Richmond daily times. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1853, 1851-03-06
Correspondence Of The Times.
WASHINGTON
Wednesday, morning Mar

entertained, the Appropriation Bills, which are
necessary to keep the wheels of government
going, were finally passed. Some of the friends
OF the River and Harbour bill (, at o 'cock Mon
day morning, having persevered for seventeen
| consecutive hours in endeavoring to obtain vote.
and having forced the minority fully to disclose
their purpose Of defeating the bill by facous de-
lays, agreed to postpone it in order that the appro-
prlatlon bills might be acted upon. 1t was diff
| cult co ncesson for Independent Senators feeling
themselves to be in clear majority, to make
Butthe country will applaud them for it, whilst it
will rebuke the extraordinary course pursued by
the minority.
When Mr.. Clay made his motion Monday morn
ing to take up the River and Harbour BILL he
distinctly declared, that if the minority would
avow their intention to prevent the passage of the
bill by occupying the remaining hours of the ses-
sion with offering amendments and speaking, its
friends would give it up at once, and pass to other
business. The avowal was not made, and for the
| evident reason that gentlemen in the minority were
| unwilling to stake themselves on such an issue.
But they afterwards did what they declined to say
| they meant to do, protesting all the while, with
| strange presumption of public creduity, that they
| only wished to improve the bill, and by no means
to waste time. Mr.. Soule, for example, offered,
with the most emphatic earnestness, that in caus-
ing MIR. Ellets report on the Mississippi delta to
be read he did not mean to consume the pre-.
cious time of the Senate, but simply to Law
before the body instructive matter pertinent to the
amendment he had offered. Mr.. Clemens, how
ever, was rather more candid. After reading Mr..
Folks message on Internal Improvements Cor a
speech equally long, could not tell which, in a
voice desgnedly too low to be heard, he said he
had several other documents of the kind to read.
One fact was particularly observable in the dis
cussion viz: that nearly every Democratic Sem
ator who opposed the bill, repudiated the old Vir
GINA doctrine that Congress has no right to ap-
propriate the public money for Internal Improve
ments. Gen Cass avowed himself the friend of
the improvement of rivers and harbours, but he
thought this bill obectonable yet it is still doubt
ful how he would have voted Mr. Douglas,
the junior candidate of the North West for the
Presidency, declared outright that he would vote
against the BILL Che is much holder man than
Gen. Cass) but he limited his objections to the fact
that the appropriations were considerably larger
than the estimates submitted from the DEPART
ments Mr.. Foote was fer improvements of a
National character so was Mr. Clemens so was
MIR. Bright; so was every one who defined his
position" The Simon Pures, such as Messrs.
Mason, Hunter, Yulee, &C., did not choose to en-
barrass their Northern friends by obtrudinp the
ancient principles of strict construction into the
debate.
The list of acts passed at the present session
does not reach single column, and far the most |
important OF these were passed in the last eight
hours OF the session. The ma nner in which the |
legislation of Congress has come to be conducted
is grievous evil and reproac Oh to the country
The ordinary and indispensable business is post
poned to the last two or three days of the session
and Is then transacted without investigation or de-
liberation Tho bills must then be passed in the
shape in which they happen to be, or not at ALL
One great reason of this state of things is that
the Senate leaves it to the House to originate the
appropriation bills, and the rules of the House
make it almost impossible to progress with any
measure, until its consideration becomes impera-
tive. Many experienced members are of opinion
that the entire abolition of the present compicat
ed system of rules and return to the old parlia
mentary law, would be wise. Some change must
unqnestionaby be effected, or the government
itself will sink into disrepute, In addition TO the
cupable neglect of business, which has marked
the present session, it is the common and am
panied to believe true, assertion that, cor
ruptng influences were never so extensively or
so efficiently brought to bear upon venal repre-
sentatlves. The vast number of persons who |
congregate in Washington to press private claims
or proposals. are aptly called an "Outside Con-
gress, and its Importance has of late been great.
~ enhanced by the tendency of those vast con-
tract proposals for steam lines. dry docks, SC,
which figure so largely in the proceedings of the
regular Congress.
The joint resolution for Mr.. Ritchies relief
failed in the Senate, where his friends thought he
was perfectly safe. Mr.. Pearce of MARYLAND in
sisted upon stating his views of the case, which
would have exhausted the twenty minutes left be-
fore twelve, and Mr.. Foote permitted the resolution
to fall. 1t is surmised q cannot say how correct
W that, in consequence of the disappointment,
MIR Richie may return to Richmond. Mr.. CLAY
warmly favoured his claim.
The scene presented in the Senate just before
twelve O'Clock was an exceedingly interesting one.
Several highly important bills were saved by |
hairs breadth As the minute hand of the clock
approached its zenith, the countenances and atti-
tudes OF Senators manifested intense anxiety. The |
President put questions to the vote with increased
rapidly OF voice. Mr.. Badger was seen running
WIN the enrolled bills to be signed by the Presi-
cent OF the United States The Sergeant-at-Arms