By This Mornings Mail.

CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.

By THE REPORTER OF THE sEw-YohK TRIBUNE.
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gY THE REPORTER OF THE NEW-YOhh IkiboNh'


WAsHlyG1os Thursday. Feb g.


In the HOUSE OF RErREs EsENTArvEs, the CUES
ton of privilege, viz. with reference to the valid
ity of the claims to seats of the General Ticket
Members again came up, and was considered
during the day.


Mr.. BEARDsLEy occupied his hour with an ar
gnment against the District law, and in favor OF
the claims of these members. He acknowledged
that Congress had full power 10 g alter" the State
regulations with reference to elections, but con-
tended that q constitutional alteration must be
such that the State systems thus modified would
be perfect and provide for the holding OF elections
This was not the case here, but the passage of
the District law, in order to be complied with,
rendered necessary further legislation (and that
not voluntary by the States. If 1t was lett
to the States to act, they possessed entire power
over the subject, and Congress had no right
to command or require Legislation by them. / his
law doing it, was null and void.


He sienifed his preference for the district sys-
tenn as more lust and equable, as matter of ex-
pedencv: but that was irrelevant to the ques-
ton before them.


MIR. G.. w. JONES, of Tennessee, took the same
oround-advancing, among others, the argument
that the Constitution contemplated the election
of Representatives by the people of the States,
and not by few or by portion of them CON-
prised in district.


Mr.. CALEB SMITH of la. expressed his regret
that a question Of this magnitude should be consl-
dered on party grounds and thatthe Congress who
passed the law should be abused The day was
coming lf it was not the case to the full extent
now) when their ardent patriotism and unfiinch-
ing devotion to the interests of the whole country
would receive that need Of praise so richly de-
served He considered 1t quite extraordinary that
this law so exactly il accordance with The letter
as well as the spirit Of that instrument, should so
confidently be pronounced unconstitutional, and
briefly but clearly brought forward some of the
arguments in support of the law f: deprccating the
revolutionary and dangerous tendency of the ex-
ample of it's entire disregard and treatment with
scom which the dominant party seemed disposed to
set before the nation incidentally mentioning and
ustifyng the protest Ito which the reason that his
name was not appended was his detention from
his seat by indispostion,) &c. &c.


Mr. NEWTON Of Va. eoquently and iorclbiy
advocated the cause of law and order, replying
to Mr.. Beardsley and other gentlemen, and de-
Tending the Constitutl0naty as well as the Expe-
diency and Justice Of the District law. He con-
sidered the questions involved and the decision
to be pronounced of deep and vita! interest to the
whole country. 1t was not his inclination to
war upon the dead he rather recognised and
felt the force of that principle Of our nature de
mortuis ni1il niSi bonums; but he might be per.
mitted TO say that if the present ma ority who
had been so ready to applaud. the President in
this as well as in other things, would give to the
question the benefit Of such doubts as had trou-
bed the conscience of the President, their dccis-
ion would be quite different from what it =
likely to be- &c.


Mr. CoBB of Ga. zone Of the general ticket
members) advocated the validity of their claims !;
and Mr. ORDER Of Ky. opposed them.


The House ad joumed.


In SENATE, Mr.. BATES mentioned the fact that
the resolves Of the Massachusetts Legislature,
presented by him, The Senate had refused to
print, while those in reply, from the Legislature
of Georgia, had been printed He made no mo-
ton upon the subject, but brought to notice this
discrimination that the Senate mi ght, if disposed,
do equal Justice to the States.


Mr.. WRIGHT presented Resolutions Of the
Legislature Of New Y ork presented IN the House
some days since by Mr.. SEYMOUR Of New ork)
for the passage of law to continue in force the
Pension Law Of 1898.


Several petitions for the reduction of postage
and other objects, were presented.


Bills were introduced by MIR. Evans to author
ize the payment Of equitable allowances to the
agents or attorneys Of persons in whose favor
awards have been made under three several
treaties with foreign powers; and by H1r. MER-
RICK for the transfer certain conditions of the
U. S. stock in the Chesapeake and Ohio canal


Mr.. ALLEN moved to postpone other business
and take up the bill to refund Gen. Jackson's
finc and perssting in the motion against the re-
quests of several Senators to waive it for the
prcsent-it was rejected; Yeas Is, Nays 26


Mr. WOODBURY. concluded his speech in oppo-
stion to the present Tariff, in reply to some Of
Mr.. Evanss arguments, &c.


After brief Executive session the Senate ad-
journed. ARGUS