The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1848-08-15
CITY OF WASHINGTON.
TUESDAY MORNING, AUGUST is, ls4s


adjournment OF Congress.-P last Message.
Congress adjourned yesterday precisely at IL O'Clock
according their joint order The members have gone
othe constituents to give account of their steward
ship We wish the wings safe deliverance from the
fearful responsibility which they have encountered The
session has been long and protacted but not long
the I'd session of the 9th Congress, which did not ad
lourn before the 31st of August The work which has
beenexecued far from corresponding to the time con-
sumed The opposition have wasted large portion of
the session in collecting materials, and making cap
ital for the ensuing presidential election They have
scattered speeches, and provoked replies from the
republican members. They attacked the war for
weeks and months, instead of making vigorous efforts
10 terminate it. Ii this very mschievous carnor
on the part of the wings, and their of energy in
raising the supplies, which cheered the enemy, and de-
ayed the termination of hostlites. When peace finally
came, the wings turned their batteries against the origin
and prosecution of the war; and then the question
Of the disposition of the territories have acquired
Speech after Speech and day after day, exhausted
upon the attempt to compromise the question.
Much credit willing to give Mr.. Clayton and
of his colleagues in this matter, yet we hold the
wings particularly responsible for the defeat of the
mise Four southern wing senators first broke the line OF
the South instead of presenting all her force together
Then the eight southern wings in the House defeated the
first compromise, and parayzed the spirit of the northern
democrats in regard to the adjustment Stephens Of
Georgia made the motion to lay the bill on the table
which the Senate had been for time discussing and
preparing He was followed by seven other southern
wings in the attempt to smother the BILL and prevent il
from assuming any other form of compromise The first
failure shed its disastrous eclipse over the second com
promise bill from the Senate The southern wings at
tempted TO backwater too late They had killed the frs,
BILL and encouraged the northern democrats to desert the
second until every attempt to compromise the question
was unavailing.
One bill only has passed in relation to western terri
tory 1t is the bill which went from the House for Or
ganzng government for Oregon. 1t recognised the
provision of the ordinance of 1857 The Senate made an
attempt to amend it, and settle the question upon the
basis of the Missouri compromise, but the amendment
was rejected by the House and on Sunday morning,
alter aborous session through the previous night the
Senate receded from their amendment and the bill was
passed IN the shape in which it had gone up from the
House
The question was then anxiously made, which course
would the President pursue Would he veto the bill
OF would he sign it The answer at hand.
yesterday morning, the bill was sent up to him, and
ne returned to the House of Representatives about
O'Clock, with his signature. But the President went fur
oef tie was not content to sign the bill but he was
determined to assign his for the act and at the
same ume to lay down the principles which should guide
MS course during the rest of his administration He has
met the duty as became him. There is no case in the
Whoie course of his most memorable administration
u as 1t is OF great trials, and illustrated by great
'umphs OF moral force and enlightened poicy-which
can compare with the present one in point of i'm.
fv'"hce' oo'h IN ITS origin in its character, and in
>" consequences There is act of his administra-
~" winch is superior to it in the wisdom with which he
selected his course, and in the frmness with which
~ mas pursued IT. Many of the citizens of the south
"S'ed INN TO veto the bill Most of the northern citizens
'hal he would consent to extend the restriction OF
O 10 The whole extent of newly acquired terrific
,''ol California and New Mexico The President has
O"e neither; but he has marked out course which is
VNOhiDiehoed by the highest wisdom and the deepes
A''u 10 Inc best interests of our common country He
signed this b. reluctantly, from a stern sense of
Wy towards Oregon, and from respect to the principle
"e missouri Compromise; but he has not stopped
knowing and feeling that this question OF slavery
s !" 'he most important which has engaged the at
e"uon OF his countrymen-that il stands ahead of the
o' III dlhcuty, in delicacy, and in importance-tha
ne only one which can seriously distract the people
the Union itself, he has felt to be his duty
Ny 10 'ake a new course, and to send in a message