Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1859-03-07
The XXXVth COngress--WOrk Done and not
Done.

HIulins done especially BLANK Books LedseIs' '"uN'
ates Bl1ks, Resolving BOos s &c. &c'
The XXXVth COngress--WOrk Done and not
Done
The Thirty fifth Congress expired at noon OF
the 4th of March, 1859. Its record of good is
brief-its end not lamented. The principal
transactions of the late session were as follows:
PACIFIC RAIL ROAD BILL.
Much talk resulted IN virtually doing nothing.
Mr.. Gwin, of California, introduced his Pacific
Rail Road bill in the Senate Dec. 18th, 1857
It. was debated without definite action. Dec.
18th, 1858, the bill was taken up again. The
bill was debated and amended. section was
added authorizing the Secretary of the Interior
to advertise for proposals, and report to the next
Congress. Then all between the enacting
clause and the said final section was stricken
out yeas SO, nays 20. The bill, thus rendered
worthless, was passed, yeas 81, nays 20 1t
merely invited estimates for three routes, and
appropriated $4,000 to pay the expenses OF ad-
vertising, &c. The House very properly let such
miserable abortion sleep. Other Pacific Rail-
way bills were introduced 10 the Senate and IN
the House, but no final action was had on any
of the projects The result of some ten years
legislation on the most important enterprise OF
the age, has not been solid step forward.
THE SOLDIERS PENSION BILL.
Atthe previous session Mr.. Savage, ofTenn.,
introduced in the House bill to grant pensions
to the officers and soldiers engaged in the war
of 1912 1t was debated, and loaded down with
amendments. A substitute was offered at the
late session and adopted by vote l22 to 6l.-
On the oath of Dec the bill was passed, yeas
I3O, nays 70 1t gave pensions of $50 for
years service, SIS for six months, and $50 for
less than SIX months Th5 bill went to the
Pension Committee of the Senate, who reported
it back with recommendation that it do not
pass, and it did not. No vote on the final pas
sage was taken.
FRENCH sPoLIATIoN BILL.
The bill to provide for the ascertainment and
satisfaction of claims of American citizens for
spoliations committed by the French Prlor to
the 3lst of July, 1901, passed the Senate on
the 10th of December by vote of 26 to 20. In
the House it died on the Speakers table, as did
also a similar bill which originated in the
House. The measure will die of old age before
obtaining the vitality Oflaw. 1t has been before
Congress for more than half century, has
twice passed both Houses. first in 1876 and
again in 1854, but was vetoed each time. The
claims amount to some S5,000,0OO, on which
the probability is five cents will never be OBJ
tanned
IMPEACHMENT OF JUDGES wATRoUs AND IRWIN.
After protraeted debate, the House decided
by a vote of Ill to SO that the evidence taken
before the committee of investigation did not
show sufficient ground for the impeachment OF
John C. Watrous, U s. District Judge of Tex
as Charges were preferred against Thomas Ir-
win, o. S. District Judge of the Western Dis
trict of Pennsylvania, but the investigation was
cut short by his resignation.
ADMISSION OF OREGON.
The bill which passed the Senate at the pre-
vious session to admit Oregon was referred to
the Committee on Territories in the House. AT
the late session it was reported back, and after
two days debate was passed by yeas ia, nays
IOS The bill was approved by the President,
thus adding the Thirty-third State to the Union
ORGANIZATION OF NEW TERRITORIES.
Bills were introduced into both Houses for
the organization of Territorial governments for
Arizona and Dakota. Numerous propositions |
were also introduced in the House for the or
ganization of new Territories in Nevada, and |
Colona or Jefferson, but none obtained favorable |
action Intellectual efforts were also made to ad-
nit Mr. Mowry to seat on the floor as dele
gate from Arizona. Delegates from Dakota and |
Jefferson were in Washington to urge Territorial
organization, but we believe they did not aspire
to seats yet in the House. Jefferson is the
Pike Peak gold region. No new Territories
were organized.
coDIFIcATIoN OF THE REVENUE LAWS.
Mr. Cochrane's bill for the codifcatiOn of the
Revenue Laws occupied the attention of the
House for several days, but did not get to a
vote.
TIE CLAYToN-BULwER TREATY.
The resolution introduced in the House at the
previous session requesting the President to
take such steps as he should deem necessary |
for the abrogation of the Clsyton-Bulwer
Treaty, was taken up on the 9TH of December
last and referred to the Committee of the Whole
on the State of the Union. There it rested. The |
Anti CLAYTON -Bulwer resolution subsequently |
introduced in the Senate by Mr.. Clingman, of
NC, received its quittus by the Senate refus-
ing, by vote of % to %, ia take it up for con-
sideration.
THE S30,000,000 CUBA BILL
This great measure the South and the Ad-
ministration was before the Senate most of the |
session, but was prudently put to sleep by its
author, Mr. SIidelL La A motion to lay the |
bill on the table, claimed to be test vote, was |
lost yeas Is, nays 80 1t is said, however, |
that the test vote was sham, and that the Sem
ate would have amended the bill to death be-
fore a final vote could have been reached
In the House, Mr. Branch, of n. G, brought
in similar bill, but it was not acted on. 1t is
thought the House would have tabled SlidelPs
bill by atleast so majority.
INCREASE OF PosrAeE-FRANKINe PRIVILEGE
The Senate passed bill by close vote to
raise the rate of postage to five cents single
letter, and also newspaper pOstages. The bill
modified the franking privilege, partially abol-
ishine it. The House killed the proposition to
raise pOstages by vote of III to IS, as it