Green-Mountain freeman. [volume] (Montpelier, Vt.) 1844-1884, 1859-12-15
The Thirty-Sixth Congress.

The Thlrty-Slxth congress.
The tbirty-sixth Congress convened at Wash
ington one week ago last Monday. In the Sen
ate, Mr. Mlson of Virginia commenced at once
the agitation Of the Slavery question, by intro
ducng a resolution directing an inquiry into
the Iiarpers Ferry affair. Nobody indicated
any opposition to the resolution, but Senator
Trumbull Of Illinois proposed to amend by d.
rccting an inquiry, also, into the seizure OF the
U. S, Arsenal at Liberty, Missouri, by the Dor
der-rufians during the Kansas troubles. This
made the dish they were preparing little I'M
savory to the Democrats They did not care to
have any Of the medicine commended to their
own lips. The & rrepressble conflict" be-
gun. Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday, Thurs
dav, the discussion went on, the Republicans
standing on the ground of fidelity to the Con-
stitution aud the Union, and an impartial adj
ministration Of the Government, and therefore
asking for an Investigation into the outrage at
Liberty, as well as the raid upon Harpers Fer
ry the Democrats lodging the direct question
proposed by the amendment and making
speeches denouncng the Republicans Of the
North for sympathizng with John Brown
Notice was given of the introduction of the
Pacific Railroad bill, and the Homestead bill,
and Slidell announced that he should, at the
earliest moment, bring forward the $50 900 0O0
bill, or something equivalent, for the acquisi-
ton of Cuba. Without taking any action upon
Mason $ resolution. the Senate adjourned over
to Monday.
IT, the House, two hundred and thirty ono
members answered to their names on the call OF
the roll Six members were absent, all Demo-
Gratis. A cira Uoce vote was Immediately had
for Speaker. The Republicans voted for Sher-
man of Ohio, and Grow of Pennsylvania, the
Democrats, for Mr. Bocock of the South Amer
leans, mainly for Mr.. Boteler of Virginia, and
twenty ,one members, including the Anti Le-
comptonites, and some Americans not entirely
Southernized, scattered. Sherman and Grow
together received enc hundred and nine votes,
Bocock eighty eight, Botelier fourteen. Grow
Immediately withdrew his name The Demo
Gratis were then evidently afraid to proceed with
the election, and commenced flibustermg.
The fre-eaters went into the advertising bust
ness, naming particularly, Helpers -'FImpend-
ing Crisis" Il work not long ago published, by
Mr. Helper of North Carolina, which does
not set Slavery IN very favorable light as an
economical institution, and argues in quite
unanswerable way, that the South would be
much better off without it than with it. 1t
was asserted that many Republican members OF
Congress, and among them Mr. Sherman, had
actually signed their names to a recommended
ton of this " incendary work, ergo Mr.. S.
was unfit to be Speaker. Mr.. Clark of Mo,
came out particularly strong on this subject
The Republicans cat by, enjoying the fun, occa-
sionally making an Intellectual attempt to pro-
coed with the election, and otherwise agitatrng
the fre-eaters by troublesome suggestions. A
short session Tuesday was spent in the same
way, but no vote was taken
All upJ w lHllluIuubD uuu Dul1y llOu
Stevens, of Pennsylvania, was made by Craw.
ford of Georgia, which didn't exactly succeed.
Mr.. Crawford, after clustering little, backed
out in the way modern bullies do, by saying
that be . misunderstood " MIR. Stevens We'd
nesday was much like Tuesday Pryor Of Vr-
ginia attempted to brow beat Nelson Of Ten
III r,,,p1 Ia hal
Tartar, and Pryor, of course, " Withdrew. y
Mr.. Nelson decidedly told the fre-eaters, that
in his opinion, the election of Black Repub
lican President would not I've sufficient cause
for dissolution of the Union; and further
that nobody in Tennessee, of any consequence
was in favor Of disunon Helpers i" Impend
ing Crisis" was not SO much noticed as II
should have been vote was taken for Speak
or, in which Sherman received one hundred ant
seven, Bocock lightweight, Gilmer twenty-five
scattering, fourteen.
Thursday, Davis of Miss. introduced tn
Slavery question again, making furiou
speech, mainly against Mr.. Seward. lie said
Seward is traitor, and deserves the gallows
Virginia has hung the traitor Brown. and
they get hold of Seward they will hang him.
Morris OF Pennsylvania made we'll timed an
able reply. The fre-eaters reiterated thei
threats Of leaving the Union. Corwn made
good -hunored and able Speech showing tina
the North, and the Republicans, had right
under the Constitution, and in the Union, a
the South, and the Democrats. Helpers - Cr
sis got some notice, but DO vote was had 70
Speaker.
Friday was mainly consumed in discussions
and personalities, by the Anti Lecompton Dem
ocrats in which Mr.. Haskin Of New York pu
some very ugly questions to Mr.. Logan of Ill
nois. The colloquy showed very plainly tina
Douglas had g caved ln,' and his supporters
the West We're going the straight Pro Slavery
Sham Democratic ticket Mr.. Haskin told thel
very unequivocally that he was not with thel
there A vote was had for Speaker, in whic
Sherman had one hundred and ten, Bococ
eighty eight, Gilmer twenty, scattering 49,
Hickman (Anti-Lecompton) offered resolutic
for the adoption of the plurality rule,--but
was declared out of order, and the House az
journed.
Saturday further efforts were made to emba
MSS and confuse the Ant-Lecomptonites, bl