DELEGATES Members. Mies Mileage. HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, XXXIID CONGRESS-INCOMPLETE. Henry H. Sibley, Min......2350 $1880.00 1 John F. Darby, Samuel R. Thurston, Oregon, (mileage limited to $2500, by act of Congress of August 14, 1848, establishing the territorial government of Oregon.) (Bro't under general law by act of September, 1850.) The Committee allow him .....4315 3452.00 2 Gilchrist Porter, IOWA. 1 Lincoln Clark, 1 Ahiman L. Miner, MAINE. 1 Moses McDonald, FLOBIDA. 1 David Wallace, PENNSYLVANIA. OUR former publication of the Mileage of the last (XXXth) Congress, with the miles assumed to have been travelled, in contrast with the actual distance by the nearest post-route from each Member's residence to the Capitol, to which was appended a column showing how much would have been saved to the Treasury by computing Mileage uniformly on the most direct mailroutes, was regarded as personal by many Members, and as impelled by an unfriendly spirit. The fact was not so. We only wished to set fully and clearly before the public what seemed to us a very gross wrong-an abuse which needed but exposure to insure its correction. We trust that correction can not long be deferred, although an effort to secure 1 Thomas B. Florence, it by the present House, was defeated by 2 Joseph R. Chandler, the pertinacious resistance of the Senate. 3 Henry D. Moore, 4 John Robbins, jr. In the foregoing table, we have avoided 5 John McNair, all plausible occasion for complaint or offense. 6 Thomas Ross, We have simply transcribed from the official 7 Dr. J. A. Morrison, records in the Treasury Department the 8 Thaddeus Stevens, amount of Mileage awarded to each Mem- 10 Milo M. Dimmick, ber of the present House at its first (long) 11 Henry M. Fuller, session, with the number of miles which he 12 Galusha A. Grow, was assumed to live from Washington, and 13 James Gamble, 14 T. M. Bibighaus, for which eighty cents per mile (forty each 15 William H. Kurtz, way) were allowed him as expenses of trav- 16 Jas. X. McLanahan, eling. We have not contrasted them with 17 Andrew Parker, the actual number of miles by the most direct 18 G. L. Dawson, 19 J. H. Kuhns, mail-route, but each reader who pleases may 20 John Allison, do so very nearly by the help of the Whig 21 Thomas M. Howe, Almanac for last year. 9 J. Glancy Jones, 22 J. W. Howe, 24 Alfred Gilmore. OHIO. 1 David T. Disney, 4 Benjamin Stanton, A simple comparison of the amounts charged by different Members from the same State will develop the most glaring inequalities. Probably no part of Ohio, for instance, is 150 miles further from Washington than any other part, and yet some Members from that State receive Mileage for 500 miles more than others. See likewise the great disparity between the charges of the several Members from Western Pennsylvania, Indiana, Tennessee, &c. The charges of the 11 George H. Busby, Members and Delegates from Louisiana, Texas, Minnesota, California and Oregon, are most instructive. People of the United States! this Mileage business ought to be overhauled and corrected, and you must take hold of it! Congress will act efficiently upon it whenever it shall be understood that it must. Shall not that be soon? 12 John Welsh, 15 William F. Hunter, 16 John Johnson, 17 Joseph Cable, 18 David K. Cartter, 19 Eben Newton, 20 Josh. R. Giddings, F.S. 1 John G. Floyd, 6 James Brooks, 7 Abraham P. Stevens, 8 Gilbert Dean, 9 William Murray, 10 Marius Schoonmaker, 11 Josiah Sutherland, 12 David L. Seymour, 13 John L. Schoolcraft, 14 John H. Boyd, 15 Joseph Russell, 16 John Wells, 17 Alexander H. Buell, 18 Preston King, 1 Charles Durkee, Ind. 1 Nathan T. Stratton, 3 James L. Conger. In the other four dis- ILLINOIS. 1 William H. Bissell, † Seat contested by Wm. P. Fessenden, Whig. Total 130-Whigs in Italics, 56; Opposition in Roman, 74. In the XXX Ist Congress the above States were represented by 78 Whigs and 52 Opposition, showing a Whig loss of 22 Members. than MILLARD FILLMORE. MR. FILLMORE was born at Summer Hill, ment for debt. In 1832 he was elected to Cayuga county, N. Y., January 7th, 1800, the XXIIId Congress and served creditably. and is accordingly now nearly 50 years old. In the Fall of 1836 he was again returned His father was a farmer in very limited cirto the same office and acted as a Member cumstances. The family removed to Aurora, of the Committee of Elections in the famous Erie county, in 1819, where the father still New-Jersey Broad-Seal' case, and in that carries on a farm of moderate dimensions; capacity established his reputation in the the writer hereof has often passed the mod- House. He was reëlected to the next Conest house where reside the family of the gress, and now assumed the responsible poPresident, in a style not more pretending sition of Chairman of the Committee of Ways common to thriving farmers of that and Means. In the duties of this post at a prosperous district. The narrow means of trying crisis, he manifested the industry, digthe father did not permit the bestowal on nity of bearing, efficient practical talent, and the son of any other than a most limited ability to secure the confidence of his colcommon-school education. When 15 years leagues, which had before distinguished him, old, he was set to learn the trade of a clothier His public reputation perhaps rests more at which he worked for four years, improving upon the manner in which he filled this post all his spare time in reading books from a in the XXVIIth Congress than on any other little library in the village where he lived. portion of his career. At the age of 19 he made the acquaintance After this, resisting the importunities of of Judge Wood of Cayuga county, who de- his friends and the Whig Convention of his tected the latent talents of the young man, District, Mr. Fillmore returned at Buffalo and induced him to study law, for which he to the practice of his profession. In 1844 generously furnished the means. Mr. Fill- he was run by the Whigs of New York for more remained in Judge Wood's office above Governor, and was beaten by Silas Wright, two years, studying with that industry and at the same time that the so-called Liberty perseverance which have distinguished him party threw the vote of the State for Polk, through life: during this time he also taught Texas, the Mexican War, and the Extenschool in the Winter months in order him- sion of Slavery. In 1847 he was elected self to provide for his expenses as far as pos- Controller of the State, and removed to AlIn 1822 he entered a law office at bany to discharge the duties of that office, Buffalo and passed a year studying and which he held till February, 1849, when he teaching, when he was admitted to the bar resigned it, prior to his induction into the and removed to Aurora to commence the prac- Vice-Presidency, to which post he had been tice of his profession. In 1826 he married elevated by the Presidential election of 1848. Abigail, the daughter of Rev. Lemuel Pow- On the death of Gen. Taylor in July last, Mr. ers: she now presides at the White House. Fillmore became President. He appointed Several years were now mainly employed a new Cabinet with Daniel Webster at its by Mr. Fillmore in diligent judicial studies, head, and varied so far from the course purand in the limited legal practice of a country sued by Gen. Taylor as to throw the influ town. In 1829 he was elected to the Assem-ence of the Administration in favor of the bly of New York and for three years (during Compromise measures before Congress. At which time he removed his residence to the same time he rebaked with firmness and Buffalo) held a seat in that body. Here he decision the threats made by Texas against was remarkable for constant devotion to New Mexico. His course has been gov and unwearied industry in his duties. He erned by an earnest desire to conciliate the took a prominent and influential part in the warring sections and restore harmony to enactment of the law abolishing imprison- the Union. sible. GOVERNMENTS OF EUROPE AND AMERICA. States. Great Britain. Denmark.. Russia.. Form of Governm't. Capital. EUROPE. Sovereign. Holland, or Neth'ds. Lim. mon....Hague... Belgium. Prussia. ..Lim. mon....Brussels........Leopold, King... Hesse-Darmstadt....Lim.sov..... Mentz Wurtemberg. Bavaria... ..Lim. mon,...Stuttgard .Lim. mon....Madrid.. ...Lim. mon.. States of the Church. Sacerdotal.. Rome. Two Sicilies........Lim. mon....Naples.. Greece... Turkey Frederic William IV., King.. Oscar I., King.. ..Pius IX., Pope. ...Lim. mon....Athens.. ...Otho, King... .Abs. mon....Constantinople.Abdul Medjid, Sultan..... NORTH AMERICA. U.States of America.Republic....Washington...Millard Fillmore, President.......3,260,073..24,000,000 394,000.. 6,000 Canada East........Br. Prov... S British North America. San Salvador.. 24,000.. 363,000 40,000.. 400,000 Guatemala.. Republic.....Chuquisaca. General Belzu, President.... ..Republic....Santiago. ..Manuel Bollivian, President.. Argentine Republic. Republic.....Buenos Ayres..Juan M. Rosas, Governor.. 3,000 .1,450,000.. 1,000,000 380,000.. 1,687,000 325,000.. 600,000 318,000.. 1,700,000 524,000.. 1,873,000 144,000.. 1,200,000 726,000.. 675,000 120,000.. 140,000 74,000.. 250,000 ..2,300,000.. 7,500,000 Barklay, Governor... .Empire......Rio Janeiro....Pedro II., Emperor. Sp. Prov.....Havana.........José Concha, Capt. General... Fr. Prov.....Basseterre... Santa Cruz, &c......Dan.Prov....Christinstadt.. .Br. Prov.....St. George's... ..Br. Prov.....Hamilton. Higginson, Lt. Governor... -, Governor... Bruat, Governor Governor... Oxholm, Governor.. Hamilton, Lt. Governor.. Sir Charles Elliott, Lt. Governor.. 76,000.. 96,500 38,500.. 6,500 CONGRESS IN 1850. THE First Session of the XXXIst Con-¡ed, vehement struggle commenced with regress, which commenced Nov. 3d, 1849, and gard to the Organization of the New Terriclosed Sept. 30th, 1850, was one of the long- tories, Admission of California. &c. General est and most exciting ever held. Its ten Taylor at an early day transmitted a Special months' duration was in good part devoted Message, recommending in substance that to speech-making-nearly the first month California should be promptly admitted with having been consumed by the House in in- the Constitution her people had framed and effectual ballots for a Speaker. The Oppo- the boundaries they had designated, and that sition had a small plurality in the House, the Territories should be left under the Miliwith a very decided majority in the Senate; tary Government which had been established but the number of Free-Soil Democrats,' upon their conquest, until such time as they who could not vote for a Speaker so thorough should be entitled to and desirous of admisly adverse as Mr. Cobb to their views of sion into the Union as States, when they Slavery Extension, rendered the result doubt- should be received with whatever Republiful, and would have secured the reelection of can institutions they might present. This Mr. Winthrop but for the defection of Messrs. plan made no provision for the settlement of A. H. Stephens, Toombs, and Owen, of Ga., the Boundary of Texas, which State claimed Morton of Va., and Cabell of Fla., who re- to include most of the People of New-Mexico fused to vote with their party on Speaker and her entire territory east of the Rio Grande, without a distinct committal against the Wil- within the former's limits and rightful jurismot Proviso. This could not be conceded, so diction. To this assumption the People of Mr. Winthrop was steadily voted against by New-Mexico manifested the most determined several Pro-Slavery Whigs on one side, and and active hostility. Mr. Clay at an early day Anti-Slavery men elected by Whig votes on made a speech to the Senate, concurring in the other, while Mr. Cobb lost votes on one General Taylor's preference that each subside only. Several other candidates were ject should be considered and decided by tried on either side with like success, though itself, but insisting that the Territories should one (Mr. W.J. Brown of Ia.) came very near be promptly organized under regular Terrian election, having succeeded in uniting both torial Governments, and the Texas Bounda wings of the Opposition upon himself, by sat-ry settled. In the progress of the discussion, isfactory private assurances on the Slavery Mr. Clay waived his own preference of sepaQuestion. The fact that such cross-eyed as-rate action, and assented to the combination surances had been given became public bare of the Admission of California, the Organizaly in time to prevent his election. Finally, tion of the Territories, and the adjustment of the House decided to try a plurality vote, the Texas Boundary, all in one bill, which agreeing that the highest candidate at the thence obtained the nickname of 'the Omninext ballot should be thereupon elected; and bus.' A grand Committee of Thirteen was on this vote Howell Cobb of Georgia had 102 raised, with Mr. Clay at its head, from which votes, Robert C. Winthrop of Massachusetts Committee the project known as 'the Omni100, and there were some fifteen scattering. bus' was in due season reported, and thence -HOWELL COBB was thereupon declared forward contested with desperate resolution Speaker by a resolution moved by Edward by all the strength and a good share of the Stanly (Whig) of North Carolina. THOMAS weakness of the Senate. When the strugJ. CAMPBELL (Whig) of Tennessee was, afgle was at the fiercest, General Taylor died, ter a tedious struggle, reëlected Clerk, but he and it was supposed that his decease and the soon died, and RICHARD M. YOUNG of Ill. succession of Mr. Fillmore, who was esteemed (once U. S. Senator) was chosen in his stead. moderately favorable to 'the Omnibus,' would Congress being fully organized, a protract- secure its passage, but that expectation was not realized. On the contrary, after various No attempt for it was made in the Senate. amendments had been proposed, and mainly Cheap Postage, Mileage Reform, and several rejected, though some of considerable impor other desirable changes, were attempted, but tance were adopted, a motion to strike out failed for want of time or want of favor. But all that part relating to the Boundary of Tex- a strenuous attempt to break up the system as was carried, and the bill thus crippled was of executing the Printing of Congress by Condismembered limb by limb, until nothing re- tract was resisted and defeated in the House, mained but the sections organizing Utah (the much to the relief of the Treasury; and a ProMormon Deseret') as a separate Territory, viso was fastened to the Naval Appropriation which was passed and sent to the House. bill prescribing that Flogging in the Navy However, the California admission, the New should henceforth be abolished. This proMexico Territorial, and the Texas Boundary viso is now the law of the land, and likely to bills, all subsequently passed as independent remain so. Attempts to engraft the principle propositions- the Texas Boundary bill giv of Free Grants of Public Lands to Actual ing the same amount ($10,000,000) to Texas Settlers on our Land System were made, but for relinquishing her claim to New-Mexico strongly voted down. The Session, which that the Omnibus' did, while it secured to had been unusually excited and stormy, closed Texas a larger and more desirable area than calmly and quietly. she would have had by that bill. The other - The Second Session of the same Conbills were substantially the same as when ingress opened a few days before this Almacluded in the Omnibus. The Texas Boun- nac was prepared for the press. The Annual dary bill encountered a formidable resistance Message of President FILLMORE was transin the House-the most determined oppo- mitted on the day of meeting (instead of the nents and the most zealous champions of day after, as is usual), and appears to have Slavery Extension uniting in that resistance been received with general favor, though -but it was carrried through by a small ma- many dissent from its emphatic support of jority, after two failures, by uniting with it the Compromise measures, and the expressed the bill to organize New-Mexico as a Terri- determination of the President to uphold and tory. This union was concurred in by the execute the Fugitive Slave Law. Its brevi Senate, and all the bills became laws. Two ty, lack of pretense, and clearness of stateadditional bills, reported separately from the ment, are generally recognized and commendSenate's grand Compromise Committee, were ed. The Reports from the several Executive likewise passed. One of them abolishes the Departments give a favorable impression of Slave Trade in the District of Columbia, the capacity and fitness of the authors. Postwhile the other (known as the Fugitive Slave master-General HALL'S recommendation of bill) provides more summarily and rigorously lower Rates of Postage (three cents for letfor the recapture and return to their masters ters if prepaid, five cents if unpaid, to any of all runaways from Slavery who shall have taken refuge in the Free States. (All these bills will be found in full or in substance in another part of this Almanac. They are the principal results of the Session of 1850, and will cause it long to be remembered.) point this side of the Rocky Mountains) is hailed with general and lively approbation. The Report (from the Treasury Department) of Secretary CORWIN, showing the imperative necessity of a change from Ad-Valorem to Specific Duties, and vindicating the policy Toward the close of the Session, a strenu- of a more systematic and efficient Protection ous effort, or series of efforts, was made for a to our National Industry, is also warmly comrevision of the existing Tariff, with a view mended. The Reports of Secretaries STUto affording additional Protection to the most ART, GRAHAM, and CONRAD, are all creditadepressed branches of our National Industry, ble to their authors, and ought to exert a beespecially the production of Iron and of Cot- Session. As yet all seems calm in the Capineficent influence on the legislation of the ton and Woolen Fabrics. The revision was tol. and there is a prospect of a quiet and defeated in the House by "y close votes. useful Session. May that hope be realized' |