Indiana State sentinel. (Indianapolis, Ind.) 1861-1865, 1863-12-28

DuIuciutS uloOUculcuCc VI OtBs AotiOSh . vi
ders. No one can doubt that he Is deserving of
the severest military punishment. But be will
receive none at all, for he Is one Of the men
whom the President dsighteth TO honor.
X
Especial Correspondence sfthe Chicago Times.I
wAsHlseroS, December l6.
The proceedings of Congress thus far have
been not only interesting and important, but also
highly significant In the FIRST place, in regard
to the choice of Speaker. The composition Of
the House is very singular. The radicals can
number SO votes, but not one more. The Dem
ocrats and conservatives number 60. There are
besides 36 members who cannot be classed on
either side They are all in favor of the vigor
Gus prosecution of the war, aud therefore every
one of them who was present voted against Fer
nando Woods peace proposition on the 14th
But there is not one Of them, so far a; l can as
certain, who is in favor of making var on the
people of the Southern States or who Is in favor
of the confscation bill, or who is in favor of the
dismemberment of Virginia, OF who is b fzvorof
the emancipation proclamation; while more than
half of them are opposed to having negro sol
diers, and six of them are earnestly tesirous of
seeing Gen. Mcclellan called again TO the su-
preme command of the army The balance of
power lies amoag these 80 members, and think
their presence in the House viii preye,t the pass
age OF any very radical measure
For instance. the radicals f,Unt scine days bs-
fore the session began. that they could not elect
the Speaker. Washburne of Illinois was their
man, and ne was supported by the power of the
Administration. Even the President openly
electioneered for him. If he could have been
elected (and only four more rotes than they
had, would have done it, the entire aspect of
the legislation of this session would have been
different from what it will now be- 1t would
have beer radical in the most intense degree,
All the committees would have been radical.
and the radicals and fanatics would have ridden
rough sh0d over the helpless minority. But
they could not elect their Speaker By hook nor
by crook-and the crooks were gilded an6 the
hooks were well baited--could they get four
more votes. On the other hand, it was known,
day or two before the session began, that 95
members were pledged to vote for Mr. Colfix on
the first ballot. The radicals finding thai they
could not elect radical Republican, had wisely
concluded to vote for even moderate Rpubli-
can, and hence the large vote which was cast for
Mr.. Cofax, l0l on the first ballot. The votes
of the 80 members to whom have alluded, were
all cast for MI. Colfax. Without then, he
would not have been elected.
The composition of the standing committees
of both houses. deserves attention. In the Sen
ate the radical element still largely prevails. The
two abess and most eminent men in the Senate
Col. Richardson, of Illinois, and Reverdy
Johnston, of Maryland-are almost entirely ig-
nored, or shelyed in unimportant committees
Mr.. johnson. indeed, finds a place on tie Com
mittee on Foreign Relations, where he is ably
seconded by Mr.. McDougall, of California; but
his influence is completely overshadowed by the
radical complexion of the majority of tie COM
mittee, headed by the pedantic Sumner. The
important Committees on Military and Naval
Affairs, the Judiciary, and on Territories are all
in the hands of the radicals. The conservative
members on these committees 1.-THE most impor-
tant in the Senate) the least influential mem
bers of that body. The proper place Cor Mr.
johnson would be the head of the judiciary
Committee. but he has no place on that com
mittee at all. The proper place for Col Rich
ardson would be at the head of the Committee
on Territories, in place of the radical Wade. IL
is a wonder that he is allowed a place on that
committee at all.
In the House Of Representatives, where the
appointment of the committees rested upon Mr.
Colfax, a much better state of things exist Mr.
Colfax knows how to recognize ability, and the
committees in the House are as we'll selected as
the rules of party will allow. 1t is annoying to
see such men as Fernando Wood and VOORHEES,
overlooked. But it could not be expected 10 be
otherwise. Mr. Voorhees, indeed has place on
the Committee on Elections, and Mr. Pendleton
of Ohio place on the Committee of Ways and
Means. The Judiciary Committee the Commit
tee on Military and Naval Affairs and on Terrific
ries are all composed of men of ability convers-
ant with their respective SUBJECTS. Mr.. Farms
worth of Illinois, it is universally conceded,
would make far more suitable chairman of the
military committee than Schenck.
In the Senate yesterday. Mr.. Hale took the
trouble TO deny that the present administration
al m wa a a unaa Of
ring their own re election for another term. If
there were any Senators here who entertained
such purpose, or who were instEng such a
purpose into the ear of the President (and here
Mr.. Hale turned towards the seate of Senators
Sumner Wilson. and Jim Lane,) he would rath
er take the hand of corpse than the hands of
those Senators. You may believe there was
something of a sensation at that emphatic dec
laration. And the sensation became still more
intense when Senator Lane, of Indiana, asserted
that there was Major General now in the army,
who had declared that. IL Mr.. Lincoln was not
re elected President. he (Lincoln) would hold on
to the power of the government, by the aid OF
the army notwithstanding; and that he. the Ma
ior General, would stand by him with all his pow
er. Senator Davis confirmed this statement, but
the name of the General was not given.
These s,raws show plainly enough which way
the wind is blowing The design of the Presi-
dent ana mis- party 10 retain ther power lot an
other term can no longer be doubted, even if
Mr.. Hale is ignorant Of it. 1t Is evident that
many officers. high in rank in the army, have
been approached and sounded upon the subject.
How many Generals of Mr.. Wilson's creation
have agreed to be on hand when the coup d etat
is struck ? And what places under he new
regime have those Generals been promised, on
the day that Abraham the First proclaims him
self Perpetual Dictator 7 1t is easy to see now
why Gen. Mcclellan was removed from his
command, and why he is kept out of the army