The Caledonian

From Washington.

Washington, Tuesday, May 7.

SENATE. The following bills, heretofore ordered to a third reading, were passed: Appropriating $400,000 for the continuation of the Cumberland Road through Ohio, Indiana and Illinois; authorizing allowances to Officers and Seamen of public vessels, wrecked at sea, for private property lost; applying certain alternate sections of Public Land to the completion of works of Internal Improvement in Michigan; granting Lands to Indiana to extend and complete the Wabash and Erie Canal from Terre Haute to the Ohio.

HOUSE. Mr Duncan concluded his electioneering harangue in Committee of the Whole on the Union, the tariff being nominally under consideration.

Mr Stephens of Ga. made a thorough-going defence of the Protective system and the present Tariff. He glanced, in passing, at some political topic, commenting playfully upon the wofully confused state of the "Democratic" party since the recent elections in Virginia, Connecticut, Maryland, &c, insomuch that Mr Ritchie, who had formerly declared he would sink or swim with Mr Van Buren, now, in danger of the former alternative, came out and abandoned that ground. He spoke eloquently of the Whig party, their sameness throughout the Union, the constancy of their principles at divers places and times, their assurance of success at the coming Presidential election, &c.

Wednesday, May 8.

House.

The Tariff Bill was taken up and Mr Duncan commenced addressing the Committee. He displayed several banners, which he said had been used in 1840 by the Whigs, for the purpose of showing that their principles were not now the same as at that time. These banners it was said on the floor were not genuine, but have been manufactured by the Locofocos for the occasion.

When the hour for closing the debate arrived, the vote was taken on the amendment to the bill, increasing the duty on coarse wool from 15 to 30 per cent. The amendment was rejected-Yeas 44, Nays 77.

A motion was then made to increase it to 25 per ct. Adopted-Yeas 85, Nays 75.

An amendment was adopted, making the duty on raw silk 15 per cent, instead of 12, as proposed by the bill. Yeas 74, Nays 62.

A great variety of other amendments were then offered, nearly all of which were rejected.

Thursday, May 9.

House. After the organization of the House to-day, Mr Potter, of Ohio, rose and announced the death of his colleague, Mr Henry R. Brinkerhoff, of the 21st Congressional District of that State, where-upon the House adjourned, as did the Senate upon the same announcement in that body.

Friday, May 10.

SENATE. The Committee on Military Affairs reported against the bill to regulate the pay of the Army and Navy.

The following bills were read a third time and passed:

For the payment of the fourth regiment, in the second brigade and third division of Vermont militia, for services at the battle of Plattsburg.

A bill to grant to the State of Illinois the right of way through the public lands of the United States and for other purposes.

[For proceedings of the House to-day, see another column--its action upon the British Tariff Bill]

On Saturday the Senate was not in session, and the House attended to matters concerning the District of Columbia.