New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1854-02-21
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Special Correspondence II 11s Ntn ORLEANS srsss

FROM Tp.aSHLN'GT TON,
Special Correspondence of The Nfa ORLEANS Crescent.
WASHINGTON, Feb ID 1854
An important step in legislation was made by
the Senate this morning, being the passage Of
the French SpoIiation bill by decided vote,
ayes 26, noes II. The bill appropriates five
million dollars, provides for an Attorney 10
represent the United States, and excludes claim
ants who have obtained an interest by donation.
This bill will now pass to the House and go upon
the calendar 50 early that it must be acted
upon; if passed by the House, will the Presi-
dent sign it My impression is that when the
President was member Of Congress he voted
against this measure; but this would not justify
him in using his veto If this bill should finally
pass, after running the gauntlet of SO many
Congresses, and if the Gadsden Treaty should
also find favor with the Senate, the surplus in
the Treasury would not be SO embarrassing.
Mr.. Houston, Of Texas, continued his speech
to-day in opposition to the Nebraska bill, and
without concluding, gave way to a motion for
an Executive session.
Most of the Presidents appointments have
already been sanctioned by the Senate, but
there are some, learn, which will be strongly
contested among these are Mr.. Geo. Saunders
as Consul to London, and Mr.. j. O'Sullivan as
Charge to Portugal. Whether these gentlemen
are objected to as filibusters, cannot say, but
| L
certain, and that of Mr.. 0Sullivan as quite like
ly. Perhaps there is some indisposition to super
sede the present incumbent at Portugal, Mr..
Haddock, u nephew of Mr.. Webster.
The House did not, as | supposed yesterday,
reinstate the Deficiency bill The majority for
this was very large, but the rule required two
thirds; in some way, however, this bill will be
revivifed.
Mr.. Wentworth, of Illinois, commonly called
lob III inn tta
Committee of Ways and Means to remodel the
Tariff offered resolution instrueting this Com
mittee to abolish the duties upon salt and sugar,
but Mr.. Perkins expressed his intention of de-
batting the resolution so under the rule it lies
over If the present Tariff is to be reduced it
will probably be done without altering any Of
its leading features,
The House took up the Homestead bill to-day,
but as the subject is discussed in Committee of
the Whole, the speeches are not restricted to the
bill taken up, and from the turn taken to-day
it may be that the Nebraska bill will be dis
cussed simultaneously in both branches.
Mr.. Shelton, a democrat from New Jersey, read
@ speech against slavery and the repeal of the
| Missouri Compromise. This will expedite the
| Nebraska bill when it gets to the House, for
| those who are big with speeches must be deliv-
| cred during the session.
The slavery agitation, introduced for no other
practical end by Mr.. Douglas than to give him
self hoist into the Presidency, now blocks the
way for all useful legislation. Does the South
feel grateful to Mr.. Douglas for reviving this
question @@4
In sending the Gadsden Treaty to the Senate
the President has proposed, il is said, to strike
therefrom any recognition of the Garay claim,
but retains the sum fixed ($5 000,000) to settle
all claims without naming any. CHRoN1cLER.
.--~-----..
RIVER INTELLIGENCE. st, Louis Intel
ligencer of the 18th inst, says Last evening,
at half past four O'Clock the ice opposite the city
began to break up and float down the river.
This was caused by the ice below giving way,
| upon which the river here fell about one foot.
| Hundreds upo hundreds were collected to wit
| ness the long wished for event The river was
| damned from shore to shore with ice, mostly
| broken up into small pieces, and all of il soft
and rotten Occasionally huge dark cakeof
| acres in extent might be seen grinding and
crashing among the mushy ice that surrounded
it. 1t continued to run in an incessant stream
at nine o'clock. Miles of it had then passed by,
and appearances led us to believe that the river
would be almost entirely free this morning
The river is now open, we doubt not, to Cairo,
and we expect in day or two at farthest, to
see the boats coming up from below
It has been nearly six weeks since we an
nounced steamer for the Lower Mississippi
and it is with pleasure that we to-day direct
travellers southern bound, to the advertisements
in the proper column.
MISSOURI RIVERA gentleman who left st
Charles on Thursday evening informs US that
the gorge at that place and short distance
above gave way about noon on Thursday, and
passengers from Alton yesterday report the ice
running thick out of the Missouri.