The Herald

[Correspondence of Hudson's Merchants' News Rooms.]

WASHINGTON, Feb. 29. 1836.

The Senate to-day received the resignation of the Hon. John Tyler, of Virginia, who, in compliance with the wishes of the Legislature of Virginia, yields his robes of office, and it is reputed that the Hon. William C. Rives will be his successor. It is not yet known what course shall be adopted by Mr. Leigh; but the prevailing opinion is, that he will not give up his place. The Senate was employed the whole day with a discussion on a proposition to reject a petition of the citizens of Pennsylvania praying the Abolition of Slavery in the District of Columbia. I did not attend.

In the House of Representatives, a petition from the New York Trades Union praying Congress to regulate the hours of labor in the public service, was offered by Mr. Eli Moore, and referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals, on motion of Mr. Grinnell of Massachusetts. Mr. Moore asked for a Select Committee. but was not successful. All of the New York Delegation voted for the Select Committee.

Mr. Granger of New York offered a petition from the inhabitants of Green county, New York, praying for the Abolition of Slavery in the District of Columbia ; and was about to say something in favor of the petition, when Mr. Polk called him to order, and said that the petition must be referred to the Select Committee without remark. Upwards of one hundred petitions on the subject were received from other sections of the country, and referred to the same Committee.

Mr. Patton offered a series of Resolutions from the Legislature of Virginia on the subject of Slavery, which he asked to have referred to the Committee on the District of Columbia, with instructions to report "forthwith," that Congress has no power to legislate on the subject of Slavery in the District of Columbia. A debate ensued, in which Messrs. Patton and Wise of Virginia, and Halsey of Georgia, took part, and was not concluded at 5 o'clock.

Mr. Wise and Mr. Speaker Polk got involved in a quarrel about order as usual. Mr. Wise was called to order, and directed to take his seat. From this decision Mr. Wise appealed to the House. The Ayes and Noes were demanded and taken, and it was decided by a vote of 112 to 72, that Mr. Wise was out of order. The debate and quarrel lasted the larger part of the day, and this destroyed the process of legislation. Mr. Wise is a very able and talented man; but as he hates Mr. Polk most cordially, he never speaks without getting into a rage and a quarrel. A strong effort will be made to-morrow to get up and pass the Fire Bill.