Union County star and Lewisburg chronicle. [volume] (Lewisburg, Pa.) 1859-1864, 1863-12-11
XXXV1lI Congress"First Session
WAsHIYGrog, D c. 7.

WAsHISGToH ID c. 7.
The gallsries of both Houses were dtnse'.
crowded long tefore the hou, fol the cpeniu.
of the session arrived.
SENATE
Tee Vics P, ,esident called the Senst to cIde
at noon.
Bev. Mr.. Sunderland offered pisysr expless
leg the gratitude Of the country. that though
the storm div E, the r public still lives.
The credentials OF Messrs. Wiley and Va;
Winkle, Senators elect from West Virginia
we're presenter By Mr. Coleman, of N. Y.
The credentials Of Mr.. Comes, of California
were presented by Mr.. Nesmith, Of Oregon, ant
the credentials of Mr.. Henderson, of Mo, By
Mr. Foots, of Vt.
Messrs. Comes and Henderson wera qualified
snd took the osth Of loyalty prescribed at th'
last Congress.
Mr. DAVIS Ky.J raised the question of ordel
as 10 the right of the gentlemen from Wes
Virginia to take their seats. He held thai
there was constitutonslly and legally no Sucl
State as Wcs. Virginia State, and there could
therefore, be no Senator from such q State
His Office. was simply to put on the recorC
his objection. Re did not believe that Virgins
was like the pclypus that could he separated
into several seements, and yet each livs anC
have a separate be!ng. H5 believed the old
State to be intact, and that this whole rhing j!
in violation of the Constitution. He therefore
desired to tske the yeas and nays on the admis
sion of thsalleged Senators.
| Mr.. FooTE asked what vas the question b.
fore the bJdy.
| The President said there was none.
Mr.. DAVIS then moved to refer the creden
tials of he gentlemen from West Virginia tc
the Judiciary Committee.
Mr. TRUMDULL said that there vas no such
committee.
Mr. HALE said that when tic cte!euti,lF
were presented, that the question was on re
Giving and reading. and then qualifying the
| parties; In the cue Of Gen. Shields, the ), IA
| tor from Minnesota, this was the oOur,e pur-
sued. an then the credentlls were referred.
| Mr.. FEssxxpES taid he had made the motion
in the case of Gen. Shields and tho matter being
reteIred to the committee he subsequtn ntIy re.
ported to them. 10 this case the motion could
be made to refer to q select committee.
Mr.. Foo1E said the question had never b en-
made as to Senator's elect being sworn in
| Tie President said that tho usual practice
by the readiness of the Senator elect to qualify.
a motion cJuld then be made to qualify or the
subject be postponed.
MIR. FEssESDEN sail 1t was necessary to refer
to committee that the matter could bs Con-
sidered in the Senate.
After further debate, Mr.. DAVIS, as test
q question, moved that the oath of Ufiice be ad-
miuistered to the gentlemen from West Vir-
ginia.
The motion was carried-yeas &c. nays s..
The nays icing Messrs. Buckalew, OF Pa, Hem
drick, Of Indiana, M'D0ugali, of California,
and Powell, Of Kentucky.
Mr. SHERMAs submitted resolution that the
Committee on the Judiciary should iuquire and
~ba q R.h ;s sf,l
q Senator from II souri.
MIR. G. Brown, having recently 10 elected
q Senator by the Legislature OF Missouri, but
not appearing here yet, Mr.. Wilson, who was
appointed by the Governor, ut the last session,
to fill vacancy, was still on his seat to day.
The resolution was not voted on.
Ga motion of Mr.. FoorB, resolution was
adopted appointing committee OF three to
wait, In connection with q committee on the
part of the House, upon the President OF United
States, and inform him OF the readiness Of Con
gress to receive bis annual message.
Messrs. Foote, Trumbuil and Nesmith were
appointed the committee on the part of the
Senate.
Mr.. Foors offered a resolution for the c'asai
&c .tion of the Senators from West Virginia, by
the usual means of drawing By lot, which was
adopted. To Mr.. Van WiDkie fell the lopg term,
expiring in 1869, and Mr.. Wiley the short term,
expiring In 1865.
Mr.. LANE lind gave notice OF the introduc-
tion Of bills TO repeal tho $500 communication
feature of the enrolment set, and to Increase
the pay Of non comm is,ioned officers and pri-
Yates in the army fifty per cent.
The daily hour Of meeting was fixed at II
o clock coon.
On motion of Mr.. fowslL, the Senate sd-
j.urned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
In the House of Representatives at noon,
precisely, Mr.. E,hridge. the Clerk, raped the
members to order, and eaid: This being the
time designated by the Constitution Of the
United States for the meeting of the Thirty
eighth Congress he would now proceed to call
the roll of members, and Of such only whose
Credentials show that they were II gulsrly elected
| in sccordanc. with the laws OF the United
States.
The Clerk then read Tie rolls of members
from all the States excepting Maryland, Vir-
| ginia, Oregon, Missouri and Kansas.
Mr. s1kvESs pa desired the credentials oi
those members whose names are not on the
rolls to be read.
The Cle,k said he had placed on the roll the
names of those whose certificates bore internal
evidence o! their election, in accotdat ce with
the law in March last.
| Mr.. WAsBpURHE Qil.) a.ked whether there
were any contestants Of seats.
The Clerk replied that there wero three OF
four from Missouri, one from Virginia and one
from Kentucky, 60 far as be Iecollscted
| Mr.. STEVENS repeated his request
Mr. PEsDLEToH lOoio) asked whether there
was any rule requiring contestants. at the or
ganization of the House, to file notices of tLeiI
| intention to contest the seats
Mr.. STILES pa asked for tho reading of the
act of Congress, parsed March Sd, 1864. The
| act was then read
At the request of Mr.. Stevens the Cleik read
| the form OF the credentials OF the Maryland
members, which he had ruled ont because oi
their informa.ity
MIR. DAWES (Mass) offered resolution that
the names of the Maryland delegation be placed
on the roll Of the House, and moved the pre-
| vious question, which was seconded.
Mr.. J. G. ALLEN (Ills.) moved to lay the req
olution On the table.
Mr. Stills asked whether the resolution was
| In order.
| The Clerk replied that il was clearly in order
as pertaining to the organ z,ion
| Mr.. Cox Ohio wished to know the reason
L III Nt,av t,~la