The daily Gate City., 1856-03-10

WASHINGTON, March G.


SHsATE.-Mr. Brown introduced bill for
the construction of railroad and telegraph
line frop. point on the Mississippi River,
south of lat. 81 deg. TO the Pacific at San
Francisco. Referred to Com. on Pacific
Railroads.
Mr.. Waller SAID the committee would en-
deayor to report next week.
The fortifcation bill was passed,
The bill providing for new fortifcation was
postponed.
Mr.. Summers proposition, directing the
Committee on Foreign Affairs to consider the
expediencv of some act Of legislation to ef-
fectually abrogate the treaty with Denmark
and repudiate the payment Of the sound
dues, was then considered. The bill reported
is to be concurred in by both parties.
Mr. Sumner agreed that the notice given by
the President, by direction of the Senate in
executive session, for the termination of the
treaty, was defective, inasmuch as treaties
are part of the supreme law Of the land, and
can only be abrogated by the action Of both
houses Of Congress and approved by the
President.
Messrs. Seward, Fcssenden, Collamer,
Crlttenden and Stewart sustained Mr.. Sum
ner's views.
Messrs Mason, Toucey and Cass opposed
them.
HousE.-rhc House passed the military
academy ana invalid pension bill.
The request OF the Committee on Elee-
tions, for power to send for persons and pa
pe4s in the Kansas contested election case,
was considered. Mr.. Boyce thought that the
effect Of prevalent matter in the majority re-
port of the Committee was calculated, though
perhaps not purposely, still more TO inhame
the public mind on the agitated question:
The Committee had given undue confidence
to rumors. lie did not believe that taking
the testimony in Kansas by commissions
would be attended by such stnguinary con
sequences as the Committee apprehended.-
The testimony should be taken among the
people of the Territory who are at home al
tending to their business, and who have
something else TO do than running here IN a
crusade or evidence. H. contended that the
aet under which General Whitfield was elect
ed was legal. The Office of delegate to Con-
gress was created by the kansasN cbta4ka
act. and whoever cIamedit should show that
he was elected under the original law-wAch
is pot the case with Mr.. Reeder, who was Il
traitor. If he gave members OF the Legisih-
ture certificates of election who did not be-
lieye them entitled to seats He had better
by far have retreated 70 the forests u ! ort
Loavenworth than have falsiied his position.
Mr.. Bingham SAID in asking for power TO
send for persons and papers, desired only to
el1cit the truth, which can wrong no mum
This was demanded by the interests OF the
nation. and the sucredness Of law, which
have been violated. Ii is not claimed ID the
minority report that this power is not with
in the discretion Of the House. The only
question is whether there is sufficient cause
| t. authorse such an investigation. 1t - cvl-
| dent from the memorial that either Mr.. Whit
| field or Mr.. kcedcr CLAIMS the seat IN viola
! on Of law. The simplest and most eredu-
/ louS man Ia the house could not believe il
legal to hold two elections in the same month,
ana that the voters could 70 through the
farce Of voting for Mr.. Reedcr after hsSing
voted FOR Mr. " nitheId. Ii struck Mr. Bing-
ham that in some Of the elections the origin.
al law was wantonly trampled on and dis
zrae-d. and if this il true all the people ln
the land should know il. The question ls
have the people Of Kansas chosen Whitfield,
or have they been interfered with by inya-
ding armies, ana II Whitfield here in Viola
tioa Of the laws by the acts of the lawless IN
yad5rs.
air Bingham proceeded to ascertain the
causes for sending for persons and papers,
saying the usurpers assuming to be the Leg
islature Of Kansas, had violated the organ
ic act of the Territory. lie severely crItl-
cised their acts in support Of slavery, which
support, he said, was the uttcrance of senti-
ments unfayorable 70 freedom, and in other
respects violated the federal constitution.