The North Carolina Standard

CONGRESS.

Mr. Brown, of this State, made some remarks in the Senate, on the bill which passed that body on the 13th, to postpone the payment of the 4th instalment to the States, under the Deposite act of 1836. These remarks we shall insert in our next, together with those of Mr. Benton on the issue of Treasury notes; and those of other gentlemen as soon as practicable.

The bill to authorise the Secretary of the Treasury to issue Treasury notes, was taken up on its third reading, when Mr. Calhoun, after some remarks, offered the following amendment:

Sec. And be it further enacted, That from and after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and thirty-eight, three-fourths of the amount due to the Government, for duties, taxes, sales of public lands, or other debts, may be paid in the notes of specie-paying banks; and that from and after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and thirty-nine, one half may be so paid: and from and after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and forty, one-fourth; and from and after the first day of January, eighteen hundred and forty-one, all sums due, for duties, sales of public lands, or other debts to the Government, shall be paid only in the legal currency of the United States, or in such notes, bills, or paper issued under the authority of the same, as may be directed to be received by law.

Mr. BENTON said he fully concurred in the object of the amendment. He then offered the following amendment, and moved that it be printed, together with the proposition offered by Mr. CALHOUN, and laid on the table; which was agreed to:

Sec. And be it further enacted, That the collection and disbursement of the revenues shall continue to be made in the kinds of money directed by existing laws, until the day of next; from and after which time all the revenues of the United States, and of the General Post Office, and all payments to them, shall be received in gold and silver coin only, except in cases in which Treasury notes, or land scrip, may be receivable by law; and on all payments so made in gold coin, a discount of one per cent. shall be allowed in favor of the payer. And, from and after the same day, every officer or agent engaged in making disbursements on account of the United States, or of the General Post Office, shall make all payments in gold and silver coin only, or in Treasury notes when authorized by law; and any receiving or disbursing officer, or agent, who shall neglect, evade, or violate, the provisions of this section, shall forfeit all compensation which may then be due him.

Sec. And be it further enacted, That it shall be the duty of the Secretary of the Treasury to prescribe regulations to enforce the speedy presentation of all Government drafts for payment at the place where payable, and in case of unreasonable delay in such presentation, payment of the draft so delayed may be made at any other place within the limits of the United States.

The question was taken on the engrossment of the bill, and decided as follows:

Yeas—Messrs. Allen, Bayard, Benton, Black, Brown, Buchanan, Calhoun, Clay of Alabama, Clayton, Fulton, Grundy, Hubbard, Kent, King of Alabama, King of Georgia, Knight, Lyon, McKean, Morris, Nicholas, Niles, Norvell, Pierce, Rives, Roane, Robbins, Robinson, Ruggles, Sevier, Smith of Connecticut, Smith of Indiana, Strange, Swift, Tallmadge, Tipton, Walker, Wall, Webster, White, Williams, Wright, and Young—42.

Nays—Messrs. Clay of Kentucky, Crittenden, Preston, Southard, and Spence—5.

In the House, on the 18th, Mr. Garland, of Virginia, introduced a counter project to that of the Committee of Ways and Means, by which he proposed to employ State banks, as the fiscal agents of the Government.
Issue of Treasury Notes.—The bill for the issue of Treasury Notes was taken up in the Senate on the 19th and passed.

Extension of Revenue Bonds.—The bill postponing the payment of the public bonds was taken up, and after having been read a third time, was finally passed.

Settlement of claims on the Deposite-Banks.—The bill for the settlement of claims by the Government on the Deposite Banks was taken up, read a third time and passed.

In the House, on the 19th, the several bills passed by the Senate were taken up and referred to the committee of Ways and Means, and the House then went into committee of the whole, on the bill to postpone the fourth instalment of the deposite with the States. After some remarks by Messrs. M'Kay, Bell, Wise, Robertson, and Cambreleng, the committee rose, and the House adjourned.

In the Senate, on the 20th, the bill imposing additional duties on public officers as depositories for receiving the public money came up in committee of the whole. Mr. Calhoun moved his amendment to the bill. Mr. Niles then spoke two or three hours, in favor of the amendment.

The House, on the 20th, took up Mr. Wise's resolution on the Florida war. Mr. Holsey of Georgia replied to the charges alleged against the Government—Mr. Cushing made some remarks in reply—and the debate was not terminated, when Mr. Cambreleng called up the Orders of the Day.

The House then, on motion of Mr. Cambreleng, resolved itself into a committee of the whole, (Mr. Haynes of Georgia, in the chair,) and resumed the consideration of the deposite postponement bill.

In Senate, on the 21st, an interesting debate took place on Mr. Rives' proposition, to employ the State banks as depositories.—Mr. Calhoun opposed the measure, as calculated to throw the money into the power of Mr. Biddle, whose financial abilities were great, and who was ambitious to "assume again the high function of controlling the currency and banking power of this country, through the credit of the Government." Mr. C., said that the measure proposed by Mr. Rives would inure alone to the benefit of the Pennsylvania Bank of the United States, and those in league with it. Mr. Rives disclaimed the slightest intention to favor the interests of Mr. Biddle's Bank, and believed it the least likely of any to obtain benefit from the proposed act.

In the House, on the 21st, the resolution of Mr. Wise in reference to the Florida war, was discussed without taking the question. The bill postponing the fourth instalment, was also discussed.

In Senate, on the 22nd, several petitions against the establishment of a national bank were presented. The Senate took up, in committee of the whole, the bill imposing additional duties on certain officers, as depositories in certain cases, which was under discussion until the adjournment.

In the House, on the 22nd, several petitions and memorials were presented. The House then took up the inquiry into the Florida war, in the shape of the following resolution, offered by Mr. Wise, on the 19th.

Resolved, That a select committee be appointed by ballot to inquire into the cause of the Florida war, and into the causes of the delays and failures, and the expenditures which have attended the prosecution of that war, and into the manner of its conduct, and the facts of its history generally; that the said committee have power to send for persons and papers; and that it have power to sit in the recess; and that it make report to the next session of Congress.

Mr. Glascock had moved to amend the foregoing resolution by striking out all after the word "resolved," and inserting the following:

"That a select committee be appointed to inquire into the cause of the Florida war, and the causes of the extraordinary delays and failures, and the expenditures which have attended the prosecution of the same, and all the facts connected with its history generally; and that said committee have power to send for persons and papers."

Without taking the question, the House proceeded to the Order of the Day, in Committee of the whole on the state of the Union, viz; the bill to postpone the fourth instalment with the States, which was under discussion 'till the committee rose, and the House adjourned.