Mr. BUCKALEW. This is to enable our appropriate officer to take the steps contemplated for the hydration of the air of the Senate Chamber. Last session when the general subject of ventilation was before the Senate it was contemplated that what is now proposed should be done in the recess; but the measure which was then proposed by the committee on that subject failed in the committee of conference between the 2 Houses and the subject has not been attended to. I suppose we can mitigate the material defect during the coming recess; I mean in the particular contemplated by the resolution. I hold in my hand a volume, a book the cover of which exhibits the existing character of the air in our Chamber at this moment, its extreme aridity. The relative humidity of the air of this Chamber at the present is probabl about 25 or 30 degrees, whereas it ought to be some 60 or 70 degrees. We take the air with the external temperature pretty nearly at the freezing point, when it is almost entirely destitute of moisture: we convey it through a closed passage and heat it up to a temperature of 70 or 75 degrees, when it demands between 3 and 4 times the amount of moisture which it contained when we commenced the proceeding upon it: we have never had any means of imparting that. I suppose, sir, our Sergeant at Arms at all events can mitigate the existing difficulty by turning on the steam, a moderate amount and at a moderate velocity. At all events I propose that he shall try some experiments to reduce in this one particular the existing defects in our ventilation. The resolution was agreed to. HOUSE BILLS ReFERRED. The following bill and JtResolution from the House of jo, were severally read twice by their titles, and referred as indicated below: A bill (H.R.No. 910) granting lands to the State of Oregon to aid in the construction of a military wagon road from Dalles City, on the Columbia river, to Fort Boise on the Snake river to the ComPubLands. A JtResolution (H.R.No. 221) authorizing certain medals to be distributed to honorably discharged soldiers free of postage to the ComPostOffices.