Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1849-02-24
tFrom the Phila .Ledger1
rHfRTIETH coNeR REss-sEcoND SESSION

WASHIN0TONy TSOj ~ 'S'~'
SEsArE.--The bill from the House provi-
ding for the establishment offs Home Depart
ment, was read and referred to the Committee
on Finance.
The Senate then took up the resolution,
previously offered BY MIR. Webster, directing
an inquiry to be made into the expediency
of recurring security from emigrant paupers,
in order to prevent them from becoming q
npblie charge. An amendment making pro.
vision for printing certain decisions of the
Supreme Court on the subject, was then SUBJ
mitted and agreed TO, and the resolution a.
dop,ed.
MIR. Rnsk, Of Texas, reported bill for the
establishment Of a mail route from the Mis-
sissippi river TO San Francisco, California,
which was laid on the table, to be printed.
Mr.. Foot, Of Mississippi, presented the
memorial of Jesse Dow and others, in relation
to the construction of a railroad across the
Isthmus of Tehuantepec, which was also Or
dered 10 be printed.
The resolution hitherto submitted by Mr..
Underwood, proposing to select and purchase
locality for burial ground in Mexico to
receive the remains of our soldiers who Pc
rished there during the late war, was taken
I'D and referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations.
MIR. Douglass gave notice that he would,
on Monday next, move 10 take up the bill
providing a territorial government for Cali
fornia.
MIR. Benton, of Missouri, submitted an a.
mendment to the bill, striking out the ap-
preparation of fsls6,Ooo for the coast survey,
and inserting $4,000; also, directing the
survey TO be made exclusively by vessels
and officers of the navy, under the direction
of the President He spoke with his accus-
toned ability, in favor Of making some modi-
ficalion in the present system Of coast sur.
vey.
HousE.-Mr. vinton, Of Ohio, offered reso.
luton to terminate the debate on the Mexi.
can indemnity bill on Wednesday next.
On motion of MIR. Rockwell, the House then
went into Committee of the Whole, Mr.. Ca
bell, of Florida, chairman, and took up the
Mexican indemnity bill.
Mr.. Buckner, of Kentucky, addressed the
Committee on the slavery question and the
Mexican war in general.
MIR. Stephens, of Georgia, followed, con-
tending againsl all legislation far California,
and maintaining that two-thirds OF the Senate
had no power to compel the House TO vote
appropriations for the purchase of territories
There was nothing in the speech that calls
special notice.
Mr. Lahm, of Ohio, followed, and survey
ed the Northern side OF the question ofslavery
He quoted several British precedents and le-
gal decisions, and controverted the assump-
tion that slaves are property. He expatiated
upon the state OF the slave representation of
the South, and opposed the movements and
principles OF the abolitionisis. This party
had power in the South, but they nevyr could
have in the North. He believed they were
the instruments of some good, and much evil.
He replied TO the Southern address which had
recently been put forth. Mr.. L. having con-
cluded, MIR. McClelland, OF Michigan, obtain.
ed the floor, but yielded 10
MIR. Wilmot, of Pennsylvania, who detailed
a conversation which he held with President
Polk, two sessions ago, in which the Pres-
den. spoke of the three million appropriation
TO effect a peace with Mexico, and expressed
the wish that slavery restriction clause
should be attached to the bill. The Presi-
dent, in that conversation, assured the spea-
ker, that if he would introduce joint resolu-
tion containing the proviso that slavery should
not exist in any territory which might be ac-
quired from Mexico it would be acceptable
even TO Mississippi, and he urged him TO
bring it forward in that form. Mr.. Wilmot
said he regretted that the matter had been
alluded to, simply because nd did not wish to
be considered retailer of private consulta-
tions-not for any other reason. He was not
disposed TO shun responsibility; and, he con-
cluded, before God, this was substantially
what the President said.
On motion Adjourned.
.. WAsHINGToN, Feb. IS.
SENArE,-Mr, King presented memorial
from certain citizens, proposing TO carry the
mails and military stores across the Isthmus
of Panama, for the sum of not exceeding Sl2,-
600 per annum. Referred 10 the Military
Committee.
MIR. Yulee submitted a series of resolutions
passed by the Legislature of Florida, on the
subject of slavery and of the wrongs inflicted
on the South at the hands of the North. Mr..
Yulee moved that the resolutions be received
and printed. He said that although the reso-
lutions were not addressed to Congress, still
they were Of such a character that he DEEM
ed it proper to present them. He said that
Northern agsressions had been pushed so
far that he was ready to proceed to extreme
measures of redress, even il il could only be
accomplished by dissolution of the Union.
THE TARIrY QUEsrIoN.-The tariff ques-
iion, it appears, is not TO bs touched by Con-
gress in the way of revision this session. A
correspondent OF the New York Courier says