New-York daily tribune., 1856-05-01
CONGRESSIONAL MATTERS.
Pren Our Special Correspondent.

PIeu Our Special Correspondent
WASHINGTON, Tuesday, April %. 1856.
Mr. Bell finished one of bis good long speeches 10
the Senate to-day on the action of the Naval Board
He began yesterday, but Mr.. Bell is too full man
to finish anything he has to say on almost any topic
at one sitting. His mind is richly stored, remarka-
bly, suggestive, and sngularly active. If any man
wants to know what be said on all sides of q
subject, if he can find one of John Bells speeches
on it he will be pretty surely grstifed. And he is
not only an instructive, but he is wise and good
nan. If such men as he and Willie P. Mangum
both amcng the most eminent of Southern states
men, could be allowed the guidance of Southern
thought. much more sense and moderation and
sound craftsmanship would mark the proceedings
of that section than has characterized them for
many years.
The e1trayagant appropriations in the Defcieu.
cy bill touching our military expenditures on the
Western frontier were zealously defended BY Mr..
Phelps of Missouri from the Committee Of Ways
and Means. and effectively assailed by Mr. Stanton
of Ohio, who made good many pertinent remarks
on the propriety Of the House standing up for its
rights and duties as the proper custodian of the
lowed in some equally pointed observations in the
same direction, which commanded very general at
tention. But the habit Of the Department to
,pend what they think proper on certain objects,
without authority, and then coming down to Con-
gress demanding appropriations to foot the bills,
has got to be chronic. The executive department
of the Government is gradually concentrating upon
L., I'm NH Inn nf
irresponsible power, the growth OF which cannot
be too jeaously watched. The Slavery question is
not only corruptng our Government, but leading it
steadily on to az alarming Capitalization.
The contested election case in Maine bet~ N
Fuller, the sitting Member, and Mllkn, the con-
testant. was settled to-day by the adoption OF the
report of the Committee on Elections, giving Fuller
the seat, and pay Mlliken for about fy days of
service in cOntestng the seat. Virginia strict con-
structionism (Which means nothing for the North)
opposed the payment Of the contestant aud vex-
aticu.ly insisted on call Of the Yeas and Nays
This calling of the Yeas and Nays on frivolous pre-
texts is nuisance that ought to be abated
Gen. Quitman at the close of the sitting got oil
an elaborate fllibusteriDg speech, which made but
little impression on the House, his voice being 20
thin and his articulation so ndistinct
The settlement of the Nebraska election OF Dele
gate was put by to day, for three weeks-Mr.
St, phens of Georgia being absent, who wishes 1t
i. said, to make a minority report in the case.
We do not see why such extraordinary deierence
should be paid to any gentleman as this. Mr..
Stephens place is in the House, and If he is not
there it seems hardly the thing that pressing public
business should be set aside to await his return.
What is called National" Democrat occupies
the seat TO which be has no claim, it clearly be-
longing to his opponent, who is, BY the action OF
the House, compelled to wait three weeks longer
for the place that belongs to him, simply because
Mr.. Stephens finds it more convenient to be some
where else than in Washington. j. 8. P.