Litchfield enquirer., 1861-12-05

CoNGREss.-Congress assembled Monday, at noon with g quorum in both Houses, and imme- diatcly proceeded to business. Tie customary joint committee was appointed to wait on the President, and notify him that they were ready to receive any communication he mi ght be pleas ed to make and he signiGed his intention to send in his message Tuesday, at noon. Previous to the adjournment of the Senate, Mir. Trumbull, of Illinois, gave notice that he will introduce bill to confscate the property ofrebels, and give free doE to persons in Slaves States, and Mir. Wilk- inson, of Minensota, similar notice of a bill to abolish the distinction between regulars and vol- unteers. In the House number of new mem bers were sworn in, among them Mr. Maynard, of Tennessee. There was some question as to his right to a seat, but it was explained that he was elected before the secession of Tennessee, and there was no further obj lection. The case of MT. Foster, represented to have been elected from the IIatteras District of North Carolina was referred to the Committee on Elections, as was that of Mir. Segar, holding a certificate of election from Eastern Virginia. A joint resolution of thanks to Capt. Wilkes for his arrest of Mason and Sli dell, was passed. A resolution was passed ex- polling John Reid, member of the House from the Fifth District of Missouri, he having taken up arms against the Government. Mir. Colfax, of | Indiana, offered preamble and resolution, which were unanimously adopted, requesting thes sPresi- dent to direct the confinement of the Rebel En- voy Mason in the cell of convicted felon, until 1 Col Corcoran shall be treated by the rebels as the United States have treated all prisoners taken | by them on the battle-fel It was subsequently, decided to advise the same treatment of Slidell, in reference to the imprisonment of Col. Wood. MT. Eliot, of Massachusetts, then offered series of resolutions, solemnly declaring that the war now pending is simply waged by the Government for the suppression of the rebellion and the re-es- tablshment ofthe Union, but insisting upon the right of the President to enamel pate all persons held as slaves in any military district in state ot insurrection against the Government, and ad- vising such course. The House refused to table the resolution, 70 against 56, but it's considera- tion was postponed for week. Various other resolutions on the same bject were offered for future consideration. On motion of Roscoe A. Conkling, of New-York, the Secretary of War was requested to inform the House whether any steps had been taken to ascertain who was re- sponsible for the disaster at Balls Bluf
 THE steamer transport Mcclellan arrived Mon. day from Tybee Island and Port Royal, having left the latter place on the afternoon of the 28th ult.-the date of the latest dispatches from the rebel sonrces announcing an engagement between Tatnalls feet and the National vessels at Ty
 bee. This engagement, however, appears te have been so insignificant as not to have attract ed the attention of our forces, as no mention
 whatever is made of it in the cCtellan's advices
 Gen. Sherman and Staff on the 26th went dowr to Tybee on board the Mcclellan, and on the 27tl the General landed and made reconnaissance during which Fort Pulaski threw four shells a, the party, without doing any damage This ma, have given rise to the report of an engagement
 The Mcclellan is understood to have brought i'm
 portant dispatches from Gen. Sherman to tht War Department,