Vermont phÅ“nix. [volume] (Brattleboro, Vt.) 1834-1955, 1860-06-16
CONGRESSIONAL.

A joint resolution fixing upon the 18th of
June as the day for adjournment has passed
both the House and the Senate.
In the House, on Friday, resolution of the
Committee on Elections that Mr. Barrett is not
entitled TO his seat as member from the LIST
Congressional District of Missouri, was agreed
to, "a to 90. The second resolution declaring
Francis p Blair, Jr., entitled to the seat was
adopted, 90 to 80. All the democrats voted in
the negative on both resolutions.
The same day Mr. Hickman called up the res
olution heretofore reported by him from the
Committee on the Judiciary, declaring "that the
blouse dissents from the doctrines of the spec
"al message of the President of the United
estates of March 2S, 1860; that the extent of
"powcr contemplated in the adoption of the
resolutions Of inquiry of March 5, is necessary
"to the proper discharge of the Constitutional
"duties devolved upon Congress; that Judicial
determinations, the opinions of former Presi-
"dents, and uniform usage sanction its exercise
"and that to abandon it would leave the Execu-
"tve department of the Government without
Supervision or responsibility and would be
"likely to lead concentration Of power in the
"hands of the President dangerous to the rights
"of a free people"
Mr. Houston for n minority of the Committee
wished to offer a substitute, but Mr. Hickman
refused to entertain the subject, whereupon
Mcssrs Houston and Taylor asked to be excused
from further service on the Committee. The
resolution offered by Mr. Hickman was then
adopted, 81 to 40. This censure is the most
marked ever imposed upon any President. Mr.
Buchanan could only muster one-sixth of the
House.
On Saturday the death of Silas NJ. Burroughs,
Republican, member of the House from the
3lst District of New York, was announced in
both branches, whereupon the customary
speeches were made, resolutions passed, and
the two houses adjourned.
The bill for the admission of Kansas into the
Union which passed the House by very large
majority, hangs fire in the Senate. From the
vote postponing its consideration we think the
democratic majority of that body will not con-
sent to its passage the present session. They
want to keep out the three republican votes that
State will otherwise give for Lincoln and Ham
lin.
Mr. Hunter from the Senate Committee on
Finance reported the Morrill, tariff bill, on
Wednesday, and moved to postpone it until the
second Monday in December. That motion
will undoubtedly be carried by the democratic
majority.
In the House, Wednesday, the resolutions of
censure upon the President and Secretary of
the Navy reported from the committee on ex-
penditures of the navy department, were taken
up and acted upon.
The first resolution, condemnatory both of
the President and Secretary of the Navy, was
adopted without count The second that the
contract made by the Secretary of the Navy, in
September, 1858, with W. c. \. Swift of New
Bedford, for "lve oak" timber, was in violation
of law, improper and injurious to the public
service-was adopted, yeas 10, nays 60. The
third that the distribution of the patronage of
navy yards among members Of Congress was
highly injurious to the service, was adopted by
1913 to 81, Mr. Reagan of Texas attempting to
move as an amendment that the votes of mem
bers for Defrees, for printer, under bargain
to distribute the spoils, was also corrupt. The
fourth and last, that the conduct of the Presi-
dent and Secretary of the Navy, by receiving
and considering the party relations of bidders
for contracts, and by awarding contracts while
elections were pending, was dangerous 10 the
RdS 5Ptef tg YUo to 81. Anothe, resoation was
adopted by 80 to 81, which censures the Secre-
tary of the Treasury for appointing Daniel b.
Martin as a member of the board of engineers
to report on proposals for machinery. He be-
ing principally interested