Weekly American. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1858-1858, 1858-03-06
DOTNCs OF CONCREss.

DOINGS OF CON0hEScs
Monday, March l.--Mr Henderson, from
Texas, elected in the place of General Rusk,
deceased, appeared, took the oath, and his seat
in the Senate.
Mr.. Bigler presented a memorial of the
Board Of Trade Of Philadelphia, setting forth
the importance of establishing ocean mail
lines. especially with the Empire of Brazil.
The Kansas question being the special order,
was taken up, when colloquy took place be-
tween Mr.. Douglas and Mr.. Green, in regard
to the time when their reports were to have been
made by understanding arrangement and the
fact that afterwards the majority of the Com
mittee On Territories determined to disregard
this, and to make their report on Thursday in
stead of Monday, though they knew Mr.. Doug
las was not ready, and could not be, without
working day and night, and they knew also
that his wife was very Ill.
Mr.. Douglas said that after he left the COM
mittee with the understanding above mention
ed, he received note stating that it was the
unanimous desire of the majority Of the Com
mittee on Territories to report. finally on Thurs
day.
son receiving this notice from the Senator,
went to work and labored night and day. was
at work on Tuesday night, and until about four
o'clock on Wednesday morning. Again, on We'd
nesday night, and until between three and four
o'clock on Thursday morning, when stopped
writing. ! was not able to read it over TO see il
there were incongruities or not for had not time
to revise it. There were two clerks, who followed
me with each sheet as / wrote it; and between
three aud four o'clock in the morning of Thursday
stopped. There were, however, three or four points
omitted, that had intended to discuss; and the
report was left unfinished. had worn myself out
by writing day and two nights constantly, without
more than three hours sleep, till could not bear
the fatigue; and closed there, and said to those
clerks, Il must send this; let it 60 in its rough
state, il cannot be permitted to revise it, did
want to read it over and revise it. did desire also
to discuss one or two other points that were not
noticed in the report / stopped several pages
short of where intended to stop in the report,
because Of the notice from the Senator from Mis-
souri, In regard to the article of which he speaks,
have not seen it. know not what it contains.
|" When came out of the committee room, l
stated these facts in regerd to the understanding
that we should report the next Monday. was
coerced to report sooner, and performed the duty
what should wish it to have been. When the
committee proposed to report, voted against it..
Being outyoted, ! submitted, of course, as was
compelled to do. saw, too, (what did not know
before, that a new member Of the om,littee had
been appointed, so as to be sure to have majority
that could override me if / was not ready. That
being the case, l brought my report to conclu-
sion submitted it imperfect it was, and allowed
a clerk to follow me sheet by sheet, and take a
copy for the press at the same time that wrote
it; but had no time to run it over, and read it
over again; and hence it went in the imperfect
condition in which it was before the committee
The facts of the case are plainly stated, and
the country can judge of the actions of 1.-THE
majority" 1t seems strange that nothing re-
lating to Kansas can be done by the Lecomp-
tonitts in an open, fair, manly, just way but
that, instead of this, there must be trick disin-
genuousness, deception, breach of faith, dis
honesty and fraud. But so it is.
After this colloquy, Mr.. Green spoke in favor
of the bill reported by him from the majority"
of the Committee, admitting Kansas under the
Lecompton Constitution, and was followed by
Mr.. Collamer, who continued and closed his re-
marks on Tuesday, making very able, argu-
mentative, witty, and telling speech.
In the House, on Monday, the Speaker an
nounced the select committee to whom was re-
ferred the resolution in reference to the ex-
pulsion of Mr.. Matteson, namely: Messrs Sew
ard, of Georgia, Harris, of Illinois, Grow, Of
Pennsylvania, Curtis, of Iowa, Bishop, of Con-
necticut Mr. Harris excused.
The bill fixing the number and compensa-
ton Of the clerks, messengers, pages, and labor
ers of the House of Representatives was then
taken up and considered, a number Of members
speaking for or against il.
Mr.. Jones, of Tennessee, who, as Mr.. Bell
said some days ago, in the Senate, is one Of the
most honest Democrats we ever knew, went
into an explanation and exposition Of some Of
the misdoings under the present system. One
of these misdoings brought to light and held
up to the public gaze by Mr.. Jones, was the
offering Of resolution by Mr.. Colfax, at the
close Of the last session, that there should be
paid to John NJ, Barclay, Journal Clerk, what
would make his regular compensation for his
past services, and until otherwise ordered,
equal to that now paid to the Chief Clerk un-
der the Secretary Of the Senate.
This amendment was agreed to. Now, said
Mr.. Jones:
"Let us see what Is tile effect Of the resolution
in regard TO the Journal clerk. am not speak, ng
Of the individual in that position, but of the com
pensaton affixed to that position. believe, sir,
that some ten years ago, when the present incum-
bent first entered upon the discharge of the duties
Of that position, the salary was 81, 800 per year.
II was afterwards increased 10 81 800, and suisse
quently TO $2,l60, at which it stood when this
resolution was passed.
"But, sir, il will be seen, by the wording Of the
resolution that il carries with IL back pay for ten
years IL dates back TO December, lS47. You
have thus increased the salary Of the journal clerk
from what Il in 1s47 to that Of The chief clc
in the Senate in 1857. The salary, as have stated,
81 800 in ls47 and the salary OF the chief clerk
In the Senate was $4,000. Then this resolution
goes back to lS47, and gives the journal clerk Of
the House 1880 year, from ls47 up to the time
Of the passage of the resolution, including the
ThirtyFourth Congress, and until otherwise or
dered The claim presented and recepted for in
the Office Of the Clerk Of the House, and the re-
ceipt presented at the Treasury for 49, 760 ~.
"Now, sir, gentlemen understand very well uu-
der what circumstances these resolutions were
passed. The House had been In session all night.
They had been in continuous session for thirty
hours Otherwise, how many men do you suppose,