The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1856-02-20
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE.


Prayer by the Rev Mr.. Day.
The journal Of yesterday was read and approved.
ENROLLED RLIS
Mr. DAVIDSON, Of Louisiana, from the Committee
Enrolled Bills reported the following bills as correctly
rolled
An act 10 authorize the Issuing of register the
barque Monmouth; also, act to relieve the Gommis
soner Of Tensions from the performance Of certain eler
cal duties which th rcupon received the SPeaker sigma
tore
Mr. CAMPBELL OF Ohio sent to the Speakers desk two
communications from the Treasury Department addressed
directly TO the Committee Of Ways and Means and desired
thai they might bo read and referred to the committee by
the House and printed lie avaed himself Of this occasion
say TO the House that II desired by tho committee
that all communications procured from the departments
recommending appropriations should be addressed directly
the Speaker In order that they might he referred BY the
House and printed A system, well known to the
older members had grown up by which amendments were
frequently proposed to appropriation bills based upon
recommendations which were drGwn from the private
pockets Of membera system calculated to cmbarraSs the
public business very much In his Judgment lie moved to
refer the communications to the COMMITTEE OF Nays and
Means, and that they be printed; which motion was
agreed 70
Of Eections, reported the following resolution
eop.d That In the kansas contested election the Gem
mtoe Of Elections may be empowered to send or persons
and papers.
Mr. PHELPS of Missouri opposed the resolution, think
ing that the committee seeking to usurp power which
thew ought not to exercise on this OCCASION He entered
into discussion Of the Kansas question, and defended
the citizens Of Missouri from the charge Of border-rui
hAntstn
Mr. wAsHBuRN Of Maine supported the resolution,
and answered some Of the urged against II by
the gentleman from Missouri. .r ..
Mr.. STEPHENS Of Georgia, thought that the llonse
ought to inquire before they exercised the power wheer
the necessity had arisen for confrng upon the commit
and particularly in reference TO distant 1crtory
The House was wholly uniformed rs TO the grounds on
which the committee based the request and he should
move to refer Il back the Committee Of Elecdons with
instructions TO report the ouse the grounds on which
they made the application ,sx,,.,,.. -,
Mr. wASHBuRN OF Maine, said that II the resolution
was adopted II would OF course be entirely Within the
discre,io Of the Committee Of Elections send for such
persons and papers they deemed absolutely necessary in
order to give a just decision in the case witnesses
would of course be sent for al the instance Of Gen Whit
field M well rs OF Gov. Reeder
Mr. STEPHENS replied 10 the gentleman, and IN the
course of h,s argument showed that the memoriaist Mr.
Reedsr had commissioned the members forming the lsgis
ature rho passed the net under which General Whitfield
was elected and he declares that act to be Illegal and
wishes persons and papers for TO dsproye the legality
OF that 10 which he himself officially In Mis- capacity OF
governor gave efect He maintained then, that Gov.
Reeder by his owa ccia net esopped from further
proceedings In conclusion, he moved to- refer the eso
Tuition back to The COMMITTEES o Elections with pstrnc
tons report the grounds which they made the app
cation for the exercise Of the extraordinary power Of send
ing for persons and papers '''''~'.'' ~ - '.'
Mr.. CAMPBELL Of Ohio, did not care whether aot
ernor Reeder had at time acknowledged the yahan5
Of the legislature not The great point involved IN he
whole matter he spprehended to- be the validity o. fne
legislation in Kapsas and he held that was wen.set
tied pncple oflaw that any statute might De vinaeo
fraud and that fraud should be investigated tnorongny
He desired something more than mere newspaper reports
and teisgrsphic despashs on which 70 sorm siaosmeae