Historical Newspapers of South Carolina

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Domestic Nvws. EXTRACTS From the Report of the Committec of"fays and Means, on the state of the Treasury tid the erpenditures oJ the Government, P"vmiitted by Mr. Vambreleng, to the H. of Representatives, January 24, 1839. By the 63d rule of the House of Repre sentatives, it is made the duty of the Com mittee on Ways and Means to "inquire into the state of the revenue and expeudi tre, and to report, from time to time,their opition thereon." The condition of our fitances renders the discharge of this duty particnlarly necessary at the pre'enlt time. Our extraordiniary expenditures have, within a few years, been unavoidably large,and our revenue has rapidly declined since 1836. In that year our income for customs and lands was more than forty eight millions; in 1837 (including the post poned bonds) it was about twenty-lour millions; and for the past year (deducting the postponed bonds) anout fourteen mtl lions and a half. The revival of trade will increase the revenue both from customs tind lands, and, notwithstaning the pro gressive reduction in our tariff, it will prub ably be sufficient to meet the wants of an economical administration of the Govern ment. We have, however, no just reason to anticipate such an excess of revenueas to warrant a continuance of extravagant expenditures; and the present reducied state of the Treasury atflords a proper oc casion to inquire what branches of these have been unnecessarily increased, and to endeavor to restore the aggregate expense of the Federal Government to the eco nomical basis contemplated by the act of the 21st March, 1833, anal correspondin-g with the mnaximumn duty of 20 per cent. ad oalorein after June, 18-1:, proposed- by that act. Our Federal expenditures have been -rapidly. though irregularly, i ncreasi ng,from 1789 to the present time. The fluctua tions appear to have been simnitaneous with an increasing or decreasing revenue -anoverflowing Treasury uniformly pro. ducing a sudden augmentation of our ap propriations. Independent however,of stcb occasional extravagance, it was natural to anticipate, especially in the first half cen tury of its existence, a steady increase of the civil, military and naval expenditures of a Government which had no stch es tablishments at its origin; and particularly in a country which has, in so short a pe riod, doubled the number of States in the Confederacy, enlar:;ed its boundary of set tlement to near 5 times its extent in 1790, increased its population from less than four to near seventeen millions; and extended - its post route from 1,S75 to near 133,000 miles. During the war, large investments were made by our capitalists in manufactures; and when it was over, the principle of our revenue laws was entirely reversed. Our taxes were no longer graduated by the wants of Government, but by the demands of our capitalists for protection; thus sub stituting the incident for the principal. Our tariffs were revised without any re gard to the condition of our finances, ahd a broad foundation was laid for a redundant revenue. The consequence was a rapirl extinguishment of a public debt, funded and unfunded, of one hundred and fifty .Millions of dollars. Anticipating this re demption, appropriations in every branch of the public service were increased, and still more extensively to absor a prospec tive surplus, new objects of expenditure .%were sought for, which had been before considered under the jturisdictiotn of the States. Surveys were anthorized, laying the foundation for a Federal system of ,oads, cimals, harbors, and other improve metms, sufficient to exhtanst any surplus which mighm possibly occur. Extrava gatnce was demed patriotic, as designed to perpetuate rjotection to manufactures. The one was ndispensable to the other, -and fo-r a ti~i the nights of the tax payer were wholly disregarded. This attempt to interfere with the rights of the States, and to enlarge Federal ju risdiction, eendituere and patronage, was partiall eted at an early stage, by leaving he States the exclusive and consiti ttional control over their roads and canal Butt there still remaitned other expendtrs which wil be noticeed here after, equally foreign, as the cotmmittee think, to tief ' imate dutties of a cotnfed orated Govrs nt. But notwithstand ing theese, the e ravagant tendency of a sturplus, atnd tledrapid redemptiotn of our pmublic debt, weflave been already cotm .pelled to dfogatite eight-nd -twetnty miil lions ii he States. Fortuttately, howv over, this as6istion of ptrotectione, sur plus, and -. gance, is no longer thce policy 0 'overnmeat. Both Houses, by overwbiesmin majorities, revived our ancient prinbip jl, evenue in the act of 2d of March, 1833. e foturth clattse of the 3d section of that aetrrovides that af ter the 30th of June, 1842, uties shall be laid for the purpose of rca vsuch reve uine as may be necessa - a economi eat administration of4overnmaent." Believing, as the c" ltee do, that no other policy can be Wnanently sustained in a confede eendent States, they dee ~ ent to examine out ex penditu otail to 'ascertain what re forms ha introduced to bring them dowrf..t16e onomnical standard permna noentlidinte~Tplatedl by the act of 1833. ~O'sing to appropiations of the charneter refecrred to, antd to others wvhich will be mililbed, there is a very considerable appa *e'ti iiese of the Federal expendietures 'in the lhst'ten years. The appropriations fr1838, inclu'dinu; those under permanett acts, amounted to about ihirty-eighet mil lions ofrdollars. -in comprising thiese witi. the expenditures in 1829, the following Items will be found in the former whicb were not in the latter, viz: For preventing anid sup pressing lndian hos * tiuities. $1,000,000 - The same, and for the Cherokee treaty 6,740,000 removal of Indians~ant nuitiee.c.3,000 000 Do.do. in1829, ontly, 423,000.. 2,40,000 -$I0,380,000 F1~or appropriations for the PostOf . fire, ttot eighraxced iany kill pati andsine 49 as ys. eapenges an. padJ out of dio postages $4,560,000 For the protection of-the northern frontier 625,000 For a nominal item in the navy ap priation bill, being a more transfer of an texpended ap propriation for the gradual in provement of the navy to the years 1939 and 1840 1,500,000 17,065.000 There has been an increase in almost ev.ry branch (it expendi tore but principally in the fol lowing: The appropriations for pensions in 1838, were $2,058,500 Do. do. under permanent acts 1,350,000 3,408,500 Total expendi tures in 1829, revolutionary $764,492 Do. do. do. other 184.102 949,594 - 2,458,906 Harbors &e. appropria tionis in 183" 1,535.000 Expenditures in 1829 505,000 - 1,030,000 Congressional expenses, appropriations in 1838, owing,in parttothe long session 982.000 Expenditures in 1829, 467.000 - 515,000 Light-houses, appropria tions in 1836 6033.000 Expenditures in 1829 291,500 - 371,500 In Executive. Territorial, Judicial and miscellaneous expenditures 830.000 $223-2,40 Ournaval and military expenees have been greater since 1829; ihe former owing. in part, to tho uncertainty, at one tittle. of our relations with France, and the latter to Indian wars. But our expenditnres have been, since then, increased in every branch by augmentation of the amount of commercial credit, which adds to the cost of all our supplies. The Legislative expenses of the Fede ral Government for the first ten years were annually, on an average, about ,171,000; the appropriations for the year 1.83 were $982,000. A part of this has ariseti from tihe increase in the number of members of Congress; but the most extrava-ant in ci ease ha-; occurred in the contingent expen ses of both Houses. In the first ten years these did not amount to mnore than M10. 000 annually; while the appropriations the past year were $373,960. Alihoug iunder tho immediate observation and contril or Congress, there is no branch of the public service where there has been more abuse and extravagance. Thousands of loeo ments, in many instancespfrno importance, are annually printed; and the contiagent funds of the two nouses have been, for some years past, charged with the expense of furnishing members with books. There has been, and still remains to be paid, on two contracts of this character, $781,023 37, not only to supply-those who are actu ally in Congress, but others who have not been members for many years past. Should such expeuditures be continued, this will very soon become an important item; and in any event, a large amount will still be required to fulfil contracts for books in no manner belonging to the le gitimate contingencies of either House of Congress. The expenditures of the Executive De partment were, in the ten years 'fter spe eife appropriations were made,about S 195 100 annually; the appropriation for 1838 was $75,0 i0. This iter has steadily in creased with the growvth of otur country and its various establishments, requiring Exe utive agency and superin'endence. Some ihing would probably 'ie saved if there were one contingent fund under the contrrl af the Secretary, for all the offices of each Department. Otur complicated system of )eounts, too' was establihed many years ago; and a inore judicious organization of the Departments might introduce greater simplicity and economy, it is impossible. owever, to avoidl a uniform increase in his branch of the public expenrditure, vhile we continue to multiply our laws at very session, which mutst be carried into AfThct by thre Executive Departmentsa; and while we rapidly increase, as we hatve lone of late, the numbier of resolutions iu yoth Houses. calling for information, and requently involving great laboi and ex ese. These approprmations have been, and ust continue to he. very tuneqal among ho States- Trhe Union has ai comimon in - erest in bait few of thema. It maly have in hose running through or in the neighbor ood of our puIblic lands, whlich add value o the common properry. But it is cer ainly unjust to apply the money collected n some States to mere local improve nenrs in a distant quarter of the Uinion, imply because they appertain to the zomn 'nrce of the count ry. If every imapmove near of harbors. rivers, and creeks, andl the auilding of piers,is to be considereud national a its character and benefits, it is dillicult to lene any limit whatever to hie juridiction af the Federal Government. or to say to what purpose tire common funtd of the Unii >n nagot be app~lied. The distribution une during the last thirteen yeatrs among e States, proves, incontestably, the ir'jnis ice of these expenditures. Thre whole a mount approprinted andr invested is 12.300), )00 dollars, of which 5 100,000 dollars has een granted to a district of country not ne hundred and fifty miles from the Capi o. Without inquiring into the itmpor ance of thre works patronized by the Fedl ral Government. it is sulficient to remark hat the mtost of the States have been, at he same time, employing their own mon y and credit on improvements infiniteiy more us'eful. and profitable, and better cail ~ulted to extend the commerce of the U. uon. Some of the States have not par icipated at all in these Federal appropria ions, while four Atates only may be char ~ed with 6,760,000 dollars out of the 12, 300,000 dollars, and some of the most ex pensive works remain to be completed in hee States. If it is intenrded to make this system permanent, justice requires that sonmb more jutst rule of distribution shold be adopted. .This system. if permanent. must also ve ry soon prove seriously detrimental to orr anval and mnilitari establishments~ and'd.e [Such Improvements, though generally tpercly local, are suppdrte d-in both.louses by a combination of votes, !vhich secures their preference over all other expehdi tures, however important the latter may be to the defence of the country: With an experience of only thirteen years. we have already a draft ofnear two millions annually tipon the Treasury for such im provements. Should we continue to in crease them, appropriations for national defence will become of secondary impor tance, and-will be reduced to increase the expendit ures for ourCongressional districts. Neither the condition of our finances nor the state of the world, warrants us in ap plying the public money to objects not connected with our common defence. Should the House determine on authori zing new appropriations for fortifications, harbors. &c., and on charging upon the revenue of 1839 S2,982,000, in addition to an tnexpeuded balance undrawn at the commencement of the yeae of $1,682,000, besides the amount in the hands of the disbursing officers, it will be necessary to instruct the committee as to the node of raising the revenue reqnired to meet these expenditures. There is no probability that the receipts from all sources in 1839 will he more tIhan sufficient to meet una voidable expenses, without the addition of ant txtraordinary appropriation whatever. The last year's revenne from customs and lands, exclusive of the postponed boeds. whicht formed part of the receiptm of 19:37. did tnt exceed fourteen millions and a half. Althou2h we may anticiptie a con siderable increase in the present year, it would be very unqafe to calctlate on a lar zer revenue than twenty'-tlree millions from both sources. On that basisthe fol lowing estimate is founded. The appro pritions stated in the estimate are nearly a million lets than those submitted by the Departtmtents,:ttd others estitnated for have not heen reported at all. Those stated be. how entbrace only indispensable appropri ations. State of th~e Treasury for 1839. R esources of 1839. The ascertained balance in thr. Treastiry on the ]it of January, exclusive of $500,0 for the uIse of the mint. ii $3,200,000 Receipts from cnstoms $18,000,000 " lands 5,000,000 -23,000,000 Balance due from late de posite haiks, being less than as stated by the Treasurer owing to un ticipated payments 2,300,000 From iiscellaneous sour. - ces 400.000 2,700.060 -$29,00000 Charges upon the Treasury. Appropriations authorized bi. former ncts, which will be required foi the public ser vice, btt were not drawn ont prior to the let January last. according- to the Treasury ac count $15.289,000 Appropriations already reported. viz: Indian annuities, &e. $.ti,9t0o Arny 5.348,22O Pensions 2,499,019 Norihern frontier 500 000 Navy 5,130,781 Civil andl diplomatic, de ducting the not.inni appropriation of $5, 100.000 for the Post - - Odice service ; 2,8,354 Parti:d appropriations ror Congressionat ex penditures, besides those included in the preceding hill 549,314 Cumberland rogad :100,000 -p 18,079.678 Appropriations uinde'r permanent laws for pensions, armaing and e'jiipping the militia,&c., inchtrd itng $750.000 for the gradtual imt provenment of the navy, ti-ansfer red at the last sesston 2,144,000 Ap.propriatiotns carried to the sutr ptlus funtd. which tnust be again upp priated 295,000 For tiie Military Academy (to be reported) 153,055 lFor preventintg and suipprossinlg Indian hostilities in Florida, (to be reported) . - 1,004,774 37,764,597 Of thte foregoing appropriations, - the:re will psrombably he nsadrawn at the close: of the year. (beinig the short smunn, the estimate is less ttan at the close of the at year) 13,000,000) 24.764,507 Certificates for return duties on mierchandise destroyed by tire at N. York, receivable in ptaymet for duties, as estimated by the comnssioners - 400,000 Treasury ntotes to be redeenmed 7,712,35 32,7;,857 Deduct resources .. ' 2$,IJ00,0l00I Deficit $3,97ti.d57 To meet this deficiency', tie' Secretary of the Treasury is authorized to sell the remaining bond of the hank of the United States, atnotnnting, with interest, to $2, 380.000, and there remains $82,287,6.50 of the Treasury notes authorized to be issued by the act of 1838.whc have not yet been issued. Shoul the former be sold, and the limitatiotn of the Trreasury note act of 1838 be extended to 30th June, and no ap propriations he authorized during the pre sent session but those embraced in the fdregoing state tment, there would be an es timated1 balance in the Treasury on the 1st Jautary next of-about $690'000. Even this balance will be reduced bysonm addi tions which will be necessarily made dut ring the session to the appropriations etnn tmerated in the foregoing statenent. Shoul Congress authorize the usual a mount of new approprietions, and the three mill ions proposed for fortifientions, bar bors, &c. it would be necessary, to pro vide five or six millions for the Treasury, in addition to all the resources and receipts existing or contemplated. All which ts, respectfully submitted by the Comm iittee of Ways and Means for the consideration of the House. W~e conclude 'in this day's paper, the inter esting report of Mr.. C~a'mbreleng, from the Committee of Ways and Means, oni the ftnan-) ces of the Country. We are pleased .to find that Mr. Pickents, or South Ca'rolina, has given his sanction to thte report. .When. such able and independent members of Congress~ speak and act, for or against the.administratiotn, we are convinced tha~t their-motives gr& pure and patriotic, and as such deserve the respectful at-1 t a,,in otte pennte _--- A ne. Cstittinvuvnlis. From ls Corponence of de Charlson Cf.r t 1Wasu1Y.O!o. Feb. 8. In the Senate, to-diay, Mi,. Wright', from. the Cumintee on Finance, reported the hill to secure the public money in thi6 handil of Government agents, and to punish pub ish public defaulters. This is not the Suh Treasury bill. Mr. W. gave notice that he shoull call up this bill on Tuesday next. Of the House Sub-Treasury bill, we have heard nothing. It may he brought up at the heel of the session, as a natterof form but a chance lr its passage is looked upon as very bad. The prospect is, that the matter will be recommitted to Con gress. and that it will depend upon the e lections yet to take place. The Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred thatyart of the memo rial of America Vespucci. aIich asks Congress to confer upon her the rights of cittzenship. reported, in substance, that Congress has no power to pass a special unturalization law, and the Committee were discharged from the further consid eration of the s'ubject. The other part of the memorial. asking for. "a corner," in which to rest her3elf, is still before the Committee on the Public Lands. Mr. Morris' -ultra abolition resolutions were called tp by Mr. Clay. of Alabama. and Mr. Norvell moved to lav the motion to consider them on the table. In some little conversation that ensued upon the motion, Mr. Morris said that the conduct of Congress in reference to petitions. would be sufficient to dethrone any tyrant in Europe. The subject was laid on the table.22 to 20, Some of the Southern Sen ators wished to take up the resolutions in order to reject them. 0 The hill introduced by Mr. Crittenden, to secure the freedom. of elections, by preveting the interference of Government offlcers therein, and reported against by the Committee on the Judiciary was taken tip, anti Mr. Crittenden spoke'about three hours in defence of the principleR and ob jects of the bill, when the Senate ad journed. In the House of Representatives, on motion of Mr, Loomis, 20.t0 extra copies of the recent report of the Secretary of the Tieasury, on the public lands, were order ed to he printed. After the reference of some private bills from the Senate, the House resumed the consideration of the resolutions, reported. yesterday. from the Select Committee on Public Lands. The question pending. was on the motion of Mr. Robertson. to recommit the report to the same Committee. with instructions io report a joint resolution,. authorizing a distribution ofthe public lands among the States. Mr. Robertson, being entitled to the floor, resumed his remarks from yeste.iday, and spoke until the expiration of the hour, in' support of his motion to recommit. Mr. Canibreleng gave notice, that on Monday, he would ask the House to go on with the appropriation bills. .The remainder of the day was taken up in the consideration of private hills. February, 9. In the Senate, to-day, the most extraor linary speech, ever delivered in that body )r any other in America, was made by Senator Morris, of Ohio. The occasion f it was the presentation, by Mr. Morris, 3fa large packet of abolition petitions from Ohio. A thousand living, witnesses he aid, were now brought forward by him to prove that abolition was not dead, as the Senator trom South-Carolina: (Mr. Calhoun,) hail the other day declared. Abolition was stronger in his State, than wver it was. He congratulated Mr. Cal luoun. on his belief, ia having passed through the aibolition storm. But lie as oured hint that the titme had gone by when slav'ery would be defended as an Ameri '.nn Institution, &c. Ie tmore than once delared that sh~ives wrere not property; itdi for this opinion, he said, he had the uuthority of Jefferson, of his osv-n con icice, of his owin State, andi of the iwhole Chistian world, He threatened that when ie got home, he would set a light on every iilI, and alarm the pseople to a sense of heir rights. In short, the speech ivas -ec-olutionary in its character. atid it was evide-ndy delivered iunder strong excite nottof feeling'. He spoke t wo htours, tno toe attempted to repily to him. M-iny mieeredl at h is remarks. Front any one dlse, the speech would have aitracted some toticO. But Mtr. Morris is knownu here as in eccentric and ill-contrivedl man. In the Hotuse of Rep:esentatives, the mfitnished buiness of the morintg hour vas taken uipheing. the resolutions repor edi on Thursday. from the Select Commit ee on the Publie Lands, viz: Resotved, That te Committee report to lie lise, andI ask leave to be discharged ruom the further cotnsideratiotn of the subvjeco natter resferretd to themt, and that the jour il of the Cotnmtittee, he reported and pub ishe' Resnlkedfurthe-r, That the Committee leem it inexpedient to take further steps n the subject of the public lands this see ion. The question pending being on the ino inn of Mr. Robertson, to recommit the re tort, with instructions to report joint esolutions authorizitng the distribution of he public domtain among the States: Mr. I.. resumed his remarks from yesterday, md spoke until the expiration of the hour. The House theti passed to the orders of hto day. The Speaker laid before -the 30tise several Executive communications. %tmong themt was a communication from ho Secretary of the Treasury, furnishing statetnent of the balances due from Re elvers-of the Public Motney on the books >f the Register of the gTreatsury, which t ave remained unsettled, or appear to have >'een'due thbree yeatrs prior to 30th Septem uer, 1838. Mr. McKennan, from the Committee ma Roads and Canals, on lenve, reformed a >ill, authorizing the construteion of certain mp~rovemtents in the Territotry of Wiseon in, iwhtich bill was read twice and corn nitted. Mr, Adams, from the Committee on ~lanufnectures, reported with an qmentd neat, the Senate bill "authorizing the secretary of the Treastury to extend the ime for the paymenit of certain bonds. giv mn by the Alabama, Florida and Georgia tail Road Company, for the duties upon iquntit y of Rail Road Iron, itmported.by ho aid Carnnnav.'' . nuinherof Senate billsweretagogi read twiciand -refeired, . a' ' .The [touse thidesumed the considera tion of priva e biTs. February 11.' Mr. ElvMoore'speeeh, introductory to the remonstrance ofcitizens of thisDistrict, agai 4st the.reception of petitions from peo pie of the States for the abolition of slave ry in the District, has appeared here; and it will, I understand, be extensively pub lished and distributed among the people of the North and West. It furnishes a lucid and popular view of this. humbug "right of petition.', against the tneasion of which our Northern incendiaries have attemp ted to raise such an out cry. Mr. Moore clearly shows that a refusal by Congress to receive such petitions. is no dienial or any--right;-while. ontlfc' otherindJtre continued reception of them, makes-Con gress a party to the combination of fanatics and in cendiariesagainst the public peace. I believe the speech will have a good ef feet at the North. by disahusing the honest portion ofthe people of the erroneous o pinions inculcated among - them, of this "right of petition." Mr. Slade took an opportunity, to-day, to furnish a little steam for the abolition cause, by Introducing a resolution,' calling for an inquiry into the subject of the spectacle, which he alleges to have been exhibited here, on the 30th ult,, to the members of both Houses, of some slaves, I chained, &c.. and conducted through the streets. The'resoltion lies over one day. It is impossible to prevent such assaults upon the House, by any precautionary resolutions. Just as impossible is it to pro- o rect Congress from abolition agitation, by means of the Atherton or any other reso lutions. A rejection of all petitions and papers touching the sutju'ct of slavery, is the only thing that will defeat the designs 4 of the abolitioni'ts. - M r. Rtssell submitted a resolution. for setting apart Thursday next for the con sideration of a bill introduced last session, providing for the construction of a ship canal around the Falls of Niagara. But the resolution, giving rise to debate, lies over one day under the rules. . The Speaker laid before the House a number of Executive cmmunications in answer to resolutions of inquiry. Among them was a message from. the President, transmitting a correspondence between this governtnent and that of Great Britain, in relation to the burning of the* steamboat I Caroline. last year. The States were then called in their or der for resolution3. A'ter which thie House went in-o Committee of the Whole, and after somA tilne spent therein, in tl'e con- I sideration ofbills relating to the Territo ries, the Comimittee rose, and the House adtjontrned. Very little business was transacted in the Senate to day. Mr. Wall made a long'and able speech against 31 r. Critten den's project for preventing government aflicers from interfering in elections: Mr. Benton called the attention of the Semite to the card that appeared some time ago, denying the assertion which he mande in the Senate, on the authority of Gov. Dickerson of New Jersey, that Mr. Webster told Gov. D. that he (Mr. W,) I was "not consulted' as to the compromise z act. Mr. 11. said lie had received a letter from Gov. D. reaffirming the fact. Mr. Webster explained that he never told Gov. D. that he was not constilted on the 'sub ject. - le was advised of the project: but he told Gov. D., perhaps that he did not euter into any consultation, with any of c the friends of that measure in regard to it. c February 13. The Senate, to-day, was again enigaged. chiefly, upon thce bill to pi eveut iterlier-. ence with eleclions. Mr. Strange spoke in reply to the rermarks made y,:sterday by I Mr. Rives. M r. Buchanan will speak to morrow, and I leartn that Mr. Preston willI also spetak upon it. T1here is no prospect of the passage of the hill, in any form. Ini oppositioni to the project, it is contendh-d that the bill deprives government oflicers of itnalienable political rights, and enlarges the piowers ofuhe President by making him the witness, judge, and juror, in everyn ease where an oflicer is charged with 'a( violaiiitn of the Iciw. On the other side, I it is argued that the elective principle is the only IOnserva.tive prin"iple of our gov ernment, and that to whautever evtent it may be subject to Executive conitrol, to that extent it becomes corrupt and in- I active. The House devoted most of the day to co)nsideration of District bills. Mr. Gui dung--. of Ohio, attempted to matko it aboli tiun day by bringing up the abolition topic itt the debate otn some bill concerning the District of Colinhia. Butt he was pro nounuced out of order by the Chair, and wans, after some trouble, put dlown. t Mr. Lootmis, -an adltministration man,. mtotvedl to suspend the rules,. in ordler to ofihr a resolution requirinug that the Select I Committee of lnves'igntion he8 inustructed to transmit to the house,throntah the Speak. er', a journal of their proceedlings tip to this( timte, and daily hereafter, during the resi dlue of the Session, and the same he printed for the use of the House, and that so much I of the' resolution as perm its the Committeet to employ a printer, be rescinded from this date, and that said Committee bte instrutc ted to hold their meetings in public. A grent deal of debate took place on the Senate bill, to prohibit the giving or re- a ceiving a challenge to fight a duel in thei Distrtct.of Columbia, and for the punish ment of the some. Many amendments were oif'ered, dlisctussed, and- voted down. ~ Mr Jenuifer of'ered on anmendment provid- 1 ing that any member of Congress who shall icnsultanother, ip debate, shall be required * to make an apology to the house and to the country. it iwas Mr. JTenifei-'s inten-. lion to follow this up -with a motion,-that. the member refusing to apologize, shonld ' be expelled. Manty and very obvious rea- l tons were urged against the arnendment, tad it was rejected. The debate was' nontinuedl on the amendments till a late botur, when after a call of the Houtse, the bill was passed to a third reading--105 I The Washington correspotndent of the Pennsylv'ania inquirer, says; '-Comma- G dore Elliott has anothet complaint lodged - augainst him in Congress. Lieut. Cal. F houtt, of the Navy, late of td Constitu- at tiont frigate, is here, with.a hiunil of grie- i rannen: anid it is nr-nhablc that the subhect b Iille abroght up iu a day or two. I am diossession of the charges to be made by 4ieutenant Calhoun, but, at present, it iid not be well to repeat them; indeed, i Of them are too revolting to be expo ed to the public eye." .EDGEFIELI) C H TUUaSDAY, FFBRUARY S, 18:9. We call thq attention of..the Citizens of Edgefield bistriei, to a Ummunication igned "One of the People." It will be ieen-4hat4tiirintelationrepblfrie-diegt ng, which the writer desires-to-assemblo >n Sale-day next, at this plice. The ob ect- for which the meeting is called, is im )ortant and it-is desirable; -that thero hotild be a full attiendaince. Florida.-A gentleman ho has recent. . y returned from Florida. to thisplace, in brms us that on the 9th instudti a .1aa, iis wife and two children were killed sear he rail road, in 7 miles of Tallahassee.. Pwo other persons have also been recent y k'lled in 10 miles of that place. He ays that Middle Florida is almost overrun iy the Indians, and that there is more anger to he apprehended'from them', than ver. -Few, if any of the settloneuts ate afe. The inhabitants are in a constant tate of alarm, ind no man knows wben is fainily may be attacked. From all we -an learn, Mr. Benton's bill for thie ocen >ation of East Florida by armed setdl, irovides the ihost practicable plan, for rid ling the country of these merciless depre lators. It is to be hoped, that Congreis Till soon act upon it. Report of the Committee of Ways ait' Ifeans.-We publish 6o-day, some ex racts from this 1%port. Southern gentle nan of high intelligencehave pronounced t a satisfactory document, ably defending he cause of State Bights. . On the otfer land, its opponents have denounced it in he most unmeasured terms, seeming .to hink ihat it has betrayed the South. [hey appear to be opposed to it, mainib ecause Mr. Cambreleng-is Chairman of he Committee, who reported it.- They uppose that "no good can come out of iazareib." They think. that' the South equires not such supporters as Mr. Can; releng and his party. " Non tali awilo, vie defensoribus isti . Tempus eget." If the principlesof the report, be correct, vhy condem it? Reject not a good thing bough even bestowed -by an enemy. 'ime will show whether 'the principles mut forth in this report, will be sustainedi nd carried out, by the party in power. We are indebted to thelHon. Ely Mqeee, f N. York, for a copy of his Speech, "On resenting a remonstrancd from citizens of be District of Columb'ia, agaast the. re eption of abolition petitions." The South wes Mr. Moore a debt for the exposure f the nefarious schemes ofthe abolitionists ud their numerous alders and abetter., Ehe argumcnts or this gentleman, are agical, powerful and luminous. His def ,iuion of the right of petition, is correct. le shows how far it is a right, 'and when ceases to be one. The editor of the W~ashington Chroniceo short time since, plrononneed - tbh- -Horn. nutleman, a man of sterling integrity, and fa high order of talents. This session of :ongress terminates hii; political existence. iew York loses much i5 driving'uch a ian into retirement. - In these <.ark daysB C curruption and wild delusion, it is mat er of regret, that such a man should -be Jst in the Concils of the Nation. Ve will publish the Speech of Mr. Midord. Cid of a genial dime, where everyj breee . Bears fragraneonits:cingu,and ecery nil That danaes in the sun-beam, sarmurs as j. AMERICA YEsPucc.--It will be seen bat this lady recently presented a petition a Conaress asking for a small grant of land, n which to settle, aud also to confer on oer, the right of citizenship. The Comn aittee on the Judiciary, to whom wa's ro arred that part of the Memorial, asking ~ongress for the right of citizenship, haie eported unfavorably. They say that Con ress has no power to pass a special natu alization law. This is greatly to be re retted. If any one agreeably'to our Osn titution, should have the immediate right. C citizenship, who i6 worthy as the de, endant of the world-renowned Amgrias respncius,who has given his-imperisbable, aine to this broad continent?. Thi claiths ( this famous navigator are great. 'Tis rue that.he did not discover the new world, or did he arrogate the discovery to hiui. elf But he explored it, and was the frst rho published .a satisfactory .acout of' bis vast' continent,.in Europe.- Whogso torthay as, his fair degcendant, of a corner i this, land, 'Sn which to rest pier weary set? She has wandered over Europe, inu erring in the cause4e liberty snd~yet K -' Has fouydronpot.ef all the world herme.''" Eigs'inti Princesses have honored hdr, at ilih them,-'she would not abide.' 'Hrs i Arre spirit, and would fain -communo dilh the proud-eiuizeas of this Republie.w. hbe liascomie among t,.aikingfCorjsinil ortion of territory, op whiechto makes~her biding'place. -Tbisdaughte'rofFlorence, I represented as accomuphlied and lovely eyond her sex- We-d4rygt plead this ad