Richmond Palladium

TWENTY-SEVENTH CONGRESS,...SECOND SESSION.

[Correspondence of the Baltimore Clipper.]

WASHINGTON August 1, 1842.

In the House of Representatives a rather exciting debate arose on a motion by Mr. Browne to amend the journal. He contended that Mr. Arnold, who was acting as Speaker pro tem on Saturday, had adjourned the House without taking the question on the adjournment. Mr. Arnold insisted that he did put the question. Mr. Ingersoll's impression was the same as Mr. Browne's, while the recollection of Mr. Gentry coincided with that of Mr. Arnold. Finally Mr. Andrews moved to lay the whole subject on the table.— Mr. Browne wishing to reply to Mr. Gentry, desired the motion might be withdrawn for that purpose. Mr. Andrews refused, and a rather warlike demonstration took place between the two gentlemen, after which the motion to lay on the table prevailed.

After the disposal of some private bills, the bill legalizing certain appropriations stricken out of the civil and diplomatic bills was taken up, read a third time and passed.

The House then went into committee of the whole, and took up the Senate bill for the reorganization of the army. It was debated until the hour for closing the committee without any question.

In the Senate the army bill was reported from the finance committee, who refused to recede from the amendments to which the House did not agree. It was laid over till to-morrow. Mr. Walker asked leave to introduce a bill reducing the term of naturalization from five to two years. After some debate, the motion for leave was laid on the table. The amendments of the House to the Florida armed occupation bill were concurred in. The remainder of the day was devoted to the tariff bill, the question being on the motion of Mr. Buchanan to strike out the distribution clause.

August 2, 1842.

In the House of Representatives, Mr. Pendleton made a report from the select committee appointed in relation to the conduct of the Secretary of the Navy in the construction of a steamer for Lake Erie. It appears to have been charged that the Secretary deviated from instructions, the report was ordered to be printed. Mr. Irwin from the same committee, gave notice of a minority report.

Mr. Adams moved to take up the resolutions, of the Select committee appointed to consider the President's "reasons" for signing the Apportionment bill.

Objection being made, Mr. A. moved to suspend the rules, but without success.

After the disposal of several printed bills, and the reference of other matters from the Senate, the House resumed the consideration of the resolutions of the committee on Indian affairs, demanding copies of a report made relative to alleged frauds on the Cherokees, which copies the Secretary of War had refused to send on the ground that the whole testimony had not been received.

Mr. Gwin opposed the resolution. He was followed by Mr. Cushing who spoke until the order of the day was called. The House then resolved itself into committee of the whole, and took up the bill for reducing the army. The point under debate was that section authorizing military superintendents at Harper's Ferry. No question was taken.

In the Senate, after the miscellaneous business of the morning, the tariff bill was taken up. The question was, on motion of Mr. Buchanan, to strike out the distribution section.

August 3, 1842.

In the House of Representatives, after the reference of numerous printed bills, the bill providing for the reduction and reorganization of the army was again considered in committee of the whole.

The question pending, was on an amendment offered by Mr. Mason, of Ohio, providing for the disbanding of the second regiment of Dragoons on the 1st of October next.

Mr. Edwards, of Missouri, made a short speech in opposition to the amendment. The question then being taken, the amendment was agreed to.

Mr. Cave Johnson then offered a long substitute for the whole bill. His substitute proposed to reduce the army to the standard of 1821. It was debated for some hours, by Messrs. Granger, Reynolds, Blake and others. At three o'clock the debate ceased, and the question was taken on the numerous amendments; but as there was not a full attendance, the vote cannot be considered indicative of the fate on the amendments when reported to the House.

In the Senate last evening, the motion of Mr. Buchanan to strike out the Distribution section of the tariff bill was negatived, yeas 22, nays 26.— This morning the debate on the bill was renewed, and numerous proposed amendments rejected by a large majority.

August 4, 1842.

In the House of Representatives, Mr. Tillinghast made an ineffectual motion to take up the bill making an appropriation for the preservation of articles brought by the exploring expedition.

The report of Indian committee, censuring the Secretary of War for refusing to transmit copies of reports relative to frauds on the Cherokees, was debated during the morning hour by Messrs. Cushing, Everett and Cooper. No question was taken.

The consideration of the Senate bill reducing the army was then resumed. The amendment of Mr. Calhoun, of Mass, striking out that section authorizing military superintendents at Springfield and Harper's Ferry, was agreed to. The amendment of Mr. Mason, of Ohio, disbanding in October next the second regiment of dragoons, was also concurred in. The bill having been amended in several other particulars, was then reported to the Senate.

The House then went into committee of the whole, when Mr. Arnold moved to take up the bill reducing the pay of members. The motion was negatived by an overwhelming majority.

The bill regulating the taking of testimony in cases of contested elections was then taken up and debated during the residue of the day.

A message was received from the President, stating that he had signed the Naval Appropriation bill.

The Senate has been hard at work on the tariff bill. Numerous amendments were rejected as fast as offered.

August 5, 1842.

In the House of Representatives, the morning hour was again occupied in the further consideration of the resolutions of the Indian committee, censuring the Secretary of War for refusing to send copies of papers on the subject of frauds on the Cherokees.

Mr. Cooper, chairman of the committee, replied to the speech of Mr. Cushing, and argued that the House had a right to demand any paper of the above character from the executive department.

Mr. Adams coincided in the position, and spoke until the hour expired. The remainder of the day was devoted to printed bills.

In the Senate last evening, the Tariff bill was ordered to a third reading. This morning the question being on the passage of the bill, Mr. Calhoun took the floor and made a long speech against it. Mr. Benton followed on the same side.

The debate was further kept up by Messrs. Woodbury, Evans, Simmons, and others, when the question was taken on the passage of the bill and decided in the affirmative, as follows:

Yeas—Messrs. Archer, Barrow, Bates, Bayard, Choate, Clayton, Conrad, Crafts, Crittenden, Dayton, Evans, Huntington, Kerr, Mangum, Merrick, Miller, Morehead, Phelps, Porter, Simmons, Smith, of Indiana, Sprague, Tallmadge, White, and Woodbridge—25.

Nays—Messrs. Allen, Bagby, Benton, Buchanan, Calhoun, Cuthbert, Fulton, Graham, King, Linn, McRoberts, Preston, Rives, Sevier, Smith, of Connecticut, Sturgeon, Tappan, Walker, Wilcox, Williams, Woodbury, Wright, and Young; 23.

And then the Senate adjourned at 5 P. M.