Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-14
p0INGS OF CONGRESS.

DoINGs OF CONGRESS.
SESArE.-Yesterday, Mr.. Miller addressed
the Senate for nearly an hour in support of
the Nebraska bill =
After he had concluded, Mr.. Houston OBJ
tanned the floor, and after an executive session
the Senate adjourned. s. =.
PROCEEDINGS OF TO-D.aY.
SENArE.-The proceedings commenced with
the reading of the journal, prayer not being
delivered.
The first business taken in hand was a CON-
mnieation from the Treasury Department, af.
ter which
I A communication was read from Robert Arm
strong. declining to continue the contract for
reporting proceedings, which on motion was
referred to the Committee on Printing. IA
Mr.. johnson, of Arkansas, brought forward
a resolution to the effect, that John G. Rives
should furnish the same number of copies to
| the members of the Senate, as are furnished
to the members of the House He moved that
| the resolution should accompany the commu
nication of Gen. Armstrong. Adopted.
Mr.. Sumner presented petition in favor of
cheap ocean postage.
Messrs. Chase and Brodhead severally pre-
| scented petitions against the repeal of the Mis-
souri, Compromise.
| Mr. Badger moved to take up the bill for
granting an appropriation towards the remov-
ing of distractions from the mouth of Cape
| Fear river, n. C.
The bill was then read and passed.
Mr.. Hamlin moved that the French spoil ia
ton bill should be taken up.
Mr. Petit said that he had the floor on a
| former occasion when this bill was up, and
| should only say few words, as he saw the
II Co nnf0 T.vo i
| sive battle, (alluding to an immense pile OF
books that loaded Mr.. Houston's desk.) He
commended that the French Government had
been released from its Obligations, and tina,
parties aggrieyed had a right to look to the
United States Government for compensation.
Mr.. Weller made the ansendc honorabfe re
speeding his former opposition to the bill, while
| a momber of the House. Since that period, h,
had investigated the subject and had arrived
at the conclusion that the claim was a just ane
| equitable one upon the Government. Ii,
would, therefore, be compelled to stand upoI
record Of having voted on both sides of tn,
question. -a-
The bill was then put to the vote, and car
ried in the affirmative Ordered to be en-
crossed.
i Mr.. Douglas then moved the further consid.
Grafton of the Nebraska bill, when
Mr.. Houston obtained the floor.
HousE.--To-day, in the reading of the jour.
nal. the select committee appointed by tn,
Speaker in accordance with the resolution
published in anoter column of the Star
adopted on the. day before, to investigate tn
mistakes and frauds relative to the disburse
ments of the appropriations to the Collins ant
other Naval Mail Steamers, was announced t.
be rs follows, viz:
Mr.. Mace, of Indiana; Mr.. Goode, of vir
sinia Mr.. Walsh, of New York Mr.. Reese
of Georgia; Mr.. Kittredge, of New Hampshire
Mr.. Pennington, Of New Jersey, Mr.. Elliot, o
Mr.. Puryear, Of North Carolina
In the course of the said reading the specia
committee were announced as having beer
appointed under the resolution of Mr. Stanton
of Kentucky, adopted on the day before
which is as follows
Resolred, That Especial committee of sever
| members be appointed by the Speaker to in
quire and report to this House whether ihs
appointment Of milita:y officers to superin
: tend the manufacture of firearms at the na
tonal armories, the construction of light
houses, works Of river and harbor improve
mcnt, the building of custom houses and pos
offices, the construction of water works for tht
cities of Washington and Georgetown, the ex
tension of the United States Capitol, and tn
survey and management of works of internal
Improvement by the States, is compatible Will
the public interest, and consistent with the
nature and character of our civil government
that said committee also inquire and report +
this House how many Of these military officers
in civil employment are entrusted with tn
disbursement Of the public funds without BON
and secury, and to what extent they have beer
allowed to make contracts and purchase ma
terials for the for the public use with
out the usual advertisement, and how thei
accounts are settled at the public Urea
| hat
whether the present embarrassment of the En-
gineer Department, for want of officers, com
planned of in the annual report of the colone
of the corps, is not occasioned by the with
drawal of said officers from their proper du
ties, and theic employment in civil services
and whether it is eXpedient, under the eli
cumstances, to grant an increase of said corps
, and that said committee have power to sen,
j, for persons and papers. FL p.
As appointed by the Speaker, this comn,itte
are to be Messrs. Stanton, of Kentucky; Daw
son. of Pa; Dickinson. of Mass; Faulkner, o
Va; Nansant, of Md; Sapp, of Ohio; an
, Keitt, of S. c.
The Speaker laid before the House the secop
, part of the Report of Lieut.. Herndon, upo
his exploration of the Amazon river and it
tributaries, which he had received from tn
President laid on the table and ordered to b.
printed
The Printing Committee reported in favor q
printing 0,00O copies of the mechanical branc
of the Commissioner Of Patents recent annua
report, for the use of the members, and tel
Thousand for the use of the Patent Office.
1t was moved by Mr.. Straub, to strike on
100000 and insert $4,000, making the tota
number to be printed under the resolution
sixty tn ousand.
After consultation on this subject, in whic
many members participated, this amendmen
was agreed to: and then AZ amended the sai
resolution was agreed 10.
The House pext went into a Committee @
the Whole on the state of the Union, (Mr
Odds in the Chair.) wherein the special order
the Homestead bill being taken up
Mr.. Dawson who vas entitled to the floor
addressed the Committee at length in its favor
| 70 The merchants of Pittsburg ar
moving earnestly for the establishment
of an Exchange in that city. Nearl,