Washington sentinel., 1854-02-07


was read to the effect that three gold medals with
/ suitable devices, shall be procured by the Presi-
dent OF the United States, 10 be presented 10 the
captains respectively of the ships Three Bells,
the Kilby, and the Antartc, and one hundred
thousand dollars distributed among the officers
and crews OF those vessels. See Senate pro-
! ceedings.l
| Mr.. CHANDLER moved suspension of the
rules He wanted early action upon the subject.
The House refused TO suspend the rues-yeas
| 80, nays 77-not two-thirds.
MAIL SERVICE.
| Mr.. OLDS, from the Committee on the Post
Office and Post Roads, reported bill TO abolish
| thoriZe the Postmaster General to relet the same
! in accordance with the usages and regulations OF
| the inland mail service.
| Also, an act modifying the nineteenth section OF
the act OF March B lS45, concerning compensa-
| ton 10 railroad companies.
| Each bill was separately referred to the Com
mttee of the Whole on the state ofthe Union.
| Mr.. JONES, of Tennessee, moved that the
| House resolve itself into Committee of the
| Whole on the state OF the Union.
Mr. BISSELL expressed the hope that this
would not be done, as reports should be made and
| referred.
The House refused 10 go into Committee of the
| Whole on the state of the Union.
/ Mr.. McDOUGAL from the Committee on the
Post Office and Post Roads, reported bill author
izing semi-monthly mails between San Francisco
and some port in China. Referred to the Com
mittee the Whole on the state the Union.
PIONEER MANUFACTURING COMPANY.
| Mr.. DAVIS, of Indiana, from the Committee for
the District Of Columbia, reported back the Senate
bill, with Recommendation that il pass, the bill
| incorporating the Pioneer Manufacturing Com
| pany of Georgetown, d. G.
! He said he was generally opposed to chartering
companies; but he could see no objection to pass
ing the bill now, and thus getting rid Of it. The
company is prohibited from engaging in banking
business of any kind and the stockholders are
made individually liable for the debts of the cor
poraton. Congress reserves the power TO repeal,
| modify, or change the terms of the charter. He
repeated he could see no objection to the passage
of the bill
Mr. JONES, of Tennessee, moved that the bill
bel referred to the Committee of the Whole on the
state Of the Union, and the motion was agreed to-.
THE ARMY.
Mr.. BISSELL, from the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported bill to increase the present
military establishment of the United States, and
for other purposes; and
bill to regulate the pay and increase the eff
cheney of the army Of the United States, and for
other purposes.
Also the Senate bill to reimburse the common
council of New York city for expenditures made
in behalf of the first regiment of volunteers in the
Mexican war.
These bills were severally referred to the Com
mittee ofthe Whole on the state of the Union.
RIGHT OF WAY.
Mr.. BENTON, from the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported back the bill granting the right
Of way to the st. Louis and Iron Mountain Rail
road Company through the grounds Of the Je1er-
son barracks; and it was passed
OFFICERS OF THE ARMY AND NAvY-coNTRAcTs
Mr.. FAULKNER, from the Committee on Mill
tary Affairs, reported bill to prohibit officers Of
the army and the navy from having an interest in
contracts for supplies for the service TO which
such officers may belong.
The first section provides that no officer Of the
army or navy or any person employed as an agent
by disbursng officer, shall be a party to or di-
rectly or indirectly have an interest in any con-
tract for articles or work furnished to any branch
to which such officer may belong; any officer
offending against the provisions of this act on
conviction thereof before court martial to be dis
missed.
The second section provides that no money shall
be paid for articles furnished or work performed
contrary TO this act contracts made in violation Of
it shall be void, and the articles forfeited to the
of the United States. M
hi Mr.. FAULKNER briefly showed the necessity
for the passage of the BILL stating that in one case
a Iientenani Colonel Hooper made large pur-
chase Of hay in California, on which he realized Z
profit Of twelve dollars ton. The question was
brought before court-martial; ;the facts were dis
tnctly established by proof; and yet he was fully
acquitted, on the ground that there was no law
which prohibited such conduct.
He asked that the bill be put on its passage
but the House referred it to the Committee Of the
Whole on the state of the Union.
INDIAN AND NAVY PENSION BILL.
The House agreed to the Senate's amendment
TO the above-named bill.
SURVEY FOR. THE PACIFIC RAILROAD.
The SPEAKER laid before the House several
executive communications, among them one from
SecretarV n In
tion passed by Congress during the last session.
requiring him 10 transmit copies Of all reports
which may have reached the department from the
chiefs in charge of the several surveys for rail-
road to the Pacific Some of those reports, the
Secretary says, are so partial and incomplete as
not to show the relative merits of the routes and
he now transmits the information only because the
terms of the resolution render it imperative. As
far as heard from, with exception, all the SUR
veys have been successfully conducted Capt
Gunnison, in charge of one of them, having been
massacred on the 25th Of October, 1853, together
with thirteen of his party
Referred to the special committee on the SUBJ
ject
number Of Senate bills were referred to the
appropriate standing committees.
SUPERINTENDENT OF PRINTING.
The House passed the Senate's joint resolution
authorizing the superintendent Of printing to en-
poy two additional clerks.
And the House adjourned.
PRESENTATION OF MEMORIALS.
BY Mr.. RIDDLE. A memorial Of two hundred