Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-02-11
MONDAY, FEBRUARY 6, 1854.
In SENATE.

Mr. RUSK, Of Texas appeared in his seat this morning.
The PRESIDENT Of the Senate laid before the body
communication from the Secretary Of War, transmitting
copies of all reports Of engineers and other persons
oyed to make explorations and surveys ascertain the
most practicable and economical route for railroad from
the Mississippi river the Pacific ocean received at that
Department; which ordered to be printed and re-
ferred to q select committee.
The Secretary Sends, in compliance with the law Of
3D. March, 1862 copies Of all the reports that have reach
ed his Department from the chiefs Of the several parties
charged with surveys under that act From some no in
formation has been received in regard to the explorations
entrusted to them and the reports from the others
partial and incomplete as not to afford the means of udg
ing OF the relative merits Of the different routes and they
are only transmitted because the terms of the render
it imperative to do So
Also, communication from the Department Of the In
terror, transmitting letter from the acting Commits
oner Of Indian Affairs in relation to the additional ap
preparations for the Indian service ia New Mexico which
read and referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
and ordered to be printed
RESOLUTION OF THE LEGISLATURE OF MARYLAND
Mr. PRATT presented a resolution passed by the
General Assembly Of Maryland earnestly requesting their
representatives IN Congress to urge upon the General
Government the necessity and proprety of making as
soon as possible arrangement by treaty other
wise, by which the present monopoly in the sale Of guano
may be removed and the agricultural interests of the
country be promoted.
Mr.. PRATT briefly stated the very general impression
that prevailed in Maryland in relation to the monopoly
lie felt bound to say, however, from facts that
He commended the resolution to the Committee Agr
culture and expressed the hope that that committee,
after thorough investigation of all the facts would
port the matter in such would enable the
people to understand it.
MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS.
The following memorials aud petitions were presented
and appropriately referred:
BY Mr.. SUMNER: From the American Geographical
and Statistical Society Of New York, memorial signed
by George Bancroft as President and Henry Grinnel as
Vice President.
The memorial represents that the weights and measures
now in in the United States, from their variety,
pexty and uncertainty calculated very frequently
misead and embarrass in their large portion Of
the people, and that the revision and smpfcation and
the adoption Of decimal scale would greatly benefit the
community at large; that apart from tho inconvenience
imposed by the existing system upon traders and con-
at home, serious endorsements daily in
foreign from the of common national
standard OF reference, by which the weights and
sures OF other countries might be easily translated into
our That the Importance of the smplfcation Of
weights and measures has frequently engaged the
ton of statesmen both in this country and in Europe and
that at the present time this whole subject together with
that OF decimal coinage is engaging the attention Of the
British Parliament and other Governments the CONT
nent OF Europe and in South America; and that the adj
vantages OF mcrical system like that of France are
daily becoming widely recognised. That for these
reasons the present opportunc occasion for
common effort the part Of the leading commercial and
scientific nations Of the world TO unite far as posi-
ble in the adoption OF standards Of weights and mea
sures and Of common meridian of longitude.
The memoralsts regard this country, from its charac
ter and position favoraby situated for organizing such
movement and express the belief that call for
gress of scientific delegates from the leading commercial
nations Of the world to meet at Brussels or some other
convenient place. for Interchange OF views on the sub
ect Of international standards, would be cheerfuy
sponded to BY the respective Governments They urge
Congress to take into early consideration the propey Of
thorough revision OF national weights and measures,