THURSDAY, FEBRUARY 23, 1860.

The following petitions, memorials, and other papers, were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the 24th rule of the House, to wit:

By Mr. Corwin: The petition of Carlos Butterfield, praying the passage of a bill authorizing the transportation of the United States mail by steam between the United States and Mexico.

By Mr. Isaac I. Stevens: The memorial of the legislature of the Territory of Washington, relative to the free navigation and improvement of the Chehalis river;

Also, the memorial of the legislature of the Territory of Washington, relative to the erection of a light-house at Gray's harbor.

Ordered, That the said petition and memorials be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

Also, relative to the survey of public land in Washington Territory; also, for the extension of the public surveys east of the Cascade mountains; which were referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

Also, asking an exchange of the duties heretofore performed by the steamers Massachusetts and Shubrick; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.

Also, praying a separate superintendency of Indian affairs, said superintendent to reside within the Territory of Washington; also, relative to appropriating money for the transportation and settling the Indian tribes on their reserve east of the Cascade mountains; which were referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

Also, praying the establishment of an overland mail-route from Olympia to Sacramento; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

Also, relative to an additional appropriation to complete the military road from Steilacoom to Vancouver; also, for an additional appropriation for completing the military road from Fort Walla-Walla to Fort Benton; also, for an appropriation for a military road from Baker's bay to Port Townsend; also, relative to the establishment of a military road from Seattle to Fort Colville; which were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

By Mr. Pendleton: The petition of citizens of the State of Ohio, praying pensions to soldiers of the war of 1812; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

By Mr. Florence: The petition of citizens of the State of New York, praying relief in relation to the leasing of the public stores in the city of New York.

By Mr. Sickles: The petitions of citizens of the State of New York, for an investigation into the nature, operation, and profits of the contract for the labor in the public stores of the United States in the city of New York, and that the same be revoked.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Public Expenditures.

By Mr. William N. H. Smith: Two petitions of citizens of the State

of North Carolina, praying an appropriation for the improvement of navigation in certain waters in said State.

By Mr. Florence: The memorial of the Philadelphia board of marine underwriters, praying an appropriation for the purchase of self-righting life-boats.

By Mr. Avery. The petition of the mayor and aldermen of the city. of Memphis, in the State of Tennessee, to establish a board of local inspectors at said city.

By Mr. Moorhead: The memorial of Henry Woods, praying additional compensation for superintending the erection of a custom-house at Pittsburg;

Also, the memorial of citizens and merchants of Philadelphia, in the State of Pennsylvania, relative to life-saving stations on the coast. Ordered, That the said memorials and petitions be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

By Mr. Trimble: Five petitions of citizens of the State of Ohio, praying the imposition of specific duties on imported iron.

By Mr. Stanton: The petition of citizens of the State of Ohio, praying specific duties on imported iron.

By Mr. Blair: The petition of citizens of the State of Pennsylvania, praying specific duties on imported iron.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

By Mr. Parrott: The petition of citizens of the Territory of Kansas, for a wagon road from White Cloud to Fort Kearny; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

By Mr. Pendleton: The memorial of Mitchell and Rammulsbergheretofore referred June 7, 1858; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. Niblack: The petition of citizens of the State of Indianaheretofore referred May 31, 1858; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands.

By Mr. Otero: The petition of Thomas F. Bowler, praying relief for damages sustained by the annulment of his contract for carrying the mail on route No. 10615.

By Mr. Cadwalader C. Washburn: The petition of citizens of the State of Wisconsin, praying mail-route from Towerville to Decorah. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

By Mr. Millson: The petition of the master workmen of the Gosport navy yard, praying that they may be allowed a yearly salary in lieu of a per diem compensation; which was referred to the Committee on

Naval Affairs.

By Mr. Colfax: The petition of Isaac Johnson-heretofore referred December 27, 1844.

By Mr. Parrott: The petition of citizens of the Territory of Kansas residing on the Miami Indian reservation, praying the repeal of the act of June, 1858.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs.

By Mr. Dunn: The petition of citizens of the State of Indiana, praying an appropriation to enable E. B. Bishop to test more fully his machine for deepening the channels of rivers and harbors; which was referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals.

By Mr. Hughes: The petition of Stephen H. Weems-heretofore referred January 8, 1858; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

By Mr. Cobb: The petition of the heirs of Christopher Taylor, praying arrears of pension due for services rendered during the war of the revolution.

By Mr. Potter: The petition of Peter Van Buskirk, praying increase of pension for services rendered during the war of the revolution. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Revolutionary Pensions.

By Mr. Millson: The petition of Nancy Parsons, widow of William Parsons, praying pension for services rendered by the said William Parsons in the war of 1812.

By Mr. Moorhead: The memorial of Patrick Kane, praying pension for injuries sustained in the Mexican war.

By Mr. Cooper: Two petitions of citizens of the State of Michigan, praying pensions to the soldiers of the war of 1812.

Ordered, That the said petitions and memorial be referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. William Kellogg: The petition of John H. Wickizer, praying compensation for taking the census in California in 1850.

By Mr. Israel Washburne, jr.: The petition of Luke Hilton-heretofore referred January 24, 1854.

By Mr. Dawes: The petition of Abigail White Howes, heir of Joseph White-heretofore referred January 8, 1859.

By Mr. Alley: The report of the Court of Claims, adverse to the claim of Jonathan Porter Felt.

By Mr. Duell: The petition of Jethro Bonney, praying compensation for loss of property at the invasion of Plattsburg.

By Mr. Florence: The memorial of Jonas P. Levy, praying damages sustained from his illegal expulsion from Mexico in 1846.

By Mr. Walton: The petition of Elizabeth B. McCormick, widow of William J. McCormick-heretofore referred May 12, 1858.

By Mr. McKnight: The petition of Thomas H. Baird, administrator of Doctor Absalom Baird, praying the payment of moneys withheld from him by the Secretary of the Treasury.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Dickins, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill of the following title, viz:

S. 192. An act authorizing the corporation of Washington city to make a loan and issue stock for two hundred thousand dollars for building a market-house;

in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House.

The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House the

following message, heretofore received from the President of the United States, viz:

To the Senate and House of Representatives of the United States:

Eight memorials numerously signed by our fellow-citizens, "residents for the most part within the territorial limits of Kansas and Nebraska, at and near the eastern slope of the Rocky mountains," have been presented to me, containing the request that I would submit the condition of the memorialists to the two houses of Congress in a special message. Accordingly, I transmit four of these memorials to the Senate and four to the House of Representatives.

These memorialists invoke the interposition of Congress and of the Executive "for the early extinguishment of the Indian title, a consequent survey and sale of the public land, and the establishment of an assay office in the immediate and daily reach of the citizens of that region." They also urge "the erection of a new Territory from contiguous portions of New Mexico, Utah, Kansas, and Nebraska," with the boundaries set forth in their memorial. They further state, if this request should not be granted, "that (inasmuch as during this year a census is to be taken) an enabling act be passed, with provision upon condition that if, on the 1st day of July, 1860, thirty thousand resident inhabitants be found within the limits of the mineral region, then a territorial government is constituted, by Executive proclamation; or if, on the 1st day of September, 1860, one hundred and fifty thousand shall be returned, then a State organization to

occur.

In transmitting these memorials to Congress, I recommend that such provision may be made for the protection and prosperity of our fellow-citizens, at and near the eastern slope of the Rocky mountains, as their distance and the exigencies of their condition may require for their government.

WASHINGTON, February 20, 1860.

The same having been read,

JAMES BUCHANAN.

Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee on the Territories and printed.

The Speaker also laid before the House communications as follows,

viz:

I. A letter from the Secretary of War, in response to a resolution of the House of the 13th instant calling for the annual report of Lieutenant Colonel James D. Graham on the harbor improvement for the northern and northwestern lakes; which was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.

II. A letter from the Clerk of the House of Representatives, in response to a resolution of the House of the 16th instant calling for the names of all the clerks, messengers, and laborers in his office, the date of their appointment, and their duties, salaries, and the authority for such appointment; which was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.

The Speaker also, by unanimous consent, laid before the House

certain evidence in the Nebraska contested election case; which was referred to the Committee of Elections.

Mr. Ashmore, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 219) granting a pension to Major John F. Hunter; which was read a first. and second time, and referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. On motion of Mr. John Cochrane, by unanimous consent, Resolved, That the Doorkeeper be instructed to provide a place in the galleries for those of the seventh regiment of New York and other military companies who, having visited Washington upon the invitation of the committee appointed by Congress to superintend the inauguration of Washington's equestrian monument, are desirous of witnessing the proceedings of the House.

On motion of Mr. Gilmer, by unanimous consent,

Ordered, That the evidence in the case of Samuel G. Daily, contesting the seat of Experience Estabrook as a delegate from the Territory of Nebraska, be printed.

On motion of Mr. Sherman, by unanimous consent,

Ordered, That the communications addressed by the Secretary of State to the chairman of the Committee of Ways and Means, submitting estimates for the compensation of the interpreter to the mission to Japan, and for the relief and protection of American seamen, be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means and printed.

The Speaker having announced as the regular order of business the election of a Printer, which was postponed until this day

On motion of Mr. Houston,

Ordered, That there be a call of the House.

The roll having been called,

The following named members failed to answer to their names, viz: Mr. Garnett B. Adrain, Mr. Cyrus Aldrich, Mr. James M. Ashley, Mr. Milledge L. Bonham, Mr. George Briggs, Mr. John Y. Brown, Mr. Horace F. Clark, Mr. Sherrard Clemens, Mr. Clark B. Cochrane, Mr. Schuyler Colfax, Mr. John Covode, Mr. Charles Delano, Mr. William H. Dimmick, Mr. William H. English, Mr. Augustus Frank, Mr. Ezra B. French, Mr. James H. Graham, Mr. James T. Hale, Mr. J. Morrison Harris, Mr. John B. Haskin, Mr. John Hickman, Mr. Benjamin F. Junkin, Mr. William S. Kenyon, Mr. John W. Killinger, Mr. Charles H. Larrabee, Mr. Henry C. Longnecker, Mr. Robert Mallory, Mr. William Millward, Mr. Laban T. Moore, Mr. George W. Palmer, Mr. John H. Reynolds, Mr. Albert Rust, Mr. George W. Scranton, Mr. William E. Simms, Mr. Thaddeus Stevens, Mr. William Stewart, Mr. Mason W. Tappan, Mr. Charles R. Train, Mr. Zebulon B. Vance, and Mr. John Wood.

And then,

By unanimous consent, all further proceedings in the call were dispensed with.

Notices were given, under the rule of motions, for leave to introduce bills, as follows, viz:

By Mr. Israel Washburn, jr.: A bill giving half pay pensions to the widows of officers, seamen, and marines who have died or may die in consequence of wounds or injuries received while in the public service.