Washington sentinel. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1853-1855, 1854-04-18

anne nded, 30 MS 10 provide thai all citizens VINO
have purchased and paid for honesteads OF lou
acres OF land he refunded the amount paid lnere-
for, with interest
BOUNTY LAND TO CHAPLAISs.
Mr.. JOHNSON presented the memorial Of d.
McManus a chaplan in the army. praying that. IN
III. exercise Of u pruden. stewardship over the
national domain, and the granting Of bounlies ny
Congress, the chapsins, .'lhe most neglected, the
hardest worked aud worst paid class in The army"
may not be ANONYMOUSLY overlooked.
MAIL STEAMER CONTRACTS.
Mr.. FISH presented the memorial OF The Pacific
Mail Steamship Company of New York, protest
ing against the annnlment of their contracts for
the trans portaion of the mails
POSTAL STATISTICS.
Mr.. SEWARD submitted the following rcsolu-
lion for consideration. which was laid over:
Rssolcrd That the Postmaster General he re-
auested TO ascertain and report for The iuforma-
ton Of the Senate
First The number Of dead letters in the last
postal year, and the proportion or percentage OF
Them not prepaid and the amount OF postage,
known or estimated which would have been re-
ceived or required for the prepayment OF such OF
said letters N We're not prepaid.
Second. What is the total weight Of some given
large number Of dead letters. taken al random, al
the de d letter office; and OF those so weighed and
cuuu,ed, what is The total weight and number OF
tho now rated at single postage and separately,
the total weight and number ofthose now rated AT
more than single postage.
Third In each Of se .eral Of the large Offices.
suppo, ] 10 be lair average, in that respect OF
the business OF the country. what is The total
weight, of some given large number OF letters de-
posted or delivered, and of these so weighed what
is the number aud weight of those now rated at
single postage, and, separately, those now rated
at more than single postage.
Fourth. What proportion or per cent.in number
nft h.. t..ffa nnx Lad fht.
clerks and po-tlnasters, and Of the Postmaster
Gene raj, probably OF weight not exceeding one
fourth VI an ounce each
Fifth. In the opinion of the opening clerks al
The dead-leter office, what proporiionate parl OF
the surface of paper of the letters opened by them
is blank--i. 6. what is the average proportion or
per cent. of blank surface compared with the
written surface
Sixth How well or sufficiently is The present
rate charged upon advertiSedlctters found 10 com
pensale tor the cost. Of advertising; and what Is
the greatest loss 10 the department in any one OF
the last years in the cost of advertising letters
over and above lhs receipts by The department
for advertising them.
Seventh. What is the number OF clerks or per-
sons now and heretofore required or employed in
the General Pos, Office, in examining, computing,
recording, and comparing the returns alone.
Eighth. What is the number of letters carried
in the British mails in the last year, in which re-
port has been received; and what the number in
tuC yShi Pitoi " tuS uaSPt'oh ~ ehiAoi" pS''y
postage.
Ninth. For how many years has the British
penny postage been source of revenue over and
above the expenses; and what was the amount OF
such net revenue in The year last reported.
On motion by Mr.. SEWARD.
Ofdc,ed That the President The Senate be re-
queetea 10 inform the Governor OF the State Of
Connecticut, OF the resignation of the Hon. TRU-
MAN SMITH.
SPIRITUAL MANIFESTATIONS.
Mr.. SHIELDS presented memorial 500 feet
in length, and signed by N. + Tallmadge and
10000 others, praying the appointment OF a sclen.
iiic commission 10 investigate certain physical
and mental phenomena OF questionable origin and
mysterious import that have OF late occurred and
are daily occurring in this country aud Europe.
/, presenting this memorial, Mr. ). SAID the
memorisill>ts were indeed in opinion as 10 The
causes OF these mysterious occur. nces-one
branch holding The opinion thnt they were atirbu-
table 10 the influence OF spirits aud The other the
opinion that ,key were trareable 10 natural and
rational causes. He did not agree with either
opinion. He then gave an interesting aud hume.
rous history Of similar occurrences ~ The days Of
Cornelius Aerippa. Pa,lus Jovins. Roger Bacon
Erasmus. Capli,sirc and uth,r.
Mr.. WELLER moved that The memorial be re.
ferred to the Commute on Foreign Relations. il
nigh, he that AT some time il w":id he necessary
10 hold diplomatic relations with these spirits
(LaughIer.) II might be n doubtful question
iHtSc SPlI'tS Sh'hS'y 49, 1850 ''CbtS
OF citizenship. tLaughier)
MIR. SHIELDS tbonght lie would have accepted
the suggestion OF the senator as To tue reference
Of the memorial, but he did not think that CON-
mtiee would give 10 il that consideration winch
its importance deserved. He would. therefore,
like il 10 20 10 the Committee on Post Or'ces,
i might be necessary TO establish telegraph
between tho spiritual and the material world.
Laughtrr)
On motion by MIR. MASON, it was laid on the
table.
JUDICIAL SYSTEM OF THE UNITED STATES.
Mr.. BUTLER, from The Committee on The Ju-
dietary 10 which had been referred 30 much OF
7 the Presidents message and the report OF the
ATTORNEY General as related 10 the Judicial system
Of the United States, reported bill 10 modify ana
amend the Judicial system OF the United states.
He stated that the committee had gwen tue SUD
iect great attention and care, and The bill came to
the Senate with very high sanction. il emboded
the essential suggestions Of the Attorney General,
aud he believed il would receive the appreciation
OF the supreme court.
The bill provides:
SEC /. That after the passage Of the act, the
Justices Of the supreme court shall not. a. hereto
fore, be required to perform circuit dniyi but shan
continue to have aud exercise the same lnrisdic
ton and powers now vested ~ them Within the
circuits in Witch they may respectively Reside, ~
allowing writs of habeas corpus, writs OF error,
granting injunciions, sc aud IN dong all other
acts which may be done out OF term, and al
chambers.
SEC. 9. Thu hereafter there shall be two terms
Of the Supreme Court held annually at Washing
ton, commencing respectively win Tue hrst Moh-
days in May aud November.
SIC. 3. That the district courts and their Jnd-
cia districts 81 all continue rs at present and they
ase 10 be appoi,oncd amongst The several circuits
established 10y this bill, as follows:
l. The first circuit shall embrace the district
courts, melt ded within the States oil Maine, New
Hampshire, Massachusetts, aud Rhode Island.
2 The districts in New York, Connecticut, and
Vermont.
8. The districts in PENNSYLVANIA and New
Jersey.
4. The districts in Delaware, Maryland, and
Virginia.
5. The districts in North Carolina, South Caro-
lima, Georgia, and Florida
g. Tne districts in Alabama, Mississippi, and
Louisiana.
z. The districts in Arkansas and Texas.
s. The districts in Tennessee, Kentucky, and
Missouri. +.
0. The districts in Ohio, Indiana, and Michigan.
10. The districts in Illinois, Wisconsin, and
Iowa.
il. The districts In California.
Grn A ~ 49,. ~sio talv n n NJ