The Middlebury galaxy. [volume] (Middlebury, Vt.) 1848-1850, 1849-01-30
WEDNESDAY, Jan. "a.

WEDNESDAY, Jan. "a.
SENATE.-The morning hour was occupied
in the reception of petitions, reports, SC. as
customary.
Mr.. Douglass, of ILL.,, moved to take up the
California State bill, which was agreed to. On
motion Of the same Senator, his own modified
bill was allowed to be substituted for the orig
al one, when a protracteG debate ensued in re-
gard to the reference of the bill. Some were
in favor Of referring it to the Committee on
the Judiciary, others TO The Territorial Com
mltiee, and others TO a Select Committee. 1t
was finally referred to a Select Committee of
seven, to be appointed by the Vice President
Various amendments were then submitted by
Messrs. Foote of Miss, Turney of Tenn, and
Downs of La, which were referred to the
same Committee.
Mr.. Niles of Conn.,, Chairman of the Com
mit!ee on the Post Office and Post Roads,
moved TO take up the bill for a uniform and
reduced rate of postage, which was agreed to.
MIR. Allen, of Ohio, made speech of great
length, and characterized by his usual ability.
lie expressed very decided sentiments in favor
of an untrammelled circulation of newspapers.
dllatlng upon the peculiar and growing impor-
lance of the public Press, He was against
the establishment Of mail routes beyond the
limits OF the country, as proposed by the bill :
and believed that no authority existed for ma
king contracts for the conveyance of the mail
by mail steamers.
Mr.. Niles made short speech sustaining
the bill, when the Senate adjourned.
HoUsE.-A number of petitions and reports
OF Committees were presented.
Among the reports was one submitted by
MIR. Hunt of New \ ork, Chairman of the Com
mttee on Commerce, providing for the extern
sion oil the Revenue Laws of the L. S. over
Alta California. The bill having been consid-
cred and formally read twice,
Mr. Hunt arose and SAID the Committee had
instructed him TO have the bill read a third
time without delay. After few farther re-
marks by Mr. H., explaining the necessity of
ITS speedy passage, The bill was read thronob.
1t provides for establishing three ports of en-
try, and the appointment of three collectors.
and also Tor the trial of all cases arising under
the Revenue Laws, in the Circuit Courts of
Louisiana or Oregon.
Mr.. Brown, of Miss, advocated the passage
Of the bill forthwith, and pointed out its adj
vaDtages. He referred to the very numerous
cargoes of merchandise which were eoinp tn
California, not only from our own merchants.
but from foreign countries and showed the i'm
Portancc of establishing proper regulations for
the reception of the same. The establishment
of Territorial Government in California was
important If Congress failed to establish
one, were they to adjourn, he asked, and thus
| leave the American citizens who are there
without protection
Mr.. Stephens followed, and took bold ground
against framing any law or Government for
California. That rich country was not ours
yet 1t had not been paid for He for one
bad given no vote recognizing California as
ours 1t was place where entirely free
trade was now fourishing, ard why need the
friends Of free trade ask for laws to enable
them to collect revenue there ? He pro-