The Buchanan County guardian. (Independence, Buchanan County, Iowa) 1858-1864, 1859-02-24

"''i ~, u ia ISN ioiiS thc SoilouIsu anu
Diplomatic service.
The bill was then laid aside for the
Cuba proposition, when Mr.. Chandler
took the floor, and spoke theoretically
against the BILL
/ 'HoUsE.-Mr. Cassin, who had been
summoned asa witness before an inves-
tigating committee, and had failed to APP
pear, was brought to the bar of the
house, and having given valid excuse,
was discharged from custody.
Mr.. English called up the bill regulat-
ing the postage on newspapers and peri
odicals; he said it had been reported en-
tensively through the press, that this bill
proposed to tax newspapers passing in
exchange this was not the fact Deal
ers shall receive their mail matter on the
same terms as regular subscribers An
other section authorized maps and litho-
graphs to be carried at one cent per
ounce, or fraction of an ounce-hereto
fore, such matter has been excluded from
the mails. The third section proposes to
punish persons taking letters out of the
Office by mistake, but wilfully or fraud
ulently neglectng to return them. Also,
persons who in like manner failed to APP
ply money handed them for the prepay
ment of postage, DC. there is at pres
ent no adequate law to punish such Of
lenses. The bill proposes fine of 800
or one years Imprisonment, or both. +.
The bill was passed. .a,....r
FEE. 1S. SENATE.-The only thing Of
interest which transpired during the
morning hour was bill reported by Mr..
Polk, from the Committee on Foreign
Relations. to pay Mr.. Squires, our late
charge at Guatemala, the sum of 1880
dollars as compensation for extra servi-
ces; this bill provoked much discussion,
for and against it, but no. decision was
come to. Il. ~ r.
Mr.. Hunter tried to have the Consul
lar and Diplomatic Appropriation Bill
considered, but he was OUT voted-2s
against 81 in favor of the Cuba private
calendar, which was proceeded with.
After the passage Of a few private
bills, an important special message was
received from the President, asking Con-
gress to confer on him the power 10 use
the army and navy to protect the transit
route
The message was debated by Messrs.
Douglas and Mason, more or less, in its
favor, and by Messrs. Seward and Fes-
sender, thoroughly, against granting the
power asked.
Without action the Senate adjourned.
HoUsE.-Mr. Stanton's amendment 10
strike out the appropriation for recruit
ing, by which he proposed to test the
sense of members as TO whether they ia
vor the reduction of the army was con-
sidered.
The amendment was rejected by 42
against so.
Other amendments were acted on,
when the Committee arose.
FEB. 81. SENArE.-The Diplomatic
Appropriation bill was taken up.
| Mr.. Slidell took objections to Mr..
Pugh's amendment, which was on Sat
urday added to the bill, and showed that
its effect would be to prevent the Presi-
dent from sending any envoy on special
business, which he might deem necessa-
ry, in the case Of Mexico and elsewhere.
Mr.. Simmons again went at length in
to the question of exchanges, as did also
Trumbul on the same side, and Toombs
on the opposition.
Mr.. Simmons amendment limiting the
rate of exchange, was struck out, and
the bill passed by 25 to %.
The House army appropriation bill
was read and referred to the Finance
Committee. +.
The Cuba proposition was then taken
up, when
Mr.. Mason offered an amendment by
way of a substitute, to the effect that
Congress comedies the propriety and ul-
innate necessity OF acquiring Cuba that
without committing itself TO future meas
ures, Congress at present confines itself to
a declaration that the U. S. is prepared
to receive the island whenever Spain is
ready to transfer it for fair equivalent,
and that the country can never remain
neutral under any policy which would
sever Cuba from Spain, in favor OF any
foreign power.
HousE-The House proceeded to take
action on the amendments to the Army
Appropriation Bill as reported from the
Committee of the Whole on the State of
the Union, by concurring in the amend
ments.
Items TO the amount Of 81, 473 900
were struck out. L aas ,la
The Armory bill passed by ll6 against
&c.
Mr.. Millson made an Intellectual attempt
TO report the ptlr repeating the fishery
boundaries. taH
a Sperker's warrant was granted for
the arrest Of Harry Conley. witness be-
fore the printing investigating commit,
tee, who left the city
The House refused to suspend the
rules to enable Mr.. Philips to introduce
his bill providing for the payment of the
outstanding treasury notes, DC, and then
went into Committee on the Post Office
Appropriation Bill. .a 'oI -
Mr.. BLAIR offered an amendment au-
thorizing Butterfeld & Go, to carry the
overland mail by any route they may
caIa.f Ia 1xontad 70 oop,pa1 tho Poet