The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1856-05-15
PRocEEDINs OF CONGRESS ON THE sTH

Our readers will, Of course find a summary
of Congressional proceedings, from day to day,
under the Congressional head, but occasionally
interesting passages occur, deserving more
particular notice. The proceedings Of the 9Th
in both Houses, for example, were peculiarly
interesting. The excellent correspondent of
the New York Ecening Post presents salts
factory view Of them, as follows:
The House this morning were engaged in dis
cussing the report of the Conference Committee
upon the Senate amendments TO the deficiency
bill. These amendments provide apprOpria
tions of nearly two millions for extra army
supplies, and three hundred Thousand dollars 10
continue the building Of water works for the
city of Washington. Mr.. Giddings. of Ohio
protested vigorously against the whole system
of deficiency bills, on account of the proiligaie
outlay of public money which our Federal OIL
GERS are encouraged to make, in the hopes OF
their passage. This abuse was of recent inven-
ton, and, in his opinion, ought to be abolished.
He instanced the 100000 item Of judicial ex.
penses in the present bill, $4,000 of which II
was proposed to pay the United States marshal
of the southern district of Ohio, for returning
certain slaves to Kentucky, when S25 would
charge incurred in the transaction. He asserted
that this marshal had given certificates to some
hundreds of citizens in Cincinnati, emitting
them to pay for having helped in Selling the
slaves and having since bought up these cert.
hcates for twenty five per cent of their nominal
value, it was now proposed, without examlna'
ton, to pass an appropriation into his pocket
of $4,000. Mr.. Giddings was proceeding to
describe the incident of the capture of the slaves
referred to, when he Suddenly reeled and fell on
the floor insensible. Great confusion ensued.
Members from all sides rushed forward to snr-
round him, and he was carried to sofa, by an
open window in the lobby, where, after the APP
phcation of the usual restoratives and fresh ar,
he was reused to consciousness Mr.. Giddlngs
is a large-framed, healthy man, of full habit,
but the excitement of the subject had brought
on a fainting fit.
Senator Mason, Of Virginia, this morning
again called up the subject OF the report of thu
Committee on Foreign Relations, sustaining the
course of the President and Senate in giving
notice to Denmark of the termination OF the
Sound Dues treaty last session without the con-
currence of the House. The question of which
this report treats was introduced some time
since by Mr.. Sumner, who maintained tha'a
treaty, being part Of the supreme law of the
land, could not be ccnstitutionally abrogaed
without the assent of both Houses, and that the
action already taken was usurpation Of The
prerogatives of the popular branch Of the
Legislature.
To-day Mr.. Sumner delivered statesmanlAe
and compact argument in support of bis posi-,
ton, In the course of which it was remarked
that there are now in operation forty-ioaf
other treaties, each containing a provision TOT
their termination, like that in the Sound Dae'
treaty and that if this precedent be established
they may all be abrogated, with the concurren'e
of the President, in secret session, even when
the House, as at present, is VIGOROUSLY mo
position to the Senate. A year or so ago, this
was exemplifed by an effort, (which came near
succeeding,) made by Senator Slidell, in secret
session, to procure the passage of a resolution
giving England specified notice of the terrn'na
ton of the provision in the Ashburton treaty
which binds us to cooperate in maintaining the
African squadron for the suppression OF the
slave trade.
A long and interesting discussion followed,
in which Mr.. Summers views were sustained
by Messrs. Seward, Toombs, Hale, Crittenden'
Collamer, BENJAMIN, and in part by Mr. stuart
while the conclusions Of the report were aaVo-