Congress

The friends of liberty in congress are jeginning to see the necesity of ndepentent nominations n voting for the officers )f that body. At the election for SpeaIter, Mr. Lawrence, of Pa., received five , otes. Those who voted for him were Ad ( uns, Gates, Giddings, Maitocks, and Slade. Mr. Borden voted for Briggs. Let them be honored for iheirconsistency thus far. The slave states have had the speaker of the House twenty-sevcn out of thirty years and have made surè of it for two years longer. In ihe Senate, a propositionwas madeto recognize the Executive by the tille of Vice President, hut, it failed. In the House, the motion made by Mr. Wisc the day previous, to adopt the former rules of the House for ten days, and in the meantime have a commitiee of nine appointed to revise said rules, and report thereon within the said ten days, was taken up, to which Mr: Adams moved an amendment, excepting the 21st rule, which is the Gag. Mr. Adams spoke for nearly ihree quar ters of on hour in favor of his amendmcnt. He had but Hule choice what the rules of the House were : the mnjority of the House would suspend them whenever they pleased. He gave a history of the adoption of the rule, and showed by the composition of the vote, that it was emphatically a de mocratic or administration measure. He spoko of is geographical relations - it tfas the measure of the South against the North - it was the oppression of the people of the Norlh by the South. Not more than one in ten of all the petitions coming from the Norlh of Mason and Dixon's line had been received, whilst every one coming from the South of thal line was received without hesitation. Mr. A. then requested the Clerk to read certain resoltttions adopted by the Legislature of Mas sachusetts, solernnly protesting against the 21st. rule, as a violation of ihe Constilution, as a bold denial of inalienahle righïs and a stretch of power that can never be quietly submiited lo by a free people, and declaring that ihe rule is of no binding force on the people, or their representatives. Mr. A. said be had presented those resolutions and moved their reference to a select committee, whch not agreed, to. He ihen moved that they be printed and the House refused even that. He con cluded by reminding the IVhig members of the House that lhey carne here to reform the vices and crimes of the administration, and among them none was of a decper dye than this. The whole subject was laidon the table for the present. Wednesday June 2d - The Senate was occupied with ihe election of the Chairmen of the Standing committees which was done by ballot. Mr. Rives is Chairman of Foreign Relations, Mr. C!ny offinance,Mr Linn,ofagriculture,Mr Preston of Military affiirs, Mr. Mangrum of Naval affaire, Mr. Merrick of the District of Columbia, Mr. Henderson of the Post Office, Mr. Morehcad of Indian affairs, Mr. Graham of Claims. In the House, a committee of one from each State was oppointcd lo act jointly with a commiltce from the Senate in proposing a suitiblo tribute of respect to the memory of President Harrison, and also so much of the message as relates to his decease was referred lo ihat commillee. The deathof Mr. Ogle of Pa. was announced, whereupon the House adjourned with the usual resolutions of respect. Thursday June 3d. In the Senate - Mr. Clay's motion for a commitiee to report a bil! for ihsropeaï üf ihe Sub-Treasury law, wasdebated. Mr. Gulhoun said he knew perfectly well that the only alter native was a Sub-Treasury, or a Bank o the United Siatcs. Mr. Rives thought there were many al ternatives. Thcre were the State Banks the Bank of the United States as former" ly organizedand there was a fiscal agent which mighl be marked by a very different character. He was in favor of obeying the voice of the nation by a repeal of the Sub-Treasury. In the House, the question being to refer the rules of the House to a committee for revisión, and Mr Adam's amendment rescinding the 2lst rule coming up,Mr. Underwood vvish ed to propose several other amendments to the rules, for the purpose ofcorrecting various abuses which were prevalent in the proceedings of the House. He men- tioned the various ways in which time was unnecessarily consumed. He dwelt on the disgrace and disorder attending personal allusions on the floor, and had more than once witnesscd cases of assaultind battery tínder the very nose of the Speaker, and had often heard language of er8onal insult ïn debate which was too íbul for repetition. Mr. Wise remarked in reply to the asertion of Mr. Adams, Ihat the adoption f the 21st. rule was a measure of the ate administraron, ihatlherewas no evdence whatever of the truth of the asserion . The rule was brought forward by Mr. Cost Johnson of Maryland, a eound whig, and supported by all the Southem whigs. So far from the rules oppressing the North, as had been alledged by Mr. Adams, the fact was exactly the reverse. The rule prevenís the North from oppressing the South. With their schools,and books,ond lectures, and associations, and friends, he North possessed sufticient meansofannoying the South, without permitting themto agitate the question in that Hall . The rule had not cxcluded a single petition from the North, except abolitiou petilione. Congress had heard these petitions more than forty years. More than a million of abolition petitione had been received. They had been examined, discussed, reported on and rejected, over ana over again, and vva8 it not time to stop thia farce? Mr. Adams repeated his former declafation that the adoption of the rule was a measure of the Democratie party. He had demonstrated it geographically and politically. Mr.W. Cost Johnson denied that it was. a p;irty movement. It was brought forward by him without concert with any ona and was supported by both parties. Mr. Stade proposed to modify the amend ment, by striking out the words, "and ia hereby rescinded" so thal the rule should be excepted, and then the other rulea would be adopted, dropping this; and if the House should conclude to act only on the business designated in the Presidents message, there would be no necessity of pronouncing any judgment on the rule at the present Session. Mr. Adams declined making the modificati'in. Mr. Slade moved to strike out the words "and is hereby rescinded." After some further debate, the question was demnnded and the question being "shall the main question now be put." It was deci'Jed in the negative - 77 to 90, so that the whole subject was postponed to another day. Mr. Ewing's report on Finance was luid before the House. In regard fo a Bank, no plan is given, but such an instiu tion is strongly recommended. Mr. Ewing thinks a fiscal agent of the kind would produce thehappiest results, if it could be so framed as to be free from constltutional oljections. Mr. Wise moved to cali on the Secretary of the Treasurj for his plan of a fiscal agent, which would be from constitutional objections. Mr. Underwood moved a resolution, as a Bulsátute, declaring that it was expedient to establish a National Bank! This would test the sense of the House at once, and every one could say immediately, Bankor noBank. The House arljourned to Monday. Friday June In the Senate Mr# Clay reported a bilí to repeal the SubTreasury act. It was read twice, and made the order of the day for Monday next. Sume conversaron then took place, on the propriety, at this Extra session, of un. derlaking the depatch of ordinary business, after which the Senate adjourned to Monday. Monday June 7th. The House to day assumed the consideration of Mr. Wise""s motion toadopt the rules of the last House and the question being on Mr. Adam's amendment rescinding the 21st rule. Mr. Wise was opposed to the amendment, because the rule wasnecessary for the despatch of business. Mr Adams spoke to the amendment at great length. He referred to the position he had taken when he first entered the House, against the abolition of slavery in the National District, until the people of the District should thciiiselves ask it. When thai timo carne he should move its aboliiion, if he should be there, which he was sure he should not be. He had no doubt that Congress had the power to abolish slavery there. Let the Stutes, if Ihcy please, main tain slavery qs long as they can. When that conflict begins, concerning which Mr. J efferson says the Almighty has r.o attribute that can take part with the slave-holder - it would be a question how far the people rf the free States are bound to fight the battles of slavery. Mr A. viewed the quesiion of the recep tionof petitions as infinitely more important than all the olher questions that agitated the nation. While States and naions were agitated by questions growing 3ut of slavery, this House alone was de-' jarred from entertaining any proposition m the subject. He took the ground, that ill manner of petitions should be received ivhich were couchedin proper terms. After some further discussion, Mr. Adims' amendment wasagreed to, yeas 112 - nays 104. So the Gag was excepted. The resolution amended as above was idopted, 123 to91. June 9. - The bilí to repeal the SubFreasury act passed the Senate, yeas, 30 -nays 1G - absent 5.