The Ottawa Free Trader

From Washington

Washington, Dec. 31

House - A resolution was adopted postponing the election of Clerk and officers until Thursday. A large number of petitions and memorials were presented and referred. Mr. Stanton presented a bill extending the franking privilege to Mrs. Polk. Passed forthwith. Petitions against employing Chaplains in the Army and Navy, and Congress, were presented and referred. Short notices of bills to be presented were given by members. Mr. Baker presented a memorial from D. F. Miller, of Iowa, contesting the seat of W. T. Holman - which was referred to the Committee on Elections. The Standing committees were then announced as follows:

Committee on Ways and Means -- Bailey, Jacob Thompson, Wm. Green, Thos. Hubbard, Ducre, John J. McRae, Joseph Hampton

District of Columbia -- Brown of Miss., Angell, Taylor, Fuller, Morton, Hammond, Allen, Williams, Underwood

Judiciary -- Thompson of Pa., Miller, Ashmun, Meneely, Michael C. Kerr, Venable, Thaddeus Stevens, Millson

Territories -- Boyd, Charleston, Rockwell, Levin, Clingman, Kaufman, Galt, Fitch, Giddings.

Foreign Affairs -- McClernand, McDowell, Winthrop, Harrison, Hillard, Woodward, Stanton, Bayard, Spaulding

In session -- A message in writing was received from the President. Numerous memorials and petitions were presented, and among them one from citizens of Kentucky, claiming to be lineal descendants of Jo Smith, the Mormon Prophet, objecting to the establishment of the Government of Deseret and charging the people of the Salt Lake with treasonable designs -- they having taken secret oath to avenge the death of Jo Smith upon the nation, and to pursue that design until the end of time. Mr. Underwood wished read in connection with the memorial an extract from a statement made in the St. Louis Republican, which stated that the citizens of Deseret were lawlessly trying citizens of Missouri, on a charge of aiding in the expulsion of the Mormons from Missouri -- that they were exacting duties on goods and luggage of California emigrants passing through their city. Mr. Underwood thought the statement gave coloring to the memorial. Mr. Douglas said he had seen the statement and interrogated Brighatt, the Representative from Deseret, who explained by saying that the citizens of the Salt Lake, having formed a government, found it necessary to establish means of revenue and impose a duty upon all goods brought into the city whether by Mormons or not, but no duty was exacted upon goods going to California. The memorial was referred to the Committee on Territories.

A resolution was received from the House granting to Mrs. Polk the franking privilege. The resolution was read and adopted. The Senate went into Executive session, and then adjourned till Thursday, Jan. 3.