IMPORTANT FROM WASHINGTON
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The Senate was engaged the whole uay 'n the consideration of the hill regulating the POst-O Office Department, and iOSIly, after much debate and the adoption of various a. TnendmeDts, ordered it tO be engrOssed for third Seading, lby un0nImOuS vote.

 French ReLntiOns-After some other bnsi- ness, of no importance, the Speaker laid be- fore the House Message received this mOrn- ing from the President Ofthe U. States. traDs- uniting a letter from the Secretary of State, and sundry documents in compliance with the Resolution of the House, adopted on mo- ton of MT. J. q. Adams, calling for any in- formation in the possession of the Executive, on the subject of our relations with France, which had been received subsequently, to the communicate fthe correspondence already before the House.

 The President says in the Message that he communicates all the information he has rec ceived since his former communication to the House, the publication of which he deemed compatible with the public interest, but he in- inmates that he had withheld much of the in- formation. He adds, however, that he will make further communication on the subject. as soon as any change of circumstances should occur to render it, in his opinion. proper. The Secretary Of State says, in regard to the des- patches lately received from France, that they

 

 ready communicated; but that, as you will see, from what follows, was not the opinion ofthe House. The correspondence. of which l give you a glance, was thought in the House to put the probability Or~exPectatiOD of the fulftnent of the stipulatiOns of the conven- ton of 1881 pretty nearly out Ofthe question.

 The despatches communicated, consist merely of extracts from four letters from Mr. Livingston. to the Secretary of State, which letters are respectively dated Oct. 9th. Nov. aqd, Dec. 9th, and Dec. 22d. The first three letters exhibit a confident helief on the part of the writer, that the appropriation would he made, and the last letter shows that he had lost all his confidence in the assurances which he had received to that effect. The letter of Oct. 9th states, that he had been admitted to an audience with the King, and had addressed him on the subject of his mission, and goes an to say

 ''His answer was long and earnest. cant pretend to give you the words of it, but. in substance, 1t was a warm expression of his good feeling towards the United States, for the hospitality he had received there, &c. SIc. As to the convention, he said, assure your gov- ernment unavoidable circumstances alone prevented the immediate execution, but it will be faithfully performed. Assure your gov. ernment of this, he repeated. The necessary laws will be passed at the next meeting ofthe Chambers. IhN yow Mis, not only as King. but 0s an individual tchose promise tOiU be Julfl ieda'

 asTn the letter oe the 22d Nov, Mir. Lvings. ton says, "I do not hope for any decision on our affairs before the middle of January. One motive for delay is an expectation that the Message of the President may arrive before the discussion, and that 1t may contain some- fNa m etr ufS nal fnoI subject. This is not mere conjecture.

 ''Iknot0 the .fact-and repeat now, from full knowledge ofthe case, what have more rhan once stated in my former letters as my firm persuasion, that the moderate tone taken by our Government when the rejection was first known, was attributed by some to indif ] ference, or to conviction on the part of the ] President, that he would not be supported in any strong measures by the people, and, by others, to a consciousness that the convention 1 has given us more than we are entitled to. saw last night an influential member of the Chambers who told me that asterisks are here substituted for a part Ofthe sentencel and the King had spoken ofour affairs and appear ed extremely anxious to secure the passage of the law. I mention this as one of the ma ny circumstances, which, independent of off cial assurances, convince me that the King is sincere; and now have no doubt of the sin csrity ofthe Cabinet. From all this you may imagine the anxiety shall feel for the arrival the Presidents Message. On it's tone will depend very much, not only the payment of our claims, but our national reputation for en- ergy. have no doubt it will be such as to attain both of these important objects"

 In the letter of Dec. 6, MT. Livingston says:

 "The Chambers were convened On the lst inst. unde. very exciting circumstances" He goes on to narrate the circumstances, and to state that the ministry, after a warm contest. { gained cornplete victory. "The conversa- 1 tions." he continues, "whch have had with ! the King. and with all the ministers, convince l me that now they are probably in earnest and united on the question, and that 1t will be ur- ged with zeal aud ability" "On the whole," he concludes, 1T repeat that. without being at all confident, I now entertain better hopes than have for some time past"

 The last letter, which is dated Ggd Dec. commences as follows :-" Our diplomatic re- latiOns with this Government, are On the most extraordinary footing" He goes on to state the nature of the new difficulties, which had unexpectedly presented themselves, in the face of all the assurances which he had re- eived from the ministers. It turned out that the ministers having probably ascertained that they could not carry the Indemnity Bill in the Chambers, had determined not to present it sn their responsibility. They will present it only as an ordinary matter of business, bnt