Phenix Gazette

From the National Journal, March 2.

CONGRESS.

In the Senate on Saturday, Mr. McKinley presented a Protest from the Legislature of Alabama against the tariff. Six thousand copies of the map representing the country through which the proposed canal across the Peninsula of Florida, connecting the Atlantic with the Gulf of Mexico, were ordered to be published. Mr. Webster's resolution, requesting the President to cause copies of the instructions given to our Ministers appointed to attend the Congress at Panama, and copies of communications to other governments on the subject, to be laid before the Senate, was considered, and after an animated discussion, was laid on the table by a vote of 23 to 22. The bill from the House of Representatives making appropriations for the public buildings, was passed with amendments making appropriations for the erection of a portico on the north front of the President's House, and for the enclosure of the public square west of the Capitol. The Senate meets to-day at ten o'clock.

In the House of Representatives, the report of the Committee on the Library, in reference to the reprinting of the scarce documents, was again the subject of discussion during the morning hour. Mr. Hoffman occupied the floor until the discussion was suspended. After which, the House proceeded to act on the various bills ordered to a third reading, and the bills and amendments from the Senate. A joint resolution from the Senate, on the subject of a military road through the State of Maine, which had been referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs was reported by that Committee, accompanied by a resolution declaring it to be 'inexpedient' to act on the subject at present. Mr. Sprague moved to strike out the word 'inexpedient' and to substitute the word 'expedient,' which was carried in the affirmative; and the resolution was then changed, on motion of Mr. Sergeant, for one authorizing the President to mark out the Military road whenever he shall think it called for by the honor and interests of the country. After some other bills had been acted on, the House resolved itself into Committee of the Whole on the bill to compensate Susan Decatur, widow of Captain Stephen Decatur, and others. Motions were made to amend the bill so as to introduce the officers and crew of the brig Syren, but they were negatived, and the Committee rose and reported the bill without amendment; after which, the question was taken on the engrossment of the bill, and decided in the negative. The bill was therefore rejected by a vote of 88 to 80.