The Washington union., 1858-03-11
THIRTY--FIFTH CONGRESS.
WEDNESDAY, MARCH 10, 1858.
SENATE.
First Session.
rxEcurIyE coMMuYIcArIoX.

The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate a mes
sage from the President Of the United States transmitting
report OF the Attorney General detailing the proceed
ngs under the act of March 1885, TO improve the laws
Of the District Of Columbia and to codiy the same
which was read aud laid on the table,
MEMORIALS, PETITIONS, Erc.
Mr. BIGIER presented two memorials numeronsly
sgucd by the first merchants Of the city OF phiiaaepa
urging the establishment of line Of mail steamers De-
tween that city and Brazil touching at savannah, Ia,
and the West India Islands which were referred TO the
Committee the Post Office and Post Roads
Mr. KING presented the petition OF John A. and
Hiram Pitts praying the renewal and extension of
their patent for certain useful improvements in ma
chine for threshing and cleansing grain; which was re-
ferred to the Committee on fatents and the Patent
Office
Mr. SEWARD presented two memorials from merchants
and others of the cities of New York and Brooklyn in
relation to certain alleged discoveries of guano Jarvis
and Bakers islands in the Pacific ocean, setting forth that
agriculture and commerce deeply interested in these
discoveries, and urging upon Congress to institute such
inquiries into the subject will settle the question
whether the landing places said islands really safe
dangerous, the guano therein mercbantabe worth
less and what quantity is deposited both islands
which were referred to the Committee Commerce.
Mr.. CLAY presented the petition of w. 7. Cook and
others, citizens of southern New Mexico praying for
separate territorial organization of southern New Mexico
from Texas to the Colorado of the West under the
Of Arizona which referred to the Committee Ter
rtorics
Mr. SEWARD presented memorial from citizens of
Portland, Maine memorial from citizens of Oswego,
New York, and memorial from merchants and under
writers OF the city Of New York, all demonstrating against
the repeal of the act of Congress establishing the Light
House Board. Mr.. FESSENDEN presented memorial
OF u similar character from citizens of Brunswick Maine
and all the above referred to the Committee Com
mcrce.
RESOLUTION ADOPTED.
On motion by Mr.. YuLEE, a resolution was adopted
instructng the Committee the Post Office and Post
Roads to consider the expedency Of limiting the fanking
privilege Of the executive and legislative departments
printed matter.
CoMalrrssS.
Mr.. BROWN, from the Committee the District of
Columbia, to whom referred the memorial of the
trustees of the public schools of the city of Washington
and other memorials rclatng to the same subject sub
mittcd report accompanied by bill for the benefit Of
public schools in the city of Washington which read
and passed to second reading
Mr. DURkEE, from the Committee Private Land
Claims, to whom referred the petition of David Whit
ney reported bill for the confirmation of certain land
claim in favor of Pierre Grgnon, his legal representa-
tives; which read and passed to a second reading.
MIR. JOHNSON from the Committee Military AZ
fairs submitted adverse report the memorial Of
Alexander Hays, and asked to Ike discharged from the
further consideration of tho memorial of Horace Dim
mick; which was agreed TO-
Mr.. INVERSION, from the Committee on Military Affairs
asked to be discharged from the further consideration Of
the claims of Mamie Dcnman end of Ann H. T. Part
ridge and that they be referred to the Committee Fen
sons ALSO to be discharged from the further consea-
ton Of the bill for the relief of Robert Dixon, of the
Kentucky volunteers and that it be referred to the
committee, which was agreed to.
BOARD
On motion by Mr. HOUSTON the Joint resolution to
extend to the naval retiring board opportunity of
joyng the same advantages of officers who have been
dropped furloughcd and retired by said board taken
up and made the special order for Tuesday next at
O'Clock.
SENATOR'S
Mr., EVANS, from the Committee to Audit and Control
Contingent EypcnspS to VIII waSre
crred the resolution submitted by Mr. SEWARD on the
2lst OF january last to authorize payment to be made
out Of the contingent fund Of the Senate the repre-
senatives of the late Senators Butler Rs and Bell
New Hampshire at the rate OF three thousand dollars per
nnnum to the time of their DEATH submitted report
recommending the adoption of the resolution which
was agreed to-
OFFICE REpoRrs.
On motion by Mr. JOHNSON, of Arkansas the Senate
resumed the consideration OF the resolution reported
crn days since from the Committee Printing, in favor
Of printing in addition to the usual number, ten thou
sand copies of the annual report Of tlsc Commissioner Of
Patents arts and manufactures for the year 1851 eight
thousand Of which to be for the of the Senate and
two thousand for the Interior Department. for the pur-
pose of official distribution.
MIR. CAMERON made statements showing the
great expense of public printing, and the necessity of
reduction
Mr.. WILSON concured in the views of the senator
from Pennsylvania and ready to begin that reduction
upon this very work. which was probably Of inter
est and value to his constituents than to the people of
other State in the Union The mechanical portion of
the Patent Office Report occupied three volumes
amounting to so pages but he hoped that the
report would be condensed to be included in one
volume not to exceed seven eight hundred pages
Mr.. HUNTER returned his thanks to the Committee
Printing for their judcous efforts to reduce this po
tion of the public expenditures and expressed the hope
that their suggestions would be adopted
Mr.. MASON was in favor of applying the to the
root Of the tree and cutting off the whole of these
penses. In order to meet the matter at the threshold
and stop this printing altogether he moved that the
sderaton of the resolution be indefinitely postponed.
Mr. GWIN advocated the printing Of smaller
ber to be distributed from the Department of the interior
instead Of being divided among members of Congress
Mr. FESSENDEN doubted the propriety of such
change in the of distribution, saying that the
head of the Interior Department would not know how to
the country, whereas each member of Congress would
them
Mr. BROWN thought this evil could never be clcctu-
ally rcmedied until the ranking privilege abolished
Mr.. WILSON having modified the language of the
amendment of which he gave notice the other day sub
mittcd it follows to add to the resolution the words
that Secretary be- hereby,
rccted Commissioner Patents
mechanics hereafter be prepared and submit ri such
that plates drawings subject shall
comprise the report volume
Mr. TOOMBs said that there was but ono remedy fer
these printing expenses and that publish nothing
except what necessary for the Of the body itself
printing in every orm and hoped the motion to postpone
the subject indefinitely would be agreed to.
The question being taken, the motion not agreed
10 "a