Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1847-12-22
3OTH CONGRESS.


! rANSI SESSlONs
On Wsdnssday, in the SES.rE, Mr. Calbouur
offered his resolutions in opposition to he CON
quest Of Mexico. Resolutions which win com
Fmana universal attention, and excite considera
BILE debate. $
The Standing Committees were then filed.
The Rev Mr. GuRLEY. Presbyterian, has beei
elected Chaplain of the House Of Representa-
lives The vote between Mr.. G and the, Rev
Mr. Chrisman, Baptist, was close one, 100 u
II02
/ In the HOUSE,, on Wednesday, considerable dis
.cussion took place on Mr.. vinton's resolution 70
the appointment. Of two Committees upon Com
hsrce, one upon foreign and the other internal.
| Mr.. Rhett spoke with some warmth and a
length in opposition. ~
Mr.. Caleb B. Smith ably advocated the reso
Ilution
Mr. Roo, followed with few eloquent re
marks. st !.
Mr.. Bedinger next took the floor, and spoke a
some length in opposition j A..
A message from the President, giving his rea
son for nor signing the bill passed last session
making appropriations for rivers and harbors
was then read. I
Mfr Wentworth then rose, and moved that tn,
message be refetrsd:o he Committee on Com
merce.
! Mr. Vinton thought it more proper TO app6n
a select committee for its consideration; for'the
report and message, he argued, should go ont o.
the country together. He accordingly moved
that il be referred to a select committee n
This gave rise to debate, 10 which Messrs
Bayly, Stewart. Sims and Schenck participated
Mr.. Isaac L. Holmes, Of S. c., then offered a
series of resolutions, recommending peace with
Mexico.
After which, on motion, the House adjourned
| On Thursday in the Senate, Mr.. Foote de-
livered an eloquent and feeling enlogy on the
death Of the Hon, Jesse Speight, late a Senator
from Mississippi The usual resolutions of re-
spect and mourning were passed. when the Sc
nate adjourned.
In the HoUsE, the message from the President
of the United States, giving his reasons for veto
ing the River and Harbor Bill, passed at the last
session, was taken up and debated atlength, when
the death Of the Hon. Jesse fSpeight Of Mississp-
pi, was announced, when the House adjourned
The senate did, not siton Friday or Saturday.
In the HousR, on Friday, Mr. Petit, Locofoeo,
gave Mr.. Richie an oyerhauling for very, in
fair report of and reference 10, his speech in the
"Unfon'' Of Thursday night, Mr.. p character
lied the report as pueriie, silly, false-and not
only so but the falsehood was designed, and told
without any respect for persons or any regard for
truth.
Mr.. Bolts, of Va. succeeded in obtaining Ere
liminary action upon his Resolution to restore
the Southern Mail ID its old conveyance and con
tractors, and the Committee on Post Offices and
Post Roads are charged with considering his re-
solution which instructs and directs the Postmas-
ter Geriefal to fecede from the step he has taken
The death Of Mr. Dromgoole, Of Va, was an
nounced to-day by Mfr. Meade, bis successor from
the % district.
The HousE was engaged on Saturday, almost
exclusively in the adoption Of Rules OF Order
We are pleased 70 find that the one hour rule has
been retained, with the privilege TO the, member
reporting the measure, to open and close the de-
bate, and 70 every member proposing an amend
ment TO occupy live minutes in explaining such
amendment. h. M
In the SENATE on Monday, Mr. Dix, Of New
York, presented memorial from the officers OF
The army in Mexico, dated at Puebla, and headed
BY Worth, Scott, and other names Of distinction,
praying for the establishmentof retired list in
he service, and that adequate provision be made
for the widows and orphans of soldiers who have
fallen in battle.
Mr. ICalhoun's resolutions coming IN in order.
be nbyed their postponement until the first Tues
day Of January.
Mr.. Allen stated that he wanted to know wheth-
er MI. CALHOUN intended to go against all aequf-
sition OF territory.
Mr. Calhoun said that was not his intention in
offering the resolutions. They invoked 20 ot5er
matter than that of the conquest of Mexico and
that is the real question before the country That
was the question he intended TO discuss
!, A debate. ensned, in the course Of which Mr.
Allen moved tdTefsr.the resolutions 10 the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs. =,
Alter warm debate, the further consideration
OF the resolutions was postponed until and made
the special order of the 4th proximo III
The resolutions presented by Mr.. Dickinson,
OF N. T., were then taken up, and after an inter-
esting debate, in which Messrs Dickinson, Cas-.
Calhoun and others participated, they were pass
ed over for the present :
In the HoUsE, Mr. Murphy offered a jointsfe-
solution dAclaring the sympathy of the American
people in the efforts making by Pope, Plus TX, 10
ameliorate the condition Of, the people and i'm
prove the laws Of Italy.
Mr.. j. w. Houston offered resolution for
presenting medals to Gen. Taylor and his ON
GERS.
/ Mr.. Goggin offered resolution authorizing an
inquiry to be made into the return Of Santa Anna
to Mexico.
Mr. Grinnell, Of Massachusetts,, presented a
resolution inquiring as to whether the President
had appointed officers TO make an exploration of
the Dead Sea-.
Mr.. Schenck Of Ohio, introduced a resolution
inquiring as to the manner and particulars of the
conquest Of New Mexico, and the nature and ex-
tent Of the olders issued to the military command
er of that station
A resolution was then presented by Mr.. Isaac
E. Holmes, Of South Carolina, advising Con,
gress to call on the States to return the Old sur
plus fund Of $40, OOo, 900. which has been distri
buted among them, before making any more loan.
on behalf Of the General Government.