The daily exchange. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1858-1861, 1860-05-29
PROCEEDINGS OF THE THIRTY.SIYTH CONGRESS

L
WASHINGTON, May 2S.-The CHAIR laid before
the Senate communication from the Secretary OF
the INTERIOR in answer to a resolution of +he Senate
of the 23d inst. transmitting copies of circular
and of sundry papers on file and record in lat De-
partment, In relation to prescriptions to Contract
carrying the mails through territories west of
the Mississippi river, under the general provisions
for that purpose of the Post-ofiice appropriation
bill, approved March 3rd 1855; which referred
to the Committee on Public Land and ordered to be
printed.--On motion by Mr.. DURKEE, a reso-
luton was adopted directing the Secretary Of the
Interior to furnish the Senate copies of all con
tracts and supplementary contracts for the con-
structlon of the east and west wings and the north
front of the Patent-otiice building; also to state
the sums paid under the same, and whether such
contracts were made after advertisements in accor-
dance with law, &c.--On motion by Mr.. Sill
DELL resolution adopted directing the Sec
retary of the Treasury to report to the Senate the
present state and condition of the house
at New Orleans, and whether in his opinion true
economy does not require further appropriation to
be made for its letiOn.-Mr. LATHAM intro
duced Joint resolution, authorizing the Secretary
of the Treasury to settle and adjust the accounts of
the contractors for the erection of the United
States Custom-hOuse and Post Office at San Fran
cisco, California, and pay said contractor the
amount that may be found justly due him; which
was read twice and referred--Mr. DAVIS, from
the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was
referred the bill to complete certain military roads
in the Territory of New Mexico, asked to be dis
charged from the further consideration of the same
as a House bill on the same subject has already
been considered; which was agreed to.-Mr. D.,
from the same committee, to whom was referred
the House bill, authorizing the sale of the Western
Military Asylum at Harrodsburg, Ky., reported it
with substitute.-Mr. d., from the Committee
OF Conference on the disagreeing votes of the two
Houses on the Military Academy appropriation bill
substituted report; which agreed to. The SEN
ate recedes from its amendment making an appro-
priation for regiment of mounted volunteers in
Texas.--On motion by Mr.. LANE, the bill making
rfaty, ,tr-r Il .lsa..-
alton for the completion of the geological survey of
Oregon and W WashingtOn territories. considered
and passed.-On motion by Mr.. WIGFALL, the
bill to change the location of the custom-house in
the district of Brazos Santiago from Point Isabel
to Brownsville in the State of Texas, was cOnsid-
cred and passed--Mr. DIXON submitted a resO-
luton, which lies over until tomorrow directing
the Sergeant-at-Arms of the Senate to remove
Thaddeus HYATT from the common Jail of this city
and permit him to pass without restraint within
the limits OF the city of W Washington.-Mr. NAL
L0RI moved to take up the Florida claims bill
and make it the special order for Saturday next
1t had been postponed for long time in conse-
quence of the absence of the Senator from Della
ware Mr.. Bayard), who was now present.
Mr.. HUNTER was opposed to the making of anv
more special orders until the appropriation bill
was disposed of. 1t was getting near the close of
the session, and he could not give way any longer
The motion was not agreed tO.-The Senate
resumed the consideration of the Post-oflice Ap-
preparation bill, the question pending being on the
Finance to strike out that clause of the bill which
directs the Postmaster General to restore the inland
service on all the routes under contract the 4th
OF March, 1859, unless the same have expired bv
their own limitation, or where improved service
said routes has been furnished bv railroads or
otherwise, and also to restore the steamer Isabel
mail service, &c.--Mr. PEARCE made some re-
marks in favor Of the amendment, showing how the
expenditure of the Post-Office Department had in
creased during the last ten years. In 1890 the
POst-offce Department was nearly self sustaining,
and for about sixty years it continued to sustain
itself, and sometimes to put money into the Federal
Treasury, but now the expenditures are six or
seven millions of dollars year more than the
receipts. He proceeded to show the cause of this,
in the action of Congress establishing and main
tanning routes where the receipts were in hardly
appreciable ratio to the expenditures. There was
steam service which was unnecessary, and the mails
are transported in post coaches, with two and four
horses when proper system of economy would
have been to advertise for bids and let the
mail be carried in such manner as the contractor
might prefer. Our Pacific mail services is a very
large one, and very unproductive for the most
part There six Pacific routes, and only one of
these do the receipts approximate even to One-haf
the expenditures. On one of these routes there is
expenditure of three hundred dollars to every
dollar received. In reference to the 'Isabel" SER
vice, he stated that he had been informed by the
Postmaster General that other parties were willing
to do the service for $50, 900 year, which the
the Isabel" received S5OOOO for-Mr. GWIN
replied to the remarks of Mr.. Pearce in regard to
the California postal servicc.--Mr. MALLORY
spoke of the great value of the service rem
dered by the "lsabel," and gave some reasons why
this line should be made exception to
the general principle. There were petitions from
all the principal cities on the Atlantic coast, in ta-
vor of the restoration of this route.-At one
O'Clock Mr.. LANE moved to postpone this bill, in
order to take up the Oregon war debt BILL but the
motion not agreed tO.--Mr. HAMMOND
thought it due to honor and good faith that
the Isabel should be named, and that the govern
H. Zeal e
deprive her of the service. She was constructed
under an act of Congress and made war vessel
inspected and accepted as such. She is unfit for
commercial purposes and was not made to carry
freight she could not be sold, converted into
anything else than vessel, and was built with
the understanding that she should have this con-
tract for $4,000 year. The experience of Eng
land in regard to penny postage no criterion
for this country, and in trying to initiate England
we should be like the frog in the fable who en-
deavored to swell up to the size OF the OK. In
England there were two or three hundred inhabi-
tants to a square mile, while we have only
about ten. 1t was hardly seven hundred miles
from John OGroats house to Lands End.-
Mr.. H. also referred to the subsidy received by the
Collins line, which amounted to five dollars and a
half mile, and yet that line broke down; while it
proposed to give for this service between
Charleston and Havana only about sixty seventy
cents mile.-Mr HALE said there nothing
more fallacous than the idea that a reduction of
the rates of postage has reduced the revenue. He
quOleu some H8ureS from Lne IOSIndSIer ueneGal ;
report to prove this.-Mr. YULEE stated that the
inference drawn from those tables by the Senator
from New Hampshire was not a correct one. He
spoke at some length in favor of the proposed
amendment.-The discussion was continued by
Messrs. GRIMES, TOOMBS, GREEN, HUNTER,
C0LLAMER, CHANDLER and others until late
hour.--After an Executive session the doors were
re-opened and the discussion Of the Post Office bill
resumed, but without taking the question, at
six O'Clock, the Senate adjourned
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr.. CORWlN moved to postpone the considera-
tion of the Pacific Railroad bill-Mr. HOUSTON
hoped not for the day would be spent in turmoil
and wrangling, last Monday was, and of which
every man here was afterwards ashamed.-Mr.
C0RWlN should be sorry to introduce any sub
ject productive of such result. His object to
transact some business and not create turmoil
MIR. CRAWFORD said that every mans mind
was made up. The Pacific Railroad subject has
been pending five years. and it time that it was
definitely acted upon. Were gentlemen afraid to
meet the esponsibility?-Mr, ELLIOT earnestly
spoke of the Importance of taking up the Light
house bill.-Mr. FARSW ORTIZ said that both
wings of the Democracy at Charleston agreed
that the railroad should be constructed.-Mr.
JOHN COCHRAN inquired whether Mr.. Farms
worth supposed that the Democracy had fixed to-
day for taking the sub iect up. Laughter. Mr..
FARNSWORTH replied that the Democracy of
this House had fixed to-day for the time when it
should be considered He hoped the friends OF the
measure would not vote for the postponement which
would be the means of defeating the bill, as it
would have to go to the Senate. The vote on
postponng was then taken, and the House refused
by ayes 81 to nays 1l9-tO postpone the bill
til Thursday.-Mr CARTER asked that day be
set apart for the consideration of District of Co
lumbia business, but various objections were made
by Republican members.-Mr. HUGHES said it
was very hard that they were not willing to do
anything for the District.-The House concurred
in the report of the Committee of Conference on
the dsagreeing amendments to the West Point
Academy bill, which, in addition to the usual items
appropriates $50 900 for the construction of officers
quarters. The provision for mounted regiment
of Texan volunteers omitted-The House
then proceeded with the consideration of the Pacific
Railroad bill.-Mr. PHELPS favored the central
or the Albuquerque route, and gave his reasons
why he opposed the route indicated by the bill.
He contended that it was not right and proper to
confine the grantees to any particular line If one
more economical and shorter can be found.-Mr.
CRAIG, of Missouri, replied to his colleague (Mr
Phelps), who he said, thought that the thirty-ith
parallel, through Albuquerque was the proper
route. He (Mr. Craig was not of this opinion.
He believed that the route indicated in the bill
would accommodate more people than any other.
He remarked that the vision of his colleague had
become so contracted that if any friend of his
going to heaven he would want him to start from
querque, to get there. Laughter. MIR
PHELPS amendment to strike out SO
much of the bill provides that the
line shall 90 through Salt Lake, was disagreed to
ayes 43, nays 74--Mr. SMITH, of Virginia,
spoke in opposition to the first section. Names of
persons living in various quarters of the Union, he
said had been inserted in this bill cOrporatOrs
the object being create interest in this House.
Mr. CURTIS said no such motive influenced him;
and that the gentleman from Virginia knew very
we'll The names OF such men who would carry
ont the will of Congress had been seected-not