The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1863-12-22
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Portland Daily Press.
XYXvII1 C0NGRBss---rirst Session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON Dec

AhA VIII OOFGEbSo--flrSt session.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Dee. ri.
The Vice President laid before the Senate Il
communication from the Secretary Of the
Navy in reference toa resolution of the Senate
OF February 18th, 1863, transmitting the pro-
ceedings of a court martial in the case of
Com. Chas. Hunter. Referred to committee
on Naval Affairs.
Mr.. Dixon introduced various petitions
praying for the amendment Of the Enrolment
Act, SO that ministers Of the gospel may be
regarded as non-combatants, and be employed
In the service as chaplains.
Mr.. Harlan presented petition from the
citizens OF Iowa, praying for the total aboli.
ton Of slavery.
Mr.. Grimes presented petitions from the
ladies of Burlington and Des Monies counties,
Iowa, Tor the establishment of an ambulance
corps.
Mr. Lane, Of Indinna, presented petition
from the first brigade oil the Regular Army,
asking for tobacco ration for the army.
Mr.. Wilson gave notice of a bill to make it
Illegal for any member of Congress to act as
counsel in any case in which the L. 5. is
interested.
Mr.. Morgan submitted characterization
calling upon the Secretary of War for the
names Of all officers and men of the regular
army who have deserted or resigned, between
1868. Adopted.
! Mr.. Footc offered similar resolution as to
| the navy.
The pending question being on the post
| ponement Of the resolution of Mr.. Sumner,
embodying the proposed new rule of the SEN
| ate, Mr.. Bayard continued the discussion and
| favored postponement of action thereupon.
| After some debate the morning hour ex
pred.
| On motion OF Mr.. Wilson, the bill for an in
crease Of the bounty and pay Of volunteers
was taken up.
The committees amendment, allowing SOL
diers to re-enlist In other branches of the SER
| vice came first under consideration and was
adopted.
Mr.. Grimes moved to amend the amendment
| by giving s400 bounty to all veterans " no re-
enlist prior to the 9Th of January; also to the
effect that any person re-enisting in the U. S.
marine corps shall receive $500
| A debate followed on the policy of paying
large bounties.
Mr.. Fessenden opposed the system OF large
| bounties and favored the draft.
Mr.. Wilson thought it more difficult to OBJ
| tain money than men. He was in favor of the
Communication clause and for the payment of
the bounties proposed.
Mr. Hendricks thought the draft thus far
had been a failure. He wanted not an army
| oil eonscripts but of volunteers.
After debate Mr. Collamer moved to strike
| out the words "Jan. 5th,' and insert, until
the next draft, which shall not be later than
Feb 1st." Lost.
Mr.. Howard moved TO strike out +" SIS in
the committees amendment and insert 6 500"
| as bounty for obtaining the enlistment of
veterans. After debate, which was partici-
pated in by Messrs. Wilson, Howe and Fessen-
| den, the motion was rejected
Adjourned.
HOUSE.
| The Speaker laid before the House letter,
| enclosed from President Lincoln, from the
| Freedmen's Society of Boston, New York,
| and Cincinnati. Referred to committee on
| Emancipation.
A message was also received from President
! Lincoln, informing the House that he had
| approved and signed the joint resolution of
thanks to Gen. Grant and the armies under
| him, and for gold medal, &c.
On motion OF Mr.. Dawes of Massachusetts,,
| the documentary evidence in the various con-
tested elections was ordered TO be printed.
Mr.. Blair, of Missouri, from the committee
on Ways and Means, introduced bill appro-
| priating over 100000 to carry into effect the
Act OF March, 1862, for the payment of boun-
| ties and pensions TO officers and men actually
employed in. the Western, or Department of
| Missouri.
Mr.. Cox, Of Ohio, objected to the considera-
ton OF the bill at this time. He thought 1t
would be better 70 let the bill take the usual
| course.
| Mr.. Blair, of Missouri, said the original
! claims amounted to million and a half dollars,
but the commissioners appointed to investi-
| gate the subject had reported in favor of al
| lowing the sum mentioned In the bill. The
| men had been kept out OF their pay eightee
months. A worthier class of men had not been
called out for the defence of their country.
Mr.. King, OF Missouri, advocated the passage
| OF the bill. No class had been more badly
treated than the class provided for in the bill.
Further debate ensued, when the bill was
made the special order for to-day at 3 o'clock
| Mr.. Schenck, Of Ohio, from the Military
committee, reported a bill repeating the Sd
| and 10th sections of the Enrolment Act, so
that the two classes of persons to be drafled
shall be consolidated into one. This 10 take
| effect from and after its passage.
Objections being made to the report, at this
| time, Mr. Schenck withdrew It.
| Mr.. Yeoman of Kentucky, offered a series
| OF resolutions setting forth that a conspiracy
OF persons exists, assuming to be Govern
ment Of the Confederate States, for the pur-
| pose OF withdrawing States from the Federal
Union; but that this does not extinguish the
political franchise OF such States, and that the
| citizens thereof can at any time resume their
civil government on the only condition that
their constitution is republican. That is suf-
| hcicnt for those who are loyal and qualified
| by the election law, and resume their State
governments, and this is sutIlc ent evidence of
| loyalty, &c.
The House refused to second the demand
for the previous question when, on motion Of
Mr.. Lovejoy, of Illinois, the resolutions were
referred TO the select committee on the Rebel
lous States.
! Mr.. Spaulding of Ohio, offered resolution
Tor the appointment OF select committee of
nine, to consider and report on the subject of
National Bankrupt Act.
Mr.. Holman, of Indiana, moved to lay the
resolution on the table. Lost. Yeas 90, nays
| Sc. The resolution was then adopted
Mr.. Ashley, of Ohio, introduced bill,
which was referred, providing provisional
government in the military districts OF the
insurgent States, and authorizing the loyal
| citizens thereof TO organize governments
republican In form and purposes.
| Mr.. Schenck, of Ohio, introduced ILL to
create Bureau OF Military Justice. Referred
to committee ON Military Affairs
Mr.. Ashley, of Ohio, offered resolution
| granting the use of this Hall for a public
meeting Of the Freedmen's Relief Association.
Mr.. Cox objected, and this, by the rules of
the House, prevented further action on the
resolution to-day.
| Mr.. Schenck, of Ohio, moved the suspension
| OF The rules, In order to take up the report
| he L..