New York Daily Tribune

In Congress.
Friday, February 17.

In the Senate, among the petitions presented, was one from citizens of Delaware asking the creation and distribution among the States of two hundred millions of Government stock. Mr. Wright also presented the proceedings of the New-York Chamber of Commerce with regard to the bill reducing the number and salaries of Custom House officers in this City. The Committee strongly remonstrate against the passage of the bill and present a statement in support of their views. They allege that the value of imports for the past three years was nearly double that of the years immediately preceding 1826; that the district has been doubled in extent; that the number of importers has been very largely increased and that these facts, which they support by statistical statements, fully justify the increase in the number of Custom House officers—a number not greater, in their judgement, than is demanded by the usual business of the port. Mr. Wright hoped the bill would be referred back to the Committee by which it had been reported, that this document might be taken into consideration. On motion of Mr. Huntington this was done. After a protracted debate concerning the remission of Gen. Jackson's fine the Senate adjourned.

In the House, on motion of Mr. Graham, a resolution was adopted instructing the Committee on Indian Affairs to inquire into the expediency of paying the Cherokees of North Carolina a sum of money for spoliations committed by Government agents after 1835.

The House then proceeded to the consideration of the motion to print Mr. Ingersoll's Report, on Mr. Johnson's scheme of a National Loan to the States. Mr. W. C. Johnson addressed the House at some length in support of his scheme. He said that, however gentlemen might seek to avoid the matter, it was inevitable that the great contest and struggle in this nation would be on the QUESTION of RELIEF or REPUDIATION. This he declared to be the natural tendency of events. In certain sections of the country the doctrine of virtual Repudiation is evidently gaining strength, and sooner or later the question of Relief must come up to meet it. The Committee, he said, had treated the question improperly: they had spoken of the memorials referred to them as if they asked the issue of two hundred millions of currency, whereas in fact the issue of stock only was proposed, out of which a good currency might grow. He proceeded to analyze and condemn the Report of Mr. Ingersoll as inconsistent with itself, and as presenting false issues before the people. He called upon the members of Congress who opposed this plan of relief to bring forward some plan of their own. He wished them to say distinctly whether they were for direct taxation, for repudiation, or for some better plan than he had presented. If any one would bring up a better one, he pledged himself to support it with all his strength. The Committee, he said, had evidently expected to stop this question at once, and destroy all agitation of it; but this had been tried before, and it would now, as it did then, prove worse than fruitless. The real loss to the nation of wealth by depreciation of property, caused by the derangement of the currency and by the evils this scheme was intended to remedy, he said was more than ten times the amount of stock proposed to be issued.

The amendments to the Army appropriation were debated in Committee of the Whole. The item appropriating $100,000 for the continuation of improvements on the Western Rivers, was supported by Mr. Weller and others, and after a long debate was rejected—ayes 93; noes 98. An amendment offered by Mr. Thompson to make appropriations for the continuation of the Cumberland road was also rejected. The amendment of the Senate, appropriating $2,000 for the continuation of the meteorological observations at the Military posts was concurred in. The House soon adjourned.