Semi-weekly standard. [volume] (Raleigh, N.C.) 1853-18??, 1854-12-20
From our washington Correspondent.

eongyess-Rstsrence of Presideats Asssage-Gor Reid
Issgned az s1 es en
Saassry Of the Missouri Proli1to"
A. C Banks and Dyes DetectOr-Aait on CsntrasR r.
GoOenor Of Utah.
WASHINGTON, D. c., Dec l6 1854.
The two Houses of Congress seem to have gone
at once to work the business of the session, and
| although nothing of importance has yet been con-
sumated, the committees now busily engaged in
maturing whatever has been referred to them for
examination and report and that includes, of course
nearly quite every matter of public interest that
will come up for consideration this winter. The
usual reference of the Presidents message was made
Monday last after single speech ON Slavery from
Giddngs, and although a wish was expressed by
other members to discuss different portions of that
document large majority for submitting the
message at once to thecommtees and postponing the
general discussion until the several appropriation
bills are taken up in committee of the whole, when
ample opportunity will be afforded for the discus
sion.
Gov Reid, your new Senator and successor of
Mr. Mangum, took his seat on Monday last. He
appears in fine health and spirits and was cordially
greeted by his fellow Senators and especially by
| those who had served with him eight or ten years
ago as members of the House of Representatives of
whom there arc nearly a in the Senate.
His prese here is gratifying evidence of the
growing strength of the Democratic party in the old
North State; long represented in the Senate only
| by Federalists.
Native Americanism has already made demons
traton in both Houses; in the Senate by set speech
dence foreigners before naturalization twenty
years, and in the House by running debate with
out any special object in view, except to find fault
with certain appointments made by the present Ad
ministration. Public men like Senators and memb-
ers of the House very sensitive to manifestations
of public sentiment generally, and no movement of
any responsibility to numbers can be COM
menced without causing pulsation here among the
Representatives of the people. A change i'll the
turalization laws, however, will not remedy the evils
complained of these remedies are not within the
power of Congress to apply. The exercise of the
right of suffrageis controlled by the State laws and
is very properly, entirely beyond the control of
Congress 1t would be good rule, however, which
1 believe is the law in your State, that no person
not naturazed citizen of the United States, should
be admitted to the privileges of citizenship in the
States, so that State and Congressional legislation
might be entirely harmonious.
Mr.. Badger on Wednesday presented his views in
favor of an increase of pay of Senators and memb-
of Congress- advocating an addition OF nifty per
cent to the per diem now authorized by law. Con-
siderng the expenses to which members of Cong
ress subjected in this eXtravagant place to live,
| few men Of any ibcraty whatever, without
their families, receive more than sufficient to enable
| them to quit square after Congressional career.
As german to the same general subject, L notice
| that bill has been introduced into the House to
graduate the pay of members and abolish the frank
| ing privilege 1 cannot say that favor the aboli-
| ton of this privilege. but the principle is cstab
lshcd that the Post Office Department is to be self
| supporting some arrangement should be made by
| which that Department should be paid for the
veyance of matter and letters ranked by members
! of Congress- and also by the different departments
and Bureaux of the Government. Perhaps so far
| as members of Congress are concerned arrange
ment similar to that furnishing them with station
| cry might work well. 1t the custom formerly
! to provide every member with whatever quantity of
| stationery he wanted, taking it for granted that
| members would take only what they used. 1t was
| found, however that some dishonest men actually
| sold it, or sent it home by mail in large quanti-
titles for their private use after the expiration of
! their Congressional careers. Now each is enti-
! tied to so many dollars worth, furnished by the
| House at cost Each member might be entitled to
! certain amount of postage, to be furnished in
stamps otherwise, and to be paid for out of the
| Treasury. Some such arrangement as this, coupled
with abrogation of the expensive and special con-
tracts for mail conveyance in Ocean Steamships,
| commended by the Postmaster General would place
that Department on better footing, and enable it
| to extend better mail facilities to the South.
| The slavery question has been mooted in the
House, first by Mr.. Gddings, who complained that
reference made to the subje by the Presi-
dent in his annual MESSAGE, and next by Mr.. Mace,
who has given notice of bill to re-enact the Mis-
souri, prohibition of 1920. Mr.. Mace replied to
| in a most powerful r'anner Tuesday by Mr..
Stephens of Georgia. in general defence of The Kan
sas Nebraska BILL and refutaton of the allegation
that this issue the controlling in the
elections at the North Mr.. Stephens thought the
ramshakles together with disatfectcd Democrats,
had done the business. Mr.. Oliver of Missouri, also
replied in part Mr.. Mace. The latter avowed that
he was vice-President of association organized
in this city Immediately after the passage of the Ne
braska bill! settle those Territories with abolition
lists, and had sent out one hundred thousand circu
lars with that purpose He also intmated that the
result of the election for delegate from Kansas had
been controlled by Missourians, who had gone over
the line to vote and become bona fide settlers
that Southern men had organized to make it slave
territory. Mr.. Oliver thought Mr.. NJ. had gone a
wooling and got heeccd, and denied that Missouri
ans had interfered with the Kansas election. South
ern men certainly had as good right to organize
for settlement in Kansas Abotonists. The very
small of the abolition candidate exposes at
the inefciency of the emgrant aid Society and the
fact that Northern settlers supported Gen. Whitfield.
1t was not direct issue the question of slavery,
but indicates very clearly the tendency of affairs III
Kansas. Many Southern men, adopting as ther own
the opinion of Northern newspapers, have regarded
rapidly correcting this impression, showing that the
South contains within itself all the elements of safe
and gradual progress-that it possesses sufficient
yigor to compete successfully with Northern energy,
and that is the conservative feature and balance
Wheel as it were, of our Union. do not apprehend
that any lengthy discussion will arise on this ques
ton; some Northern men anxious to agitate it,
but Southern will participate in it only by way
of occasional defence. No bill re-enacting the Mis-
surf compromise pass either House the present
session none can pass the Senate during the next
Congress- and if it were possible the President
is at his post ready to defend and maintain the equal
rights of all the people. There is anxiety, there
FORE among Southern men, and there will be agi
TALON at the South. If the North desire agta-
| ton among themselves, let them carry it on; it
need not excite apprehensions at the South so long
real defender of the Constitution represents the