The weekly pioneer and Democrat., 1860-01-06
From Washington.

DOUGLAS AND THE SENATE CoMMIrrEEs.-
The Washington correspondent of the Gin
cinnati Enquirer writes as follows concern
ing the Senate committees
There is no telling where the fight about
Mr.. Douglas position on the committees OF
the Senate will end. learn that Senator
Yulee ca lied upon Mr.. Douglas and tend.
cred him Craftsmanship of the Committee on
Post Offices and Post routes, of which
Yulee, the brother in.law of Pos master
Holt, is chairman. Douglas refused to
accept. No case has ever occurred in the
history of the Senate where chairman has
been deposed for political reason from the
chairmanship of Senate committee, except
in Douglas case. Even Hamlin, of Maine,
after his opposition to the Kansas. n ebraska
Bill, was retained in his previous position
upon the Committee on Commerce hence
Douglas never can, and declares he never
will, 60 back as chairman of any other
Senate committee, until he is reinstalled at
the head of Territorial Committee, with
which he commenced his career in the
Senate. Senator Rice stated in the Demo-
cratic Senatorial caucus the reasons qchy
Douglas refused the chairmanship of the
Committee on Post Offices and Patents, the
lp1ter being also offered to him, and 1t created
quite fMtering. Mr.. Douglas course in
refusing to supercede MIR. Bigler, who is an
opponent of his, is in striking contrast with
the conduct of Green, of Missouri, who
under the circumstances known to the
country last session, accepted the chairman
ship of the Committee on Territories, from
which Mr.. Douglas was removed after a
service of twelve years.
The LATEST News from the Capitol, is
condensed in the following dispatch:
WASHINGTON, Dec. 23.-The difficulty
between Senator johnson of Arkansas, and
Representative Hendeman, which it was
supposed few days ago would lead to a
hostile meeting, has been amicably settled
through Messrs. Toombs and Pryor.
Hon. Judge Mason, of Iowa, late Com
missioner of Patents. has become con-
nected with the New York Scientific Ame-
TiCdn.
The Augusta Constitutionalst of the 2lst,
says that the Medical College of Georgia,
has resolved to invite Southern students at
the North to finish their course of instruc-
tion there free.
In the Democratic Senatorial Caucus to-
day, after full discussion of the charges
against Gen. Bowman, of the Constitution
paper, be was nominated as printer to that
body, by vote of 20 against 5. The i'm
preston is that he will be elected.
The Senate, in Executive Session, con-
firined the following nominations N. B.
Browne as Postmaster at Philadelphia ;
Mr. Hatch as Postmaster at Buffalo Mr..
Waiter as Postmaster at Cincinnati, and
Mr.. Bishop as Commissioner of Patents.
Col. Davis aud staff are here with large
amount of ordnance stores on the way to
Richmond. Only one company remain on
guard at Charlestown, Va, and quiet has
been entirely restored.
The Legislature of Virginia, by joint
resolution, has accepted the flag presented
to the Commonwealth by the citizens of
Philadelphia, viewing it as renewal of the
evidence of the devoted patriotism of its
heroic donors.
WASHINGTON, Dec ga large number
of mail contractors have Informed, and con-
tinue to inform the Post Office Department,
that unless Congress makes appropriations
early in January, for the payment of what
is due them, they cannot continue the SER
vice, which has been maintained by them in
a manner altogether satisfactory to the De-
partment, but at great sacrifices to their
credit, which is now nearly exhausted.
Should they surrender their contracts, the
extraordinary expenses of restoring the
service will amount to no less than 81 ,O0O,-
600. Probably their expectation that
Congress would promptly pass bill for
their relief, has proved disastrously to them.
The Department has the money to pay all
the sums now due for the quarter ending
with September, but not the legal authority
for that purpose. The expenses for the cur
rent quarter are not due till February. Over
$4,OOO,00O are required on account of ar
rearages for the year ending last June. The
statements of Indebtedness to contractors, on
which they have raised money to the amount
of$2,000,000, are in the hands of persons in
this city.
Reliable advices just received here from
Mexico, state that the reverses of the Con.
stltutl0nallstS were not as disastrous as
newspaper accounts represent. After Gen
Degollado's defeat in the vicinity of Guerra
tro, and during which Miramon admitted
that the reactiOnists could not in the end
triumph and that while be was in favor o
liberal principles, he could not openly op
pose them without rendering himself obnoxi
Gus to the charge of being traitor to the
party in whose service he was engaged
This admission having reached the church
party, caused much indignation against him
The report which prevailed at Vera Cruz
at the time Lennesses left that place. that a
revolution in the city of Mexico, infavor oi
Marqueza, was meditated, was regarded as
of significant Importance. The treaty re-
Gently made with the Juarez government
will probably be received in the State De-
partment tomorrow.