The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-04-26
PROCEEDINGS ON THU THIRIY.SIXTH CONGRESS
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, April 25.-The Senats was not il
session to-day.
SENATE.


WASHINGTON, April 25.-The Senate was not in
session to-day.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Mr.. COLFA& introduced, by unanimous consent,
a bill providing that regular dealers in newspapers
and periodicals may receive packages by mail at
pro rata rates; maps, engravings, photographic
paper and envelopes, books bound and unbound
blanks printed cards, to 90 through the mails at
one cent ounce, under l 800 miles, charged
letter postage by the recent decision of the Post
Office Department; and the present California
postage to apply letters carried by the overland
mail from the Atlantic States to the Pacific coast
even if under three thousand miles Mr.. Colfax
stated that he would call up this bill when the
House full.-The House then went into Com
mittee of the Whole on the State of the Union
Mr.. FLORENCE briefly explained his tariff sub
stitute. 1t was simple in its details and avoids the
perpleXties and complications OF the main bill; it
was free from compound duties, has no minimums
gives specific duties for countrys staples
leaving for further Legislation any extension of the
system. He appealed to all true friends of the
measure to discard party and vote for bill which
in his judgment can succeed, and not join in vain
search for what cannot reasonably be expected by
its most sanguine advocates.-Mr. CURTIS gave
notice that at early day he intended to bring
the Pacific Railroad bill before the House for dis
cussion and passage.-Mr. CORWIN replied to
the gentleman. He maintained that there is power
under the Constitution to pass such law. This
was the construction of ell Departments of the
Government, and of those who framed the COnsti-
tuition. Unless adhere to the Constitution we
lose our rghts.-Mr. DAVIS, of Maryland, in
reply to a remark of Mr.. COrwn, stated how ne
gro, belonging to his fathers estate fed to Phila-
dephia, but the latter with view to establish his
freedom, produced false papers Failing in the
object, he sent back to Maryland. MIR.
C0RWIN, resumng, said the law of 1893 was as
eectual that of 1850, without its constitutional
objections. -Messrs CARTER and DAVIS con-
troverted Mr.. Corwin's positions and that gentle
man replied. CORWIN gave some good
natured hits at Southern gentlemen, who, in COM
mon with those on the opposite side, heartily en-
joyed the fun He attributed our present troubles
to the repeal of the Missouri Compromise. Mr.
ELIOT, Of Massachusetts, defended the principles
of the Republican party, and in the course of his
remarks said it would be the happiest day of his
life if he, under proper circumstances and at the
proper request of the citizens of the District of
Columbia, could assist in abolishing slavery there
in.--Mr. CORWIN replied to so much of the
gentleman's remarks as applied to himself, main
tanning that the Constitution, without any law,
would authorize the owner of a slave to recover
his property, or the fugitive escaping into free
State. He, however, dissented from the provision
of the law of 1850, which rests the appointment of
the Commissioners in the Courts, instead of in the
President, by and with the advice and consent of
the Senate In other words, he believed that
Congress has the power, under the Constitution, to
pass fugitive slave law. He preferred the early
law to the amendatory law of l850.-Mr. ELIOT
replied, denying that the power to pass such law
rests in the Congress; and quoted the remark OF
Daniel Webster, in 1850, to the effect that the
question is left to the legislation of the States
The Committee at fifteen minutes to four
O'Clock, and then adjourned.