The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1855-03-08
Wednesday, February %, 1855.
SENATE.

of which a report is given in another column.
Wednesday, February %, 1856.
SENATE
The naval discipline bill, from the House, was
considered and passed.
A motion to reconsider the vote on the re-
port on the swamp lands bill was, after a pro-
tracted discussion, rejected.
The Senate then took up the bill making APP
preparation for the transportation of the mails
in ocean steamers or otherwise-the question
pending at the time of adjournment last even
ing being the following amendment Of Mr..
Chase, viz:
"That the proprietors of said line of steam
ers shall consent to such modification of the
existing contract, that the Postmaster General
may advertise for proposals for carrying the
mails in suitable ships, of not less than two
thousand tons, between the United States and
! Great Britain from and after the 3lst of De-
cember, 1856, when said contract shall cease
to be obligatory, the Postmaster General to
submit the proposals to Congress at its next
| session."
Mr.. Chase resumed the remarks he COM
menccd last night in support of his amendment,
and on the general merits of the question.
The amendment was lost-yeas l6, nays so.
Various amendments were moved, but re-
jected, and the bill was reported.
Mr.. Hunter renewed the amendment reported
by the Committee on Finance. This amend
ment was lost by the following vote:
YEAs-Messrs. Adams, Brodhead, Brown,
Butler, Cass, Chase, Clay, Dawson, Evans,
| Fitzpatrick, Hunter. Jones of Tennessee, NAL
lory, Mason Morton, Pearce, Pratt, Sebastian,
Slidell, Toombs, Toucey, Wade, Wells, and
| Wilson-24.
NAYs-Messrs Allen, Badger, Bayard, Ben
| jamin, Brainerd, Bright, Clayton, Cooper, Doug
las, Foot, Gillette, Gwin, James, Jones Of Iowa,
| Petit, Rusk, Seward, Shields, Stuart, Sumner,
| Thompson of Kentucky, Thomson of New Jer-
sey, Walker, Weller, and Wright-25
Mr.. Pearce then moved an amendment in
the shape of proviso to the following effect ::
"That the Collins line agree to such modif-
cation of their contract as shall stipulate for
the payment for the residue of the term of their
contract for 5000 per trip, instead of 49,, 900,
| and that the Postmaster General be directed
| to make such modification in the contract"
Mr.. Pearce sustained his amendment in a
brief speech, when the question was taken, and
resulted as follows:
| YEAs-Messrs Adams, Bright, Brown, But
Ter, Chase, Clay, Dawson, Evans Fitzpatrick,
| Geyer,. Hunter, johnson, Jones of Tennessee,
Mallory, Mason, Morton, Pearce, Sebastian, Sill
dell, Thompson of Kentucky, Toombs, Toucey,
and Wells-23.
| NAYs-Messrs Allen, Badger, Bayard, Ben
jamin, Brodhead, Cass, Clayton, Cooper, Fes-
sender, Foot, Gillette, Gwin, James, Jones of
Iowa, Petit, Seward, Shields, Sumner, Thorn
son of New Jersey, Wade, Weller, Wilson, and
| Wright-25.
| The bill was ordered to be read third time,
and on the question, Shall it pass the vote
stood
| YEAs-Messrs. Allen, Badger Bayard Bell,
Benjamin, Brainerd, Bright, Brown, Cass, Clay,
| ton, Cooper Douglas, Gillette, Gwin, James.
Jones of Iowa, Petit, Rusk, Seward, Shields,
| Stuart, Sumner, Thomson of New Jersey,
| Walker, Weller, and Wright-26.
| NAYs-Messrs. Adams, Brodhead, Butler,
| Chase, Clay, Dawson, Evans, Fitzpatrick, Geyer,
Hunter, johnson, Jones of Tennessee, Mallory,
Mason, Morton, Pratt Sebastian, Slidell,
Toombs, Toucey, Wade and Wells-22.
Mr.. Douglas desired to introduce bill to
enable the people of Oregon to form State {;
but Mr. Pearce objected.
The civil and diplomatic bill was reported
Just as it came from the House, Mr.. Hunter,
chairman of the committee, stating that amend
ments, if the Senate saw proper, could be IN
corporated in supplemental bill
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
The House was chiefly occupied, in Commit
tee of the Whole on the state of the Union, with
the consideration of the bounty land or old sol
diers bill. A motion to postpone it, failed
motion to commit the bill was rejected, as was
also motion to refer to the Committee on the
Public Lands. A long amendment, introduced
by Mr.. Benton was disagreed to. The bill was
ordered to be read a third time, but, the motion
being reconsidered, Mr. Richardson offered a
substitute, which was finally agreed to, and
passed-yeas l36, nays 80.
The army appropriation bill was taken up,
but the House soon took recess until seven
i in the evening, for general debate. Of the dis