The daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1863-1864, 1863-12-16
IELEGRAPHIC.
Up to Q O'Clock. A. M.
xXXVIII CONGRESS.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Is, 1853.


WASHINGTON, Dec. Is, 1853.
Mr.. Wilson presented memorial asking
for an increase of pay for Paymssters'
Clerks, Hospital Stewards and Inspectors
of Customs in Boston.
Mr.. Lane introduced bill providing that
all traffic in gold, silver and foreign sx-
change, for specializing purposes, or the
purchase through broker is expressly pro.
hibited. Section I'd prohibits the sale Of
gold, silver or foreign exchange, by any
banker or broker, directly or indirectly, at
any places except at the regular banking
houses. Section Sd, prohibits the sale of
gold, silver and foreign exchange un less &C.
tually delivered and paid for on delivery
Section 4th, provides as the penalty for vio-
lating any of the provisions of this act, on
conviction before the T. s. District Court,
a sum of not less than $1,000 or more than
$4,000 and Imprisonment for not less than
one month or mere than twelve months for
each offence.
Motions of reference of the subjects en-
braced in the Presidents Message were
then entered on and referred to their ap-
propriate committees.
Mr.. Lane introduce Jill to amend the
act entitled san Act to define and punish
conspiracies," passed July 81, 1861 also
the Oath sec ion of the act for enrolling and
calling out the National forces, passed the
Sd of March 1861.
Mr.. Davis, of KY, called up the resolu-
tons in relation to the exchange of prison
ers, arguing vehemently against the policy
of refusing to exchange our suffering, starry
ing and diseased white men because the
rebels refuse to exchange the negro captives.
He denounced at length the policy Of the
Administration upon the several points in
which negro is effected, characterizing its
position as montrous and referring to the
present date as the reign of Abraham First.
He averred that his own loyalty was IN
spotted; that he hated with undylng vigor
the crime of secession. 1t was evident this
policy was only part of that design to
perfect the party power of the administra-
ton. He closed with an indignant protest
against the refusal of the administration to
liberate thousands of stsrving, dying white
men, for the sake Of few negroes
Mr.. johnson deemed it perfectly clear
that humanity is the highest policy demand
ed in the continuance Of the exchange of
prisoners. He proceeded to combat the
opinion of the Senator from KY, Davis
that these men should not be protected,
and corrected his views of tho power of the
President by quoting from the constitution
in relation to the Executive and Leglsla-
tive powers.
Mr.. Davis replied saying the Constitution
confers no power on the government. The
Supreme Court had so interpreted it. He
also claimed the President had no right to
suspend the writ of habeas corpus which
was a legislative and not an executive
function. The powers to be exercised are
conferred by the Constitution alone and
there are no powers vested in the govern
ment which are not conferred by the Con-
stitution. Hence the President cannot
raise troops or armies, nor has he the power
to organize measures to put down insur-
rections without the assent Of Congress-
1t was the determination Of the party
now in power that the war shall
continue until the next Presidential
election the war would have been brought
to close long ago if the Administration
had singly and in good faith devoted itself
to the principles announced in the Crttsn
den resolution aud if the commanders of
the armies had not been selected, not be-
cause of their hostility to the rebels but
because of their opposition to slavery.
Mr.. Hale, of n. H., rose to Indignantly
deny that it was the desire of any gentle
man on this floor to continue the war in
order to influence the next Presidential
election. A more attrOcious allegation
against the Honorable member never was
listened to from the beginning eff time to
the present moment. If the allegations of
the Senator were true, he would sooner
take iuto his own hand the hands of man
from the charnel house, reeking with pesti-
lence, than the hands of those around him
if the allegation was general. 1t was stamp
ed with the foulest treason aud perjury
The destinies Of the country have been
submitted to the gentlemen around him,
who are bound by their oaths to sus-
tain the county and the Constitution,
and to defend our 6resides and our homes
threatened by invasion. The Senator from
Kentucky says they are hypocrltes and
bound to sustain those objects.
Mr.. Davis explained that be had refer
ence to these in power.
Mr. Hale replied that the Senator had
made an allegation which embraced every
Senator, it was an allegation which if true,
would disgrace the vilest inmates of peni-
tentiaries, the character of the President
was also included in the allegation. He
believed one thing met everybody's assent,
that Mr.. Lincoln is eminently an honest,
patriotic man.
HOUSE.