St. Charles City Republican intelligencer. [volume] (St. Charles City [Charles City], Iowa) 1857-1861, 1861-08-15
The Extra Session of Congress.

lit EAild StSSlOn vi OOnSTcSS.
The extra session of the new Con.
grcss, which has just closed, has been
ono Of great activity, and, on the
whole, very satisfactory to loyal citi,
zens throughout the country. Before
it began there was much talk about
the offers of compromise with the rob
els which would be proposed, and much
speculation as TO their fate. But all
propositions of that nature have prov
ed of as little consequence as the dry
leaves falling on the surface of a great
river. They have been borne away
without creating hardly a ripple of
excitement. The same may be said of
the reasonable speeches of Messrs.
Breckenridge and Powell in the Sem
ate, and Of Burnett, yallandigham and
May in the House. Not more than
twenty-five members in both houses
have followed the lead of these men,
while some Of the most ardent Union
speeches have come from Southern
men, like johnson Of Tennessee, Car
Isle of Virginia, and Thomas of Ma
ryland. The venerable Crittenden,
whom rumor had designated as one of
the proposers of compromise, disown-
ed the character, and has acted
throughout as a loyal and patriotic
statesman.
All the measures adopted by Con-
gress for the vigorous prosecution of
the war and the rescue of the country,
have not yet been published-and, in
deed, the reports have not always
been very clear as to the substance of
the business transacted. But the fol-
lowing arc some of the most prominent
acts, viz: a new collection bill, au-
thorizing the President, where the du-
ties cannot he collected in the usual
manner, to direct the custom house to
be established in any secure place
within the district, or on board YES
sci near the coast, or to close the
ports Of entry altogether t; bill au-
thorizing the Secretary of the Treas
ury to borrow within year two hun
dred and fifty millions of dollars, to
negotiate, if he pleases, one hundred
of this sum in foreign coun-
tries, and to issue treasury notes in a
specified manner a bill authorizing
the employment of 100000 volunteers
for three years, whose pay is two dol
lars beyond the old rates, and to in
crease the regular army of the United
States bill assessing direct tax
on the people of the several States !;
new tariff bill, altering many of the
rates of duty and lcvying duties on
tea, coffee, and sugar a bill regula-
ting the issue Of treasury notes. and
repeating certain sections of the SUBJ
treasury act; a bill legalizing the
war measures of the President prcvi-
Gus to the assembling of Congress
and bill confiscating rebel property,
including negroes.
With reference to the last bill, which
is said to have been approved by the
President with some reluctance, we
do not know what was it's final shape,
except that it contained the clause
that whenever, during the present
instruction, any person held to SER
vice or labor shall be employed in
military or naval service, intrench-
ments, &c, the person to whom such
labor or service is due shall forfeit his
claim to the same"
Among other features of the session
were the adoption of Senator John
sons resolution, defining the objects
of the war, and the confirmation of
an immense number Of army appoint
ments. On the whole, Congress has
well represented the loyal sentiment
of the country, and has acted with
becoming liberality, vigor and discre-
ton.