Minnesota weekly times. [volume] (St. Paul, Minn.) 1854-1859, 1855-01-23
Correspondence of the Times.
CONGR RESSIONAL MATTERS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. 20, 1854.

CONGRESSIONAL MATTERS.
WASHINGTON, Dec. %, 1854.
One third of the present session of Congress
has passed; and though the Committee of Ways
and Means of the House have exhibited a COM
mendable industry and promptitude in preparing
and reporting the appropriation bills, and have
pressed them through the House with unusual ex-
pediton vet little can be said in favor of the in
dustry and attention to business of either the
Senate or House. Like parcel Of play loving,
labor-hatng, rattle Drained school boys, they
must not only adjourn and frolic on Christmas
day, but like gang of plantation slaves, they
must luxuriate in idleness for week or two.-
Neither body has done any thing of any conse-
quence for more than week, and will do nothing
till after New Year. Then, again, will come the
Sth of January, which must be kept as a holy day,
or day of idleness, as if that We're the only one
in the whole 365, upon which the American Arms
were crowned with victory. The anniversary of
the battle of Bunker Hill, of Saratoga and the
capture of Burguoyne, of Trenton, Monmouth,
Guilford Court House, White Plains, of the sur
render of CORVALLIS, of Tippecanoe, of Lundy's
Lane, Chippewa, and of the battles fought and
victories won by Taylor and Scott in Mexico,-
all these are of no account and pass by unheeded,
while that of New Orleans is annually observed
by the adjournment of the two Houses of Con-
gress, and by partisan dinners and carousals. 1t
is not pleasant to speak in terms Of censure and
complaint of members of Congress, and especial
ly Of those with whom one is on terms of social
intimacy, but their careless inattentiOn to bust
ness, and the Indifference with which they regard
those who compelled to seek redress at their
hands, extremely annoying and provocative
of severe animadversion. And yet, what care
they? l may be urging just claim before
them, may be here long distance from home.
absent from my business, and compelled TO incur
expenses almost ruinous the obtainment of my
claim may be of the utmost Importance, its n-ob-
tainment in fact ruinous urge these considera-
tions upon members, beg them to act upon it
as speedily as possible, that may be relieved
not only from my heavy expenses, but from the
most trying doubts and uncertainty. But what
is the of doing so? might as we'll appeal
to the winds not to blow, or to cloudless sky to
pour down water upon the parched earth. 1t is
breath wasted. As body, Congress feels no ro-
sponslbi.ty to any one, and therefore heeds the
censures of the press and of individuals, as they
heed the whistling of the wind when sitting by
blazing fire in well finished room. And there
will be no change until members shall be paid a
yearly salary instead of per diem. Make it the
interest of members to dispatch instead Of delay
ing the business before them, and they will then
become Industrious. Till then, never.
You will have observed that MIR. Lct:her Of
Virginia has moved to refer the subject of the
Minnesota Railroad Bill to the Committee on the
Judiciary, which was done, and that upon the
motion of Mr.. May, II member Of that Committee,
a call has been made upon the President to COM
municate to the House, any information he may
have touching suit that had been commenced
in Minnesota, in the name of the United States
against the Minnesota and North Western Rail-
road Company. c.
The reference of the subject to the Judiciary
Committee is for the purpose of having the facts
which were elected before the Select Committee
of the House, and which constituted the reason
for repeating the Minnesota Railroad Act, spread
upon the record, and brought judicially before
the Supreme Court. These facts may be set forth
in preamble to a joint resolution upon the sub
But at any rate, such is the feeling among the
members of Congress, at this attempt to defy
them and their action, that they will find some
mode of preventing the Company from taking ad-
vantage of their own wrong, and enriching their
Golfers by means of fraud and forgery. think
the Company may rest assured of this.
Instead of one Bill for making appropriations
fOr fho of
are now likely to have twenty, thirty, forty or
fifty "a Bill for each separate object of i'm
provement. This arises from the fact that our
very wise President, refuses to sign general Bills,
but will sign special ones for these objects. This
being the case, every member who wishes river
or harbot in his district improved by the General
Government, brings in Bill for that specific
purpose and that alone.
The new delegate from Kansas, Mr.. Whitfield,
has taken his seat, and already introduced some
half a dozen or more bills relating to that Terri
tory-makng appropriations for public buildings,
opening roads, building bridges, improving riv-
crs, making geological survey, exempting town
sites from sale and preemption, establishing post
routes, &c. &c.
Iou VIII hear mucn OF tne purchase ana annex
alton of the Sandwich Islands believe not all
that is printed. The Sandwich Islands ,ciU not
be annered to the United States nor will they be
purchased 1t has been stated that the U. S. had
purchased the Galapagos Islands, of Euador;
but this is a mistake; if purchased at all, the
purchasers are private individuals.
MIR. Molina, Minister from Costa Rica, has
deemed it his duty to address our government up
on the subject of an American Company's pro-
posing to colonize large tract of country, 3O,-
0OO,OOO OF acres, in Central America, which they
profess to hold by a title derived from the King
of Mosquito. Mr.. Molina denies that the King
Of Mosquito has any claim, or ever had any to
that country, and informs MIR. Marcy that it be-
longs to Costa Rica. He does not object to emf
grants settling there, but gives notice that they
can do so only by the consent of his government,
and must look to that government also for titles
to their lands. i.f
MIR. Marcy, in reply informs Mr.. Molina, that
the government of the United States can have
nothing to do with the matter, SO long as those
citizens who propose to emigrate to Central Amer
lea, 60 in peace, and for peaceful purposes, and
do not violate our neutrality laws. But while
our government does not feel called upon to in
terfere with the projected peaceful expedition, Mr..
Marcv aeeuraa Mr. Mol;n. that e I'll