St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1859-02-10
Congressional.

added section intended to prevent
spectators from keeping back the
lands from settlement. Another by
the same made it the duty Of the Sec
rotary of the Interior to advertise for
proposals for the Northern and South
crn routes, leaving the Central as it is,
and report to Congress at the next
session
\ protractcd discussion cnsued on
the various propositions, in the course
OF which Mcssrs. Hale, Douglas, Ma
son, Trumbull, Fesscndcn, Cameron,
Pugh, 1Iamlin, Houston, Ward and
others spoke.
MIR. Doolittles amendment to advcr-
tisc for estimates for the three routes
having been adopted as final section
to the bill, Mr.. Simmons, of Il. l.,
moved to strike ont all between the
enacting clause and the said final sec
ton, which was carried, thus killing
the bill.
The result caused Mr.. Gwin to re-
mark bitterly" Little as this gives,
it is all ever expected to get from
the Congress of the United States"
After some debate the bill as amend
ed was put on its final passage. Mr..
Broderick, Of California, said iron-
cally that as his name would be called
before his colleagues, he wished to
know if Mr.. Gwin approved of the
bill as it now stood, that he might
vote against it. Mr.. Gwin, of Cali
fornia, replied that his colleague could
not learn his sentiments till his name
was called. Then | shall reserve my
vote, said Brodcrick.
He afterwards voted with Mr.. Gwin.
The bill was read three times and
passed, being only the cnacting clause
and Mr.. Doolittles substitute.
Aycs-Messrs Bell, Bigler, Bright,
Broderick, Cameron, Chandler. Clark,
Critcnden, Dixen, Doolittlc, Douglas,
Durkee, Fessendcn, Foot, Foster, Gwin,
Hamlin. Harlin, Houston, Jones, Ken
nedy, Polk, Rice, Sebastian, Seward,
Shields, Simmons, Stewart, Trumbull,
Wade, Wilson-3I.
Nays-Bayard, Benjamin, Brown,
Chestnut, Clay, Clingman, Fitzpatrick,
Green, Hunter, Iverson of Tenn, King,
Mason, Pearce, Pugh, Reid, Slidcll,
Thompson of New Jersey, Toombs,
Yulee-29.
Mr.. Bell, of Tenn, moved that the
name of the bill be a bill to author
ize and invite proposals for the con-
struction of a railroad from the valley
of the Mississippi to the Pacific ocean
on three separate routes" Agreed to-
Three thousand dollars are appro-
priated for the expenses.
Mr.. Gwin moved that as the Senate
had now consummated the greatest
farce ever accomplished by any legis-
lativc assembly, it now adjourn.
Though there is no probability, at
this session, of any agreement, in
either House, upon any of the several
Pacific Railroad routes, we do not
look upon the time which has been
devoted to discussion as time abso-
lutely squandered. A great practical
question like that needs to be turned
over and over, and examined from
every point Of view,--but if the Gu
ban monster is permitted to come in
and usurp its place, the Road may as
well "hush up If the Western
members would but lay theI heads to.
gcther, and stave off Cuba until the
Pacific Railroad were disposed Of,
Slidell, Branch & Co., would be made
to realize that they had brought their
eggs to bad market.
A resolution offered by Mr.. Seward,
that Messrs. Lane and McCarty, claim
ing to be Senators from Indiana (oust-
ing Bright and Fitch, the sitting men,
bers,) be admitted to the floor, pend
ing the decision upon their claims, af-
ter a somewhat acrimonious discus
sion, was laid on the table.
The House of Representatives on
Wednesday re-embarked on the wide
sea Of slavery, upon an amendment to
the Consular ard Diplomatic Bill,
striking out the appropriation to ena-
bic the President to execute the con
tract with the Colonization Society, in
regard to the proper treatment, cduca-
tion, etc, of the negroes taken from
the SLAYER Echo and sent back to Afri.
ca. In the course of the debate, sew
eral Southern members, advocated the
re-opening of the slave trade; but it
is just to add that the proposition was
denied in eloquent terms by other gen
tlemsn from the same section. The
appropriation was finally stricken out !;
but there are intimations that it will
be called up again and eventually
agreed to.
Important meetings of the Ways
and Means Committee have just been
held, in reference to the financial exi-
gencies of the Government. There
does not appear to be much chance