The Ottawa free trader., 1849-12-29

Congress adjourned over from Monday until
Wednesday.
No Clerk yet elected
In the House, on Monday Mr. Boyd offered
resolution adopting the rules of the last congress
except the llth rule Adopted.
Mr. Ncnable offered a resolution askr, '',c
President to inform congress whether, since n q
adjournment Of the last congress, any civil orn.l.
itary Governor had been appointed to Califorill
or New Mexico on whether any steps had lc,
taken towards organizing governments in .dl
territories The resolution lies over under o., r,,',
a resolution was adopted ordering l5,OOu,..
pies Of the message and accompanying document,
10 be printed.
Mr. Burt moved resolution that the speaker
appoint the standing committees.
Mr. Sackctt moved to amend so As to appoint
the committees by ballot
Mr. Root opposed The amendment. lie said tho
present speaker, 10y the almost unanimous adop
ton Of Mr. S;anlcy's resolutions declaring Mr.
Cobb elected speaker, had been elected by lar
ger majority than any Of his predecessors. lie
was therefore entitled to this mark of honor Hc
thought speaker thus elected could be trusted
with the appointment Of the committees.
Mr. GIddings sustained the views taken by Mr.
Root lie was opposed to the plurality rule
lie would ask that northern wings be taken up by
the speaker
Mr. winthrop remarked that Mr. Gidings had
represented him as against the north. and he had
seen statements over his signature accusing him of
speaking IN favor Of the war He had also been
charged with having appointed a acommitte on the
District to preserve and protect slavery there
Mr. W. pronounced these charges erroneous. But
II true, 1t would have been no more than Mr.. G..
was now guilty OF himself lie observed that
the committee appointed by him had reported a
hli or thc abolition of the slave trade in the Dis
trict and that but three of that committee had
voted to lay the bill on the table
Mr. Giddmg' pronounced the assertion that tho
provisions Of the bill in question would have n.
JolI'hei the slave trade in the District unfoundcd
anl unqaallicdly false The bill only prohibits
the bringing Of slaves into the District to be sold.
Il did not touch the traffic in slaves here.
Mr.. Winthrop replied that the bill doubtless
did not 90 as far A. it might have gone but the
members Of the free states had thought it great
improvement.
Mr. Schenk yiniicated Mr. Winthrop. IIe
scomcd Giidng-, who he said had bargained for
pledges before voting for speaker He declared
himself a conservative unionist--a northern
man with northern opinions but he was not
quite as ultra as some lie would not cast
off others because they did not come up to his
standard
Mr. Holmes said it was apparent that northern
men were opposed to the rights of the south But
he warned gentlemen not to engage tn this war on
the souih, or to attempt to exclude the south
from the territories acquired BY the blood and
treasures Of the whole union.
After some discussion, Mr Gid.lings continued
with heightened remarks. lie hoped the present
speaker would do better than his predecessor
He arralgucd the wings for their inconsistency in
voting icr a slave holder for presiden, while they
pretended to favor fred soil