Year: 1860

offered an amendment that the Postmaster General
be authorized to advertise for proposals for trans
porting the mails to California, over and on the
Central route, within twenty days, and on the
Northern route from st. Paul to the Dalles in Ore
gon and that he be also authorized to contract for
a temporary steamship service on the most expedi-
tious ocean route to California. The amendment
was followed with prOviso that the Butterfed con
tractors nave permission to change their route be-
tween prominent pOints.-At the suggestion
Mr.. WILSON this proviso withdrawn. The
bill was read third time and passed, and sent to
the H0use.-Letters from the President for an
extra Executive session tomorrow were here de-
livered to the Senators to amend an act.-The
bill granting lands in Mississippi for to aid certain
railroads, reported from the Public Lands
Committee and passed.-A message was received
from the House announcing that it receded from its
amendment to the Post Office Deficiency bil-there-
fore the bill stands as passed.-Mr. B1GLER of
ferred a resolution for the appointment of COM
mittee, in con junction with from the House,
to wait the President of the United States and
inform him that if he has communication to
make, Congress is ready to adjourn; agreed to-
Mr.. PEARCE offered a resolution rendering the
thanks of the Senate to Vice President Breckin-
ridge for the Impartial and dignified manner in
which he has presided its deliberations this
session.-Mr. FOOT presided in the chair, and
the resolution was unanimously agreed to.-The
hour of twelve o'clock having arrived the Vice
President rendered his thanks to the Senate for
their complimentary resolution unanimously pass
ed, and then declared that the Senate adjourn
ed without day.


HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,


The House acceded to the request of the Senate
for another Committee of Conference on the Post
Office Deficiency bill.-The President sent
message to the House notifying the House that he
had signed certain bills, including that making ap-
preparations for the civil expenses of the Govern
men, with protest against the clause designating
Capt Meigs Superintendent of the expenditure
OF halt million of dollars for the completion of the
Washington aqueduct. He does not believe it was
the intention of Congress to interfere with the con-
titntI nr,a1 rfrrIt
in Chief of the Army to order Capt Meigs else
where, and he asserts, that his authority remains
to send him away to superintend the erection of
fortlhcatlons or other works. 1t was evident to
him that Congress intended nothing more than to
express decided opinion that Capt. Meigs should
be continued in the employment of experimenting
the construction of the aqueduct. Is the apprOpr-
alton constitutional, and will it fail, if he should
not think it proper and eXpedient to regard this
designation? are questions which shall receive his
serious consideration, because this will depend
whether the water-wOrks shall be arrested for an
other season. he now desired to express no opin-
inn but this question shall be carefully considered
If it becomes necessary.-Another message was
received from the President recaptulating the
grounds of his protest of March last against the
proceedings under the Covode Committee The
charges against him being vague and expressed in
equivocal terms he did not for moment entertain
doubt as to the result. He did not believe it
possible that there existed man who could basey
perjure himself. The proceedings of the House, he
repeats, were violative of the rights of a co-ord-
nate branch of the Government, and which, if en-
forced, would establish dangerous PRECEDENT
The House had acted without Constitutional
rant, and in a manner tending to degrade the
Presidential office, and render it unworthy of ac-
ceptance by any honorable man.-Mr STANTON
said the sending in of this extraordinary message at
SO late period of the session prevented any discus
sion. Being State paper it should be placed in
the public archives. The source from which it
came deserved respectful consideration If the
doctrine it lays down of Executive immunity from
the action OF the Representatives of the nation eX
cept IN the nature of an impeachment, be correct,
the machinery of this Government is different from
what he had supposed. He had supposed that the
Representatives and Senators were responsible to
the people The power to investigate official acts
of the Executive Department should be some
where, and with them. The peoples Representa-
tives have the right to question the secret and
public acts of all public functionaries; and they
may hold them responsible through the ballot-b box
for the manner in which they discharge their duties
In these remarks he had avoided personalities and
vituperation. With view to give the subject a
careful consideration, he moved the message be re-
ferred to Special Committee of five to examine
into the constitutional question involved, and to
report at the next sessiOn.-Mr. REAGAN said
the Executive responsible for every derection
OF duty, but under the laws of the land, according
to which he ought to be tried. So as to private
citizen who may rob steal from his neighbor
1t was not to be expected that he was to be taken
up by organized mob in an informal manner
and tried and sentenced by his accusers The
most fragrant murderer is entitled to fair trial
and it would be deemed shock to public Justice to
permit even such character to be dealt with as
had the President, who has been condemned by
committee against whose action he protests. If
the President has violated laws, try him under the
impeachment clause of the COnstitutOn.-M
BARkSDALE said the President needs no de.
tence.-He has come cut of the fiery ordeal un-
scathed, and stands without fear or reproach nc
cupying higher and nobler position than ever
before, illustrious has been his service to the
country. He moved that the message should be
ra1t IN %ln 80 IL
State of the Union. Disagreed to.-The message
was then referred to a Select Committee in ac-
cordance with Mr.. Stanton's motion. The House
receded from their amendm ents to the Post Office
Deficiency bill, and the bill is now a law-The
Post Route bill was returned from the Senate,
when Mr.. C0LFAA moved to take it up for con-
sideraton.-Mr. SHERMAN said there were
ninety nine Senate amendments and he would NOT
consent to consider them at this late hour.-Mr
COLFAA denied that there were so many amend
ments.-Mr. WASHBURNE, of Maine, said he
understood that the bill appropriates half million
MIR. COLFAX said the only important amend
ment was as to the overland mail, and the House
could concur or non concur. The bill was needed
by the Department.-Mr. SHERMAN repeated
that there were so many Senate amendments COM
ing here at this late hour that the House ought
to reject the bill-The House refused to suspend
the rules to consider the subject-yeas "a, nays 55
not two-thirds.-Mr. BABBITT offered a resolu-
ton providing for the payment of the compensation
OF certain subordinate officers of the House.-The
rules were suspended for that purpose.-Much
confusion prevailed throughout the proceedings
Mr.. BURNETT, with a view of defeating the
resolution, moved to adjourn.-It was now five
minutes to II o'clock.-Mr. SHERMAN, from
the Joint Committee to wait the President, re-
ported that they had performed that duty, and
that the President desired them to convey
to the members his wishes for their health
and prosperity, and happy return to their
labors on the first Monday of December
next.-Several voices-Who said that p
Mr.. SHERMAN-The President.-A voice
Good for hm.-Mr. ALDRICH wished to know
whether it in order to move a suspension of the
rules for general debate? Laughter and cries of
"order. MIR. FLORENCE-We are already
acting under suspension of the rules.-Cries of
''read the yeas and nays the question of ad-
journment." !" 1.-The clerk commenced doing so.
MIR. DAFlDSON-It's now twelve clock and
l object. t.-Mr. SMITH, of Yirginia-his voice
pitched above the DIM insist on having them
read.-JOHN COCHRANE-I move they be dis
pensed with.-Mr. VANCE, call for the read
ing of the riot act; Laughter. 1t was now II
o'clock, and while the Clerk was reading the
names, the Speaker rose.-Vo -Voices-"Lets have
few quiet minutes now" 'Order."-The
SPEAkER-The hour fixed by the concurrent
resolution of the two Houses for adjournment hav-
ing arrived now declare this House adjourned
for the present session, ard bid you all affec-
tionate farewell. This was greeted with applause
and much good humor, and in few minutes there
after nearly all the members and spectators retired
from the hall