Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1864-04-20
Congressional summary for the
Week Ending April rs, 1854.

On Tuesday, April II, in the Senate, the
House bill enabling the people of Nebraska
to form State Government, was called up
and laid over. The Senate adjourned till
Thursday. f| i s.
The House resumed the consideration of
the resolution to expel Mr.. Long of Ohio.
The debate was continued during q session
in the evening without coming to a decision.
The House adjourned till Thursday. .
On Wednesday, April l3, there was no
session in either house, both having adj
journed over to attend the funeral of John
. G. Rives, formerly one of the publishers of
the Congressional Globe.
On Thursday, April Ia, In the Senate, the
Nebraska Enabling Act was passed, as also
was the Naval Appropriation Bill, which
included a provision returning the naval
school to Annapolis. A stringent bill was
reported from the Finance Committee, pro-
hibiting contracts for the sale of gold ex-
cept by actual holders, under penalties of
fine and Imprisonment.
In the House, Mr.. Colfax accepted res
olution of censure as a substitute for his
resolution to expel Mr.. Long, and the for
mer was adopted by small majority.
On Friday, April 10, letter from Secre-
tary Chase was read, attributing the state
of the currency to speculation and an in
crease of the notes of local banks, and pro-
posing as remedies, to tax the issues of such
banks and prohibit the sale of gold not ac-
tually delivered, as provided by two bills,
the authorship of which he acknowledged,
now before Congress. These remedies,
however, the Secretary admits, will not eff
feet the desired result without taxation to
the extent of half the current expendi-
lures of the country. The Gold bill was
debated. and amendments calculated to
change its character rejected, but no vote
on the main question was obtained. The
Senate expressed its dislike to the manner
in which the House had treated its amend
ment to the Montana Territorial bill, and
resolved to adhere to its own action. The
House voted, in an unusually decisive man
ner, that the word "white" should not be
stricken out of the qualifications of voters
in the bill just named, and instructed its
committee OF Conference not to agree to
any report on that basis. The House passed
bills providing for mail communications
with Brazil by line of steamers, establish
ing postal money order system, and COM
pelling railroad companies to carry the
mails for such compensation as may be fix
ed by law. .I UrE 2THlNI 1'I'.t
On Saturday, April 16, in the Senate, a
resolution was introduced, instructing the
committee on the Conduct of the War to
inquire into the truth of the slaughter of
the troops at Fort Pillow, and whether the
fort could have been reinforced or evacu-
ated. 4. ,s. .1a s,-f .'-.aI.
. In the House, resolution was adopted
declaring B. NJ. Kitchen entitled to q seat,
as the representative from the seventh dis
trict of Virginia. A joint resolution was
unanimously passed, that the committee on
the Conduct of the War, or subcommittee
thereof proceed at once to Fort Pillow, and
examine into the facts attending the recent
attack upon, and capture OF that post by
the rebels.
On Monday, ,eApril ls,in the Senate, most
of the session was taken up in considering
appropriation bills.
In the House, resolutions weresadopted,
declaring it the imperative duty of Con-
gress- to raise the tax SO as largely to in
crease the revenue; that a much higher
rate Of duties should be imposed on all lux
riries, and that the expansion Of the bank
circulation of the country is producing a
general ruinous state of affairs, and should
be repressed by taxing the issues Of such
State banks. The National Bank Currency
bill was passed by, a vote Of SS to SO. o,sm \