New-York daily tribune., 1861-12-31

ments, by this call, would have an opportunity to
furnis sh the reafons.
Mr.. WiCKLIFFE Union, Ky) did not feel him
self called npan to defend the Departments amed,
bat be did not understand how far this House has
the right to assume the Executive powers OF this
| Government. II he understood the me,its OF the
pendifg question, IL was why The Heads Of Depart
meDrs did not remove certain clerks.
Mr.. OLIN rep, N. " said the persons charged
ough. 10 have an opportunity Of refutng the alega-
tions, which, he learned incidentally, had not been
afforded
Mr.. WICKLIFFE, resuming, said, II we have
heads OF departments who not competent to Judge
Of tie qualification or Loyalty Of their snbordinates,
we should strike at and remove them, aiming at
bigner game than mere clerks.
Mr. MALLORY (Am., Ky.) objected TO the intro
ductOn of the above-named resolution, calling on the
Secretary of the Interior, &c.
Mr.. POTTER liep., Wis.) said Mr.. Wicklife' s
remark woud be proper f the question were on the
appointment Of the Committee. Bot the Co%mi,tee s
has already leen appointed The very object OF
sendiug to the Departments the testimony affecting
the disloyay of clerks was to afford opportunity
for vndication.
The Committee have not decided any matter; they
have merely taken and submitted ~ testimony to
! the heads of detertinents. He would inform the
gentleman from Kentucky that there were to-day in
! tie enI Iluyment Of the Government 800 clerks who
are dirloyI to the Cove inmeDt. There are also
men In tie departments who have mover uttered one
word OF synIlGihy Tor tie government notWhn'
standing tho peIils which surround It. The Depart
menis have not in this respect performed their DUTY.
In g. grcat many cases where clerks have Deen
CHARGED with dsloyally, parties have come before the
Conimiitees and cal ed God to witness that thsy
wers loyal n,en willie Others brought letters from
Senators aud Members Of The House, declaring them
10 10 loyal men. In many instances persous certified
AZ loyal men have left the District, and are now
fo md in tie ranks of the enemy. Every naa sri'
Iloyed should have an opportunity TO eive evilehee
OF lis loyalty and this Was the object of The Com
miltee.
The resolution being objected to, it was not re-
ceiycd for consideration.
Mr.. STEVENS, (Rep., PENN from the Com;
ni,tee on Ways and Means, reported bill
rere ling certain laws crel,ng ports of entry,
the consideration Of which was postponed
until the second Tuesday in February af'er
that geutleman SIR. Stevens) had briefly expressed
his views, saving among other thing, that The
blockade was qugsi admission of the Nat onaii'y
of those whose ports bloekadcd and tba, II Was
not correct principle for nation to bock kade i's
own Iorts.
Incident lily alluding to the adjustment OF tie
Trent affair he eaid that "the conduct OF France
was imy yer,inent as she uninvited TO intervene
in the affair. Bat when We shall have settled our
domestic troubles, must look inio the holy
alliance Of these Powers France and England, and
zee how far they shall 10 permitted TO control ooi
coOduct."
Mr.. SPAULDING rep, N. " introduced bill
auihorizug the issue OF Treasury Notes. payable on
demand. Referred to the Committee on Ways and
Meaps.
Adjourned to Thursday.