Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1853-1862, 1856-12-12
From the National Intslligsncer.
THE MEETING OF CONGRESS.

TIE MkEIlNt Ot UUNthESS.
OF the prominent matters on the calendars we
may name few as likely to command special at
tention Foremost among these are the projects
for the construction of railroad and telegraph
line to the Pacific. In what form the aid of the
General Government is to be extended will neces-
sarily lead to much discussion. In the Senate, at
the last session. Mr.. Weller made a very able
exposition of the views and arguments relied upon
to sustain the proposition, and he pressed with
great eSrnestness the scheme for wagon road
across the plains and through the mountains to the
Pacific. Several plans are also before committees
OF the House.
The bill which passed the House, under Mr.
Broom's patronage, to provide for the settlement
of the half pay promised to revolutionary officers
by the Continental Congress, is the order of the
day for the third Monday in December in the
Senate, ard is in charge of Mr. Evans, of South
Carolina who has given the subjec the benefit of
his scruinziug research and industry, and will be
prepared to present its merits with proper forcs
In reply to call for information in reference TO the
amount necessary to redeem the public faith on
this head we learn that the Secretary of the Ints.
Iior estimates the sum of five and a half millions
OF dollars as sufficient, if all the outstanding claims
should be presented within the ten years to which
the bill is limited
In the Senate as well as the House, there are
several river and harbor bills to be considered of
character similar to those which were passed at
the last session over the Presidential veto. That
the most important of them will become laws can
scarcely be doubted.
In the House there are various propositions for
donations of land to aid in the construction of
railroads; and it is not to be supposed that the
Representatives of the old States will reliuquish
their hopes of more equitable distribution of the
public domain than has yet been made.
Beside the usual annual appropriation bills,
which have precedence of all other TOPICS there
are numerous bills for the allowance of private
claims of long standing and of unques.ioned merit.
Amongst these are many upon which the Court of
Cams has passed fsvorsbly; and that tribunal is
now busily employed in maturing other bills for
consideration. The country has expected from
this source remedy for the evil Of long delays
and deferred hopes and, in the absence of exciting
political topics there can be no just ground for the
lurtt e postponement of claims which have recsiv.
ed the sanction of one or the other branch of Con-
gress.
Brief as the session must necessarily be, it 10
understood that the sub ect of revival of the
tariff will be urged; and according to the outgiv.
ings of persons supposed to be familiar with State
affairs, the Secretary of the Treasury il prepared
topresent large array of arguments and statistics
bearing upon the question. We have no means OF
judging of the character Of the propositions likely
10 DC eoFdceu IN inc Treasury report on tnis neao
but mora judicious scale of discrimination in lay
ing duties upon imports seems to be acknowledged
as indispensable both for the production of pro-
per revenue for the Government and for the moi
dental protection of home industry.
If we may be allowed to indulge speculation
as to the future policy of the country on the sub
jec we shall conclude that the President elect still
the opinion expressed by him as far back
as 1912, when he urged that the country should
abandon the idea of uniform horizontal scale of
ad vaorem duties Whether the duties be high
or low, let US (ssii hey return to the ancient prac
tice of the Government. Let US adopt wise dis.
and whenever this can be done, i'm
pose specific duties"