Grand River times. [volume] (Grand Haven, Mich.) 1851-18??, 1856-12-24

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some more efectual provisions for its enforce
ment be adopted, or some other law be franz
ed in its stead, to regulate what we can but
esteem, at best, an infamous traffic. o7u
You've MEMS CHRISTIAN ASSOCIATION OF
GRAND RAPIDs.-We learn from the Grand
Rapids papers that the young men of that
city, DESTROYS of moral and intellectual i'm
provement, have formed themselves into a
society, assuming the title of Young Mems
Christian Association" name significant,
at once, of purposes truly ennobling and ele-
waiting in character and tendency. They pro-
pose, among other means Of social improve
ment, to employ lecturers of ability and en-
lightened views to present subjects worthy of
attention, and such as will furnish food for
thought and subsequent investigation. The
first two lecturers proposed are Hon. Hon
ACE MANN and JOHN B. COUGH, ESQ.,, the
former known for his zeal in the cause of
general education and human Improvement
mutually and socially, and the latter as the
great champion Of temperance, whose clo-
quence is of that soul-stirring kind that
sways the popular mind with force at once
irresistible, and promotive, in an unparalleled
degree of sobriety and virtue.
We wish eminent success to this COM
mendable enterprise, and trust it will receive
the encouragement and support which it just
| ly merits at the hands of those who seek the
true moral elevation and social improve
ment of the young men who constitute SO
important class of every community.
We should rejoice to see the young men
of our village taking effective measures to
establish some association promotive of men
tai culture, now that the long evenings of
winter are affording them ample leisure for
sociality Of the most pleasing and profitable
character Who will be first to introduce the
subject and adopt necessary measures to &C
complish SO praiseworthy an object?
CoNGREss.-Congress duly assembled,
agreeably to constitutional provision, on Mon
day, the 1st inst. The Presidents message
an able and most extraordinary document,
with which our readers have already been IA
vored-was duly submitted. The first bust
ness Of interest, after gong through with the
usual forms of organization, was the decision
of the case of Gen. Whitfield, reelected Del
egate from the Territory of Kansas, after hav
ing been debarred from Il seat in the last
Congress- by decision Of that body, upon
the ground that the Legislature that elected
him as Delegate was unconstitutionally con-
vened, and, therefore, their acts were null
and void. This case Justly excited an unusu-
al degree of interest, from the fact that
Whitfield has again been returned Delegate
by Legislature similarly organized to the
one that first elected him.
Several days were occupied in the discuss
ion of the eligibility of the accredited Dele
gate, the Republicans and Free State men
generally opposing his admission to seat,
DuI OH Cuc HlutH utN vi Iilc ScSSlOI VIC quSs-
ton Shall Mr.. Whitfield be sworn in ?" was
decided afiirmatively, by vote of 10 yeas
to 1OS nays, and he was accordingly sworn
in a member.
The several committees have been named
and generally consist of their former members.
The debate on the printing Of the Presi-
dents Message has occupied, to great cx-
tent, the time of both branches of our Nation
al Legislature since their organization. Its
unique character, politically considered, par
ticulary in relation to Kansas affairs, aud the
principles Of the Republican party have call
ed forth able and lengthy speeches Of vindi-
cation from the champions of that party,
while the course of the President has been
truthfullv and warmly commended by his po-
litical friends.
The Tariff Bill, reported last session by the
committee of Ways and Means, will be tax
en- up as reported Immediately after the holt
days. 1t proposes an aggregate reduction of
100000 Of the revenue.
IMPORTANT FROM N1cARAGUA.-The
steamer Tennessee arrived at Key West, Flor
ida, from San Juan, on the 4th inst. The
passengers report that accounts from Nicaar-