The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1862-12-26


House there should be no legislation
changing the existing laws providing for
the payment Of the interest on tho public
debt in coin. Passed. '~'-
F. The House then went into Committee of
the Whole on the state of the Union and
the Presidents message. ir uao,,
Mr.. Cox spoke about the conduct of the
administration, of President Lincoln and
the policy of the Republicans in general,
arguing that the people in the recent cleo
tons had condemned the emancipation edict
of the President and his other measures.
Mr.. Cox said what he asserted he knew to
be true, namely. That the removal of
Gen. Mcclellan was sacrifice to appease
the Abolitionists, that officer being in ia
vor of conducting the war by organized
armies, and under not above the constitu-
ton, and the administration will be COM
PEELED to resort to Gen. Mcclellan for car
rying on the war and conservative policy.
Unless this be done, Instantaneous
peace may be the result.
WASHINGTON, December II, 1862.
HoUsE.-Mr. Bingham introduced bill
on the COntiscatiOn Act so that in all ca
ses pending or which may arise hereafter,
wherein any ship, vessel, or any other
property may be condemned, the courts
rendering Judgment, shall, before making
award, first provide for the payment of
any bona fde claims filed by any loyal
citizen or friendly foreigner, where proof
of claim can be established. Referred to
Committee on Judiciary.
The House then passed Senate joint res
Olution instructing the committee on the
conduct OF the war to report thereon with
all convenient speed.
Mr.. Stevens, from the committee Of
ways and means, returned bill making
appropriations for invalids and other per-
sons. Its consideration postponed until
Monday next.
Mr.. Stevens also returned Il bill supply
ing deficiency in appropriation for 1868,
which WAS made the special order for Mon
day next.
The House then went into committee of
the whole on the Presidents message
Mr.. Noel, of Missouri, argued that the
present organized Democratic party did
not render unqualified support to the war
but was constantly throwing obstacles in
the way OF its prosecution. He undertook
to say that it was a delusion to think that
this war might have been prevented, by
the adoption Of Crttendens Compromise.
IL was true that some of the leaders of the
rebellion had voted for that compromise,
but the history OF subsequent events show
that if ten or twelve votes had been neces-
sary to defeat that measure, they could
have been procured He would 60 further,
and say, that there was nothing in the Grit
tenden Compromise that would have pre-
vented the rebellion. The enemies OF the
Administration held out the idea that the
war was not for the restoration of peace, but
the abolition of slavery This was untrue,
although such might be the result. They
assert that the Administration tramples on
the Constitution that all the rights and
privileges guaranteed by that instrument
are to be swept by the board; and that the
Union is to be contended for without the
Constitution. lie had witnessed some of
these so-called violations of the Constitu-
ton. When the war broke out, the enc
mics of the country were not confined to
the rebel States, but they were scattered
over all the land. There never was con-
spiracy so we'll concocted. Notwithstand-
ing the opinion Of Judges fancy and Story
that the President was guilty of a violation
of the Constitution in suspending the privi-
leges of the writ Of habeos corpus, he justi-
fed President Lincoln in doing it. 1t was
his duty to use all the means in his power
to suppress the rebellion. The confscation
of rebel property is another pretext for
making war upon the Administration.
Men of the Border States, who have been
trampled in the dust, take it as unkind that
the enemies OF the war expend their SYM
pathies only upon the wives and children
of those engaged in rebellion.
WASHINGTON, Dec 49, 1862.
HoUsE.-Mr. Bingham, from the Com
mittee on Judiciary, reported back the bill
granting relief to loyal men for slaves taken
for the use Of the government, with the
recommendation that it do not pass.
Mr.. Wickliffe, who originally introduced
the bill, remarked that he did not despair
of satisfying the House that some legisla-
ton was necessary. In his opinion the bill
did not interfere with the new articles of
war.
SENATE.-Mr. Cowan presented petitions
for a bankrupt act.
Mr. Rice introduced bill to extend the
Walla- Walla and Fort Benton military
road to Fort Abercrombie.
Mr.. Nesmith introduced bill providing
for the protection of overland emigrants to
the Pacific coast.
Mr.. Wilkinson offered a resolution d.
recting the Committee on the Conduct of
the War to inquire into the facts relative
to the recent battle at Fredericksburg, and
particularly what officer or officers are re-
sponsible for the assault, and for the delay
which occurred in preparing to meet the
enemy.
Mr.. McDougal suggested an amendment
that the com1oittee report the result of
their investigations to the Senate. The
amendment was accepted, and the resolu-
ton adopted.
AMONG the reported dead at Fredericks-
hurp is the Rev Arthur r Fn1ler Cham