New-York daily tribune., 1856-07-15
FROM WASHINGTON
From OuS Own Correspondent

| From Ous Own Correspondent,
WASHINGTON, July l3 lS56.
An effort was mOds yesterday to defect from the
purpose of closing the debate on the Brooks case
| by such ambitious advocates as MIR. Cadwalader,
| who disliked addressing empty benches. But the
| Chairman of the Committee held on under the
| reservation announced when the sitting opened,
| that The vote would be taken early tomorrow un'
less the persons implicated desired to address the
| House After the three first speeches Of the day
aud The expression Of intention to close up the de-
bate, an evident and very general anxiety was man
| ifrsted 10 speak In order to accommodate all
| sdt-, and to avoid waste of precious time,
motion was adopted limiting each member to hf-
teen minutes. The long winded gentry did not
take this moyenent in good part but made yir'
| tue of necessity. As many az twenty-three gen.
| tlfmen delivered Ii. mselves under it before >
| O'Clock, when . tuce was agreed upon, aud the
| House adjourned after an unusual session Of nine
| hours.
1t is difficult to predict what form the opinion Of
the House will ultimately take, from the number of
| amendments that have been offered by both the
friends and opponents of the msjority report The
resolution as reported meets the issue boldly and
Justly; but, as twothirds would be required to give
il practical effect, the Idea is entertained in some
quarters that the direct censure Of q majority
would be more desirable. The moral influence Of
| the vote on expulsion would carry all the weight
| that might be derived from larger aggregate on
a modified proposition; and besides it presents
| direct test and proper penalty fer an ofiense
| among the gravest recognized by our institutions
There js one positive objection to the notifications
| proposed which is that they seek to do by ind-
rection " hat should be done with brave front
and stern resolution.
| 1t is bot yet known what course Brooks will
pursue after the House has acted. His own under
stood inclination is to return home and be re,
| elected But it is not to be disguised, also that
recent indications in South Carolina do not furnish
the same sort of appreciation which was eyinced
| when the outrage was frat perpetrated. Inc
| circumstances OF the assault. and its political
effect are beginning to be reviewed in very dii.
| ferent manner from that manifested month ago
| and reaction is ncipiently developing itself,
which may be followed by unexpected resGlts.
Brooks and Keitt are both asprants TO the seat OF
Judge Evans in the Senate which will be vacant
| in 1859; but before that time change of opinion
may occur dampening to the prospects of each.
| Ii is very clear now that any attempt to rgrait
| q rev feature upon the present Tariff viii fail
| during this Session, TO matter what recommends
| ton the Committee Of Ways and Means may
| make. There ia neither time nor inclination for
such a task. Under other circumstances, wool
| would have fair chance Of admission free--that
is, cersin descriptions of it not produced in the
| United States. The enormous imports and cor.
responding revenue Of the fiscal year just closed
furnish sufficient grounds for some thorough re-
vision Of the present hcongruOus and partial sys.
t.m When the Democrats had the power in
. fha advant of tho n A mi
traton, they set out with large promises of reform,
after their fashion, not one Of which has been
redeemed. All the recommendations of the Presi-
dent and Secretary Of the Treasury were disre
garded, and now, when but few months OF
tenure remain, they are further from the accom-
plisbment Of these pledges than at the beginning
Of their career.
The House is evidently 10th to part with its
power to revise the proceedings of the Court of
Claims or to surrender discretion which vir
tually vitiates the value Of the tribunal That
Court was created to relieve Congress of certain
duties which required judicial investigation for
their proper discharge, and to give to claimants
that equitable consideration which they could not
receive by the hasty and imperfect action of COM
mittees Several hundred cases have been de-
ternned, and the question now is whether ap-
prOpriatiOns shall be made confirming the DEGREES,
or neither Congress shall undertake to go behind
the record and institute new examinations. If the
Court challenges confidence, as seems TO be uni
versally conceded, its judgments should be af
frmed. If not it should be abolished as an un-
necessary appendage to the legislative department
The Senate appears inclined to take the former
alternative and TO sustain the proceedings, but no
such purpose has been decidedly indicated in the
House, where the purse-sfrisgs are held. Like
ell reforms projected here, this is likely to suffer
much opposition before attaining any beneficial
result
The trial of Herbert was concluded yesterday
afternoon and sent to the Jury with such instruc.
tiors as were anticipated from Judge Crawford
ucliniDg strongly to the side of the prisoner, and
evincng the same partality as was manifested on
the application for habeas corpus. The Jury did
lot agree late in the afternoon and returned with
an arrangement to appear this morning IT y
O'Clock, when they still had not determined upon
a verdict. The impression gained currency, hos.
ever, that there was majority for scquttal which
i. not at all improbable. IyDEx.
THE BROOKS ASSAULT ON SUMNER.