Muscatine weekly journal. [volume] (Muscatine, Iowa) 185?-1890, 1858-02-13


to refer the Kansas message to Select Com
mittee by the adoption of Mr.. Harris substi-
tute As given above, was agreed to, lis to
ITO. MIR. Keitt made an humble apology to
the House in regard to the dsgraceful affair
last Friday night, in which he was a conspic-
uous ACTOR lie confessed that lie was the
aggresscr, and that the ell ire responsibility
belonged properly to him. He denied. how
ever, recolecting that he was struck by any
one during the melee. Mr.. Grow had moth
ing to confess, yet he took occasion to say
that he had always regarded fights among
men AZ disgraceful to human nature. The
art of sels-defenso had, however, been recog
nized as one of the nalienable rights of man,
to be exercised on all ocuas ons and under all
circumstances, whenever necessary for the
protection of ifo or property. AT the last
sitting of the House he found himself unex-
pectedy engaged in the first personal conflict
of the session. He rendered to the House
most cheerfully whatever apology was due
for tho violation of its order and dscorum,
and no one regretted more than himself the
occasion for this violation of its order. The
House Immediately adjourned.
CoNGkEss.-Feb. 9h-Various petitions
and memorials were presented to the Senate,
including one from Iowa, praying for reim-
barsements for the expenses of the Indian
war at Spirit Lake, and that volunteers in
that war receive grants of the public lands.
Mr.. Douglas moved to postpone the army
bill in order to take up his Kansas resolu-
ton, calling for returns of elections, &C.
Lost Yeas %, nays 3d. A lengthy and
somewhat spirited discussion of the army
bill then took place. The bill meets with
strong opposition, there being very natu-
raj disinclination to increase the national
expenditures to the amount Of fifteen or
twenty millions of dollars, while the Treas
ury is in a state of collapse.
The House did nothing during tho day
worthy of note.
-Disunion is the avowed purpose of the
Lecomptonites in Congress in case they fail
to enforce slavery upon the people of Kan
sas. The Washington correspondent of the
N. Y. Times of the 9th says Mr.. Clay has
declared that he only expects to make one
more speech in the Senate, as disunion is ut
hand. The plan is on the rejection of Kan
sas for the delegations of South Carolina,
Alabama, Georgia and Mississippi, to va
cate their seats and 60 home. 1t is suppos-
ed that three States will at once call con-
ventions for dissolution Of the Union, and
it is hoped that Texas, Louisiana and North
Carolina will follow suit.
| The N. Y. Herald's Washington cores
pondent of the 9th says Mr.. Speaker Orr
will not be prepared to announce the names
of the Committee of Is as called for by the
resolution of Mr.. Harris until to- morrow
The majority will be men not opposed to
the admission of Kansas under the Lecomp-
ton Constitution. 1t is pretty certain that
the Lecompton Constitution will pass l
ain informed on the very best authority that
quite number who voted for the reference
to the special Committee will vote for its
admission on its final passage.
"A Democratic anti-Lecompton mass
meeting was held at Philadelphia on the
night Of the 9Th, at which J. w. Forney pre-
sided. Speeches were made by ex- Secretary
Stanton and other gentlemen. The resolu
tons adopted were strongly anti-Lecomp-
ton.
Dennis Sullivan, convicted of the MUIR
der of Joseph IIibbard, at Oswego, N Y,
has been sentenced to be hanged on Friday,
April I'd next.
! Bishop Waugh, of the N. E. Church,
died at Baltimore on the 9th.
The Board of Commissioners to inves
tigate the election frauds in Kansas are ma
king interesting developments. The forged
returns made out by Mclean, Calhoun's
secretary, and which the latter counted in
the canvass, were found buried under a
wood pile near his Office. Writs have been
issued for Mclean and Mr. Wood, who have
fed to escape arrest.
Official information has been received
at Washington, settling the question beyond
a doubt that Free State Legislature and
Free State officers have been elected in Kan
sas.
CoNGREss.-Feb. 10th. Mr.. Harlan pre-
scented the credentials of Hon. j. W. Grimes,
the new Senator from Iowa. Mr.. Douglas
made another Intellectual attempt to bring
up his Kansas resolutions, and quite smart
/ passage at arms occurred between him and
] Messrs. Davis and Mason Increment The
Little Giant seemed to have fred up consid-
erably. The opposi ion to the army bill,
which was then discussed, appears to be
increasing. Mr.. Houston, of Texas, spoke
against it and in the course Of his remarks
got off pretty sharp thing. He said &c he
would never again vote to increase the army.
He (Houston) had been read out of the DEM
ocratic party but had never cared enough
about it to ask the reason. Gen. Jackson
had principles without a platform, but the
present Administration had q platform with
out principles"
The House transacted nothing of general
interest. 1t is now generally believed that
Congress will refuse to increase the army.
The Cincinnati Gazette of the 10th has
the following warlike intelligence from its
Kansas correspondent: ssThe adherents of
the notorious Clark, at Fort Scott, have
been for some time provoking the Free State
men in that neighborhood, by stealing their
cattle and by making unauthorized arrests
and detaining them as prisoners, without
Law until thau will endnre Il M lonnar