Washington sentinel., 1854-03-30
C0mgressional.
THIRTY-THIRD CONGRESS.
FIRST SESSION..
senate-wednesday, March 20, 1854.

THlRrI-THlHD CONGkESSs
FIRST SESSION.
Senatc-W Wednesday, March 30, 1854.
The CHAIR laid before the Senate report
from the Secretary of War, in response 10 a reso-
luton OF the Senate, communicating statement
ofthe amount expended for the Improvement of
western rivers and harbors under the act Of 1852,
making appropriations for the Improvement of
: rivers and harbors. Read referred, and ordered
10 be printed
MISSOURI COMPROMISE.
Memorials protesting against the repeal Of the
Missouri compromise, by Messrs. EVERETT,
and FISH
TEXAS CREDITORS.
Mr.. THOMPSON, of Kentucky, presented the
memorial of the convention of creditors OF the
late Republic of Texas which was referred to the
Committee on Finance.
LAND FOR COLLEGES.
Memorials praying that Congress would grant
portion ,,f the public lands to each college in the
United States were presentedby Messrs. TOUCEY
and EVERETT.
Mr.. THOMSON presented the resolutions Of
the legislature Of New Jersey in favor Of granting
the public lands in limited quantities TO actual
settlers.
Mr.. SLIDELL presented the resolutions of the
legislature Of Louisiana, asking grant of land TO
aid in the support of the deaf dumb, and blind.
PATENT OFFICE REPORT.
Mr.. HAMLlN, from the Committee on Print
ing, reported in favor of printing 35 500 additional
copies of the agricultural part of the Patent OF
hce Report, and asked for the adoption of the
same.
Mr.. HUNTER said he preferred that the con-
slderaton of the report should lie over; and, on
his motion, il was postponed.
CADETS TO WEST POINT.
Mr.. SHIELDS. from the Committee on Military
Affairs, reported back the House resolution ex-
planatory of the laws regulating the appointment
of cadets to West Point.
Mr.. s. explained that the resolution simply pro-
vided that whenever under any apportionment Of
congressional districts any new district should be
left without cadet, that district should be allow
ed 10 appoint cadet.
Mr.. CASS opposed any increase in the number
Of cadets.
Mr.. RUSK opposed the resolution.
After some remarks by SHIELDS in reply, the
resolution was postponed.
The Senate then resumed the consideration of
the deficiency bill.
The question pending was ON the amendment
requiring that all invalid pensioners should renew
every two years the evidence of their disability,
and providing that no person holding civil sala-
ried office should be paid any invalid pension.
Ihe debate on this proposition was renewed,
Messrs. PEARCE, HUNTER, STUART, and
TOUCEY, advocating the amendment, and Messrs.
SHIELDS, ADAMS, PETIT, and BADGER
oPPosihS ~.
The amendment was amended in several par
ticulars and was then adopted in the following
form-yeas %, nays 20.
"That before any payment shall hereafter be
made TO any invalid pensoner, whose name shall
be upon the pension list two years, he shall pro-
duce TO the agent for paying pensions to whom he
shall apply for payment the affidavit of two
geons or physicians, satisfactory to the Secretary
OF the Interior, stating from personal examination
the continuance of the disability, describing it, for
w ~ anginn nyync nrtoi x, tal IL.
rate Of such disability at the time of making such
affidavit; and If in said affidavit the disability shall
be stated at rate below that for which the PEN
sion was originally granted, he shall only be paid
at the rate stated in said affidavit said afida-
Wit shall be filed by said agents. and carefully
preserved, and copies thereof shall be transmitted
with the semi-annua returns Of said agents. TO
the Commissioner of Pensions who shall file them
with the original papers of said pensioner: Pro-
pidsd, That when the pension shall have been ORR
ginaly granted by special act of Congress, or
for total disability for the loss of limb or other
cause, which cannot be removed, either in whole
or in part, the above affidavit shall not be required"
A large number of amendments were present.
ed debated, and agreed to- and among these were
the following:
Striking out the appropriation for the payment
OF pensions 10 persons wounded on board Of pri-
vate armed vessels during the last war with Great
Britain.
For completing Pennsylvania avenue between
18th and 26th streets, $4,000.
For completing the survey of the Pacific railroad
route, $25, 900.
For completing the bridge over the Potomac al
the Little Falls, S75,J00.
An amendment authorizing the employment of
twenty additional clerks in the Pension Office, and
five in the Treasury Department
For continuing the work on the Washington
aqueduct, $500,000.
Mr.. PRATT offered this amendment, and ear
nesty supported it.
Messrs. DODGE, of Iowa, PETIT, and BUT
LER opposed the amendment, and Messrs.
BROWN and BRODHEAD supported it and
twas agreed to-yeas 20, nays II.
PUBLIC PRINTING
Mr.. BADGER said that, to prevent the possi-
bility of any undignfed contest between the two
houses of Congress as to which should order pub
lie printing the first, he submitted the following
amendment to come in at the end of the bill as an
additional section.
And be IL further enacted, That the provision
contained in that portion of the seventh section of
the act of 10th August, 1852, entitled AN act TO
provide for executing the public printing and es-
tablishing the prices thereof and for other pur-
poses, which provides that when any document
shall be ordered TO be printed by both houses of
Congress, the entire printing Of such document
shall be done by the printer Of the house which
first ordered the same, is hereby repealed and
when different printers are elected, each shall do
the printing for the house electng him, and so
much of the printing for the executive depart
ments and bureaus Of the government as is or
dered by the said act to be done by the public
printer shall be equally divided between the
printers of the two houses"
Mr. HAMLIN said that the adoption of this
amendment would have the effect of causing Con-
gress 10 pay double for composition. It would
greatly enhance the annual cost of printing He
asked the yeas and nays on the amendment.
And then, on motion, the Senate adjourned.
House of Representatives.
NJ .l- N-tt
Lands, reported the Senate bill allowing the peo-
pie of Council Bluffs, Iowa, TO enter lands on
which the town islocated at one dollar and twenty
five cents an acre which was passed