The national era. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1847-1860, 1859-02-10
Thursday, February 3, 1859.
SENATE.

SENATE
Mr.. Bayard, from the Committee on the Ju
dietary, to which was referred the memorial OF
the State of Indiana requesting that the Hon
Henry s. Lane and the Hon. William Monroe
McCarty be admitted to seats in the Senate Of
the United States, as the only legally-elected
and constitutionaly-cho Senator'S of that
State, submitted report asking to be dis
charged from the further consideration of the
same.
Mr.. B. asked thst the report lie on the table
and be printed.
Mr.. Collamer submitted the views of the
minority of the committee on the subject, which
were likewise ordered to be printed.
Mr.. Bayard then gave notice that he would
call up the subject on Monday next
Agricultural COUegeS.-Mr. Gwin moved to
reconsider the vote by which the Senate recon-
mitted to the Committee on Public Lands the
bill donating lands to the several States which
may provide colleges for the benefit of agricul-
ture and the mechanic arts.
Mr.. Wade moved to postpone all prior orders,
to take up, this motion to reconsider; which
was agreed to-yeas II, nays &c.
The question required on the amendment
providing that mineral lands shall not be select
ed or located under the bill which was agreed
to.
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section, providing a ratio of distribution of the
land grant, based both upon area and represent
alton, and providing also that California may
locate her portion upon any lands in California
other than mineral lands, or those occupied by
actual settlers. This was rejected.
An amendment proposed by Mr.. Mason, to
strike out so much as requires the State Agri-
cultural Colleges to report to the Agricultural
Department of the Patent Office, was agreed to.
The bill was then read third time, and the
question being on its passage
Mr.. Clay said he regarded the bill as one of
the most monstrous iniquities that ever came
before Congress, and he was prepared to show
clearly that it was unconstitutional. AS he was
not in physical condition to go on to-day he
would ask the courtesy of postponement.
The bill was postponed until Monday at half
past twelve o'clock, with the understanding
that it should then be taken up and disposed Of
Indian Appropriation Billion motion by
Mr. Hunter, the Senate took up the Indian ap-
preparation bill, the question being on the
amendment repeating a portion of the inter
course act
The other pending amendments having been
agreed TO, and some others discussed and re-
iected, the bill was read third time, and
passed.
The Senate then went into Executive session,
and, after a short time spent therein, the doors
were opened, and the Senate adjourned.
- HOUSE
PoIygdmy-On motion of Mr.. Reagan, of
Texas it was
Resoloed, That the Judiciary Committee be
instructed to inquire into the expediency of re-
porting bill to define and provide for the pun
ishment of polygamy in the Territories of the
United States, and to restrain the people and
authorities therein from interference with the
Federal Judiciary.
Mr.. Houston, Of Alabama, stated that that
question was already before the committee, and
the resolution was wholly unnecessary.
Legislative, Executive and Judicial Appro-
priation Billion motion of Mr.. Phelps, of
Missouri, the House went isto Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, Mr.. Banks
dale, of Mississippi, in the chair,) and resumed
the consideration of the bill making appro-
priations for the Legislative, executive, and
judicial expenses of the Government for the
year ending June 80, 1860. -
Sundry amendments were proposed and dis
cussed, several of which were adopted but
without taking action ON the bill the Commit
tee rose.
Receipts from Customs.-The Speaker laid
before the House a letter from the Secretary of
the Treasury, in compliance with resolution
of the House, calling upon him for a statement
of the actual receipts from customs, the public
lands, and other sources, and whether, in his
opinion, they will be sufficient to meet the ext
gencies of the public service which was re-
ferred to the Committee of Ways and Means,
and ordered to be printed.
The Secretary states that the receipts for
the present quarter from the returns received
from the ports of Boston, New York, Philadel-
phia, and Baltimore, amount to upwards of four
millions Of dollars. But partial returns have
been received from other ports, which are not
sufficient to Justify statement. The receipts
from customs and the public lands confirmed
the statement he had made in his annual report
to Congress and he therefore was of the opin.
len that the result would show that the actual
receipts for the remaining quarter of the pres
ent year and for the next year would not vary
much from the estimates submitted to Congress.
He was compelled, however, to say that the re-
ceipts were not adequate to meet the public
exlgency, unless the expenditures were reduced
below the estimates on the contrary the bills
passed through one or the other branch of Con-
gress would very largely and permanently in.
crease the expenditures. 1t was estimated that
the pension bill alone would add several mil.
lions to the annual expenses of the Government,
and indeed larger amount for the next fiscal
year. Other bills in like manner would swell
the expenditures. These expenditures should
be reduced to the estimates, or other means OF
revenue would have to be provided.
The Secretary believed that if Congress had
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