The daily dispatch. [volume] (Richmond [Va.]) 1850-1884, 1854-12-22


wAszINaroM LnrrnR.
rHoA oun srRcfAL ooaxrsrorprrr
WAsHrs0ron, Dec 1s. 1854.
The proceedings Of both Houses Of Consress
we're Interesting so-day. In the Senate, the House
ON 70 sward TO the heirs Of De Kali, some recon-
pence for the services Of their ancestor to this
country, 10 the period Of IT. revolutionary strue
ee vas arrested 10 II precipitatepro and re
ierred % COMMITTEES IN the usual form. This WAS
Drought about through the prudential intervention
o. heArs. Evans, Brodhead and Hunter. 1t Is
WeiL would have our government liberal in these
matters. would prefer that Il should err on this
Iatner than on the opposite side, stiT let us be
aeiioerate and never act in haste to repent at lei
sure. De kaib was brave and gallant man and
deserves wen of this Republic ia whose cause his
oood was shed; but let US know ell that we are
oo'og when we vote money to his descendants,
sn a. the token Of our gratitude, even 1t of doubt
uiconstutionality, would do less damage than the
establishment Of sn injudicious precedent.
And yet, for the life Of me, l cannot comprehend
sne reason why our government should not pay
interest on ajust debt after the principal has been
demanded. The precedent Is injudicious that
conflicts with our prescribed rule of action, but If
that rule be wrong It should be changed. No
authority, mo- ANTIQUITY, can hsilow it,
10 stated In our evening papers, g q singular
coincidence, that while this subject was under dis
cussion in the Senate a son Of General La Fayette
was present by courtesy upon the floor OF that
branch of the Legislature This Is an error George
Warrington De La Fsyette, the only son Of the
gallant Marquis, Is dead, and the gentleman pre-
sent to-day Is his son. and grandson of the old
Marquis. He is a gentlemanly and intelligent per.
son, about 30 years OF age In the year 1928,
think, the Marquis visited this country, and to his
surprise received the homage and applause Of the
people On reaching Washington he was Invited
to the Halls of Congress, and the sum of 1924 900
was voted to him, together with 10000 acres OF
public land This land was located in Florida but
was aiterward, by an arrangement, exchanged for
lands in Louisiana, the title 70 which Is now Ia
dispute and litigaion and this isthe business that
has brought M De La Fayette to our shores at pre-.
| sent. AB.C.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 10, 1854.
think the Texas creditors are ON the eve Of
| being satisfied at last. You will remember that
their claims have been "scaled. by Texas, from
II LIZ down to about 12 millions of dollars and
that all the United States have held TO pay them
s five millions reserved of the ten millions awards
ed tc Texas In one of the compromise bills of la49
The Senate at its last session, passed bill, in
| which endeavor was made to meet the case, al
lowing the following items. viz:
Amount Reserved IS 600 900
Interest to July l. 1854. s75O0O
Interest for Residue of IA years,
for which the bonds were made 2,625O0O
SO 100000
The House would not allow this last item but
its Committee of Waysa Means are going to sub
stitute for 1t an allowance to Texas for Indian
| Spoliations and other claims to that amount The
claim OF Texas for these causes Is $3 800 00O but
Congress ssscales" that, as Texas has done the
claims OF her creditors. In addition to this the
Senate bill will be amended as to require GER
feet triangular settlements release OF the United
| Statesb Texas, release of Texas by her credi-
tors, and release of the United States by those
creditors.
When Texas was annexed, we took her navy. for
| which she owed and we took her revenues from
duties, with which she had pledged herself to pay
| her Indebtedness. Wetherefore-as Mr. Clay In his
Raleigh letter told us would do-took her with
| now settled.
The House of Representatives, you viii perceive'
is engaged upon business relating to this District
| but has begun at the wrong end, viz: at thebank-
| ing institutions. The beginning is the only end
| his subject has, and the sooner the House comes
back it, the better If it means to adhere to just
abstract principles 1t will destroy all our banks,
and our city into the bargain. If it does not mean
to do so, it had better do nothing Our banks are
bad enough but no bank is ever SO bad before az
after it is doctored legslaiively The Consultation
of the United States says that no State shall coin
money emit bills of credit" &C., and It also says
that Congress shall havepower to regulate com
merce.' to "coin money! &c. What the States
have not the power to do of themselves, they have
| not the power to cause or enable others to do.--
This Is the inverse of the well known maxim,
"Qai facit per alum, fact per ss'-what one does
by another he does of himself. No State has the
the power to make notes, to aulhorise them to
be made; but the United States has this power /
| have always lamented that General jackson did
not ubmit to Congress his plan OF National
Bank that would, - he said. be free from Conatitu
tional objections. His failure to do 10
| "Brouaht death into the world, and all our wee
| Eight hundred banks-State banks-were forth.
with created, and they have been coming into the
world and dying out ever SINCE A. B. C.
| THE NEW CENr pieces, II il said willbe Issued
from the Mint In the course of few days They are
considerably smaller than the old cent pieces and
form attractive copper coin. On one side & The
head of Liberty and the thirteen stars being omitted
the surface d plain and polished. The reverse il
the same in design a. the old cont but brighter and
much more finished. There II certain amount al
alloy mixed with the copper, and the perfection Of
the die gives to the coin finish that has never before
been attained In our copper coinage.
| We learn from the Athens, Ga, Watchman of
the l4th inst that two negroes who placed fence