Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-25
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

In THE SENATE, yesterday, the debate on
the motion Of Mr. Hale to reconsider tho vote
by which they had agreed to the amendment
OF Mr. Biggs to the bill providing for tho fu-
ture admission of Minnesota as a State into
the Union, limiting the right to vote for men,
hers of convention to form a State constitu.
tiOn TO citizens of the United States, &c was
continued by Messrs. Douglas, Green, Pugh,
Hale and Toombs for it, and Messrs Adams,
Bayard, Butler, Bell of Tenn Brown, Bisgs,
Houston and Crit:enden against it
The said motion to reconsider was then
agreed to-yeas IS, nays 81
The Senate adjourned without finally dis.
posing of the said amendment
In THE House, the bill to remit or refund
the duties On certain goods destroyed by fire
was passed, after the defeat of an amendment
proposed by Mr. Denver to increase the amount
appropriated under the bill from $500 900 to
100000.
Mr.. Colfax, from the Committee Of Elec.
tions. to which had been referred the petition
OF z32 citizens of the State Of California ask.
ing the expulsion Of Hon. P. T. Herbert. a
Representative from that State, reported
thereon, stating that the petition is not ac
companied by any proof, and no authority
has yet been given to your committee to com
pei the attendance Of witnesses, which will be
House that an examination OF the case shall
be made. Your committee therefore report
the character of the petition, the statements
embodied in it, and the number of its signers.
that the House may determine what action,
under the circumstances, they may deem just
to all concerned"
Mr.. Herbert desired to state a word or so
with regard to the petition alluded to in the
report just presented The petition was got.
ten up during the month of July, 1856; it was,
however, dated January, 1857 Those whose
signatures were attached to it asked tho House
to expel him provided he was acquitted of the
crime alleged in the petition They were
aware Of his acquttal six months prior to the
date of the paper, and he would further state
that no had been crcdibly informed, by citi.
gems OF California in this city at the present
time, that the petition had its origin in the
rooms of the Vigilance Committee in the city
of San Francisco. He presumed that no. one
OF the men whose names were appended to the
petition had voted for him, and, as they were
viewed as outlaws in the State of California
he condsidered it as a compliment, coming
from that quarter, that his expulsion should
be asked.
After brief colloquy,
On motion o! Mr. BOyce, the report was laid
on the table.
The House then went into Committee, (Mr
Mace in the chair,) wherein some three hours
were spent in Intellectual efforts to proceed to
the consideration of Internal Improvement
bills.
The Committee then rose and the House a6.
journe'.
Proceedings Of To-Day.
In THE SENATE, to-day, Mr.. Bsyard repor .
ed bill to enlarge the public grounds around
the Capitol: postponed until to morrow
Seve- al private bills were also reported
The Submarine Telegraph bill having been
again taken up, was debated by Messrs.
Toombs, Butler and Jones of Tenn , against
it, and Benjamin, Bayard and Foot for It, ere
1t was laid aside to proceed with the consid-
Grafton Of the special order-the Minnesota
State Government bill.
IN THE HOUSE, to-day, they took up the case
of the Hon Mr.. Gilbert, from New York, en-
the report of their Investigating Committee.
Mr. Bennett, of New York, moved the print
ing of that portion Of the testimony in this
case which had been suppressed by the Com
mittee in the preparation Of the printed syn.
opsis
This motion was debated at length by the
mover for it, and Messrs. Davis OF Md, III.
Marshall Of Ky Millson, Ready and Seward
against it, and Mr.. Orr in explanation. Whom
the said suppressed testimony was read from
the Clerk 8 desk
Mr. Stanton, understanding that il was in
tended to refuse the accused the right to n
open trial at the bar Of the House, urged the
improperly Of so doing.
Mr. Orr and Mr. Richie, members Of the
committee, avowed their indisposition to recon-
mend to the House how it should try Mr. Gill
bert.
Mr orr and Mr.. Davis, Of Md however,
Son'ended that in such cases the precedent
the reports. - '-' "''1''S 'p'' W