ABRIDGMENT OF THE DEBATES OF CONGRESS, FROM 1789 TO 1856. FROM GALES AND SEATON'S ANNALS OF CONGRESS; FROM THEIR BY THE AUTHOR OF THE THIRTY YEARS' VIEW. VOL. XVI. NEW YORK: D. APPLETON & COMPANY, 443 & 445 BROADWAY. 1861. ENTERED, according to Act of Congress, in the year 1860, by D. APPLETON & COMPANY, In the Clerk's Office of the District Court of the United States for the Southern District of New York. TWENTY-NINTH CONGRESS.-SECOND SESSION. PROCEEDINGS AND DEBATES IN THE SENATE AND HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. IN SENATE. MONDAY, December 7, 1846. In conformity with the constitution, the Second Session of the Twenty-ninth Congress commenced this day. The Senate was called to order at twelve o'clock, by its presiding officer, the Vice Presi dent of the United States. JOSEPH CILLEY, from New Hampshire, took his seat, and forty-three Senators answered to their names. Resolutions. On motion of Mr. BREESE, it was Resolved, That a committee be appointed, jointly with such committee as may be appointed by the House of Representatives, to wait on the Pressident of the United States, and inform him that quorums of the two Houses have assembled, and that Congress are ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make. The VICE PRESIDENT appointed Messrs. BREESE, CRITTENDEN, and FAIRFIELD, a committee on the part of the Senate in accordance with the foregoing resolution. On motion of Mr. CAMERON, it was Resolved, That each Senator be supplied, during the present session, with newspapers as heretofore, not exceeding the cost of three daily papers. Messages from the House. A message was received from the House of Representatives by its Clerk, BENJAMIN B. FRENCH, Esq., informing the Senate that the House of Representatives had assembled, and was ready to proceed to business. Also, a message informing the Senate that the House of Representatives had passed a resolution that a committee be appointed, on the part of the House, to join such committee as might be appointed on the part of the Senate, to wait upon the President of the United States, and inform him that a quorum of the two Houses was assembled, and that Congress was might be pleased to make, and that Mr. Hopnow ready to receive any communication he KINS and Mr. WINTHROP were appointed said committee on the part of the House. Report of Committee Mr. BREESE, on behalf of the committee on the part of the Senate, appointed to wait upon the President of the United States, reported that the committee had performed the duty assigned to them, and that the President had stated in reply that he would send a communication to both Houses of Congress on to-morrow at twelve o'clock. On motion, the Senate adjourned. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. MONDAY, December 7. At twelve o'clock the Hon. JoHN W. DAVIS, of Indiana, Speaker of the House of Representatives, took the chair, and called the House to order. The roll of the members was called over by B. B. FRENCH, Esq., Clerk of the House, when 186 members answered to their names. A message was received from the Senate by the hands of A. DICKINS, Esq., Secretary, informing the House that a quorum of the Senate had assembled, and that that body was ready to proceed to business. Mr. PAYNE, of Alabama, announced that his colleague, Mr. JAMES L. COTTRELL, elected to fill the vacancy occasioned by the resignation of WILLIAM L. YANCEY, and FRANKLIN W. BOWDEN, to fill the vacancy occasioned by the death of FELIX G. McCONNELL, were present. Mr. JULIUS ROCKWELL, of Massachusetts, an |