Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-02-23
D0INGs OF CONGRESS.

SENATE. - Immediately that the journal
had been read F$EgEE IL 80
Mr. Hamlin presented the credentials of the
Hon, VIM. P. Fessenden, the newly elected
Senator from Maine, which were read; after
which ~. 49,.
Mr.. Shields presented the credentials of his
| colleague from Illinois, which had not yet
been presented, and which were accordingly
| read.
communication from the Secretary of the
IA aterior, respecting the Asylum for the Insane
| In the District of Columbia. was referred, on
motion of Mr.. Shields, to the Committee on
| the District of Columbia.
Mr.. Shields then presented the petition of
Mrs. Arabella Riley, widow of Major General
Riley, for pension; referred to committee.
Also, the petition of Mr.. Richardson, the in
ventor of the atmospheric telegraph, asking for
the appointment of q committee to report upon
the subject, and likewise for small appropria
tion-the sum of $4,000 construct a line of
| ten miles in length for the purpose of testing
the experiment The honorable Senator moved
that committee of FIVE, to be selected by the
Chair should be appointed to investigate the
| matter; agreed to.
Mr.. Mallory presented O petition for erect
| ing hospital at Apal achicela, Florida.
Mr.. Brodhead presented petition for re-
pairing the piers at Marcus Hook, Delaware
river
Mr.. Cass presented petition, which he said,
was the fOrerunner of many others, for steps
being taken by the United States Government
to authorize place of sepulture and the rights
of Christian burial for Americans abroad. The
hon. Senator made some brief remarks on the
subject, and alluded to q former letter by Arch
bishop Hughes. Referred to Committee on
Foreign Relations.
Mr.. Dodge, of Iowa, brought forward a reso-
Init 70 Oh
| and delivery.
Mr.. Everett presented the memorial of the
inhabitants of Nantucket, Mass. for an appro-
priation to repair the bar at the mouth of the
harbOr He made some remarks. showing the
| important necessity of acceding to the request.
Mr.. johnson introduced a bill for the relief
OF settlers upon lands reserved for railroad
purposes; which was read three times and
passed.
Mr. Jones, of Iowa, moved that 5000 copies
OF the report upon telegraphic communication
between the Atlantic and Pacific should be
printed. Agreed to.
Mr.. Cooper introduced a resolution that the
Secretary of The Interior be requested to fur
nlsh the Senate with an account of the expen-
ses for materials used on the new wing Of the
Patent Office. Agreed to.
MIR. Hamlin brought forward joint resolu-
ton, allowing the late Superintendent of the
| Census Bureau the use of certain manuscripts
tor his work upon the manufactures and me-
chanical arts of the United States, for the safe
return of which he would give security, and
furnish copies of the work to the different De-
partments, to members of Congress, and to
every public library in the Union; referred to
Committee on Printing
A joint resolution was passed accepting of
certain volumes presented by her Britannia
Majesty to the United States Government.
HoUsE.-To-day, in the House, after the
reading of the journal
Mr. Wheeler presented resolutions against
the repeal of the Missouri compromise, adopt
cd atA working mans meeting recently con-
vensM in New York city; referred to the Com
mittee onferritores.
The Speaker laid before the House letter
| from the Secretary of War covering a copy Of
the annual Army Register for the year ter
minating June 80, 1853 laid Oh the table and
ordered to be printed.
Mr.. Stephens, of Mich. reported from the
Committee on Public Lands, a bill establish
ing a Land Office in the lower Peninsula of
Michigan; passed
Mr.. Disney reported back, from the same
committee, the Senate bill granting lands to
| the State Of Wisconsin in aid of the construc-
| ton of a railroad: cumming north and south
through the entire length of the State.-Rep
and a branch road to be constructed therein.
MIR. d. also reported amendment to the
| same bill, providing that no lands shall be
granted to Wisconsin south of GAINESVILLE, under
I this bill
Mr.. d., proposing to move to put this bill ON
its passage, addressed the House in expla-
nation of the views of the Committee on Public
Lands on such bills, He conceived that if all
the bills of this character which that COM
mittee would probably recommend should pass,
they would only take some IL, 200, 600 of acres
of the public domain
Mr.. Letcher remarking, that under this bill
two-and-a- half millions of acres were proposed
to be given away, and there were some two
hundred such bills to be disposed Of and he
desired to have them all before Congress be-
fore disposing of any of them.
Mr.. Smith, of Va, and Mr.. Dowdell ad-
dressed the House at some length, against pass
ing this bill without due investigation into it's
provisions
Mr. Cobb addressed the House in favor of
the bill, and against Mr.. Dowdells motion to