The Evansville daily journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ia. [i.e. Ind.]) 1848-1862, 1862-01-17
NEWS BY TELEGRAPH.
Ex RHE Z. n ". LENE.
Exclusively for the Journal.
CONGRESSIONAL.
xxxvn CoNGREss-FIRsr SESSION.

HOUSE.
O. - WASHINGTON, Jan. 10.
Mr.. Dunn from the Military COMMITTEES
reported bill authorizing and directing
the Secretary of War to furnish the prison
ers of the United States in the revolted
States, with clothing and other necessaries
of life, and for this purpose to employ such
agents as may be necessary. Passed.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, January 16.-A communi-
cation was received from the Secretary of
War, in answer to the resolution of Mr..
Powell, directing an answer to a resolution
of last session, in regard to contracts, &c
The answer states that the first resolution
was received at the Department just after
the battle Of July 2lst, and since then he
has not had sufficient clerical force to prop
erly answer the resolution. The answer
also states, 81, myself have not made sim
gle contract for any purpose whatever. The
heads of Bureaus have made all the con-
tracts The subject was referred.
Mr.. King presented a petition that the
lands Of convicted traitors be awarded to
soldiers and abolish all fees and perquisites
of office. Referred.
Mr. Wilson introduced a bill to amend
certain articles of war.
Mr. Hale offered a resolution that Ward
II. Lamon, U. s. Marshal of the District Of
Columbia, by his recent order, coInmGni-
Gated to the Senate, excluding the members
of the Senate from the Jail without a pass
from him, has been guilty of breach of the
privileges of the Senate and contempt of the
rightful authority of this body, and that the
Secretary of the Senate be directed to COM
municate a copy of this resolution to the
President
On motion of Mr.. Wilson, the bill in re-
lation to the arrest of prisoners, claimed as
held to service or labor, by officers in the
military or naval service of the United
States, was taken up. The bill provides
that any officer, arresting any persons held
to service or labor, shall be discharged from
the service.
Mr.. Collamer offered an amendment as
substitute, that no officer of the army or
navy shall assume to exercise any authority
to arrest, detain, hold or control any person
held to service, and that any officer SO Of
Tending be dismissed from the service
Agreed to.
Mr.. Salisbury offered the following
amendment as a new section: q Nor shall
any soldier or officer under like penalty in
any way entice, decoy or retain any such
person from his or her master or owner"
Mr.. Salisbury said that be thought the of
fcers of the army of the United States ought
to have nothing to do with the question at
all, either way.
Mr.. Rice moved to add after the words
" master or owners, -" who may be loyal |
citizens of the U. S.
Mr. Wilson was opposed 10 this resolution. |
He would not justify slavery. What he |
wanted, was to prevent officers of the army
from returning slaves. Some officers have |
already disgraced the service 10 this |
way, and God willing if he (Wilson} had |
the power, he meant to prevent their con-
hrmatiOn by the Senate.
The contested seat of Kansas was taken |
up, the question being on motion of Mr.. |
Clark to strike out the word mot +" in the |
resolution of the Committee on Judiciary, !
that Mr.. Lane was not entitled to his seat. |
Mr.. Lane said he had refused to accept |
the Office on the 22nd of July. He referred |
to the contest in Kansas with Mr.. Stanton |
for the Senatorship, and said that four days |
after he was elected, the Governor whom |
he had overthrown and his contestant |
whom he had beaten, declared the seat !
vacant
Mr.. Bright thought the question barely a
legal one. The President having appointed !
him. to. an Office not created, the Senator |
from Kansas could not receipt it, and, there
fore, could not vaeate his seat.