Des Moines courier. ([Ottumwa] Iowa) 1848-1854, 1853-01-06
Congressional.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20.
SENATE.


Hon. w. X. King, requesting him to lay
before the Senate, his resignation as pre-
siding officer.
The letter Of resignation was in the
following words:
"Senators: The feeble state Of my
health, renders me unable to discharge
the duties of President pro TEN. Ac.
cept, | beg you, my resignation Of the
honorable position in which you have,
with so much unanimily, placed me.
| In taking leave of you, Senators, per-
init me to express my grateful Gcknowl-
edgementS for your uniform personal
Kindness and the generous support you
have never failed to give me in my ef-
forts TO preserve order and enforce the
parliamentary law. May a merciful
Providence preserve to each of you the
greatest of all earthly blessings health.
With the hiehcs, respect and esteem,
| am your obi serv't. a..# ars..
-at .r. asfs rsa WM. r. KING"
Mr.. Bright submitted resolution ap.
pointing the Hon. ID. II. A,chison Pres.
ident pro tem2ore. Agreed to unani-
mously. '# A# af## 'a
MIR. Atchison took the Chair and said:
Observation-Disclosures me to return to
you my thanks for the honor you have
again conferred upon me, and at the same
time to express my regret, in common
""ah every other member OF the Senate,
at The cause which has produced The ne
cessi,y fo. the election of presiding of
ficer at this time. cannot ex 2ect--in-
deed it would be vain expectation up.
on my part-,ha, | shall be a! lie TO rem
der TO this body the same degree of sat.
istac'ion, as presiding officer, that my
predecessor has rendered But i, NAV
not be in bad taste for me to say tina, |
pledge myself, a, least as such presiding
officer, to &C, with impar,iali,y towards
ALL" .r. 1r-a. #H a1. ..-..... 3.
Mr.. Davis submitted resolutions re-
turning the thanks of The Senate to the
Hon. Wm. r. King, for the dignity and
courtesy with which he had discharged
the duties of the Chair, and expressing
the regret of the Senate a. his con,inu ed
illness. Adopted unanimously. u
The Secretary was directed to inform
the President of the United States and
The House of Representatives of The cleo.
ton Of the Hon. ID. K. Atchison as Presi
dent pro .empore of the Senate.
A large number of petitions were pre-
scented.
On motion of Mr.. Gwin ten thousand
copies of the address made in Congress
upon Mr.. Websier's death, were order
ed TO be printed. #. ..-...E.
After variety of unimportant bust
ness. the Kentucky contested election
case was taken up.
Mr.. Douglass addressed the Senate in
opposition to the validity of Mr.. Dixon's
election. ..f..s.. a....
MIR. Cass and Mr.. Mason followed,
expressing similar views.
Mess. Seward and Rusk supported
Mr.. Dixon's claim.
The question was then taken on the
resolution declaring Mr.. Dixon duly e.
lected Senator, and entitled TO the seat.
aud il was decided in the affirmative,
yeas ~, nays 6; as follows:
Yeas-Messrs. Adams, Atchison,
Badger, Bell, Brooke, Butler, Chase,
Clarke, Cooper. Davis, Dawson, Dodge,
of Iowa, Fish, Geyer, Hale, Jones OF
ennessee. Miller, Morton, Pearce, Rusk,
Seward, Smith, Spruance, Sumner, I'm.
derwood, Uphsm, Wade-27.
Nays-Messrs. Bayard, Borland.
Bright, Bradbury, Cass. Ca,hcar,. De
Sausseure, Dodge, of Wisconsin, Doug
las, Downs, FeIch, Gwin, Mason, Norris,
Toucey. Weller-l6. " ...
The Senate then adjourned. -....
-'H s HOUSE. a. .a..
Mr. Brown, of Mississippi, moved
that The rules of the House be suspend :
ed, 10 enable HIM TO submit a resolution
for establishing a committee on claims,
/ to consist Of fifteen members. lie ex-
planned his views and the objections he
had to board of commissioners. The
| duty Of the committee, would, he said,
be 10 revise the reports of committees
on each separate claim, The House final
Ily 10 determine. .sa
Mr.. Sweelser, of Ohio, considered 1t
an important proposition, aud said he
was opposed TO throwing any additional
difficulties in The way of settling claims,
or Of giving facilities for passing frivo-
lous claims. He was in favor Of throw
ing open the courts OF law 10 the decis-
! ion OF claims, .....a.. ........
Mr.. Stephens, of Georgia. saw no OBJ
lection 10 the resolution, as every men,
Der would still have the power OF decid-
ing on claims; he thought. if claims were
to be settled by courts of justice. tina,
juries would give millions that Congress
would no, grant.
! Mr.. Cleveland, of Conn. op posed the
resolution, and was satisfied that if mem.
bers would attend to The considerations
OF claims on FRIDAYS and SATURDAYS, they
would all be disposed of.
Mr.. Campbell, of H., was in favor of
the resolution, bu. saw great difficulty in
the Committees having an opportunity
TO report. ... n
Mr.. Freeman, of Miss, moved tina, a
con mitlee be appointed TO inquire into
the expedlency of referring claims TO the