Sunbury American. [volume] (Sunbury, Pa.) 1848-1879, 1861-12-07
Congressional. d
PROCEEDINGS or CONGRESS.
WAsnINoroN, Dec. 2.

W HousE--The House was opened at noon
with prayer by the Rev. Mr. Stockton. The
roll Of members was then called by the clerks
One hundred and fourteen members enswer
ed TO their names. including Messr. Safgesnt
aud Phelps of California, Mr.. Hooper OF
Massachusetts. MIR. Wilson of Iowa, and Mr..
Berneisel, delegate from Utah. and Mr. Cra
dlebsueh, delegate from Nevada.
MIR. Dawes, Mass) moved that Mr. May
nard, Of Tennessee, be sworn 10 as the mem
ber from the second district os Tennessee.
On motion of MIR. Fenton, IN ~ q reso.
lu,ion VAS adopted appointing committee
to JUN such as may be appointed by the Sen
ate to wait on the President and inform him
that quorum of both houses assembled aud
were ready to proceed to business.
Mr. Hickman. (Pn.,) presented the certi.
Grate of the Provisional Government Of
North Carolina, dated at iiatteras, certifying
in the election of Mr.. Foster as member Of
Congress from that State.
Mr.. Watts, delegate from New Mexico,
was sworn in.
MIR. Blair, Of Virginia, the successor oI
Mr. Carlisle, vas also qualified.
Mr. Richardson, (lll) moved that Mr. Sc.
CUR. Of Virginia, be also sworn in.
The subject was then referred to the Com.
mittee on Elections.
SENATE Mr.. Trumbull, (Ill J gave notice
that be would introduce tomorrow bill TO
c"nfscate the property Of rebels against the
authority Of the United States government
and give freedc NJ TO persons held TO lnbor IN
The slave states.
Mr.. Wilkinson, MINI, gave notice OF bis
intention to introduce n bill to abolish the
distinction at present existing between the
regular aud volunteer forces OF the United
States ermy.
WAsBIsGros, Dec. Q.
HousE.-Mr. I.oveioy (lll.) offered joint
resolution rendering the thanks Of Congress
To Capt. Wilkes for bis arrest Of the traitors
Messrs. Sidel and Mason which was
adopted.
MIR Edeerton (Ohio) moved az sobqtitute
that the President be requested 10 present
Captain Wilkes with a gold medal, with
suitable emblems and devices expressive Of
the high sense entertained for him by Con
gress, 10 bis prompt arrest of the Rebels
Mason and Sidel.
The substitute was rejected, the original
resolution adopted
Mr. Blair offered the following as ques.
tion Of privilege -
Resoyred, That John w. Reid member Of
The House from ,he Fifth Congressional
Dletrct of Missouri. having taken up erms
against the Government OF the Z nted States,
b. 6 hereby expelled from the House, and
yhat the Speaker notify the Governor Of
Missouri Of this fact.
'Chc resolution was adopted.
NJ CoIfax (lnd offered the following -
IYheaeas, Colonel Michael Corcoran, who
VAS tuken prisoner on the battle field of
Manassas, has, after suffering other indigni.
ties, been confined by the Rebel au,borties
in the cell of q convicted ieion therefore,
10 it
Resolred, That the President Of the United
States be requested to similarly coDfne James
NJ. Mason, late Of Virginia. now n custody
Mt Fort Warren, until Col, Corcoran shall be
trea,ed as the United States have treated all
prisoners taken by them 10 bsttis Ap
plause in the galleriesl The resolution was
unanimously adopted.
Mr.. Eliot MASS offered the following -
Rsso'ped, BY the House of Representatives
Of the United States of America.
First TEnt in hebalf of the people Of these
States We do solsmnly declare that the war
10 which we are now engaged against the
lnsurEent bodies now iD arms against the
Government, has for its object the suppression
&c such rebellion aud the re establishment of
the rightful suthority Of the National Con.
stituton and laws over the entire extent Of
oar common country.
Second That while we disclam all power
under the Constitution to interfere by ordi.
nary legislation with the institutions OF the
several States. yet the war now existing must
be conducted according to the usages and
rights Of military service, and that during its
continuance the recognized authority Of the
maxim that the safety Of the State is the
highest law, subordnates the hight Of prop.
erty and dominates over civil relations.
7Eird. That, therefore, we do hereby
declare that, 10 our judgment. the President
of the Unitcd States, as the Commander in
rhief Df our Army, and the officers in con-
ptDd under him, have the right to emanci.
pate all persons held as slaves in any military
nis,rct 10 a state OF insuTrecton against the
National Government, sud that we respect
folly advise that such order Of emancipation
be issued wherever the same will avail tC
weaken the power OF the retels in arms, oil
t. strengthen the military power OF The toya
forces
Mr., Damn tMd) moved to lay the resou
ton on the table, bu: the motion was dlsa
greed TO yeas, 81, against 20, as follows:
YE,s.-Messis. Allen. Apcons, Bailey
PA B'ddIe, Blair (Mo Blair (Va) Burn
ham, Calvert, Campbell, Cobb, Conway
Coruiug. Cox, Cravens, Delano, Dunlap
nunn, Fouke, Haight, Harding, Harrison
Holmqn, Horton, Kellogg (ill.) Law, Lazzar
IeaTy, Lehman, McPhersoD, Maynard, May
Meuz,-s, Morris, Noble, NOEL Norton Odeil
Prndl,ton, Perry, Rice Mass J. Richardson
Robinson, Spef Shiel. Smith, Steel IN. Y
Steele IN. y Thomas, Train, Trmbe
Upton Nallandigh ham, Verree, Ward, White
iOhu) Woodruff.
NAYS -Mess7s. Aldrcb, Alley, Arnold
ashIy, BAbbitt, Baiy Mass J, Baker, Baxte
B4amsn, Brigham, Blair PA J, Blake, BaftiI
ton, Clarke, Uoifax, Frederick a. ConkIint
itoscoe OonkIing Davis. Dawes, DaeI
lldgerton, Edwards, Eliot, Fessenden trar
chot, Frank, Goodwin, GsHnger, Gnarl
Hickman, Hooper, lutchins Julian, Kelle
Napsing, LOOMS, Lovejoy, Mexican, Mitchell
Morrill, (Me.). Mortil (Vt), Potion, Phelp
(UAl J. Pike, Pomeroy, Porter, Potter, Ric
(M-( Riddle, Rollins IN. II }, Sergean
ssedgwick, Shsnks, ShelabargeF. Sherms
Sloan. Spanlding Stevens, Trowbridg
Vanhorn, NanValkenburg. Van Wyck, Wa
Wallace, Walton (Me) J, Walton (Vt), Was
burne Wheeler, Wilson and Worcester.
the question recurred on Mr.. Eliots res
lutioa.
MI Roscoe A. Conkling IN. ~ propoa
an amendment, which Mir. Eliot accepted,