Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1854-12-30
THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
SECOND SESSION.
FRIDAY, DEcEMBrR 20, 1854.
I'M SENATE.
SECOND SESSION

/ ~.
The PRESIDENT Of the Senate laid before the body
communication from the Secretary Of the Interior made
in compliance with resolution Of the Goth instant call
ing for the report made by Henry r. Schoolcra to thu
Commissioner Of Indian Affairs the subject Of Indian
statistics which referred to the Committee on In
dian Affairs and ordered to be printed.
MEMORIALS AND PETITIONS.
The following memorials and petitions were presented
| and appropriately referred:
By Mr.. COOPER From Professors Of the Jefferson
Medical College Of Philadelphia and from medical stu
dents generally and also from the officers Of the Amer
Philosophical Society Of the city, urging upon
Congress the passage of law authorizing an outfit and
employment Of vessels to proceed to the Arctic Seas
for the relief and Of the American expedition un
der the command of DIR. Kane.
BY Mr. FISH: From Howard s. Co., of Buffalo. New
York. demonstrating against the renewal Of the patent
granted Cyrus Mccormick and Obed Hussey for i'm.
proyements in reaping machines.
Also additional documents relating to the claim Of
Catharne Clark.
BY Mr.. ADAMS: From Oscar w. Turk, asking pay
ment for services rendered clerk in the Fourth Au
ditor's Office.
HOUSE BILLS REFERRED.
The following bills from the House of
were read and referred to the Committee on Finapce
An act making appropriations for the support Of the
army for the fiscal year ending 30th June, 1856,
An act making appropriations for the service Of the
Post Office Department for the fiscal year ending the Both
june 1856.
Mr. CAsS said that among the appropriation bills was
item for the extension Of the Capitol He desired to
know If any attention had been paid to the ventilation Of
the buildings. It was subject which he felt some
soicude and wished that it might receive the consde
ration Of the Committee Public Buildings He alluded
to the fact Of large having been expended in Eng
land with view to the proper ventilation Of the House
Of Commons which he understood had proved entire
failure.
PASSENGER VESSELS.
Mr. FISH asked the unanimous consent Of the Senate
to introduce bill to remit certain penalties in favor Of
passenger vessels.
The bill was read and was understood to render in
applicable the penalties imposed by the first section Of
the Of the oath Of February l847 to all vessels that
may have sailed to any port in the United States from
In Europe prior the lst day September 1854
or that may sail prior to the 1st Of March, 1856
account of such vessels having carried passengers
other deck between the lower and "spardeck provided
that the space required by the first section Of the afore
said act of 1847 shall have been allowed each passen
ger the upper deck, &c.
Mr.. FISH went on to say that the bill had been SUBJ
mtted to the Treasury Department and had received the
sanctioned that Department. that its prompt passage was
rendered urgent from the fact that the Secretary Of
the Treasury had given different Interpretation Of the
law OF l84 from that Of his predecessors and hence
were the bill not passed. the vessels employed in the
transportation Of passengers might be liable to seizure
and confscaton and their subjected to heavy
and yexaous costs in consequence Of their ignorance Of
the new construction given to the law.
MIR. NORRIS intimated that the bill required further
examination it subject that in his opinion, re-
CURED very deliberate consideration.
Mr. FISH that under the rule Of the Senate
single objection sufficient to defeat his motion for
present action He would not ask it's reference to any
committee but would content himself with asking that
the bill be laid the table, giving the tame time
notice Of his intention to call it up on Tuesday.
PAY OF MEMBERS OF CONGRESS-, JUDGES, ETC.
Mr.. BADGER gave notice that he would in the early
part Of next week, call up for consideration the BILL in
troduced by him days SINCE increase the COM
pensaton Of Judges Of the Supreme Court and per diem
Of members Of Congress.
On motion by Mr. WADE the Senate proceeded to con-
slider the bill for the relief Of Betsy Whpple and it was
read third time and passed.
On motion, the Senate adjourned to Tuesday next.