Massachusetts state law of 1843, making it a penal offence for any
officer of the commonwealth to aid in the arrest or detention of a
fugitive slave: considering that, though such state legislation may
create embarrassment, it cannot impair the constitutional provision for
the delivery of fugitives bound to labor in another state. He recommends
a modification of the general law, enabling the President to call upon
the militia, and place them under the control of any civil officer of
the government, without requiring any previous proclamation, in cases
where the civil authority is menaced.

The California Duties Bill, giving the new state $300,000 out of the
duties collected while she was a territory, to defray the expenses of
the state government up to the time of her admission, passed the Senate
February 25th. The Cheap Postage Bill, as amended, passed the following
day, by a vote of 39 to 15. This bill provides a rate of three cents
when pre-paid, five cents when not pre-paid, on letters less than half
an ounce, and for any distance exceeding three thousand miles double
these rates. Instead of a uniform rate of one cent on newspapers, it
provides a tariff postage from five to twenty-five cents per quarter for
weekly papers, according to distances; semi-weeklies to pay double,
tri-weeklies triple, and dailies five times these rates. The House
afterwards added an amendment providing for the coinage of three-cent
pieces, which was concurred in by the Senate. The law will take effect
on the 1st of July next.

On Saturday, February 22d, Mr. Rantoul, of Massachusetts, appeared and
took his seat for the remaining ten days of his term. The bill
abolishing constructive mileage on the part of the Senate passed both
houses. The River and Harbor Bill, appropriating between two and three
millions of dollars for the improvement of the harbors of the coast and
the lakes, and the river navigation of the interior, was taken up in the
Senate, on Saturday, March 1st, by a vote of 31 to 25. The debate
continued until past midnight, when the Senate adjourned. The subject
was resumed on Monday morning, the opponents of the bill, who were in
the minority, exercising their ingenuity in order to prevent a vote.
There being now but a few hours of the session remaining, the utmost
activity and excitement prevailed in both houses. The indispensable
Appropriation Bills were yet to be passed, the Postage Bill was waiting
its final vote, and a num