Daily national Republican. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1862-1866, 1862-12-11

WEDNESDAY, Dee. 10.
SENATE,

|
Also, resolution directing the Military
Committee to inquire into the expediency Of
reporting a bill forfeitlng the pay and emolu-
ments of officers OF the army during the time
they are absent, except whom upon sick leave.
| Adopted. ....
ton instructing the Joint Committee on the
Conduct of the War, to make report with all
convenient speed. Adopted. l
Mr.. WRIGHT offered a resolution instruct
ing the Military Committee to inquire into the
expedency of providing by law for the adop-
tion Of some system more efficient and practi-
cal than the one now in use for the identifica-
tion and discharge Of soldiers. Adopted.
On motion Of Mr.. SUMNER, the bill for the
relief of the owners Of the French ship Jules
ct Marie, was taken up and passed.
On motion Of Mr.. ANTHONY, the resolu-
tion increasing the bonds of the Superintend-
ent Of Public Printing, was taken up and
passed.
On motion of Mr.. TRUMBULL, the House
bill providing for the discharge of State pris-
oners and authorizing judges of the United
States courts to take bail and recognizances to
secure trial, was taken up, ordered to be
printed, and postponed until tomorrow.
Mr.. SHERMAN gave notice that he should
introduce an amendment to the rules Of The
Senate, so as to provide for a committee on ag-
riculture.
Mr.. HENDERSON gave notice that he should
introduce bill to aid the State Of Missouri in
efiecting emancipation in that State.
The resolution concerning the arrests of GER
tain citizens Of Delaware was postponed till to-
morrow, and,
On motion of Mr.. LATHAM, -
The Senate adjourned. .,..
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.
Mr.. FENToN offered the following resolu-
tion:
Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and
Means be Instructed to bring In bill SO amending
the eleventh section of the excise tax law as to
confer upon assistant assessors the same authority
that is possessed by principal assessors. Also, to
inquire into the expedency of exempting the
other rough lumber, from his or their own lands,
or timber as wholesale dealers. to the amount Of
g.
Mr.. HOLMAN moved that the Secretary of
War be directed to inform the House First,
How many commissioned officers of the army
are now absent from their respective commands,
specifying the number of each grade, and
whether absent on leave, without leave, or by
detail second, The number of Major Generals
and Brigadier Generals who are not assigned to
any actual command, the name of each, the
length Of time since engaged in actual service,
and the names of the members of the staff of
each of such generals, their grade, and how
long unemployed In actual service, and specify
ing only such generals and the members of
their respective stats, as are receiving their
pay and allowance from the Government
third, The number Of aid-de-camps that may
dispensed with, without impairing the public
service. Adopted.
Mr.. GURLEY moved that the Committee on
Military Affairs be directed to inquire into the
expediency of amending the law regulating the
employment Of commissioned officers, SO that
they may be selected from the volunteer SER
vice, or from civil life. Adopted.
| ADMISSION OF WESTERN VIRGINIA AS A STATE.
nahata this QupsfiOn W
Mr.. NOELL believed that the people of
Western Virginia were entitled to the recogni-
! tion Of Congress as State. He had grave
doubts as TO the constitutionality of the meas
ure, but considering the condition in which tho
people there were placed, II was the duty of
Congress to aid them in admitting them as a
proposed State into the Union.
Mr.. SEGAR addressed the House In opposi-
ton TO the bill. The people In his district, and
\ all the loyal portions of that State, while they
regretted the sin which had fallen on the Old
Commonwealth, still cherished the memories
and associations which clustered around the
State, and they, to a man, reprobatsd the idea
Of separation or division of the State. His
constituents In the loyal portion of Eastern
Virginia did not wish to be put adrift upon the
ocean without compass or rudder, as they
would be If the State was divided In the way
proposed. He hoped Congress would not per-
petrate this great wrong on his constituents
and the loyal men Of Virginia, whose voice
could not be heard now in that hall, but who,
In the time to come, would express themselves
In opposition to the measure. Knowing the
feeling Of the people Of Virginia as he did, he
hoped the House would reject the bill. ..
Mr.. SHEFFIELD spoke In favor of the bill.
Mr.. BINGHAM supported the bill. As re-
garded the necessity of an enabling act, an ar
gument put forward by tho opponents of the
bill, there were precedents to Justify the House
In acting without such an enabling act. If an
enabling act was necessary, If q State could not
be recognized In the American Union without
previous enabling act, what would become of
the members from Michigan in the House and
In the Senatei There never was an enabling
act passed for the admission of Michigan into
the Union. The people there, by an Inherent
power in themselves, organized form of gov
ernment and sent 1t, for approval, to Congress,
necessary. 1t was said that such separation
would be in violation of the rights and privi-
leges of large. portion of the people Of Vir-
ginia. But he would remind the House that
the Constitution Of the United States was
framed, ratified, and put into operation In vio-
lation of the written compact between the sew
eral States ofthe confederacy, and this by the
consent and advice of him who was called the
father ofthe Constitution. The power centered
in the people belonged TO the people, and the
people Of Virginia, in this matter, acted accord
ing to that law Of self-preservation inherent In
them, ana aDldlng In them tnat law OF nature
and Of natures god, which was above all writ
ten laws and constitutions. The people alone
had the right to elect a governmental was
necessary to their very existence. The people
of Western Virginia would not be disfranchised
by the act of the Legislature Of the State.
Everything was in state of chaos. By the
uniform custom and laws of the Government,
there was no law by which the midnight assas-
sin could be brought to conviction and punish
ment in State, except by the laws of the State
In which the murder was committed; and wonld
they deprive the people Of Western Virginia of
these wholesome laws, necessary to their very
existence as a community When a people
by majority turn traitors, and lift their arms
against the parent government, abrogating the
provisions of the Federal Government, are the
minority, on that account, to be stripped of
their rights citizens of State, and left with
out arms or power to strike against the assas-
sins He contended that, the majority in Vir-
ginia having turned rebels, the State became
the property Of the loyal minority, and the gen.
eral Government was rightfully called upon to
aid that minority In preserving Its rights against
the majority. That was the precise question
here to-day. That was the position of things
in Virginia. The majority were rebels The
loyal minority claimed to be represented, and
that right was indisputable. He would not
quarrel with those who differed from him as to
the nclusi0n IN he arrived nj hut ha would