconsldera-c
ton of a resolution offered by Mr.. PATTERSON, OF
New York, on Saturday. This resolution called
on the Post Office Department for full account OF
the income and expenditure at each Post office,
the amount of drop letters, ranked letters, frank
ed documents, paid letters, paid newspapers, free
newspapers, with expose OF the business OF each
Office for one year. Mr.. PATTERSON said he under
stood the Postmaster had been collecting all that
information connected with the month OF October
last and he moved to reconsider his resolution to
| make it read for zone month"; instead OF lone
year"
, Mr. HOPKINS saw necessity for the resolution.
1t would take eight or ten years to get all the inor-
nation first contemplated; as to the returns tor the
| Besides, the Senate had already called for the
| same information, and one document would sufhce
| for both Houses Before this information could be
obtained answers had TO be received from 1000
| post office.
Mr.. PATTERSON said the call of the Senate did
not embrace what he wanted. That was the
amount of Thanking done by each department OF
ranking. at present amounted to over $500, 900 a
! year He wanted all the information that could
possibly be obtained upon this important subject OF
postage, so that when the question came fully ana
| fairly before the House members lnght Vote uhoeI'
Mr.. HorKrNs said this could not be shown in
time for this Congress-the labor was too great,
all the daily accounts, ~c OF the post Offices "ou'o
have to be examined.
Mr. PnrsroS KING of New York astonished that the
Chairman Of the Post Office Committee Qiopkin) should
attempt to throw obstacles in the way Of the House OBJ
age The people throughout the country demanded the
fullest possible Information that could be obtained on this
ubjectand they would rest satisfied unless they
did obtain this information They wished to know how
much rankng done by each department OF the Co.
vernment, as well as by Congressthey Deheves tue,
was great abuse in that quarter and they called loudly
for the facts be laid before them Why should they be
withheld And he would ask the Chairman Oh the fost
Office Committee If he meant to bring in Bill on the sub
iect Of reduction of postage because not he (Slr
| King) ready with one.
Mr. HorKSs said that the Committee had had several
rather than regular meetings on the subject
but as yet they had decided upon nothing However he
thought he might say they were In favor Of an eectuai
reform this subject - .
| MIR CARRoLL Of New York. hoped Mr.. Hopkins would
not object 10 the having all the information they
could get on this subject from the Post Office Department
II was certain that private enterprise could carry letters
and every thing else much cheaper than the Government
| could The people wanted to know how much frankiug
was done by the Executive the Postmaster General other
Postmaster the General Land Office and every branch OF
the Government There great abuses in this matter
As IL was present is certain that the letter writing
community Nhe social and commercial etters) pay CLOTHS
of the expense and payments all the matter that goes
through the mails. can't why the gentleman Hop-
kns objects this wishes to keep in the dark upon
this subject We only ask for the information which the
people desire that should ask for and which the post
master and ought to give us IL he can't or won't
| give il to u.s. let him soy to this House at once.
| Mr.. BrAppsLEy, ofN Y followed in the same strain He
said there could be difficulty in making out this nfor.
nation The people wanted TO know all the letters &c
sent by the various branches OF this government were