The national Republican., 1861-12-17

| Ia disgrace to bis State, disgrace to his ma
iure, and disgrace, cir, to humanity.
| Under the ruling of the Speaker the matter
| Mr. CHANGER, OF lichigsn, introduced
ell relative TO the exchange Of prisoners, and
cent tn the Clerks desk letter from one Of
he prisoners now couhned at Richmond, show.
iug the condition of the prisoaers; upon which
be based this bih Refereed. TsaNsSW
On motion of Mr.. DUELL, a bill was passed
outhoriziug the Secretary OF the Interior to
trike from the pension rolls the names of all
| Mr.. vALLANDfGHAM offered q resolution
that, na.much as the Secretary of the Navy
had s,nction ID the act of Captain Wilkes, Ia
taking from British steamer Messrs Mason
| and Slidell- ar
Resolped, rs the sense of this House, that It
is the duty of the President to now firmly main.
tain the stand thus taken by Capt. Wilkes, in
spite IT any menace or demand of the British
Government; and that this House pledge It's
full support to him In upholding now the honor
| and vindicating the courage Of the Government
aud people Of the United States against a for.
| eign Power.
1t was referred, by vote of-ysas LOG, nays
| l6. =
Mr.. wICKLIFFE then called up his bill to
raise an additional force to defend the borders
of Kentucky. .E
NJ. LOvBJOY would not now vote for ad
diti,nal soldiers. He thought we had more
now than we knew what to do with at present.
He thought, If It was necessary to send ferce
to Kentucky, We could send them from the
Potomac, as we have already enough to spare
at leist twenty thousand for that State, which
this bill requires. He said that every soldier
whe enlisted for three years. service should be
placed upon the same footing as those of the
regulars. .a.
Mr.. STEVENS, Of Pennsylvania, could not
vote for this bill 1t had not been asked for
by any of the Departments of the Government.
He thought that, as 1t was necessary to carry
on this war with as little expense as posslbls,
great economy must be observed.
Mr.. DUNLAP, Of Kentucky, said that at
Camp Wild Cat, when the battle was fought
lhere we had only two regiments from Ohio
and several from Indiana, yet the victory was
complete. General Zollicoffsr then abandoned
his camp and fed from the State. No sooner
was that done, than we had to remove that
portion Of our troopl to another portion Of the
State, when this very same rebel general re-
entered the State and devastated the homes Of
the Union men, and destroyed all the property
they could lay hands upon. -..
He said Kentucky was still true to the Union.
If Kentucky Is to be the battle-ground Of this
con est, we want force 10 defend this border
State as our army passes on towards Tennessee.
Mr.. OWEN, Of New York, thought Il was
time to put this rebellion down, and speedily
too, 49, '..0
Mr. LOVBJOY hesitated, at first, to oppose
this Bill when 1t was frst read, because It might
look as II be was opposed to 1t Becstise it.csnie
from q slave State. He. said the gentleman
from Kentucky had said something about his
being at Bull Run,
Mr. WICKLIFFE did not charge the gentle
man with running. He only said the gentle.
man from Illinois was there
Mr. LOVEJOY said he was there, and he did
not run. The defeat of that battle was not
owing so much to the want of men as II was to
the drunkenness OF some of the officers.
Mr.. WRIGHT, of Kentucky, advocated the
passage of the bill. when
Mr.. LOVEJOY desired to ask the gentleman
II he was 10 fa7er of enlsting all men who of.
} fer their services to the United States.
Mr.. WRlGH said he was In favor of making
this army Just as large a. was necessary for the
necessity Of the Government u
Mr.. LOVEJOY desired to ask the gentleman
IL he had ascertained the necessary number Of
men.
Mr.. WRIGHT replied, that it was not within
the power of the gentleman from Illinois, nor
the power of the President, nor the Command
erin chief, to tell.
Mr.. LOVEtOY said the question still came
back whether, in the opinion of the gentle
man, that this House should go on to enlist
} men In this way. If we do not know how
many we need, we should not 60 on In this
indefinite way.
Mr.. WRIGHT said the gentleman from ILL
nois no longer than last week proposed that
this House should be tho rom nluder-in-c
of the armv, By ofci,ug resolution to rescind
the order ot Geo. Halleok.
Mr.. HICKMAN, of Pa, could not see why
Kentucky should ask for any more safeguards
than was granted to other States. He could
see no reason why the war should be conducted
upon different principle from that of the
other border States. He was altogether op
posed to the bill as the system upon which
the bill was framed was different from the reg
ular way of raising such troops.
Mr.. BINGHAM spoke in favor Of the bill
: Mr.. BLAIR, of Missouri, said we had not in
one single instance met the enemy but that
they had outnumbered our force. We have
not driven them back one foot. He thought
this ought to be conclusive for the gentlemen
from Illinois.
Mr.. LOvEJOY replied that the enemy will
not meet us unless they have superior
force.
Mr.. BLAIR. Why then does not our army
advance?
. The bill was then passed.
Mr.. ALLEN, of Ohio, offered resolution
> that when this House adjourns on Thursday
next, 1t adjoura to meet on the 9th day o
, January next Agreed to-yeas 60, nays SO.
Mr.. ALDRICR, of Minnesota, offered reso
lution, which passed. to abolish suffers or sut
' erships,
The House then adjourned.
letter December l6) from Camp Griffin
Virginia, says
"Under orders from General Hancock, oi
Smiths divis on, and one of the most energetic
officers in the service, Major Smith, Of the Cam