The Washington union., 1858-02-11
CONGRESSIONAL.
Thirty Fifth Congress-First Session.
WEDNESDAY FEBRUARY 10, 1858

Executive ccxnuSicsf,oss.

SENATE.
EXECUTIVE ccxnuxicsf,oss.
The VICE PRESIDENT laid before the Senate two
communications from the Secretary of War, transmitting
in compliance with law, list OF the clerks and other
persons employed in that department. other than officers
of the army during the year 1851 and statement show
ing what contracts have been made under the authority
of that department during tlis same year which were
read and ordered to lie ON the table.
Also report from the Secretary of War; in answer to
resolution of the Senate calling for the annual report Of
Lieut. Col James d. Graham of the corps OF Topographic
engineers of his surveys, &c. OF lake barbors for the
year 1887 which WAS read and ordered to lie ON the
table.
MEMORIALS PETITIONS ETC .8a
Mr.. BIGIER presented memorial very numeso'sly
signed by clergymen and others of Pennsylvania pray
ing Congfts TO take steps to bring about reform in the
chaplancy of the and av-. The memorial alleges
that the corps of chapans is entirely sai and that
the system by which they appointed is highly OBJ
ieetonabe. The mcmoralsts also make especial COM
plant against the appointment of chapans for life The
memorial referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs
Mr. DOOLIIiIE presented the petition Of the register
ard receiver OF ths land Office at Superior, Wisconsin,
praying an increase of their compensation which
referred to the Committee on Fulfit feiats.
Mr.. JOHNSON, of Tennessee and Mr.. ELMO presented
sundry memorials in favor of the passage of the home
stead bill which were ordered TO lie on the table.
Mr. HAMLIN presented the petition of A. Waterhouse
and other heirs of persons in whose names bounyand
have been issued after their DEATH asking the
enacticft of that that class of warrants may be
made available to tlem iittoteh letters of adminisr.-
ton which was referred to the Committee Public
Lands.
Mr. WILSON presented the petition of the Goldbeat-
ers Association of Boston, praying increase In the
duty god-leaf; which referred to the Committee
on Finance
RgpoRf rpow COMMITTEE.
Mr. MALLORY, from the Committee On Naval AZ
frs reported bill for the relief of Edward d. Reynolds;
which was read and passed to q second reading
AecoaAiStr,oNs ron REPORTERS.
Mr. FOOT submitted the following o.d.r
Ordered Library consider aud report
plan for the reporters
gallery than the the Congressional Globe
Mr. f. remarked that there was no officer, under the
present rules of the Senate who had charge of this
ter and he thought the Committee the Library the
proper authority regulate it, He asked that the order
| might be Immediately adopted
Mr. TeoMBs objected and demanded that it should lie
over under the rule us id not think there ought to be
any such people in the gallery at all
| The order accordingly lies
CREDENTIALS PRESENTED.
Mr.. HARLAN presented the credentials of Hon. JAMES
W. GRIMES elected senator by the Legislature of the
State of the term of six years from and after the
4th of March, 1859 which read and ordered to be
placed on file.
Mr.. GwIN submitted the following resolution, and
| asked its immediate consideration:
Ros-i That the Secretary furni; Senate copy
tho military t0p'zraphon memoir report and map, ,ns ary
department of the Pacific, by Captain can Of inc cops OF too
graphical engineers Ea
Mr. DOUGLAS (who had several times tried to get
the floor to call UP his resolutions of inquiry objected
its consideration; and accordingly it lies over.
Mr. GWIN then submitted the following resolution,
and hoped there would be objection to it
Resolved That the Finance be instructed inquire
into cx,s bill q, Increase thc Facilities for
lining gold coinage The branch 'n at san Francisco
Mr. DOUGLAS objected to it, and Immediately moved
/ to take up his resolutions of inquiry
Mr. DAVIS, | believe the hour has arrived for the
| consideration of the special order Laughter
| Mr.. DOUGLAS said he very unwilling to press
the matter with such persistency, but it did acr to
him that his request TO have the resolutions adopted
n reasonable The President in his recent message
had alluded TO certain facts which had been contradict
cd and it important that tho Senate should invest
| gate the truth of the matter.
Mr.. TOOMBS thought nobody could object to the call
such information in the President possession
Mr.. DOUGLAS replied that II he could have vote he
would not say another word
| The CHAIR announced that the hour having arrived
for the consideration of the special order being the bill
to increase the military establishment Of the United
| States, that bill under consideration
Mr.. DOUGLAS Then move TO postpone the special
order for the purpose of taking Up those resolutions
On this motion the yeas and nays were ordered.
Mr.. DOUGLAS said he had desire that his PROPOSE
tion should antagonize with the army bill. He will
ling to give the Presidents message priority over all other
business and then finish the consideration of the army
bill unfinished business and after that call up tho Min
bill But this proposition connected with the
reference of the message it portion of the
subject and it important that he should have the in
formation in order to know how to report the subject
| member of the Committee Territories He had
been informed that, by the apportionment in Kansas
Shawnee county had only two representatives while John
son county had four and yet by the Shawnee
county had larger population than johnson county. 1t
had been said that this increased representation in john
county founded upon the spurious and fictitious
returns at Oxford precinct
Mr. DAVIS interrupted saying this discussion
sumng the time that belonged to the army bill,
Mr.. DOUGLAS remarked that he only wished to show
why the resolutions should be considered He did
not intend to say single word the merits of the
Lccompon constitution the Presidents message, but
simply give the briefly he could for taking
up the resolutions.
The CHAIR stated That the senator must confne him
self the question: AMI not be too lengthy in his
/ marks
Mr. DOUGLAS said that he had seen discussion on
taking up subject through two whole days under
the sanction of the Senate, and there were no means of
stopping it. lie had seen the principle sanctioned that
motion to postpone and take up not only opened the
whole merits of the question TO be postponed but also of
that which it proposed TO take up That had here
toforc been held TO be the parliamentary law and had been
the practice of the Senate. In view Of this fact the
senator from Vermont Mr. Foorl had only few days
ago submitted resolution to change the rule for the
purpose Of having such motions decided without debate
The evil Of long debates such motions conceded
but Mr. d. apprchended that the right of discussion
beyond dispute But he did not propose To discuss the
matter He only wished 10 say that he had under
stood that the apportonnent of Kansas had been made
in such that il would give minority OF epeo
pl