St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1856-12-18

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is the organ and embodiment. But, as the
message is printed in our columns, we must
refer the reader to the document itself.
Congress-.
Both Houses of Congress assembled in the
Capitol at Washington on Monday, Dec LIST.
In the Senate all the members were present
except Mcssrs. Bell of New Hampshire, Bell of
Tennessee, Biggs, Butler, Douglas, Houston,
Jones of Tennessee, Mallory, Reed, Sebastian,
Toombs, Weller and Wright. The usual COM
mittee was appointed to wait on the President
and inform him that quorum Of each House
had assembled and were ready to receive any
communication he might be pleased to make.
A similar committee of the House acted in
conjunction with that of the Senate, and in
each branch report was made that the Presi-:
dent would communicate his annual message
the next day at twelve o'clock. The Senate
adjourned.
In the House about 200 members were pres
ent The business of the House opened rich,
equal to the palmiest days of the last session.
Kansas was the theme and the House was
kept in session seven hours. After the roll
call, credentials of new members were presen-
ted. Mr.. Phelps of Missouri announced the
presence of John w. Whitfield, accredited as
delegate for the Territory of Kansas, and NOV
ed that he be sworn. Mr.. Grow of Pennsyl-
vania objected, and on the motion to qualify
- n. fho
| in an able speech, showing that the case had
once been settled by the present Congress, that
thorough investigation had been made, and
| it was found that there had been no legal cleo
ton in the territory, because no valid law ex-
lists there upon which to base one. It had al
SO been found, Mr.. Grow argued, that the al
legged Legislature of Kansas was illegally cleo
ted, and that all the laws flowing from it were
invalid, and therefore the House had declared
Whitfield not entitled to q seat that since
that time no new Legislature had been elected
in Kansas, and the recent election under which
Whitfield now claims to have been chosen, was
based upon the same invalid laws as before f;
and therefore he was not entitled to his seat as,
in consequence of the invalidity of said laws,
the majority of the legal voters of the Terrific
ry did not go to the polls
Mr.. Phelps of Missouri replied that he did
not propose to discuss the validity of the laws
Of Kansas. That wis not the question. Mr..
Whitfield was present with his credentials,
signed by the Governor Of Kansas, represent
ing him as being legally elected a delegate
from that Territory and the only question to
settle was, whether the House would allow
Kansas to be represented on the floor of the
House or not. There was no contestant. II
so, where was he? ..........
The yeas and nays were ordered on the ques-
ton of Whitfield's right to seat and resulted
in a vote of 81 yeas to 1O4 nays, and Mr.. Whit.
fields claim was rejected.
Mr.. Grow moved to reconsider the vote and
to lay that motion on the table, which motion
was closely followed by Mr.. Phelps with a
motion to adjourn. Now came the tug of war
The House refused to adjourn-92 to 106. Mr.
Florence of Pennsylvania moved call of the
House, and thus the filibustering was kept ur
till u o'clock, the time being spent in motions
to adjourn, ordering the yeas and nays &c., al
for the purpose of staving off the question OF
Mr. Grows motion till absentees Whitfield
friends) could be got in. Late in the after
noon the House began to thin out by pairs O
hungry members who went for their dinners
The Sergeant-at-arms was ordered to bring il
the absentees, when several were brought il
under arrest and ordered to pay the fees of tn
Sergeant-at-arms-$ ,0O-and were releases
from custody amid cries of "fork over" an
laughter from all parts of the House. An I'D
| iournment was finally effected by one major
ty, Mr.. Grows motion still pending.
On Tuesday the reception and reading of til
Presidents Message, and the consideration {
tn Kansas case, was the principal business.
On Wednesday, in the Senate, Mr.. Bayar
announced the death of Senator Clayton I
Delaware In the House, the matter OF tn
Kansas delegate was under consideration, whe
upon the announcement of Senator Clayton
death and passage of the customary resolution
the House adjourned.
= On Friday, in the House, the Whitfield cas-
: was still under consideration. The questio
was finally postponed till Tuesday. Bot
Houses adjourned from Friday till Monday.
In the Senate, on Monday, Mr.. Collamer I
Vermont made speech in opposition to som
Is of the positions of the Presidents message.
New BRlDGE.--Our citizens are mo,
!. ing in the matter Of constructing
Il bridge across the Cedar at this place
IF A subscription paper is in circulation
/ raise funds for the purpose, and it
e intended to make the bridge free to tt
public. A handsome sum is alread
is subscribed, and it is the design to 81
Al men Immediately at work in gettin
out the stone and lumber, and hay
= the bridge ready for crossing as earl
!. as possible next season. This unde
it taking is an important one for on
h town, and every citizen should respon
= to it with alacrity by subscribin
what his means will allow, and othe
e. wise encouraging it as far as possibl
r The value of real estate will be mat
I'd rally enhanced, and all branches
GO business will receive new impet'