, 1860-02-08
BY TELEGRAPH,


r1llETY-SlXIHCvSGRESS FIRST SESSION.
TAsu1se1ox, Feb.7
SENATE: The President sent message to
he Senate; !e!urninx Tue joint resolution passed
~ the last Day OF tile saAt Session, appEup:ia-
ing mouef for tho moving Of the bar und OBJ
it, nctions at the mouth oi,he Mississippi.
}r. Hammond introduced joiut resolution
or the relief of the widow Of Commander Il. J.
Mr. Hammond Introduced joint resolution |
Com. Shubrick to accept Il sword |
from Crqulza- Adopted.
Mr. Hunter introduced the Post Office Def |
clency I'LL, with amendments, aud gave notice
hat he would cali it up after the morning hour.
Mr. GwIu introduced bill for the release Of |
payments for the town site of San francisco.
Referred.
Mr. Mason moved that when the Senate ad-
Iourn, it adjourn to meet at ons o'clock. Adopt
Nj. Salisbury introduced amendments to 3lr.
Darls' resolutions expressive Of devotion to the
Union, Ec. Ordered to be printed.
Mr. Wilson introduced the following:
R.settfd, That Committee be appointed to
inquire into the extent Of the power and patron
age Of the President Of the United States in the
power Of removal and appointment to office, and
report tue number Of Offices Of trust and profit
under the control ofthc President, excluding the
army md navy, bnt Including such as arc under
tho control OF heads Of Departments. tnd the
amount paid to such Offices; also, further to
inquire whether any powcr Or patronage is e1-
erled to influence the legislation OF Congress, or
any election in the States or Territories. and
whether any and what sums Of money are paid,
Or required to be paid, by persons holding OIL
ces OF trust for profit, or contributions ia spp-
port Of elections, and to inquire whether tie
power and patronage are used by heads uf De-
partments over suborliuktes, mechanics and
contractors, aud also ths allowance made to
CONTRACTORS Of supplies and those employed to
purchase Government sites, vessels, engines,
DC, transportation OF. stores, hc, md report
By bill or otherwise.
Mr. Iverson, frcm the Committee on Claims,
reported Several private bills, which had been
tlvorahly acted GU by tie Court OF Claims.
4 resolution to print the meteorological Re-
ports Of the Smithsonian Institute caused some
debate.
". Hunter objected to the publication.
!, NJ Fltca sa1d the request TO p-iut came from
The President Of the Smithsonian Institute, and
tie COMMISSIONER Of P..edts.
Ar. fessenden opposed: the printing, On the
ground that the work collected Was not author
lzed By Congress.
Finally the further consideration Of the sub.
lect was postponed.
Mr. Hunter moved to postpone prior orders,
and take up the Post Office deficiency bill
Adopted.
The bill was taken up aud read.
The first amendment made By the Committee
on tinanc. was to make provision for wrapping
paper, mail paper, &c. 1t vas agreed to.
The second amendment WIS 10 the Sd section,
providing that interest should only be paid to
contractors themselves, .ad being in full Of ali
claim for damages, and providing that no inter-
eat is to be allowed on the last quarter.
Ar. Hunter said it gave the interest to the
contractors in lieu of damaec3
Mr.. Chesnut thought it did great inj Justice to
the assignees.
sfr. Hunter said the litter could hare their
ciaIms adIadicated in Court. What was wauted
was to clear the United States Of any claim for
damages, aud pay the interest to those only who
could release the Government.
Ar Hale wanted to know whether the inter,
est was confined to the deficiency Of last year
Mr. Huutcr.-Yes.
Mr. Hale thought it would set dangerous
precedent. The Ge1erul goes or
making contracts jus: as though Congress- had
made atl appropriation -
Mr.. Hunter replied that the Postmaster. Gen
eral is compelled by lar to mike these CON
tracts. The Postmaster General did not pledge
tile Government to Pay interest. Congress- III
lowed it in lieu Of damages.
After further debate, i triaing modid &C
to the amendment wus adopted.
Nr. Toomhs moved an amendment to include
vice in the l'enefits of tho bill. Adopted.
Mr. Hunter moved to reconsider, on thf
Ercucd that tho Department did not owe tht
sub-eontractors.
Mr. Davis thouz zht the amendment enllnently
Just aud proper
Sir. Iooulvs said lie wanted those who did th.
work to ret the money. Uc did not want Il
give it 10 those who prowled around the Depart
ment and got the contracts aud suh-let them t.
honest men who did tho work.
Mcssrs. Rice and Fitch opposed the amend
1nent.
Sir. Doolitt1e said the amendment would rive
the Department endless trouble in deciding or
the conflicting claims Of contractors and sub
contractors. The contractor was the man y{.e
suffered the damage. lie had furnished ths
means TO CARR on the service wien the govern
u'ent had failed to do SO. = The amendment was
rcconsidered.
The amendment was then rejected; aves Il
mays 80.
The third amendment provides for the abol
ishment ot the ttankiag privilege after May lst
but That all perEous pos entitled to the prlyi
lcyc are exempted from the heprepaymert of post
agc.
Mz. uamlin said The amendment had no busi
ness there. Il difference Of opinion on thi:
r'Int led to the defeat ofthe bill at the last scs
6ior.
sir. Tsumbull denounced the abuse of tbf
frauking privilege. Hewanted to Sec the wbolt
system abolished, and moved to strike out til,
last clauss, which would sadale tie e1peux,
upon constituent who received letters aut
documents.
Nr. Fesscudcn advocated the amendment q.
it stood.
Ut. 4llcs said the present Object was to pa,
the honest debts Of the government, and III,
Senate should not embasrass action by intro
ducinE subjects not gsrnane ttcre,o.
Mr. 10 lnbs sid tue mail contractors had nc
more Claim than any other class Of tue publ,
creditors. Now was tue hest tin,c to ret thi
reform through. TITS privilege, which costs th
department now 81 sous per year, ought II
who wrote to constituents on public business
should bear the burden themselves. Let tb,
persons wfin are benefited BY tue correspond
| ence pay for it.
Mr. Hale moved to amgnd by changing tb,
time to April. If it extended to tile Isl Of sIay
| It would he after the Charleston Convention
| acd the Democrats would hare benefits nut en-
| joyed By the Republicans, who do not meet it
Chicago till June. [Lau.btcrl
~. Toombs accepted the amendment.
Nr. Simmons opposed the amendment, d
having Teen improperly introduced. If th
proposition s, had ~ much grit it might carr.
Nr. coilamer said there'were special laws re
| 4urlnY tee treasury Department TO pay oye
| seTcn hundred thousand dollars to the Pos
UlIce Department On account Of the transport
alton Of free rDat:er. ii tie amendment passed
those lasrs still existed, aud the treasury yoult
| no: be relieved. The Suhjec. was one requir,n:
preparation and examination, and ought to b
considered ty itself.
AE. Davis advocated the adoption Of th,
amendment now. They could 60 OH and per
| FEET the system. The amendment proposed
tirss, the reform Of En- abuse, and secondly.
c1ausc Of policy Of the ada nis,c-lng depart
,nent- The abuse Of the privilege WAS in Ii,
bufden'ng Of tile 1nails With larg SC mass Of doc
uments.
VI. CoI1au,er explained t:1at previous to 1851
the Postmaster. General MAS limited in s1v,nt
cut contracts By tue the receipts Of the depart
naent. but when three cent postage was cstat
llshed in ISL, it was provided that the mai
service should not be reduced The cousc
queuce was the Pustmaster-Gencr1l had uulr,
tied discretion, and could, ii hc chose, iucreas.
the expenses to tTcnly or thirty 1niti1ons Mr.
=: moved an amendment, repeaiing the act o.
ls4I and 1851, appEopriating seven hundred
thous nd dollars annually for the Use Of tbs
Post 0ttlce Department. y
Nr. Trumtnll said persona writing to mcu.,
bers on business could enclose s,anps FL
pointed cut the :5uses likely to arise from the
adoption Of q rrosiso e1cmptins members from
the payment OF postage. IL wanted the whole
system wiped out.
fkx,. =