Lynchburg Virginian. [volume] (Lynchburg [Va.]) 1829-185?, 1849-03-12
G ON G R E S S
Correspondence Of the Richmond Times.

history Of federal legislation In the midst Of exciting
scenes and constant interruptions. have had opPn
ruuity of writing down narrative that can give any
adequate conception Of The circumstances attending the
last acs OF the session.
The great subject Of consideration the Senates
territorial amendment 10 the Civil and Diplomatic bill,
which the House originally passed Should that amend
ment be adopted by the House, government would be
provided for California and New Mexico without the
Wmot Povso. Should il be simply rejected, the San
ate must yield, the bill be lost. Or should the House
tack the Proviso 10 the amendment and the Senate dis
agree 10 that and still insist lis amendment, the bill
must fail.
The House. in committee Of the Whole (NIr. Ste
phens in the chair took up the bill Friday, and Mr..
Nnton moved 10 attach the Wimo Proviso to the SEN
ate's amendment. This rejected by ,elers: yeas
50, nays 96 after which the House took recess.
AT the evening session, the House being still IN cons
mltlee, several amendments adop,ed by elise
votes the effect OF which TO strike out the refer
the" Rio Grande;'' 10 limit the duration Of the
proposed government months after the end Of the
next session Of Congress; and 10 establish the present
Mexican laws. But when the question was taken, in
committee, OH adopting the Senae's amendment as thus
amended. northern and southern united in voting it
down. The effect different, probably, fro what
the Free Sellers anticipated: for when the committee
reported the bill to the House. the question arose,
der the rule, agreeing TO the Senate's (Jpaker'sD
amendment land this not then open to further amend
ment. 1t hoped that whenever vote this sing u
point should be secured the amendment would be adopt
ed and the bill passed But the House rejected it, yeas
100, nays IA aud PASSED the bill with the amend
ment stricken out. The Senate insisted, that night,
the amendment and the Two Houses appointed
mlttee Of Conference, consisting Of BeTlen, Anterior
and Dickinson, of the Senate, and Vin,on. Morehead
and Nchol, of the House.
The conterees made report, on Saturday morning.
At the evening session. they reported that they could
not agree, and commenced one Of the most trying
and exciting stngs known in the American Con-
gress.
The following notes Of the proceedings Of The House
We're hastily taken down they occurred.
MIR. Ashmun moved to insist upon the Houses dis
agreement TO the Senates amendment.
Mr.. McClernand moved 10 recede from the disagree
ment and this motion the Speaker decided, hau precs-
dence.
MIR. w entworth, who is noted and boisterous free
soer any III the House. and did every thing he culd
throughout 10 defeat the bill by wasting time, moved
call of the House. and demanded the yeas and nays
They were refused and the call also.
The motion 10 recede from the disagreement to the
Senate's amendment, was carried amidst much excite
ment and confusion, yeas | H. nays LOG. This vote
was regarded Of the disposition Of maorily
accede to Walkers amendment.
Mr. Norehead, Of Kentucky said it was Indispensable
that the House should do something, the bill must
fail. He said he had been engaged most Of the day in
endeavorlng 10 effect agreement between the two
bodies. To that end he moved to amend the Sen
aes amendment, by striking The words Rio Grande,"
and adding proviSo, the effect that 'nohng in thls
act shall affect in any way the boundary OF the State of
Texas" Many members loudly manifested Their appro-
baton Of this PROPOSE Mr.. Morehead demanded the
previous question on his amendment.
| Mr.. Ashmun inquired whether amendment 10 this
amendment would be in order. The Speaker said, no.
! On vote by teers seconding The previous ques
ton, there Were LOG yeas lOl nays
Many questions Of order now raised, and the
points decided by the Speaker had much to do with the
nights legislation. Thus. it declared, that if the
previous question on Mr.. Morehead's amendment should
be rejected, the bill must lie over till 10 morrow
Again. that Mr.. VI. had moved his amendment mere-
/ ly as amendment to the Senates amendment, the
previous question. if Mr.. Moreheads amendment should
; be adopted, would not preclude farther amendment
Had he however, moved to agree TO the Senaes amend
ment with his amendment applied 10 land The previous
question been ordered that notion the adoption Of the
motion would have precuded farther amendment.
Mr. Morehead stated that his intention TO put the
motion in this FORM but could say that he actually
did.
! The previous question ordered, yeas ITO. nays
l0l-anoIher vote, in which the friends of Walkers
amendment were considered as gaining victory.
An effort made by Mr.. Cobb, of Georgia. to re-
verse The latter decision of the chair 10 the effect OF
the previous question. but he withdrew the appeal,
upon Mr. Wenworth's calling the yeas and nays, so as
10 consume time.
Mr. Morehead's amendment was then adoPted-yeas
1856, 20.
AT least fifty members cried "Mr Speaker" at tho
top of their voices, and the floor given to MIR.
Thompson Of Indiana. lie gave way 10 MIR. Bayly,
who, with Mr. Burt, made another attempt to reverse
the Speakers decision, from which Mr.. Cobb had ap
pealed, but the Speaker was sustained.
Mr.. Thompson made some Impressive remarks upon
the critical condition Of the country, declaring that lie
INDUCED sectional feelings and urging the House 10
come 1, settlement of this question. With this
object, he said he offered his amendment which, e.
feet, authorized the President to hold possession Of tho
acquired territories, and maintain peace and order within
them: extended the constitution them far ap-
plicable, and declared that the laws existing shall
be in frce until 4h July. 1850
Mr.. Thompson accepted modification, suggested by
Mr. Dunn Of Indiana, by which imprisonment for debt
shall be prohibited in the territories.
After another interval of useless voting. the House
came 10 vote Mr.. Thompson's amendment, and II
was adoped-yeas | II, nays lO5 the Southern mem
beers voting unanimously against it,
MIR. Petit, Of Indiana, then gained the floor, about
twenty minutes before IL Ga quarter past eleven by tho
House clock and boldly avowed the purpose to speak
The session out He said something about the hand Of
JOSHUA nearions hand, stopping The clock
Members tried interrupt him, but he would yi..d IA
none except the chairman Of the committee or snr,.d
bills that such bills might be brought 10 the Speaker
to be signed.
Mr.. McClernand raised the point Of order ,ha. The
object OF the rules was to accelerate the public business
and that Mr. Petit in speaking against lime wa, on, Of
order. The Speaker overrued the point Mr. McCler-
nand appealed from the decision and the decision WAS
sustained 80 Nlr. Petit had to take bis seal. Hess