The spirit of democracy. [volume] (Woodsfield, Ohio) 1844-1994, 1846-03-07
CONGRESSIONAL.
Washington correspondence OF the Ohio States
WASHINGTON, Feb. "a. 1876.

The House did not meet Yesterday.
and the Senate merely met to adjourn.
for the purpose of participating in the
celebration Of Washington's birth day.
To-day. the House met at the usual
hour, when Mr.. Tibbatts, of Kentucky.
moved that the House go into commit
tee of the whole. on the state of the
Union, for the purpose of taking up the
harbor and river appropriation bill
TIE motion prevailed, and the bill, ac-
cordingy. came up for consideration.
Mr.. Rhett, Of Sonth Carolina, init.
mated his design Of speaking on the
bill, and hoped, that the friends of the
measure it proposed to carry out, would
not press its passage through the House
with so much rapidity, as would pre-
vent those who dissented from its doc
trines, from defending their positions.
Mr.. ribbatts replied, that, although
the friends of the bill were anxious to
perfect it. vet, he was not aware OF any
design to attempt to press the matter
through, without ailording ample time
for discussion. to all who felt disposed
to speak on the subject.
Mr.. Crozier, Of Tennessee, moved
as an amendment, the insertion in the
bill, of an appropriation of S250.00o,
for finishing the canal around the mus
Gle shoals in the Tennessee river
This proposition gave rise to consider
able debate, in which Messrs. Crozier,
of Tennessee, Mcconnell and Chap
man of Alabama, and Schenck, OF Ohio,
participated.
= In the Senate, Mr.. Dickinson, of
New York, presented memorial, ask
ing a grant land, sixty miles wide,
from the head Lake Michigan through
to the Pacific Ocean, for the purpose of
enabling the petitioners to complete a
railroad, from the proceeds Of the lands.
from the head Of said Lake to the Co.
lumba river. The memorial was or
dcred to be printed. After disposing
Of several other minor matters, the Sen
ate proceeded to the consideration of
the order of the day, (the Oregon no.
tice, when Mr.. Dickinson rose, and
spoke until the hour ola 1journment, in
favor Of the notice. He had not con-
cluded his speech. when the Senate
went into Executive session, but will
resume it again tomorrow.
Since the arrival of the Cambria,
people seem to take it forgranted, that
the Oregon dispute will be adjusted
without any interruption in the friendly
relations no w existing between the two
countries. The PROBABILITIES, it must
be confessed. are strongly in favor OF
such result; but the question is far
from being settled yet. AS far as can
learn, negotiations have not yet been
renewed between the two countries, on
the subject; and we. of all other peo-
pie. are the least prepared to jump at
violent conclusions. Possibly, the Brit
ish government may make back 10 us,
the offer that Mr.. Pakenham rejected
last summer; and it seems 10 be the
general impression here, that she will
and if it is made, without venturing an
opinion as TO its being accepted by US,
lmay say, that it stands at least much
better chance of acceptance now, than
it would have done before. the opening
OF the British ports. Nevertheless, the
offer has not been and NAV never be
made; in the mean time, Great Britain,
50 far from relaxing in her stupendeus
warlike preparations, has even asked
for authority to still farther augment
every branch Of her army, and has
made large additional estimates for the
increase of her navy; whilst we are not
taking the incipient steps towards prep
aratipn for defence. While the subject
matter in dispute, stands open as it
does now, an unexpected and compar.
atively trivial. event may give such a
turn to affairs, as would render rup,
ture almost inevitable; and whilst our
opponents are perfectly prepared, we
have done nothing towards being rea-
dy for such contingency. This GER
tainly should not be; some few precau-
tons should be taken. to save US from
being caught by a powerful foe, without
some little preparation for defence.
Accounts from Texas, are most flat
tering. Since her annexation, and the
stability which her affairs have already
assumed, it is said that property, of all
kinds, has risen from 25 to so per cent,
and that there is constant stream Of
emigration pouring into the state, both
from other quarters of the Union, and
from various ports Of Europe. Six
thousand Germans are reported to have
arrived there during the present year,
to say no thing of other European emf
grants. Building in Galveston, is pro-
crossing most rapidly; and in the course