Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1854-12-08
TuIRrY-TTIiiD CONGMEss-..d SESSION
MONDAY, DECkMBER {, lSJi.
SEN ATE


The Senate was called TO order at III O'Clock, d
Senators being present. After PRAYER. by Key: MI
Slicer, the Secretary road a letter irnia Mr.: AtchisoF
dated Platte City Mo- Sovemnef u, ''"'' hSea .aat ~ y
third week in December, lie resigned MS poetas fre
sident OF tho Senate.
Mr.. Hunter moved its acceptance, and that tn
hon. Lewis Cass be chosen P:rsiden' pro tempoTe 10
to-day. Agreed 10, and Senator Cass took the chair
returning thanks, and acknowledging hid incompe
renoy 10 preside over the Senate.
Nj. Foot presented tho credentials of Laurence
D-ainard, Senator from Vermont, 10 hll the vacanc,
oeoasioned by tho death Of Senator Cpham. Mr.
Brainard appeared end was sworn.
Mr.. Brodhead offered resolutions that the tinls'
and the President DO informed OF the organization o
the Senate. Agreed ~.
be appointed to inform, the President TIM; Congres
was ready to receive any comnunira ;ion no may hnV'
70 make to them. Adopted, and Messrs. Mason
Dodge Of Iowa, and Touccy were appointed tho com
mittee.
Mr. Brodhead offered n resolution directing thu
committee on ommerc to inquire into the expcdion
OF Of providing BY law for the better preservation o
lives and property on steam and other sea going ree
selr. Laid over. =,
The following senators were present:-Mcss,s. Ad
ANS, Allen, Bayard, Bright, Brodhead, Bruinard
Brown, Butler, Cass, Chase, Clay. Cooper. Dawson
Dodge, Of Wis.,, Dodge, Of Iowa, Evans, Fish, fltz
patrick, Foot, Geyer, Gillette, liamlin' Hunter
James, Jones, Of Iowa. Jones, OF Tenn, Mason
Pe,rit. Rockwell. Seward, Shields. Sl;dell. Stuart, SUM
nor, Thompson, Of ky.. Toucy, Wade, Weller.
Mr.. Hamlin moved that tho daily hour OF meeting
b. IL o'clock-agreed to.
At Ave minutes before Q o'clock, Mr.. Dodge, from
the COMMITTEES appointed to wait on tho President, re-
ported that the duty had been performed, and that tho
President would transmit his annual message im'ne
distely.
Al ten minutes past Q o'clock, the message was re-
ceived from the President by the hands of his Secre'
tary, Sydney Webster, EIsq.
Alter being read, the message aud accompanying
documents were ordered to b. printed. Also, tor
thousand additional copies.
The Senate then adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The House assembled ut precisely twelve O'Clock
N. Hon Linn Boyd took the Chair, and the roll war
called. A committee was appointed to inform tue Sc
nate of the organization of the House, and also n COM
mittee to wait on the President, in company with a
Committee on tho part Of the Senate, to announce thai
Congress was ready to receive any communication he
had 10 make.
The Speaker called attention to the fuct that on the
former session the President sent in Il veto OF the river
and harbor bill, but there then being no quorum, the
message was not then read.
Mr.. Campbell inquired whether il would be in order
70 move To postpone its further consideration until the
first Monday in December next.
The Speaker replied, tho message must he read; il
would then be for the House to TAKE action thereon.
The message was then read and ordered TO be print
Cd; and on motion of Mr.. C%liugman, further consider
alton of il was postponed till Wcdnesday-veas l2o,
nsys not counted.
Mr.. Dawson introduced the homestead bill in lien
o. the one returned from the Senate last sessiou.
Mr.. Lano of Oregon and Mr.. Bernhiscl Of Utah,
Introduced bills in relation TO their respective terrific.
na.
Mr.. Ingersoll Offered q resolution, which. lies over,
requesting the President to communicate to tic
House, If not inconsistent with the public interests,
any correspondence which has takou place between
this and tie French government relative to the reiu-
sal Of the Inter 20 allow our Minister to Spain to pass
through the territory OF France.
Mr.. Wentworth OF Illinois made an Intellectual mo-
ton 70 haveth blu granting pensions to all persons
engaged in the war Of 1912, and all Indian wars since
1870, set apart for the special order of the third Non
day In January.
Mr. Jones, Of Tennessee, from the Joint committee
appointed 10 wait on tho President. reported that they
had performed the duty, and the Pres!dnii; requested
them 10 say be would at onco communicate q message
b writing.
Mr. Ready introduced a bill extending the bounty
And laws
Mr.. Walbrdgs offered a resolution, which lios over
for discussion, instructing the committee Of Ways aud
Means to briug in a bill removing the present duty on
foreign coal, 80 that it shall be admitted free Of duty.
Mr.. Florence Intellectually endcsvored to have the
old soldiere' bounty luud bill mude a special order.
Mr.. Sellers asked leave to offer q resolution TINT the
President of the United States communicate TO the
House, if not incompatible with the public interests,
what was the object or objects Of the meeting of con-
ference of tho American Ministers at Ostend; and whe-
Their said conference was in obedience TO Instructions
from the Secretary of State, and what has been the
result Of it. Objection was made.
Mr.. Sellers moved that tho rules be suspended
negatived; yeas IS, nays l02. ,
The Presidents annual message was then received
and read, and referred to the committee of the Whole
On the state OF the Union, aud twenty thousand extra
copies vere ordered to DO printed.
On motion, the Speaker was authorized TO appoint
the standing committees.
The House then adjourned.