New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1856-02-19
THE HOUSE COMMITTEES-WHlG MEET
ING-WHEELING BRIDGE.

Fro1s OvI Own Coue-rondent.
WASHINGTON Feb. II, 1856.
Most of the important Committees Of the House
have already met for the purpose Of organizing.
and they are now prepared to proceed with the
public business without further delay. The Chair.
man of the Ways and Means is disposed to set
promptly upon the ordinary appropriations, and to
bring them before the House as soon certainly a'i
perhaps earlier than they have heretofore been r.
ported. There is really no good reason why the
customary delay in this respect should be coz
tinued The estimates are made at the treasury,
and with very few notifications form the basis Of
the annual bills containing the supplies Of that
material aid" which Kossuth valued 80 highly.
While there will be every disposition to scrutinizs
carefully the exactOns Of the treasury, and 10 stop
some of the notorious leaks in that institution. no
purpose is entertained now nor will be encouraged
to deal in a partisan spirit with the Admins.
tration, or to cramp il for means uDgenerously.
Mr. Cobb of Georgia, the leader of the Democratic
party on the door is on this Committee, and there
fore will have every opportunity of justifying or
representing the wants and the wishes OF the Ad.
ministratiOn. Mr.. Phelps of No., and Mr.. Letcher
Of Va, have had experience in legislation, and @
they are both fair men, no difficulty is expected 10
harmOnizing the action of the Committee on nearly
all the appropriations. There are expenses which
ought to be cut down, and an effort should DO
made to arrest the growing tendency to augment
the cost Of carrying Oh the Government Mr.. Ad-
ams's Administration, with twelve millions OF o.
pendture in all was denounced as extrayagant b.
his opponents and here, thirty years sfterwarft
these same pretended economists demand sixty and
seventy millions year!
conference of some fifteen or twenty gentle
men, now or formerly in public life, who have
heretofore acted with the old Wing party was
assembled last week on the invitation of one OF the
Senators who still acknowledges his Wing aneg-
ance. for the purpose of cOunselng as TO the policy
10 be pursued in the ensuing Presidential canvas,
and especially Of calling National Convention.
Mr.. VintOn, who was appointed Chairman OF the
Committee Of States at the last Wing Convention
in Baltimore, was present The persons who az
tended represented the four sections of the Unlon
After some discussion it was determined to make
no movement toward a National Convention, ana
for the plain reason that those who had heretofore
acted together politically, and still sympathlsed ID
principle had become 80 identified with other 81
sociations as TO render return to the former or
oanizatiOn impracticable. Still the conviction
1reyailed that the object intended could BIO even
more efIectuslly accomplished by union througa
popular nominations in the different States, which
would render all cOncurrlng interests az llberVw
act with independence in regard to all platforms
and other party obligations.
After a long and hard struggle of more than
three years, the Wheeling bridge case approaches
a final determination. When the action against
that company for ObstructiDg the navigation OF tho
Ohio and interrupting its commerce, by an undN
Partially TO the City of Wheeling was brought W
here in 1852, the Supreme Court decided, upon
patient investigation, and by majority OF TWO,
thirds Of the bench, that the bridge was an liegs
structure; and decreed that it must be so modlaee
az TO allow the steamboats, plying between fitIF
burgh and Cincinnati to pass under without Lowering
their chimnies. az they had been accustomedto ae
at large annual loss from detention and olaa
causes. Immediately on the PRONUNCIATION OF tn,'
opinion, series of pOpular,noyements we're maa'
upon Congress with view to prevent the enioree
ment of the decree. Mr.. Badger, then IN .as
Senate, succeeded in tacking on to the Post,Un'.
Appropriation bill clause declaring the Drldse r
post route and legal structure. The ohleeis y,
the Court attempted to enforce the decnee' ~.
thew were resisted on the plea that ,.S
subse0uent action of Congress entirely annuiIes
its force and efficiency. An action OF consepr'
was then brought upon the refusal OF the Comp.
nv. and it was recently argued here. it sey
well understood that large majority oil sae ~.
are prepared TO affirm the constitutionaiity Oh Nv
law. ard thus in effect to reverse their own ioi"S
decision This was the first instance In the Wiz
history Of the Government where Congress o.. ~,
interposed or attempted to arrest decree OF ~.
Supreme Court. The precedens may LEAD - ?. IA.
ter to serious embarrassments IN connlOs -
| tween the judicial ard legislative depar'"'u''s