The Caledonian. [volume] (St. Johnsbury, Vt.) 1837-1867, 1844-01-01
From Washington.
WARRINGTON, Tuesdny

J nnd tho lTehluoht MesshBe hhVIng Doon taken
and referred to il, tho House resolved itself -.
| Committee of the Whole on tho Union for tho ..
pose of distribution Of the Message among the ssy,n
/ Committees.
MIR WISE moved resolution assigning to lbs >,
spectve Committees their appropriate parts tbe,.,,
Several divisions Of the resolution wero admit,
without debate. Ga that referring that portion ort
Message relating TO the improvement of the M,
gniion Of the Mississippi md of The Western I,l.
and rivers to the Committee on Commerce, sni,,.,
discussion Of some length arose. touching the nor..
and power OF Congress over the subject of h,ery
improvements.
The Western members objected to the proD,,i
reference because the Committee on Commerce,
mostly from the Atlantic States They called v,,.
the Western members to unite to aid the WsD
The debate was continued through the day wfhni
any action.
Wednesday, Dec 20
In the House odny Mr. IloUsroN, on Ie,,
Introduced a bill to reduce and graduate the p.,,
Of the Public Lands to settlers and cntvators.
The resolution of Mr. G. DAVIS On the subsc, d
the rights 10 seats of the gcnernl-ticket member
modified at the suggestion of Mr. ELMER, so a,n
instruct tho Committee Elections TO inquire srl
report the certificates of elections or other crele
tinls Of all the members returned 10 serve in l
House, and whether elected in conformity to the ,.
stituiion and laws, was taken up.
The resolution was then, under the opcralio, sf
the previous ueston odopied,by Yens las, N,S2
Mr. BARNARD's amendment to the JournNwt.
sert thereon his protest and the facts accompMiu
again came up, Mr. DRoMGooLE's questo, Of
reception pending. A motion of Mr. SrErxRopb
lay this on the table prevailed by near party VOTE
Yeas ZIG, Nays so thus finally disposng Of h,
matter, suPPressing and excluding from the Ioqrn
even the record of the protest
The presentation of petitions was then resrna
from Saturday, Mr. ADAMS having the floor, and Ii,
sccne ofuproar usual like occasions being reacted
Southern Members on their fec, in all parts Of II,
Hail. intcnt'y watching ihe'old eloquent 'andyen
cradle rs he takes from this drawer ard present,
one by one the petitions, upon which they are realy
and eager to pounce aRd dispose of by the application
Of'ho 2lst (now 25th) rule, hy motion to lay on Ii.
table, SC.
The petition ofMr A. from citizens Of " Y. askin,
TO be separated from all connection with SLAYER
(Which on Saturday had been decided to be eyclrdsi
under the rule) the SPEAKER, having more fJ
examined the precedents SC. on the case, nov De.
cided was not embraced within the strict letter q
the rule, and the rule being restrictive, he did mol
feel justified in excludiugit.
Mr. CAVE JOHNSON raised the question of rccep.
ton. He could not at any time to the reccp.
ton of petition for the dissolution of the Union
Mr. ADAMS said it was not petition for the ds,o.
luton Of the Union but FOR the adoption by Congress
of an amendment to the Constitution, perfectly con.
sistent with the continuance of the Union, ard
indeed, depending upon it,
Mr. THOMPSON of Mi. moved to Law the quesaa
of reception on the table carIied-Yeas 81 nays So
aud thus this was disposed Of
After one or two on French Spoiat ions &c
came another one praying for the abolition of slavery
in the United States and in tho District of COLUMBIA
This the SPEAKER informed Mr. A. was excluded
by the rule.
"Brng i, back" said Mr. A., civil put it with
the rest II have house full which | am preservn,
for some future day have the petitions of hundreds
thousands Of the people excluded from hearing
in this house,
He SPEAKER, III Is nor IN order to debate I0
subject"
Mr. ADAMS. "I do not l submit with lamb,
ike PATIENCE" Laughter.
Mr. A. now said he had one from 266 citizens of III.
'ois containing several prayers some on grave and in
oortant subjects not within the rule, which he hoped
might not be excluded on acc cunt of other portions
IF it, 1t prayed first, that Congress pass some v
containing confession of national sin. Laughter (
lie hoped the House would treat it with respect
1 came from persons no doubt Of deep Conscientious
ness. Second, for the passage of an act of some
nature. acknowledging the dominion of the Lord
Jesus Christ I'D, acknowledging the law Of God
4th, Tor an amendment Of the Constitution some
law, to secure TO every individual of tho United States
The "self-evident'' ''truths'' of the Declaration oil
Independence, the right 'to fe liberty and the par
suit of happiness" That, said Mr. A. / am afraid tho
Speaker will declare within the rule. The Declare
fton Of Independence, this house turns out Of doors
The SPEAKER decided that this was uot excluded NJ
by the rule. ..I.,.
MIR HARRISON of Ga. raised the question Of re-
ception on this, as disrespectful to the House 'f'
before the House had threaded its way out of anolc
er labyrinth Of points of order, an adjournment ""
moved and carried
In SENATE, communication was received no"
The State Department relative 10 the changes IN Wv n