Daily evening star. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1852-1854, 1854-03-21
PROCEEDINGS OF TO-DAY.

! PROCEEDINGS OF TODAY.
| SESArE.-After prayer and the reading o
the journal, the greater part of the morning
hour was occupied in the presentation of petit
tons, among which
Mr.. Pratt presented a petition from citizen
of Maryland. in the vicinity of Washington
that the Columbia turnpike road might b,
made Free
! Petitions from the Society for Promoting tn,
Mechanical Arts, and from the American Phi
losophcai Society of Philadelphia for a 81 mi
| lar system of decimal coins to circulate in Grea
Britain and the United States.
debate afterwards ensued on the intrOduc
ton OF joint resOlutian explanatory of thu
act regulating the number of Cadets ut thu
West Point Academy, which, at the urgen
| request of Mr.. Shields. was read and referred
to the Committee on Military Affairs
On motion Of Mr.. Gwin,. the joint resolution
regulating the clothing and small stores of The
navy was brought up.
MIR. Fish objected to such hasty legislation.
Mr. Shields spoke against the extraordinary
power given to the Secretary Of the Navy
The bill was then read and referred to the
Committee on Naval Affairs
Mr. johnson introduced bill for the relief
of the heirs of Col. Alexander g. Morgan, who
| died at Cerro Gordo, for services in the Florda
| war; passed.
Mr. Shields moved the taking up the bill fol
| increasing the pay of the Army, and said thai
such an increase was demanded to keep ND its
| organization, as no recruiting could be made al
| the present rate.
After some opposition the bill was read Il,
sntensO, the following to be the increased rate
of pay per month: ...
Major general, 1855; brigadier general, Sl65
colonial nf x.
S95; captain Of cavalry, SS5; captain of artil-
lery and infantry, SIS; LIST lieutenant of caval-
! ry, 500; LIST lieutenant of infantry, S57; I'd
lieutenant of cavalry, $55; I'd lieutenant OF
infantry, SAT; cadet, $33; sergeant major, quar-
ter-master, farrier, and musician, $23; sergeant
of cavalry, $2l; of infantry, $lS; private, cav
airy, Sill; private, artillery and infantry, $40.
A discussion took place, which was going on
when we left.
HoUsE.-After the reading of the journal,
two unimportant Executive Department COM
munications were laid before the House by the
Speaker, and appropriately disposed Of
Mr.. Murray reported back from the Com
mlttee on Printing the resolution for the print,
ing Of extra copies of the Agricultural portion
of the Patent Office Department, for fixing the
number for the use of the House at 100. 900
and 10000 for the use of the Patent Office
agreed.
Mr. Breckenridge, to redeem his promis.
made to that end, not long since, moved to 20
into a Committee of the Whole, to consider the
bill from the Committee of Ways and Means
making appropriations for the completion OF
certain custom houses, and for the purchase OF
the New York assay Office property; rules not
suspended. 10. - -
Mr. Cobb then made sundry adverse report
from the Committee on Public Lands; which
were laid on the table 's-a
Mr. c. announced that that committee had
to-day determined not to report in favor OF
any more grants of lands for railroads at pres.
ent. - - - - -, ~ I,
Mr. c. also reported from the same commit
tee bill to authorize States to relinuuish GER
tain school lands, and to select others in its
stead. -
Also, a bill to grant to the State of Alabama
public lands within her limits, which had been
in market for twenty years without finding
purchasers; both committed ~. >5
Also, a bill to authorize school commits
sloner of fractional township No. of range
No. 10 east, in Alabama, to locate half Sec
ton Of land, with an amendment. IS
Mr.. g., moving to put this bill on its passage,
addressed the House in favor of his motion;
amendment agreed to. and the bill pa sed.
Mr.. C. also reported back bill granting
bounty lands and pensions to the widows aud
heirs of deceased soldiers without the prepa-
ration Of new papers. in case of the death of
the parties rendering the military service be.
fore the issue of the warrants, and under other
circumstances. "a Z ~ - "a
Mr. G.. moving to put this bill on its passage,
|. addressed the House in favor Of tha. motion :;
bill committed.