, 1854-08-19
YoR ASSESSOR.
WILLIAM PACKWOOD.
washington Correspondence.

B6- We take pleasure in giving place
10 the following letter of A. NJ. BERRY,
Esq, senior proprietor Of this paper, who
is at present on visit to the Atlantic side
Of the continent. We doubt not it will be
read with interest, and to perusal of it,
we invite the attention of our readers. The
return Of Mr.. BERRY, with printed copies
Of the laws, journals, &C., Of the last legis-
latiye Assembly, in book form, may be an
ticipated in October or November. We
hope he may be successful in replenishing
the establishment with one very important
article of furniture, upon which the present
pdrthsship or frm will never presume to
lay any claim
Washington, d. c., June 26, 1854.
Mr. WILEY:AI have deferred till this
time TO fGlhI my promise to write you, from
the fact that nothing had occurred of great
interest to our territory Of which l could
learn full particulars before coming to this
City but I now propose, as fully as am
able, to give an account of what has been
done, together with the causes which have
operated to impede legislation upon matters
Of vital Importance to our territory.
The late day of the session, on which our
Delegate arrived, together with the fact
that Congress was engaged i'm discussing
that all-absorbing question, the Nebraska
Kansas bill, and other exciting questions
has prevented us from receiving that atten.
tion from Congress which we otherwise
would have had but now that things are
restored to their wanted quiet we have
some reason TO expect that that body will
proceed to consider our wants.
No Laws have as yet been passed by
Congress in relation to Washington Terri
tory. Several bills Of great Importance
are pending, which in all probability will
pass the present session. The amendment
to our Land Law is among them. This
Bill passed the House a few days since,
andwas sent to the Senate, and on the 22d
inst, the Senate concurred in an amend
ment which creates the Territory Of Wash
ington into separate surveying district,
and the appointment of Surveyor Gener-
al for the same. On the morning Of the
2Sd inst, the bill thus amended came from
the Senate to the House, where it is now
pending. The modification Of the Land
Law, as proposed by this bill, permits sale
by the claimant after the four years resi-
dence without waiting for a patent, and
that he may purchase, at l,95 per acre,
after one years residence Two Townships
of Land are also donated to the Territory
in support Of University. A Bill has
also passed the House providing for an in
crease Of the salaries of the Judges and
Secretary, making the salary Of the Judges
$4,000 each, and that Of the Secretary
$4,000. A Bill for the increase of the pay
Of the Military on duty on the Pacific coast
is also pending. A bill has passed the
House appropriating the further sum Of
SIS, 900 in liquidating the further claims of
the Cayuse war A bill was brought in by
our Delegate and referred to the committee
on Territories, which provides for. the con-
struction of Military Roads. One from
the great falls Of the Missouri, in the Ter
ritory Of Nebraska, to intersect the road
now established, leading from Walla Walla
to Puget Sound. Another from the Dalls
Of the Columbia to Vancouver and anoth