The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-05-19
TwENTY-NINTH CONGRESS,
First Session.
TUESDAY, May 10, 1886.

PETITIONS.
Mr.. CRITTENDEN presented the memorial OF
certain merchants at Louisville, Cincinnati, st.
LOUIS, Pittsburgh, Nashville, and Whseling, and
also Of several revenue officers, praying that The
above places may be made ports Of enuyi which
referred To the Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. BENTON presented additional evidence w
relation to the claim of A. ii. Yarnalli which was
referred TO the Committee on Pensions
NATIONAL FOUNDRY.
Mr.. CAMERON presented the memorials Of cit
izens of the city and county of Philadelphia, pray
ing the establishment Of national foundry IN the
STATE of Pennsylvania; which was referred to the
Committee on Military Affairs.
Mr.. c. also presented several memorials from
citizens Of Pennsy VanIa and female inhabitants OF
Philadelphia, praying the abolition Of slavery in the
United States; the motion TO receive which was or
dered to lie on the table.
IA message was received from the House Of Rep
resentauyes announcing that said House had passed
The joint resolution providing for temporary mail
service in Texas.
REPOhrs EROa COMMITTEE
Mr.. JOHNSON, Of Louisiana, from the Com
mittee on Pensions, submitted an adverse report
upon the petition OF Samuel Hartwell which was
Tdered TO be printed.
rHE Army.
Mr.. BENTON, from the Committee on Military
Affairs, TO NnOln was OF
ing into the expediency Of increasing the number OF
general and staff officers in the army Of the United
States, and also the expectancy OF making further
provisions TO promote the efficiency Of the volunteer
force authorized by law, reported an act supple
mentary TO an act entitled an act TO provide for the
prosecution of the existing war with the republic Of
Mexico, and for other purposes; which was read a
first and second time
Mr. ATHERT0N, from the Committee on For.
eign Relations, submitted a report in writing, asking
that said committee be discharged from the further
consideration Of the memorial Of the owners Of the
brig General Armstrong which was agreed TO.
rRE-EaPrIoN CLAIMS.
The "bill providing for the adjustment of all sus.
pended pre-empron claims in the several States and
Territories" was read third time and passed.
GENERAL oRDERs OF THE DAY.
The Senate proceeded to the consideration Of the
t'bill for the relief Of Mrs Pike widow Of the late
General Pike" which was read a second time, con-
sdered as in committee Of the whole, reported back
to the Senate without amendment and ordered TO be
engrossed for a third reading.
The Senate considered the adverse report Of the
Committee on Pensions, upon the petition Of Zlba
Baker, which report was concurred in.
Also the adverse report Of the Committee or
Pensions on the petition Of Michael Bowden; which
report was concuTet IN.
Several messages in writing were received from
MOUNTED RnLEnEN.
A message was received from the House Of Rep
resentatives announcing that the Speaker Of said
House had signed the bill to raise a regiment Of
mounted raemen; which bill thereupon was signed
by the Vice President
On motion Of Mr. JARNAGIN, the Senate con.
sdered the House bill for the relief Of George Mabie
which was ordered to third reading. BY unani-
nous consent, the bill was then read third time and
time and passed.
POST OFFICE APPROXIMATIONS
On motion OF Mr.. LEWIS, the Senate took up
for consideration the act making appropriations for
the service Of the Post Office Department for the
year ending June 30th, l647.
Mr.. SPEIGHT did not desire to throw any OBJ
staces in the way Of the passage Of the bill; but he
had intended to propose an amendment with the
view Of ENGRAVING upon it some Of the valuable
features of the post Office law repealed last session
The operation Of the new law was in his judgment
likely TO throw the burden Of the post Office system
o. no Treasury Department instead Of enabling il
to pay its own expenses In the section OF country
in which he lived, there had been no complaints
about the working Of the former law. The com.
plants came from the large cities and towns of the
North and East, and they finally succeeded in OBJ
tanning the change by which they alone were bene-
flied. The new law was, he asserted, inquitous
1t was Objectionable in various points. There was
severely in the region Of country in which he (Mr
81 lived. All the stage lines, with or two
ceptons, would be destroyed and the travelling com
munty be subjected to great inconvenience He
asserted there, in his place, upon the best authority
and he had letters from the first in his State &c
that effect that under the operation OF this new Law
almost every stage line would be destroyed. Thu
the new law would not only saddle the treasury
with large portion of the expenditures Of the Pos
Office Department, but would deprive great re
gions Of the country Of facilities for travelling b,
stages. He concluded by appealing to the chair
man Of the Committee the Post Office and Pos
Roads, whether he intended to introduce at tn
present session any measure by way ofrepealing o
modifying the new law'
Mr. NILES replied. He said that the Commit
tee on the Post Office and Post Roads had not eve
felt it their duty TO consider the general subject
had idea of submitting any project for the repea
of the law. They had not supposed that public sen
timent expected that, or that any such measure wa
expected at their hands. 1t probable that tn
committee might introduce a bill to improve tina
act in some respects. As a great change had bee
susceptible Of amendment. But to destroy the es
senal principle Of that act and the great object Ell
fected by it, and that the reduction of the post
age, would not, he presumed, be attempted. IL any
thing were done it would be with the view of ex
tending the benefits Of the law and securing them Z
did not desire to 60 into any discussion of the pru
cpe Of the act. He thought that probably such
discussion not called for at this time Perhap
the senator Mr.. SPEIcHT] was not fully aware &
the views and arguments presented during the d,
cussion Of the new postage law; at all events
(Mr, NJ rather surprised at the sweeping d,
nuncation which the senator had seen Ct to apply
the law. A law more bene6cent in principle, moi
practically beneficial in its working had not bee
enacted by Congress for many years to say the lea
I'D - a. = n
only the large cities Its benefits were not so lin
tied. # benefited the whole country. Every DO
ton. Of the country--every individual was benef
ed by it. II anything could be needed to recommer
this great reform It was the fact that its bene6
were extended TO every person in the communit
The senator told them that this great change HI
not only operated injuriously and progressively u
on his constituents in regard to the mail service, b
that it was going TO break up the stage lines. We
he (Mr. NJ supposed that the alusion of I
senator was TO feature in the bill which ma
it the duty Of the department hereafter to make
contracts with view to the mail service alone
l.. IL .V,tk tb.,