The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1857-02-14

allowing interest, on the claim of Mary Zee
side, wife of the former great mail contrae'
or, so that her claim has been, after ten year
hard bbying, finally allowed.
The House also spent the day on the PR
yatc calenda-, and passed IL bills.
En-. I'm the Senate, Mr.. Toombs pre-
serted the memorial of Gen Shi- Ids AM
many other citizens of Minnesota, settin.
forth at length tina. hitherto every bill t
grant lands to that territory had been de
feated by the corrupt influence of outsiders
and praying the donation of such quantitie
of land as had been given to other States, Il
| be exclusively under the control OF thei
own legislature. Mr.. Toombs dweit on thu
Justice of this request, and introduced tll
TO meet the wishes OF the memoriaiists
I which was referred. Several private bill:
were passed, and the Senate adjourned.
The House spent the day on territorial
/ business. Mr.. Grow gave notice that he
should, on Tuesday, attempt to get vote
! on the bill to repeal the laws Of Kansas
The bill to appropriate s25, 900 to complete
the capitol building of Utah was laid aside
with Recommendation against its passage
( Bills for completing the Nebraska and New
Mexico capito!s were passed. Also bills ap-
propriating S300,0 600 for a wagon road from
Fort Kearney to California, $500, 900 for one
from Ell Paso to Fort Yuma, on the ella
River, and $50, 900 for one from Fort Df-
ance, New Mexico, to the Colorado River
were considered. Pending their passage,
the House adjourned.
FEB. 9.-In the Senate, Mr.. Bright pre-
scented the credentials Of Graham A. Fitch,
newly elected Senator from Indiana, and
moved that tho oath of office be administer
ed to him. Mr.. Trumbull objected, and said
he held in his hand protest from the Senate
and part of the House of Representatives of
Indi ma against the legality of his election.
Mr. Douglas thought he had better be sworn,
ami the legality of his election investigated
fore. The matter was discussed at consider
able length and finally passed over without
coming to vote.
The House passed Chapman's bill for a
wagon road to the Pacific. The resolution
to impeach Judge Watson, of Texas, was
then taken up and discussed.
FIT 10-In the Senate, lengthy debate
arose on the question as to whether the do
cuments in the case of Mr.. Fitch, newly
elected Senator from Indiana, should be re-
fcrrcd to the judiciary or q select committee.
The reference was finally made to the judi
ciary The Senate then took up and dis
cussed until adjournment the bill to appro-
pirate $50, 900 for survey Of the Ohio river
and its tributaries.
The House discussed at some length the
bill to establish new collection districts,
amend the revenue laws, &C., and finally
laid it on the table. The submarine tele-
graph bill was next taken up, discussed, and
referred to the post office committee. The
House then went into committee Of the
whole on the tariff bill and discussed it until
adjournment.
Feb. 1.-THE two Houses Of Congress
met in the hall Of the House at II o'clock
to- day to open and count the electoral votes
cast for President and Vice President of the
United States. The President of the Senate
occupied the chair, and opened the returns
commencing with Maine, and after opening
them all and counting the votes cast, an
nounced, as the result that James Buchanan
had been elected President, and John p.
Breckenridge Vice President of the United
States
The question was now raised as to the
vote of Wisconsin, the electors having met
on the 4th instead of the Sd Of December,
as required by the Constitution. After a
brief discussion, the Senate returned to their
chamber, and the House continued the dis
cussion without coming to any conclusion.
The Senate, after returning to their chamber
also discussed the question for an hour or
two, and likewise adjourned without coming
to q vote.