Daily national Democrat., 1861-02-13
Congressional.
The Union of yesterday, has the follow

vacancies in the Committees.
The Vice President said there was no re-
cord in the journal of the absence OF any
Senators. and he had no notification OF the
fact and the names were still called on the
roll. He would like the Senate to instruct
as TO whether he should recognize their ac-
tion.
Mr.. Fitch suggested there were vacancie;
on the Committees, and the Chairman o
Committees might report the absence so far
as Committees were concerned
Mr.. Hale thought that was the proper
way.
Mr. Douglas said there seemed to be nc
trouble. We have been notified that certain
Senators have retired, and do not intend to
he here again this session. Hence the va
cancies Their taking leave has nothing to
do with the question whether the States are
out of the Union or not.
Mr. Trumbull thought his colleague was
right. He thought their names should be
stricken from the roll and be considered no
longer Senator'S
Mr. Wilson did not understand that these
Senators had resigned, as those from South
Carolina had done We could recognize
them as temporarily absent, but considered
them members of the Senate yet.
come back could any power prevent their
voting?
Mr. Benjamin contended that the journal
shonld record the fact that the Senators de-
clared their States had seeded and they had
withdrawn.
Mr. Seward said it would be doing n dis
courtesy if the fact was put on record with
out putting the reasons of the Senators. lie
was entirely opposed to making any entry.
The least said of it is soonest meEded. lie
was for leaving seats for these Senators to
resume in their own good time, and hoped
the time would not be long before they re-
sumed them.
Mr.. Fessenden held most decidedly that no
State had right to secede, but the fact is
/ they did resign, no matter whether their
reasons were valid or not.
Mr.. Hunter thought the Senators were
subject to the call of the Senate, and the on
| ly reason for eXcusng them was that their
States had withdrawn, but the Senate could
| ill vacancies on Committees
Further debate ensued.
On motion of Mr.. Seward the subject was
tabled-32 ag inst %. Gwin, Latham,
Salisbury, Bjgler and johnson, of Tennessee,
voted with the Republicans.
The Crittenden resolutions were then ta~
ken up,
A rambling debate upon the views of Lin
coin and the operation of State laws upon
slavery followed, and without coming to a
vote the Senate adjourned
In the House, Jan. 22d, Mr.. Colfax from
the Postotlice Committee, reported back the
| Lill authorizing the Postmaster General to
suspend the mail service in the seeding
States, etc Mr. ColfnX said he would not
have introduced the bill if the Federal Courts
! han remained intact, but now persons may
| open the mails and rifle them, and there are
no means 10y which they may be brought to
Justice. II the Posmatter refuses to pay the
draf, given to the contractors, the latter can
hold Congress responsible; therefore it be
came the imperative duty of the Government
to discontinue the postal service where there
were no means of protecting it
Mr.. Branch and Stevens, Of Pennsylvania
offered substitutes, and the consideration of
the bill was postponed till Thursday week
The report of the Committee Of Thirty
three was taken up and debated,
In the course of the debate, Mr. Clemens,
of Virginia. believed before God that slavery
would he crushed, if this unhappy controver
" ends in dissolution. II not crucihed it
Would have the death rattle in its throat. 1t
remained TO be seen whether treason can be
!
minority in the slave States. Lazarus is not
dead but slccpch. He asked no lavors for
the South. He showed the object of the
southern Contederacy was to open the Atri
can slave trade The South out of the Tn
ion will never be able to secure So much ter
ritorv as he could hold in his hand. His
time having expired, several gentlemen moV-
| ed that Mr.. Clemens have leave to continue
his remarks beyond the hour for debate.
Mr. Martin, of Virginia, eXcteily express
ed the hope that the member he allowed to
continue his traitorous remarks.
Much confusion eusued which soon subsi-
dcd. Without vote the House adjourned.
ST Loris, Jan 23.-The dispatch received
here from Washington this noon, stat es "sus
picions have been excited in official circles
relative to the manufacturing at Chicopee,
and elsewhere in Massachusetts, of a battery
of James rhel cannon, for South Carolina,
and believed 10 be designed for the reduction
of Fort sumter Measures will be adopted to
verify the facts and arrest the reasonable
work. Bills are being prepared 10y the Mill
tarv and Naval Committees and Ways and
Means for Immediately placing the country
on war footing The President will be au-
thorized to call for the enlistment OF yolun-
teers, and considerable number of war
/
constructed.
MrLLEDGGviLLE, Jan. pa number of res
olutious were offered and adopted, including
the following: Appointing Committee o
sixteen to report on the power of the Con
vention to reduce the number of the members
of the Legislature; another, that Georgia vii
demand her share of the public property
another, pledging the State to pay the car
ri,rs for transporting the mails in future
another, instructing the Committee TO repor
; an ordinance authorizing a Council of Safety
Six delegates entered their protests against
the ordinance of secession, but pledged theil
lives, fortunes and honor in defense of Geor-
gia against coercion and invasion.
An ordinance declaring all white person
f of the State at the time of the adoption o
the ordinance of secession citizens, withou
regard to their nationality or the length o
their residence in the State, was referred Al
ordinance was adopted providing for the eX
ccution of sentences passed 10y the Fedora
Courts and the execution of processes issue'
10y the said Courts, and TO preserve the in
dictmcnts An ordinance was offered an'
: made the special order for to morrow, contin
, uinr in force all the Federal laws inreferenc
to the African slave trade. 1t will be adop
ted. VIM G.. Nason was appointed Commis
sioncr to Louisiana, and General Sanford t.
5 Texas. The proceedings to-day in the Con
yention were interesting. The gallerie
were open to visitors.
Pensacola, Fa January 22d.-A salute q
thirteen guns, from Fort Barnacas, in homo
2 of the lone star flag of Florida, was fired to
/ day. Two Columbiads have been mounte
at Fort Pickens Fort McCrea is being in
vested with guns, and manned by the allie