Southern shield., 1851-03-08
Congressional
WASHINGTON, Feb. :

l " CU. ~t.
 SENArE.-The postage bill was under consideration. An amendment was agreed to, that weekly papers be allowed 10 circu- late free within the county where they are published.
 MT. Rusk's substitute for the original bill was then adopted. It provides for a uni form rate of postage of three cents on all letters prepaid and five cents on letters not prepaid. It imposes on newspapers from five to twenty-five cents postage pei quarter on weekles, according to distance twenty-five cents on semi-weeklies, three times the amount on tri-weeklies, and foul times the amount on daily papers. The bill was then ordered 10 be engrossed. HoUsE-The House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole on the fortifcation bill, and after some debate the committee | proceeded to act on amendments, and the House took recess.
 WASHINGTON, Feb. 27.
 SENATE.-Mr. Cooper presented peti. ton for modification of the tariff.
 The Senate then took up and passed the bill for the better protection of patentees.
 The naval pension bill was passed
 The patent bill provides remedies against persons importing from Canada articles manufactured by patentees in the United States.
 The appropriation for Privateersmen, in the naval appropriation bill, was stricken l out.
 The bill granting 10 Louisiana certain lands was debated and laid on the table. The bill providing for survey of lands in California was taken up, and, after [ protracted debate laid on the table The Senate then went into executive ses sion, and adjourned.
 HoUsE.-After the usual routine of busi- ness. they proceeded 10 consider, in the Committee of the Whole, the army appro- priation bill.
 MT. Howard, of Texas, spoke in favor of mounted troops for the protection of Texas | frontier.
 Mir. Toombs contended that the expense would be oolarge, and was for striking it out. MT. Burt defended the estimates of the war department, saying that no one could safely cut them down.
 The debate was continued on the amend ments till the hour of recess. During the evening session of the House an unsuccessful attempt was made to take up the Senate's resolution to employ a national vessel 10 convey Kossuth to this country.
 The House then went into Committee of the Whole, and took up the army and ap- propriation bill.
 ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Whenever the people have an opportuni- ty of expressing their disapprobation of the movements of the fanatics of the North and South they speak in tones not to be misunderstood. The following notice from the Savannah (Geo.) Republican of the election in South Carolina for delegates tc the Convention, will show that the people even in that State, are not to be led by in terested demagogues, to give aid and coun tenance 10 the spirit of dsunion: South Carolina Convention. How have the
 Mighty Fallen.
 The election for delegates to the State Convention came off in South Carolina or Monday last. The whole number of vote. polled in the parishes of St. Philip and ST Michael, embracing Charleston and its Neck was only o73l The usual vote, we believe is about 4,OOO. What falling off wal there!' and that, too, notwithstanding the Mercury, the chief bugleman of the dis unionists, called lustiIy upon it's followers to show their chvalry. In St Andrew' parish it was still worse-only ninetee, votes were given! This last vote we obtain from the Courier, the Mercury being con tented with the announcement that "Johr Rivers, Esq, and Alex. H. Brown, Esq. were elected delegates from the St. An drew's parish" It did not care 10 give the tremendous vote by which these two esquire. were 'elected."
 This meagre vote is ascribable, we pre- sume, to the letters of Bishop Capers ane Mir. Pettigru, and if there had been time tc circulate them through the State, it is pro bably the result would have been similar 1T other parishes and districts. The first one II a