The independent press. (Abbeville C.H., S.C.) 1853-1860, 1860-02-17
CONGRESS-.

On Tuesday in tie Senate the third section
of the Post Office bill was amended So as to
read:
THAT iptersstiat thesrate Of 6 per cent per
annum, to commence sixty days after tire expi-
ration Of the quarter in which the service
was rendered t,it in no case prior to the lst
day of May. 1859, shall be paid on all sums
found due TO the contractors for carrying the
mail and thnt a'sum sufficient to pay thessfFe
be aud is hereby Appropriated out of any
ru"ncy IN the Treasury i,ot otherwis- appropri.
ated: Proridcd That. such interest shall be
payable only to Che Contractors themselves ;
and the sntne ia hereby declared TO he IN full
Of all damages, by reason Of failure or delay in
payment. but no interest shall be allowed on
day Of December, lS59."
The foIi"winc is the section of the hill, abol-
isA'ng the Franking privilege.
"'Thnt all laws authorising the king priv.
ilege be. and the same are hereby repealed,
from and after the first day of April next f;
provided, all persons now authorised bv law to
frank. hy endorsing their names and ,lesignn
ton by which the ~. hi is conferred uIun them
on all matter innilc,l by them, shall t'e exempt
from pre- payment of postage: hui the pnst age
on sncl, mail matter shall he due AMI PAYABLE
ny the person or persons T." whom the same
may be tir-c'..'l III the point of rstinntion"
MIR. Wilson Introduced the fluwing:
X. xofrrL Tint "a committee he appointed to
inquire into the extent of the power and pn-
,ronag" "f President OF the United States in
the I",wcr of rrl"uv | aud nrImiutmcnt to
office. and r"r"r, The nunhei Of offices Of trust
and pref, uIaler Tie control OF the President,
excluding the army and nuyy but including
such as are Under tie contrnl of the heu,is of
departments and the amount paid I" those ap-
pointed To such office; al>o further to inaure
whether any power aud patronage are ex rtetl
l" int1nencr The Legislation OF Congress or any
election III the stntes or territories and wh.tII.
er any and what .,irns "f money are pnid by
PERSONS holding Offices OF trnst ana profit ns
contributions III support of elections and to in .
quIrc whether the power and pntronac. are
used 10y heads Of departments over sni,urtli.
mates. mechanics and con,racto oas. Also. the
allowance made TO contractors Of supplies and
those employed To purchase government cites.
vessels, engiues &c., and report by Lill or 9th.
crws..
The following veto message was sent to the
SENATE on Monday:
"WAsnrSGToH, Feb. 6, 1860.
"1o tie Senate Of the United Statcs:
'On the last day of the last session of Con-
Cress II resolution had passed both Houses lin
relation to tie removal of distinctions TO navi.
CATION at the mouth OF the Mississippi river"
WAS presented TO me for approval. have re
taiDed this resolution becmcse it was present ed
I" the at n period when il was impossible to
give the t:rct that examination to which il
appeared t" he entitled. ! need not repeat the
view ON this point presented in the iutroduc.
t'ry portion oi my message to the Senate OF
the Sd inst.
"ln addition, would merely desire that al.
though at different periods sums amounting in
the aggregate to six hundred and ninety thous.
aud dollars have been appropriated by Con
grcss for, the purpose Of removing the bnr and
distractions at the mouth OF the Mississippi
yet it. is to be acknowledged tha, this money
has been expended with but It'll. If auy prac.
tical bcncht 10 its avigation.
JAMES BUCHANAN