Cleveland morning leader. [volume] (Cleveland [Ohio]) 1854-1865, 1864-04-29
CONGRESSIONAL.
WAsHIEaTOE, April 2s.
uO1uE

Whole on the Internal Revenue Bill.
Mr.. Kssson offered substitute for th
l5lst seotien, which was adopted. I
provides as follows: It shall not be law
ful to record any instrument document o.
paper unless the proper stamp shall be Of
fixed, and the second when the proper
stamp is not affixed, shall be utterly void
and shall not be used as evidence. The
section stricken out proposed a penalty oi
fifty dollars for failure to sfix stamp.
The Speaker laid before the House sn ad.
dress to the President from the people Of
East Tennessee, and the Presidents reply.
The address reeounts the suferings of the
people Of East Tennessee, and asks for
prompt payment Of claims against the
Government, and for the establishment OF
railroad facilities for obtaining supplies ;
and that the establishment Of q rsilrord
between Knoxville and Cincinnati, by way
Of Central Kentucky, would be Of great
consequence in the present emergency,
and estimates the expenses as losses, which
railroad in 1861 would have saved at
least S5,OO0OOO.
The President in reply said he had in
his annual message Of 1861, recommended
the construction Of such q road, and now
with the hearty concurrence Of Con gress,
would yet be pleased to do SO.
The Speaker also laid before the House
the following message from the President
to the House Of Representatives:
In obedience to the resolution Of your
honorable body, copy of which is here
with returned, l have the honor to make the
following statement which is believed to
contain the information sought prior to
and at the meeting of the present Con-
gress. Robert c. Schenk, Ohio, and Frank
P. Blair, jun, Of Mo, members elect there.
to, by and with the consent Of the Senate
held commissions from the Executive as
Major Generals in the Volunteer Army
Gen. Schenk rendered his resignation of
his said commission, and took his seat in
the House Of Representatives, at the as
sembiing thereof, upon the distinct verbal
understanding with the Secretary of the
War and the Executive that he might ct
any time during the session, ct his own
pleasure, withdraw said resignation,
and return to the field. General Frank
P. Blair was by temporary sgreem mt
Of General Sherman in command OF a
corps through the battles in front Of Chat
AeAOSb1f anu Al uAnEGuAnk 70 Inc E6lLeL OF
Knoxville, which occurred in the latter
days Of December last and Of course was
not present at the assembling Of Congress.
When he subsequently, arrived here, and
sought and was allowed by the Secretary
Of War and the Executive the same condi.
tions and promise as was allowed and
made to General Schenek, Schenck had not
applied to withdraw his resignation, but
when Grant was made Lieut. General, pro-
ducing some changes Of commands and Of
officers. General Blair sought to be as.
signed to the command Of corps. This
was made known to Generals Grant and
Sherman, and assented to by them and
the particular corps for him was desig-
mated. This was arranged and understood
as much as month ago, but the formal
withdrawal Of General Blsir's resigna-
ton and the revoking Of the order as
signing him to the command Of a corps
were not consummated at the War Depart
ment until last week, perhaps on the 23d
Of April.
As summary Of the whole il may be
stated that Gen. Blair holds no military
commission or appointment other than
herein stated, ana LnSst II Is believed Ls %
sured validity Of the commission herein
stated, and not otherwise. There are some
letters, notes sDd telegrsphed orders, and
perhaps other documents, in connection
with the subject which, il is believed,
would throw no additional light upon it,
which will be cheerfully furnished il de-
sired.
(Signed) ABRAHAM LINCOLN.
April %, 1864.
Mr.. Schenek, Of Ohio, explains that he
was elected to Congress while engaged in
military service, and he had considered
for several months whether he would take
his seat here or not, at last the time sp-
preached when it became necessary that
he should come to q decision. Sehenok
then related his conversation with the Sec-
retary Of War and the President on the
subject, and these gentlemen said that the
matter could be arranged 80 he could re-
turn to the military service.
He rendered his resignation on the 9th
Of December last, accompanying it with
request that he (Schenck) should be re-
EeYed of command. He did not now claim
to be, in any sense, in the military service,
his resignation having been formally
rendered and accepted.
The Presidents message was, on motion
Of Mr.. Dawes, referred to the Committee
on Elections.
The House then resumed the coDsiders-
ton Of the Internal Revenue bill.
Many Of the amendments were agreed
to en- mssse, and others were reserved for
special votes.
Fernando Wood offered new section to
repeal the act Of March taxing foreign IL
quors on hand.
Mr.. Wsshburne presented section to
tax domestic spirits on hand,
Tho vote thereon WAS referred.
The House refused to concur in striking
out the following:
All gas companies are hereby authorized
to add to the duty or tax the price per
1000 Of cubic feet Of gas sold.
The House refused to tax coal, illumins-
ting oil, Sc, &c, 25 cents, and left it 90 it
was originally reported, 20 cents per gal
Ion.
The House also refused TO agree to the
amendment taxing crude Petroleum q dol
lar barrel, and refined Petroleum dollar
and thirty cents barrel.
The House voted on the amendment Of
Mr.. Fsrnsworth, taxing the Bank circuls-
ton one-fourth Of one per cent on sll
amounts in circulation, which was adopted
by vote Of 78 against Ga.
The House voted on the amendment to
iucresse the tax on common brown sugar
from cent to 2 cents per pound, and
agreed to it by "a against Sc.
EVENING SESSION.
Mr.. Schenck asked leave to offer reso-
luton to furnish copies Of all letters, tes,
kilograms and other documents referred