Mineral Point Weekly Tribune

Correspondent of the Evening Post.

The War In The Senate—Mr. Douglas Disciplined—The Quarrel between Senators Douglas and Fitch.

Washington, Jan. 23, 1859.

The scene in the executive session of the Senate on Friday evening last, was one of the most extraordinary that ever occurred in any deliberative assembly in the civilized world. The telegraphic sketch of the affair, does not state all the facts nor exhibit the virus of the words uttered. The President sent to the Senate the name of Mr. Pugh, ex-member of Congress from Ohio, as Collector of the "Miami district" in that State. Mr. Pugh rose, and with a good deal of feeling, opposed the confirmation of Pugh. He said the man who had been removed by Mr. Buchanan to give Mr. Pugh the place was his (Pugh's) friend, that the President knew such to be the fact, and removed him because such was the fact. He declared, with emphasis that if the President of the United States desired to make a personal onslaught upon him he could come on—the sooner the better: Mr. Pugh, growing more and more excited, appealed to his friends in the Senate to vote with him against the confirmation of Pugh. This appeal brought up Mr. Douglas, who promised his vote to the Senator from Ohio. Mr. Douglas then commented, with an unbridled tongue, upon the nominations made by the President in Illinois. He said all his friends had been removed from place and power, and they had been removed solely because they were his friends.—He denounced all the federal office holders in Illinois, appointed by Buchanan to fill the place once occupied by his friends as his bitterest personal enemies, who were "scoundrels and thieves."

This called up Dr. Fitch (one of the senior Senators from Indiana, whose son is United States District Attorney of Illinois.) The Doctor, very much excited, and with a menacing attitude, said: "The Senator from Illinois states what is untrue, and what he knows to be untrue."

The President called to "order." Intense excitement prevailed. Mr. Douglas then modified his remark by saying there were exceptions to the rule, but that they were scarce. He then plunged into the postmasters of Illinois. He said that wherever mail robberies were committed in Illinois they never dreamed of going outside of the postoffices to discover the robber.—They always knew that the postmasters were the guilty parties. [Cries of "Order, order," from several Senators, and the President demands general order and calls the Senator from Illinois to order.] Dr. Fitch who was standing during the confusion, as soon as order was partially restored, repeated that, the Senator from Illinois had again stated a positive falsehood, and that he knew it was false. This brought chaos again, amidst which some Senators were standing in their places and others were approaching the seats of Douglas and Fitch, which are near together. The President called both Senators to order. Several Senators moved an adjournment; while others appealed to the Senate to allow Douglas to proceed.

At last a temporary quiet was secured, and Mr. Douglas proceeded to pitch—not into Mr. Fitch—but into the postmasters of Illinois. He charged that they had stolen and destroyed over five thousand of his speeches, which had been directed to his constituents: that they had broken open, read, and then destroyed his private letters, &c., &c. This style of talk again produced confusion, which after some considerable effort on the part of the President, was allayed.

Efforts were made by several Senators to obtain the floor. Objection was made to Mr. Douglas's proceeding. Motions were made that he proceed in order. Mr. Davis, of Mississippi, objected. Standing about six feet from Mr. Douglas, with a cold and determined manner, and casting upon that Senator a steady and piercing glance, with his long, bony finger directed in a menacing attitude at his object, Mr. Davis addressed the "Little Giant" thus: "I have sat in my place and listened with feelings of indignation to language from the Senator from Illinois which would disgrace the highwayman and the bravo!" The President's hammer again fell, accompanied by the emphatic remark that "the Senator from Mississippi is out of order." Here was another chaos, in the midst of which Senators were anxious to observe what desperate effort the "Little Giant" would make against so pointed an attack. Those who expected to see Douglas strike the Mississippian down in his tracks for applying to him such language, were disappointed when they beheld his "giant" proportions subside into his chair! It is impossible to describe the scene at this stage of proceedings. Before the Senate adjourned, Mr. Davis, satisfied that he had violated the rules of the body, apologized to the Senate and to the Senator from Illinois for language which he had used in a moment of excitement.

Dr. Fitch then apologized to the Senate for any offensive or improper language he had uttered in debate, but, with a menacing look at Mr. Douglas, said that he had no apology to offer to the Senator from Illinois. In this state of affairs, if Mr. Douglas recognizes the Code to settle his affairs of honor, he must challenge Dr. Fitch. I am informed that during the harangue of Mr. Douglas, about the persecution of himself by the President, he exclaimed, "I am still an unconquered and unsubdued rebel!"

One of the best evidences of an undisturbed mind on the part of Mr. Douglas, was the fact that he attended the Administration caucus again yesterday, and participated in its proceedings.