The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1859-02-02
THE WORK OF CONGRESS.
EIGHTH WEEK OF THE SECOND SESSION
OF THE THlRTY-FIFTH CONGRESS.

sEesIONs-rERRITORIAL BUsINESs-THE OREGON
BLL-NEw rERRrrORIEs-PRIvArE BILLS: NEW
ORDER-C0NsULAR AND DIPLOMATIC BILL-0UR MI
NisTKRs ABROAD: INTERESTING 0DE8ArE-DECoRous
CONDUCT OF MEMBER-THE CAPTUHnD AFRICA ANS
OF THE EcHO-ExcITISG DEBArH-THE IRWIN I'M
PEACHMENT CAsE-lNvEsrIG ATING COMMITTEES
POSTAGE ON MISUNDERSTANDING DOCUMENTS
OCEAN AND LAND NAIL ROUTEs-FRANKIHG PRrvI-
LEGE-CALLs FOR NEUTRALITY-SUSPICIOUS.
0Us-PuBLIC BUILDINGs-BILLs PASSED, ETC.
The past weeks proceedings in Congress have been
marked with an unusually high degree OF public
In the Senate the Pacific Railroad I'm which had
dragging its slow length along sinco the openng the
session. received it's quetus the shape of the passage
Of which looks TO, hut does practically pro-
vide for the construction Of three oais
distant future The report Of the Comm ee Foreign Ra
ons in favor Of the administration measure appropra.ng
$50 900 to facilitate negotiations for the acquisition
Of Cuba presented, and gave rise to dscufson
which, though BRIEF Of intense interest," and which
was only the skrmsh preliminary to the great conest
that to be engaged in during the present week over
the came measure. We have already presented our
readers with full transcript Of the report and dis
cussion in regard to this thirty million proposition,
and need not therefore, recaptuiae s leading points
The third subject Of interest which occupied the attention
of the Senate during the week was that regard to the
Indiana Senaorshps The Legislature Of Indiana have by
memorial the Senate solemny protested against their
that the two gentlemen who profess TO represent
Indiana in the Senate Of the United SateMessrs Bright
and Ftchare pretenders; and asking that Messrs
Lane and Mccarthy the duly elected Senator's be recog
nized. So far from granting tho prayer Of the petition
the United States Senate has actually refused TO extend TO
Lane and Mccarthy the privilege of seats on the oo,
pending the controversy-a privilege which usually ac
corded to Of seats in either house. ln addition
to these topics the Senate had also brought TO its attention
the curious fact that s proceedings in secret executive
session found duly chronced in the HERALD next
day How did that come to passp Was TO be ascribed
to the eakiness Of Senator'S themselves, there
whispering chamber connected with the
halG They set TO work the latter hypothesis and dis
covered closet somewhere around and located therein,
surprsed-two black cats. wonderful discovery, but
one which does not clear up the mystery.
The House Of Representatives not in its turn de-
void Of interest throughout the week. On the contrary
had animatng and very exciting questions on two i'm
porant subects-he opening Of the slave trade and the
maintenance Of foreign missions It disposed Of be-
sides large amount Of ordinary business Indeed both
housesdd more than their usual share of practical egs
lation.
TERRITORIAL BUaINnss-ADNIssI0N OF OREGON.
The House did not tho previous week. pass the resolu
ton offered by Mr. Stephens of Georgia. setting apart three
days for the consideration Of territorial business To pro-
cure the making of such an order necessary, OBJ
lection be made 10 have the rules suspended 80 as TO
admit Of the introduction Of the resolution. Mr. Morgan Of
New York. did object the ground that he understood
the object Of the mover TO force on the admission
Of Oregon and he did believe that that subject pro-
pery under the category Of territorial
Mr. Stephens did not deny though he did not avow that
his purpose get in Oregon during the time to be
specially set apart for the legislation of the Territories Mr.
Morgan therefore, persisted in his resolution MSephsns
the moton-which requires two thirds vote-there be.
ing yeas 1o H. So the Oregon bill and the Terrific
rial business went over indefinitely.
Rs h.~- -er~.asd in the House for the orRaniza
tion Of Territorial governments for Jefferson oona Da
cotah and Arizona.
PRIVATE mls-A NEW ORDER.
Heretofore under the rules of the House. IL next to
an impobiity vote any private bills, for
the reason that during two Of the four Fridays the
month, when such business stands chance OF consdera
ton single objection enough to defeatit There
always dszen crotchetty individuals in the
House. who because they cannot get their pet
through, constantly objectng to other peoples
getting through with theirs During the other two Fri
days Of the month private bills be discussed and two
or three Of them-sometimes one only-generay use up
the entire day. In this way bills TO which there really
no practical objection may be the calendar for dc.
cades unless some lucky chance occurs 10 let them slip
through
for the purpose Of amending the rules in that
respect and facilitating the transaction Of business that
innovatory resolution was proposed and adopted last
week, according TO which, after reading the journal
on each SATURDAY the House shall resolve itself into Com
mittee of the Whole the Private Calendar, the bills
thereon Except in the case Of adverse reports from the
Court Of Cams) shall be called in their regular order the
bill report read and five minutes allowed TO state the
objection 10 EACH and FIVE minutes 70 answer the obec
on and then without further debate, the question Is TO
be taken the disposition Of the BILL BY this
there prospect OF clearing the private calendar within
Of Of Ss hsso
meet the additional expenditures that will be thus sadded
on the government.
THE PACIFIC RAILROAD
The bill which the Senate passed Thursday last by
vote Of 81 to 20 regarded by the friends Of the Pacific
Railroad equivalent to the defeat or indefinite pest
ponement Of the proposition 10 build the road The title
Of the bill passed (beng the amendment Of Senator Bell,
Of Tennessee) sufficiently indicates its object 1t s en-
titled
bill authorize and invite separate prcpossl. for the CON
| Pacific ocean, upon three separate routes
directs advertisements TO be published by the Sec
and u the ID Dsrics Of Of Columbia for period Of eight
months TO invite separate proposals for the construction
and working Of three railroads from the valley Of the
Mississippi TO the Pacific ocean, within the territory and
jurisdiction Of the United States commencing Al
suitable point the western boundary OF the STATE Of
Mnnesota running thence, what may appear the most
eligible route to Puget Sound, in Washington Territory;
commencing at some suitable point on the western
boundary Of the State of Missouri or Iowa. thence pursuing
what may appear be the most eligible route within the
thirty and forty third parallels Of north latitude,
Francisco Benica in the State OF CALIFORNIA; one
| commencing II some suitable point on the western
boundary o the saate Of Arkansas Texas thence pur
suing what may appear be the most eligible route 70
San Francisco the State OF California. The bids are
70 specify the time within which the road ID 70 be com
meDced and completed; the aids, facilities and privileges
expected from the the rates Of charge for
cow ewing the mails military and naval supplies; the
time when the company will surrender the road with its
equipments TO the United States, and the guarantees Of
fered for the faithful performance OF the contract and
against excessive fares The proposals are TO be sent 70
the Secretary of the Interior sealed and he s 70 open
tn.m previously TO the commencement OF the next
regular session Of Congress, in presence of the
other heads Of departments, and transmit copies
Of the same to the two houses Of Congress.
THE CONSULAR AND DIPLOMATIC BILL
The bill making appropriations 10 the amount Of
81 s7o for the payment Of the consular and dipo-
matte Of the country for the fiscal year ending
rupe an 1850 led In protracted debate in the Houee nm