Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1857-02-26
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS

In TIE SENATE. yesterday, after We went to
press, the pending motion to reconsider the
vote by which they had agreed to the amend
ment Of sr Biggs TO the bill providing for the
future admission Of Minnesota as State into
the Union, limiting the right to vote in the
formation of a State constitution, &c g, to citi-
zens Of the United States, was agreed to.
The question then again required on the
adoption of the amendment.
A long discussion ensued, in which Messrs
Eggs, Brown, Bell Of Tenn, Crittenden and
others, participated; when the amendment
was rejected-yeas "a, nays 80
The bill was then read third time and
passed, in the form in which it came from the
House of Represcntatives-yeas3 81, nays %
Tho Submarine Telegraph bill was then
taken up, and after debate the House amend
ments thereto were agreed to
After the transaction of some other business
Mr.. Slidell, from the Committee on Foreign
Relations, reported joint resolution allowing
Commander Henry 5 Hartstein, of the United
States navy, Lieut. 8 ID. Trenchard, Master
Morrison, and the petty officers and crew Of
the steamer Vixen, to accept certain tokens
Of acknowledgment from the government Of
Great Britain which was read and passed to q
second reading
The tariff bill being made the unfinished
business" on motion Of Mr.. Hunter they cd .
journed.
IN THE HOUSE, Or Bennett presented the
written reply Of Dir Gilbert to the charges
under which he had been arrligned.
Among the points nj de by Mr.. Gilbert are
the following
The only two witnesses are Sweeny and
lrlplett, who Stand by their own confession
In the position Of acknowledged accompiices
Oh eaoh others guilt, and who seek to conn
MI Giibert with themselves in their offence.
thereby TO escape the consequence Of their
own Admitted acts. They are uncorroborated
hy single witness, or a single fact stated by
any other person; and the shallow effort Of
the committee TO strengthen their statement
Dy tnelr coTyo6OTatton Of each other would
excite smile If IL wore not done for the grave
purpose OK Aiming guilty stain upon a fsI.
lOw member. The testimony of parties whose
own guilt is manifest has never been held.
even Ia slight matters, sufficient evidence to
establish the guilt of another, unless corrobo-
rated by some honest witness, or some fact
outside Of their own testimony; no eoncur.
renee tettoeen AemSeIUsS is adequate for that
purpose. The allegation of the committee that
| there is substantial concurrence will here.
aiter be shown to be incorrect
TN these observations, tho testimony of
SHeeny Is dismissed with the single remark,
| witness was ever successfully i'm
pSa,as. N nis general character, and his
..n,s..;n ioi truth and veracity, by general
repulation and particular facts James r.
1seeny y, Is mat man; and if anything be
son Of the ss"W the House the utter perver.
be found BY reading their statemsD, 7" AZ "t 10
swssnys character, and the evidence of i'm.
Peacnment IL Is true, some witnesses b.ia
his character good, and would hsI'sn He'a
and SO 1t Is always Nothing is more e.t,.o,a
mary than that any man, however base can
| not find some one who will believe him ;S -.
swsars to an evil story against another gn,
when Eve witnesses, of high personal oharsc
ter, great intelligence, and unquestioned in
tegrity, come from a mans home and swear
| that his general character is bad, thar has
character for truth and ueraeity as bad, that
thfg scOaid not believe him 0n oakland
UPON q cross-examinstion show that By his
former friends and benefactors. like Justin
Butterfeld, late Commissioner of the Land
Ohce, and others, by his partners in business,
by those who have had no dispute or contro.
versy, political or otherwise, with him-that
by such persons he Is regarded in bis oxn