Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1852-02-26
E asssss Congress, s! H,sss
WASHINGTON, Feb. 10, 1852.
SENATE.

0EnN hIE.
The Chair presented a communication
from the Secretary of the Interior, relative
to certain unsold lands in Ohio.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Orr introduced a bill to facilitate
the attendance of counsel at a distance, by
classifying the docket of the Supreme Court.
The House then, on motion, resumed
consideration of the bill granting to Mis-
souri, certain lands for railroad.
Mr.. Porter favored the pssaage of the bill,
stating the advantages that would be gained
by the contemplated railroads.
Several memorials were presented from
the Census marshals, asking for additional
pay.
Mr.. Badger, of North Carolina, submit
ted a series of resolutions passed by the
Legislature of that state, against any in
crease in the tariff, and in favor of local i'm
provements.
Mr.. Mason presented petitions from Mar.
garet Shields and Mary Dewitt, of New
York, asking Congress to take measures for
the release OF their hunbands who had been
banished for offences similar to those COM
mitted by the Irish patriots.
Mr.. Hunter presented a petition from the
citizens of New York, numerously signed,
praying a modifcatich tfr the present ware
house system, so as'FVA6ect its abuses.
Frf%y, Feb. 2Oth
SENATE
A motion was made that when the Senate
adjourn, it will be until Monday next.
which vase arried.
Mr.. Walker moved that the consideration
Of the private calender be postponed until
one o'clock. Adopted.
Mr.. Foote, of Vermont, presented a re.
monstrance against the further extension Of
the Woodward Patent.
Mr.. Miller of New Jersey, presented a
petition to prohibit the importation offoreign
c%onivcts and paupers.
Mr.. Fish of New York, presented a petit
ito from a number of manufacturers in Provi-
dence, for a modification of the tariff upon
segars.
When the Committee rose the Chairman
reported several bills TO the house. three or
four members at the same time addressing
the Chair. The Speaker said gentlemen
will please suspend till order is restored"
Mr.. Jones Of Tenn.--Then they will
not do anything more this year-(laughter.)
Mr.. Polk moved that when the House
adjourn it adjourn till Monday, as it was the
purpose of Congress to celebrate on to-mor-
row the birth day of the Father of his coun-
try.
Mr.. Florence suggested an amendment by
inserting Tuesday !" as he understood
most of the celebration would take place
on Monday.
Mr.. Polk adhered to his original motion
of amendment to adjourn till Tuesday !;
adopted and the motion in this form was
agreed to-yeas 81 nays 60.
The Speaker laid before the house sew
eral communications, among them a mes.
sage from the President in reply to a reso-
luton asking for a copy of the correspon-
dence as to the alleged misunderstanding
between Capt. Long and Louis Kossuth,
transmitting reports from the Secretary of
State and the Secretary OF the Navy. and
papers accompanying them.
Mr., Houston, from the Committee of
Ways and Means reported a bill to supply
the deficiencies in the appropriations for
the year ending June 80, 1852. Referred
to the Committee on the Whole on the
state of the Union.
Two private bills, which were considered
last Friday were taken up and passed.
The House then went into committee on
the private calender.
Instead of giving this week more of the
empty debates and proceeding which have
thus far marked this Congress, we insert
the following Just structures on the course
Of that idle and recreant body, from the
able correspondent of the N. Y. Evening
Post.
WASHINGTON, Feb, 18th, 1862.
Congress has been in session some ten
weeks, and, as you know, almost nothing
has been done. Faultfnding is not our
province, nor is it to our taste, but we regret
the fact. The people already have a score
run up against them for per diem pay alone
Of more than one hundred and sixty thous-
and dollars. If this were the misfortune of
the present session only, it would be bad
enough. 1t is not the misfortune of the
session, but of other sessions, and year by
year comes to be an increasing enormity.
The public business is ruinously DELAYED
at every session %latterly, and one who loves
his country is a villain or a fool if he hesita.
ties to brand this dishonesty as it deserves.
Our representatives are our servants, and
ought not to be idle. To be sure they have
passed one bill Of importance-that which
provides for the next installment of the
Mexican indemnity. One important bill
in sixty working days is not honest industry.
In our simplicity we will continue to sup
pose, however, a vast amount of hard work
to be going on. We are not unreasonable.
Still, we want to see something doing. We
are aware that large bodies of necessity
move slowly, but it requires a goodIy stock
oil imagination to see, as yet, any movement
at
Bill Of moment are in process of maturi-
ty, but the curse of delay hangs over them
all. That which makes military land war.
rants capable of assignment, might have
passed weeks ago. Both Houses, by alarge
majority, are favorable to its passage, but
not, however, as it at present stands. The
clauses allowing extravagant compensation
to the government officers, whose duty it
shall be to locate these warrants, and extern
ding former enactments so as to include n
legion OF persons not now entitled to them.
cannot go down with the House. The Sen.
ate insists upon them, and SO, hundreds of
poor soldiers are kept out of their honest
dues. Thus, the epaulette lords it over the
knapsack even in the halls of the capitol.
Every session, since the birth of the re.