- wouk1 state that his personal honor etc., had been assailed.. Mr. Geddings declining to make an ex plicit statement of the complaint he inten ded to make, the objection was persisted Mr. Schenek move.s a suspension of the rules, so that Mr. G. might speak, but without success. The article of the Globe refers to the speech of:Mr. Geddings in Ohio when,it is alleged be endeavored to create the im pression that it was Henry Clay instead of G. M. Clay who had sent him a letter approving the corse of the abolitionists. This matter having been disposed of. Mr. Wilkins from the Select .Committee to whom had been referred the petitiot of W. Jones a colored man in our city jail, arrested on suspicion of being a fugiuve slave, made a report, accompanied by a bill. The report does not recommend any legislative interference in this case, inas much as the Committee think the petition er can obtain redress from the Courts. It ads fault however with the existing laws as imperfect, and in some cases as oppres sive. The bill therefore provides that cer tain portions of the laws shall berepealed, and others enacted in their stead, so that it shall be required of the claimant of a slave to prove his property.. A minority teport was also made. On motion of Mr. Payne. aresolution was adopted,instructing the Committee on Elections to inquire into the expediency of amending the Constitution so that the votes-for Presidegtand Vce President shall all be cast on the same day. After the adoption of numerous resolu tions of inquiry, the House resumed the consideration.of: the motion to re-commit the Report on the Rules, with instructions to re-insert the 21st Rule. Mr. Belser having the foor, resumed and concluded his eloquent remarks from yesterday. He argued that rule or no role, the House cannot constitutionally m ceive abolition petitions.'. He was followed, on the same side, by Mr. Cobb of Georgia, who spoke until the expiration of the morning hour. The sub ject was then laid over. The House then went into Committee of the Whole, and devoted the remainder of the day to the consideration of the mo tion to refer to the Committee on Com merce, that portion of the President's Message, which relates to the Western waters.. Mr. Jameson was the only speak er... His remarks were of no interest. The wind has been blowing a real bur ricane-to-day. This afternoon it blew out several'squares of glass from the dome -of tihe HoOse. The fragments falling upon member's heads, caused them to scamper from their seats in a- most amusing man ner. Considerable anxiety is manifested to read ihe -manifesto, now in type, of the Qalhoun members, in which it is said, they give their reasons for seceding from the Van Buren members. It is said that some of the Whige intend giving Mr. Rives a public dinner. The Senate did not sit to-day. WAaIrororN, Jan. 15. The Senate spent but a few moments in legislative session. Mr. Benton otrered a resolution, which lies over, calling for information as to whether the Wiqnebago annuity, has not been diverted from its. proper object. Mr. Breese introduced a bill to tax gov ernment-lands in Illinois. The bill to fx an adequate rule of com pensation for Pension Agents, was reported * - from the Pension Committee with amend ments, which make the bill of a prospective character. It makes no provision for pas5t After the transaction of some private bu sitiess, the Senate went into Executive * session, of several hours on ,tbe Cabinet uominatione. It is understood that the nominatlon of Mr. Henshaw was rejected by a large majority... No action was ;had on any of the others. Their fate will how ever be decided daring the present week. In the House, a great portion of the day was occupied in the reception of resolutions calling on the Departments for information on various mnatters. Some of these resoln tions are so comprehensive. that it will take the whole foice of a Department three months to answer them; yet whben the information comes, it is seldom of any practIcal good. Many of the, new -mem hers, who hate not the ability to make a speech,.frequently take this mode of letting their constituents know that they are, not asleep. Among the resolutions adopted wias one, instructing the Committee on Ways and Means to consider the expediency of re porting a bill reducing the .halaries of all -government olicers. . .Mr. Stewart introduced his resolution, instructing Ihe Committee od - Ways and Means to limit the appropriations for the pi-esent year to the amount appropriated slastyear. Objection being made it lies ova. Mr.-Black gave notice of an antendumem to the Oregon bill, so as to include the annexation of Texas. So henceforth. - these two great questions will be consid ered together.' .The r-esult may easily be seen. Nothing will be done with either. Mr. Cave Johnson introduced a bill 'to reduce the duty on qalt. Is was read twice, when he moved its engrossment. But as other members hadl no idea of such steam legislation, the motion failed, and the bill was referred to the' Committee 'on Coin ~merce. * *'~'A reoltion, providing. for the prinating fGieenough's history of Oregon, having been adopted,' a motion was made to re consider the vote. It was debated at some length. During the debate Mr. Wise, incidentally referred to William and Mary's College, in Virgimn ta, and told how Washington, M adison, and other great men received their educa tiori there.. Mr. Weller said perhaps the-gentleman himself was educatedthere. ZMr..Wise said o, he was sent down to Pennslvg~ia, to receiverbis education. It was thete~be,got his democratic principle. Mr Weller said he did not know what kind of demiocrasic principles those could .be. 'Mr. Wise saids the .were according to the standard of dem eay 'in his District. Mr. Weller, facetiously observed, that netirhe nor any one else had ever-beet able to compr ted what kind of a stand ard that was. This skirmishing caused much laughter. On motion of Mr. Thompson, of Ken tucky, a resolution was adopted, instruct ing the Committeetn Ways and Means to ascertain the probable expense of keeping in employment an adequate number. of steamboats, for-removing snags in the Mis sissippi and Ohio rivers. Mr. T. accompanied the resolution by some very eloquent remarks relative to the recent disaster on the Mississippi. At a subsequent period, Mr. Weller mo ved $ reconsideration of the vote. On this motion, a debate arose, which continued to the adjournment, without any question being taken. It. is said that the Post Office Commit tee are unanimous in their intention to re port a bill for a reduction of letter postage, A -proposition is soon to be made to Congress from the Retrenchment Com mittee, to appoint a Board whose duty .it shall be to examine all candidates for clerkships and other offices. If this could be carried into effect, the public business would be much. benefitted. There would be an end. to incompetent officers. This principle is applied to surgeons in the Na vy, to Cadets, and Midshipmen, and why should it not be extended. The President has made himself very popula . among the ladies by his determi nation t hold a levee every Tuesday even ing. I believe this has never been done before. WAstsiNoToN, Jan. 16. In the Senate, this morning. Mr. Mc Duflie gave notice that he will, to-morrow. call for the consideration of his Tatiff res olutions. If he succeeds, we may expect war to the knife's point. As a Senator remarked the other day, a tariff debate is like a ball of twine; it .has a heginning but requires no little paiience to find the end. 'be general impression still is, that no action on the Tariff will be had at the present Session. 'It will be talked about, and thet is all. Mr. Berrien, from the Judiciary Com mittee, reported a bill authorizing the Sec retary of the Treasury to compromise with the sureties of Samuel Swartwout. The resolution of Mr. Breese, relative.to an amendment of the act, repealing the Sub-Treasury.law, was taken up, and af ter some explanation adopted. Numerous petitions, praying the reduc tion of postage, were presented and refer red. A bill on this subjectwill be report ed '.is week. After the disposal of some private busi ness, and the reference of some executive communications, the Senate went into an executive session, which lasted several hours. When the doors were opened, much anxiety was manifested to hear the fate of Mr. Spencer, whose nomination it was supposed had been under considera tion. It appears, however, that it was not taken up, the whole time having been oc cupied on minor nominations. The rumour that Mr. S. has sent in his resignation, is, I am told, unfounded. In the House, Mr. McKay, from the Committee on Ways and Means, reported the Pension, Navy and Fortification Ap 'peopriation Bills. The latter contains ac appropriation of $10,000 for Fort Moul trie, in your harbor; also an appropriation of $43,000 fur Fort Sumter. The total amount of appropriations in the bill is half a million. Mr. Wise, from the Naval Committee, reported adversely on the resolution relative to the construction of War Steamers for the Ohio river. Mr. Davis, from the Committee on Pub lie Lands, reported a bill to repeal the Dtstribution Act. Anter the transaction of a mass of pri vate and local business, the House re sumed the consideration of the motion to reconsider the vote on the following reso lution, adopted yesterday. Resolved, That the Commit tee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire what sum of money will be required to keep all the boats. now in use, and those in the pro cess of preparationi, designed to be em ployed itn removing obstructions in the nav igatton of the Mississippi river and its trib utaries, in constant active employment for the national fiscal year commencing on the first day of Juty next, and that they report to this H-Iouse the sum for that purpose is tho appropriate appropriation bill. Mr. Bowlin having the floor, made a speech, in which hie set fortb ini glowing colors, the value of the Western waters, and the imperative duty of government tc improve their navigation. Mr. Stewart, of Penndylvania, followed. He contended that the general goverunmeni has full power to make appropriations foi iuterntal improvement. He declared thai a protective Tariff will sooni 'af Tord ample sneans for such objects. In addition tu this, he was willing to retrench the expen ditures-for other objects. In the course 01 his remarks, he caught at some observa tions incidentally~ made by Mr. Holmes, and appeared desirous of placing him in a ~alat Dositionin regard to this matter. At a subsequment stge ortheu pr...dings. Mr. Hiolmies obtained the floor, and gave Mr. Stewart a regdlar broadside. Mr. H. udehued his views on the question of inter nal improvement in general, and that o1 the navigation of the Mississippi. A fter a most pathetic' oppeal itt reference to the recent disaster on that river; he, in the most eloquent manner, besought the House to act tupon the matter without a moment't delay. As Chairman of the Committee on Commerce, his remarks were listenedi to with great attention.. The debate was continued till the ad journment, 'iy Messrs. Kennedy and In gersoll. without taking the question. Thia motion to reconsider, being a priv ileged question, takes precedence of all other business. WASHilNoTON, Jan. 17. In the Senate, a great number of poei. tions asking a reduction of postage, were presented and referred. Mr. Merrick, the Citairman of the Post Ofiice Committee, stated that a bill ort thib subject is now matured and will ho re. ported in a day or two. He said there up peared to be an erroneous impression as t the seat of the evil in relation to the frank ing privilege. It was not confined to the 300 enembers of Congress ; but extendec to the fifteen thousand deputy Post Mas term throughout thme country. This. evil the Committee would attempt to remedy. The Hiuse bill. providing $45,000 foi the relief and protection of American sea men in foreign countries, was taken up and passed. Mr. Berrien-gave notice of a bill to pro vide' for a Naval School. The resolution of the Finance Cammit tee &Jative to the tariff bill of Mr. McDuf fie, was not taken up.' It will probably be considered .to-morrow. 'After some debate on the bill to connect Fox'and Wisconsin Rivers, the Senate spent five hours in executive session. .The nomitnation,of Isaac Hill as Super intendant of the Navy Clothing Bureau, was rejected. It is now taken for granted that all the "democratic" nominees will share the same fate. Last night, a great number of the dis charged workmen at the navy yard, made a very large bonfire, and burnt ex-Secreta ry Henshaw in effigy. They also formed a procession with illuminated carmers; on one of the carmers was a picture represen ting Mr. Henshaw gallopping back to Bos ton on the back of a hog, with a jackass kicking in front. The workmen considered Mr. H. a great enemy, and 'a bard task master. In the House, we had a very uninter esting day. The first business was, the motion of Mr. Cave Johnson tore-consider the vote on the resolution " ins'rncting the Committee on Ways and Means to report an adequate sum for keeping in operation the snag boats on the Misissippi." After debate, the motion to re-consider was carried. The question then being on the resolution, Messrs. Smith, Hardin, Bernard, and others, spoke until a late hour. The resolution was then amended so as to instruct the Committee to enquire into the -'expediency" only, and in this shape adop ted. Nothing else ofinterest transpired. The President't levee last night was well attended. Members of Copgress of all parties were in attendance. This eveningthe Post Matter General gives a grand party. The Colinization meeting at the Capitol last night was of a very interesting char acter. One of the speakers related an an ecdote of an African prince, who consider ed that he could not be a -gentleman un less he had six wives. What despicable mortals their bachelors must be. ACTS, AN ACT regulating Hawkers and Ped lars. Be it enacted, by the Honoralie the Sen ate and House of Representatives, now met and sitting in General Assembly, and by the authority of the same, 'hat from and aftertho passing of this Act, the sole and exclusive power of granting licenses to Hawkers and Pedlers, be, andthe same is hereby vested in the Commisioners of Roads, in their respective Districts and Parishes, a majority of whom, intbeir res pective Districts or Parishes, sha' at any stated meeting, and at no other e, hear all applications for such license to hawk and peddle, and shall grant or reect such application for one year, as to them shall seem proper : Provided, That subh appli cant shall, before he receives such license, pay into the hands of the said'Commis sioners for such 'District or Parish, the sum of fifty dollars, and shall enter into bond as now provided by law, except that it be taken and approved by the body granting the license: Provided, also, such appli cant shall have been a citizen of the Dis trict the- preceeding ten years, and legally entitled to vote, at the tme of such appli cation, for members of the General Assem tbly ; and provided likewise, that such li cense so granted, shall confer the privilege to hawk and peddle within the limit only of the Disteict or Parish fir whi:b the body granting it have themulves been ap pointed, andi shall not be extended in any manner to enable any otber person to hawk or peddle, saving oily the person actually named in the licrase: Provided, also, that in any District