Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1846-05-28
CONGRESS-.


In the Senate, on Monday the 18th, Mr.. Benton
offered resolution for an increase Of the Staff Of
the Army, In consequence of the increase of ;ts
rank and file; and also to provide for a more eff
cieht organization of voluhteurs On the ,n,,,, &c
Mr. Fairfield the bill reported in the e,r,v t,u ~
the session, to provide for the building of ten war
steamers, was committed to the COMMITTEES nm M.
val affairs. The bill to increase the numbe. of
Paymasters in the Army was read a third time and
passed. The bill for the relief of Amos Kendall,
was also passed.
In the House, the bill TO appropriate two million.
OF dollars 10 sustain the increased force authorized
to the rank and file of the Army was under discus
sion. An amendment proposed to raise the pay OF
the soldiers from e8 to el0 was the subject Of an
extended discussion, in which the conduct of the
President in bringing the present relations with
Mexico was sharply rebuked, and the assailants &C.
verely retorted upon.-It considered altogether
unpatriotc by the defenders of the Administration.
to undertake to examine his acts. bill was passed
to authorize the Postmaster General to continue the
mail service in Texas it existed when that State
was independent.
On Tuesday, in the Senate, the Post-O Office bill
was under consideration, but no action was had
upon it.
In the House, the Army bill was passed.-An
amendment was adopted appropriating two millions
of dollars for the expenses incident to the increase Of
the Army.
On Wednesday, in the Senate, nothing of inter
est TRANSFERRED The French spoliation bill was un-
der discussion
In the House, Mr.. King, of Ga under instruc
lions from the Naval Committee, reported a bill to
authorize the building of twelve war steamers and
one iron frigate which was read twice and allowed
TO take Its place on the calendar
On Thursday, in the Senate, Mr.. Ashley report
ed bill from the Judiciary Committee to change
the time of holding the Spring terms of the Dis
trict Courts of the United States in the Sta,es IF
Virginia and Tennessee. A report was received
from the Committee Territories, declaring il in
eXpedlent TO move in the matter Of Territorial
Government for Oregon at the present session.
The same committee also reported that they could
not agree upon the bill to extend our laws to Amer
can settlers in Oregon, and asked to be discharged
from its further consideration.
In the House, the Civil and Diplomatic hill ,v,s
under discussion.
VII iiuhy, III Tic OcIate, the naval Committee
reported a bill, proposing an appropriation of 3d.
9OO,OO0 for the building of the ten war steamers.
MIR. Allen offered resolution calling upon the
President for any information he possessed of inter-
ference of the Government of Great Britain. or
France, in reference to the annexation OF Texas.
which was agreed to. The Committee ON Terri
tories was discharged from the further consdera-
ton of the Oregon bills. Mr.. Benton took occasion
to deliver very elaborate speech upon what he
regarded as our rights in the territory. He ridi-
culed the line of $40 4O as having no existence in
reality No such line was ever agreed upon, he
said, in the world; and those who thought of going
to fight about it, would find that it would end in
''thin air." He did not conclude his speech. but
minated his opinion that the proper settlement of
the question would be upon the basis of the 10Th
degree of north latitude
In the House, the bill repeating the proyiso OF
the Naval law of 1885, limiting the numerical
force OF the Navy to 500 men, was passed with
an immateral amendment, and sent back to tho
Senate.