The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1858-10-28
WASHINGTON ITEMS,

WASHINGTON ITEMS.
The Union Sin view of the recent elections"
furnishes the subjoined information to the
members elect and the present members, re.
speeding the Thanking privilege:
"The Thanking privilege of members of Con.
gress - Senators and Representatives - com.
mences with the term for which they were
respectively elected, or from the period of their
election where that occurred after the final sd.
journment of the preceding Congress; and this
without any reference to the time when they
take their seats or oath of Office. In the case
of contested seats, the privilege, of course, be-
longs to the person holding the certificate
"The time at which the Thanking privilege
of members expires is the FIRST Monday in De-
cember following the expiration of their term
of Office.
The privilege of resigning members ceases
on the 6rst Monday in December following the
date of resignation.
From this it will be seen that members of
the present Congress are entitled to frank up to
the first Monday in December, 1853, and mem.
bers of the Thirty sixth Congress will assume
that right on the fourth day of March next, or
on the day of their election and acceptance, if
eiectou atter tnAt GATE.
The postage upon letters for India, as hereto.
fore, is FIVE cents if by British steamer to Liver.
pool, twenty. one if by American. Recent or,
ders in the English Office, compelling prepay.
ment of postage on India letters, do not apply
to letters from America.
m 1~---ia--t ---r:A--I nha-Is. II. Dovrot last
FRIDAY, who was sentenced to be hung that dsv.
Tor fortnight, that he might investigate the
case carefully. The Union says:
1--WE are informed by the officers ar tho ;o;I
that when the respite was read to the prisoner
he received the intelligence with calmpass and
comPosure. He had previously received the
sacrament from the hands of Father O'Tooe
ior the last time. and, for the twenty four hours
preceding, much OF his time had been spent in
prayer and devotional exercises. Heappeared
70 De resigned TO his fate, and prepared TO meet
death, although he stih persists 10 declar;no
himself guiltless of the crime for which he has
been sentenced. He does not deny being nres.
emit, and aiding and sbetting in the murder lint
he denies that he fred any shots. and that the
wound OF Lewis was inflicted BY his hand.
Rnob tne representation of his friends to Mr.
tha cap, IN oreAr TO effect a postponemsnt of
ta;nsd bv there 'eems to be hope enter
to exculpate Una. Villains can be induced
cred the shot. ar AL ilot tie charge that be
Williams himself bsna", s .ar, in consequence Of
6nement in the penite.tiarv. ssi only to con,
guilty of murder in the s>cond dsee was found
procure the commrtation of Bal, .ney can
tence" it's SEN
Mayor Berret is Diminishing fro, the p.
force all persons proved guilty of d. nksnDee
while on duty. This is, of course, doinAoo less
than his duty.
The National Hotel has been repainted md
improved in other respects, during the presAt
month. The brothers Willard have added
new and splendid building to their hotel prem'
ises.
The new Senate Hall will be ready for occu-
psncy December lst so far as the carpenters,
plasterers, and painters, are concerned but,
owing TO the limited appropriations by Congress,
Captain Meigs does not feel authorized to fur
nish the new Hall. When Congress comes to-
gether, il can make the needful appropriations
if it plesses.
Sir William Gore Ouseley left New York for
Central America last Monday. A Washington
correspondent of the ~ Y. Times says
"The treaties he is instructed to negotiate,
drafts of which have already been prepared,
will be entirely satisfactory to our Government.
1t was desired that our treaty should be first
concluded and ratified, in order that the Eng
lish treaty might be made to harmonic with It;
L-s =. - Il. a al c,10ht
best for Sir William to proceed with his mis-
sion, and secure by negotiation that stereotyPeo
article in recent treaties, All other privileges
granted to the most favored nations This
would secure perfect equality, and any want Of
| harmony can be afterwards corrected"
Lord Napier has returned from his Northern
tour in excellent health, and has been visiting
Richmond during the present week.
The correspondent of one of our New York
exchanges writes:
"New York and Illinois politicians of weight
have demonstrated with Mr.. Buchanan in per
SON against his prescription of the Douglas
Democrats, since the election. The President
is visibly shaken. The thirteen Illinois Post
masters dismissed on Monday last were inslg'
nifcants, none of them receiving over four hun
dred dollars per year. Their cases were deter.
mined before the elections. Forty postmssters
in all have been dismissed in Illinois"
Washington Oct. 25.-The State Depsn'
ment has neither received officially nor written
anything recently concerning General Walkers
movements. The orders, however, heretofore
issued TO the Federal officers for the prevention
of the violation of the neutrality laws remain ID
full force. So,
Hon. ]. CLANCY Jones, the newly apPOintea
Minister TO Austria, leaves for Vienna in NO
vember. By his retiracy from Congress MI.
Phelps, of Missouri, Democrat is first on mo
list of the Committee of Ways and Means sno,
if parliamentary usage be followed, Will DC
its chairman next session.