Winchester Republican

CONGRESS.

Wednesday, April 7, 1858. The Senate finally passed the Minnesota bill by a vote of 48 to 8, a number of Senators being absent or not voting.

The bill gives the State two Representatives in the lower House of Congress. The provisions in the constitution of the new State authorizing alien suffrage were considered very objectionable by the Senators generally, and Mr. Mason joined with Mr. Bell in protesting against the theory of alien suffrage, but held that Congress was powerless to interpose a check upon the States if they were so unwise as to make such a bestowal of the elective franchise.

The House further discussed the deficiency bill, and it was finally reported back with a recommendation that it be recommitted to the Committee on Ways and Means with instructions to report the appropriations in separate bills. The Kansas bill was returned to the House from the Senate, where it had been detained at the request of Senator Slidell of Louisiana.

Thursday. In the Senate, Mr. Slidell spoke at considerable length on the joint resolution directing the presentation of a medal to Com. Paulding, the tenor of his remarks condemning the course of the Commodore in arresting Walker in Nicaragua, yet holding that Walker's expedition was wholly indefensible, and should have been arrested by Commander Chatard. There was a discursive debate on the public printing, and the Senate adjourned till Monday.

In the House, the day was an important one. The deficiency bill was defeated, yeas 101, nays 119. The opposition to the bill was not entirely political, some of the strongest demonstrations against it coming from the Administration side of the House. The House then took up the Senate disagreement on the Kansas bill, and on motion of Mr. Montgomery of Pennsylvania voted, yeas 119, nays 111, to adhere to the Crittenden substitute, the six Southern Americans who voted against the Senate bill originally clinging manfully to their position.

Friday. The House reconsidered its vote rejecting the deficiency bill, and finally passed it, yeas 111, nays 97. It appropriates about ten millions of dollars, of which eight millions are for the army. At about half-past two o'clock the death of the Hon. Thomas H. Benton was announced, there being a premature rumor to that effect, and the House adjourned till Monday. Mr. Benton had previously addressed a letter to Senator Houston and Representative Jones of Tennessee, requesting that no notice of his death should be officially taken by Congress, as he had always held that such a proceeding was not authorized by any rule in either House, and was "contrary to his feelings and convictions." This letter was read in the House, and was listened to with profound respect.

Monday. Both Houses, soon after the reading of the journals, adjourned in respect to the memory of the late Thomas H. Benton, with the view of enabling individual members the privilege of attending the obsequies of the illustrious deceased.

Tuesday. The Senate took up the Kansas bill as returned from the House, with the vote of that body adhering to the Crittenden amendment. After a very brief debate, on motion of Mr. Green, the Senate voted to insist on the bill as it passed in that chamber, and to ask of the House a committee of conference. The vote on the motion stood ayes 30, noes 24, eight Senators being absent or not voting. Messrs. Green, Hunter and Seward were appointed as the proposed conference committee on the part of the Senate.

The House was chiefly engaged in considering the Senate bill for the protection of life and property in Washington city.