St. Charles Republican intelligencer. (St. Charles [Charles City], Iowa) 1856-1857, 1857-02-19
From Washington.

Coinage bill, and it has been signed
by the President. BY its provisions
all Spanish quarters will hereafter be
taken by the Government for only
twenty cents, nincpcnccs for ten cents,
and fourpences for five cents. After
they are all in Government hands, they
will be sent to the mint and re-coincd
into handsome decimal currency.
This is measure that we would
liked to have seen carried out several
years ago ; but it appears that the
Government, or the people, it is hard
to tell exactly which, were not quite
ready for it. We hail the passage of
the law now with satisfaction, and are
glad to chronicle the date from and af+
ter which these old coins that have
tormcnted us so long will go out of
use entirely.
The corruption committee are on the
track of certain railroad bonds which
were given out there last winter by
certain gentlemen to carry the West
crn Railroads.
The Dallas treaty was under discus
sion in the Senate the other day up
wards of three hours. The debate
elected very little interest, for there
was hardly quorum present any OF
the time. A leading democratic Sen
ator has said that he did not be-
lieve it would be ratified
Mr.. Weller from the committee OIL
military affairs, reported in favor of
printing the documents recently COM
municated relative to General SCOTS
pay. A debate cnsucd.
Seldom has the country been blessed
with the existence of so many Cabinet
Makers, as at the present day. I'M
fortunately, however, they do not do
their work we'll, and it has to undergo
repairing almost daily The last was
unsatisfactory, in as much as Gen.
Cass will not accept the position of
Secretary of State in Mr.. Buchanan's
Cabinet. This information is supposed
to be reliable.
Mr.. Washburne, representative from
Illinois, asked, but did not obtain
leave, to have read Il petition purport-
ing to be signed by large number of
citizens of Iowa, charging fraud upon
the Dubuque and Pacific Railroad Co.
The ground of the charge is that the
Company refuse to construct their road
in accordance with the plan of the act
of Congress, granting them land in
:, aid of the project.
Senator Douglas presented in the
Senate, a petition praying for the adj
mission of Minnesota as State
Ideas of Union and increase pre-
vail in the Senator's mind just now.
l. Mr.. Douglas is at work on a bill
striking at the peculiar institution OF
= Utah said to be the result Of his new
home Influences.
G 1t was announced some weeks ago,
n that Hon. S. Il. Mallory had been re-
elected to the L. S. Senate from Flori-
da. Late accounts state that Hon.
) Barton G. Pope has been chosen ill.,
Il stead Of Mr.. Mallory. Mr.. Pope is a
"Dcmocrat Of the South Carolina
school"
;, 1t is rumorcd that President Pierce,
with Mrs. Pierce, and Mr.. Webster, his
i Secretary. will visit the West Indies,
{, Immediately upon the expiration OF
/, his official term Of Office, for the benc-
u fit of Mrs. Picrcc's health, which is
very feeble.
The New York Times, in an alI;,.
# sion to the death of Preston 5. Brooks,
} remarks as follows
8 ave have heard that in converse.
ton Col. Brooks more than once de-
}. pl0rcd his assault on SumLe', as the
|. bloo and the misfortune Of his life
= that he declared his only purpose at
5. the outset was to intlict the disgrace
T. of a blow, and not any severe bodily
D. iniury-that he was excited by wine
of which he had been drinking freely,
and that the first blow struck reused
3. all the demon within him. and left hin
y, no longer in possession Of his judg
mcnt or self-control. Whether this
c, report be true or not, there is nothing
y in it at all inconsistent with pTobabili
&c ty, orwith the character Of Col. Brooks
v On the contrary, it seems to us much
more likely to have been the fact, thar
Of that he should have deliberately plan
ned the murder which he but just cs
., capped committing. s.
Col. Brooks was educated at some
ID Southern military school, and served
in the war with Mexico with credit i
l. not distinction. He was of more thar
ordinary mental ability, as his speech
es in Congress and elsewhere show
y, He was but 81 years old at the date
n of his death"
u, u We take the follow ing item from
the correspondence of the New Yorl
Of Herald, of Jan. 20: ~.
"The galleries and lobbies of thu
House Of Representatives were more
). than ordinarily crowded to-day. The
speech of Mr.. Savage Of Tennessee
3. upon the death of Mr.. Brooks, has
3. caused most intense excitement, ant
it is theme of general conversation
l. Most of the Republicans left the hall
after its delivery, and refused to par
ticipate in the funeral ceremonies
Perhaps it is well enough to state tina
8. Mr. Savage made the speech upon hi
I. own responsibility, and without con
.. sulting any one, and that the friends
III of Mr.. Brooks do not approve of it,"
n The following, from the correspond
IL ent of the North West, will undoubt