The New York herald., 1845-12-11
TWEnTY-NINTH CONGRESS.
Senate.

WASHINGTON, Dec. ", lSlO
Before the Senate was called 10 order this morn.
ing, large miscellaneous auditory were collected
IN the galleries. 10 feast their peculiarly curious appe
ttes on the expected defeat OF Dickens as candidate
for Secretary OF the Senate, and IN the delightful
anticipation OF loss 10 hun OF 5000 per annum-
We noticed particularly remarkable ln'ermlxture
OF bald heads end spec'aces IN the crowd. Forty
nine Senators were present on the floor below.
Various notices were given of bills--two resolu
tons by Gen. CAss instTucting inquiry into the
condition of the Army and Navy, fortitcatlons, fri
gates, and all other detences. A resolution was
also offered tor lnqulrng INTO the condition and fit
ness tor service OF the militia, and into the expe-
dlency OF more efficient system Of discipline -
Whether these beilgerent preliminary movements
on the part OF the Senate will suggest the rsdiripus
OF Mr.. Van Buren's Standing Army .ProjH OF two
hundred thousand men, has yet 10 be determined.
Mr.. Cass, however. acting upon his own popular
maxim. that II Is better 20 fight tor the rst inch OF
Oregon than the last. is wide awake 10 the necessl-
ty OF bearing also in mind the lynn of Crom-
wells army
Then put your trust in God, my boys
And keep your powder dry"
MIR. DIX gave notice Of bill providing for COM
promise between M. Quackenbush and the Uni
which he moved to refer to the Committee on
Claims; but was Informed by Mr.. Evans that there
was no such committee IN existence on the part Of
the Senate He, MIR d was understood, however,
10 insist en- the retefsnce.
The first thiag produced before the Senate this
morning, was the proposition Of j. Z. Dow & Co.,
the firm OF the ~ S. Journal, 10 do the printing OF
the Senate al twenty per cent below the prices paid
last year The proposals were short, explicit, and
significant, and shall see directly, whether King
Caucus has concluded 10 set them aside, in obedi-
ence TO the requisiuons for the sustenance of the
unctionarles dispensing the oracuar duties OF the
"organ."
The Senate proceeded, in pursuance of the regu-
lar order, to the election OF It's officers; and Mr.
Dickens, upon the first ballot reelected Secre
tary OF the Senate, over Judge S!urgls OF Ga-the
vote standing for Dickens, 25; for Siurgs, "a The
democrats VINO are supposed 10 have voted with the
wings, In support OF the Incumbent. and IN the teeth
OF the dctation of Caucus, are Messrs Benton,
Bagby, Haywood, and Wescott. The whole OF the
on,ss proband will, however, fall upon Old Bullion
He viii be watched, and cornered at every turn
traces, except upon his own terms Mr. Beall was
elected Sergeant-at- Arms Mr.. Holland was, on
the fourth ballot, elected door-keeper, over Sails
bury. the caucns nominee, MIR. James Young was
the man whlg candidate. On the first ballot, Mr.
Holland Qate clerk OF Blair & Riyes) received
but one vote, Salisbury a. lacking but one OF an
election, while the whlg vote scattered. The
wings, however, took the hint, and on the fourth
ballot all the scattering or anti-caucus were
concentrated upon the single vote Of the first
ballot for Holland and here again Colonel
Benton IS triumphant; for we will hazard hat
upon IL that, that first solitary vote for Holland,
was the ballot Of the distinguished Senator from
Missouri. Mr.. III T. Rlell received one vote IN
the last ballot, probably diversion against Ilol
land IN the last extremity, which would have been
about the same thing, tor Rell is also Blair q
Rives Wright-V Van -Buren-Bentonlan Mr.. Riell,
rid compromise, had Stnrg,s been elected, would
have probably been appointed his assistant Seer
tarv.
The Senate were about proceeding to the election
OF Committees, when Mr. Huntington, on account
OF indispositlon, asked TO be excused from serving
on any committee, and MIR. Allen, in behalf of Mr..
M'Dufiie, asked that he be also excused on the
same ground