Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-05-06
ooNPRDERArRr CoNeRRs s
SECOND CONGRESS FIRST SESSION.
SENATE.
wsDSEsDaY, Nay 5tb, 1854.

SENATE.
WsDEEsDaY, Nay 5tb, 1854.
Prayer by Rev. j. L. Burrows, of the Baptist Church.
DURATION OF TIE srssIos.
Mr.. JOHNSON, of Ark. called up the resolution SUBJ
mitted by him yesterday fixing the day Of adjournment
on the 18th inst, at IL o'clock, n.
Mr.. JOHNSON raid be did not find that any one an
ticipated lorg SESSION. An adjournment would be
necessary in progress Of the present campaign, and
1t would be advsable to FIX the time now, to prevent
misconstructon from adjournment, IN ,hs event Of
any reverse to arms, which, however, he did not
anticipate He did not believe there was any important
business before Cengrisa and the whole time Of The
Executive Departments should be given TO affairs In the
field. .saj n
Mr.. WIGFALL regretted that tho resolution had been
offered. He nit prepared to voc for it. He did
not know whether the Congress intended TO attend
to business or not. Thsre was much for them
to do Is would have been better for the country had
we qiadrupled cur pay aud remained in session
The prices of living 10 Richmond rendered it inconve'
MEN for the members remain and discharge their
duties Il might be Impossible for some to do so Our
pay less than eight dollars day, and our expenses
more than twenty. But the Congress had the power
TO fix their own compensation. 1.-THE laborer was Ger
tainly worthy of his hire" aud the members who
would leave their posts of duty rather than vote them
selves enough to deay their daily necessary expenses
unaithfu servants and should receive the con-
demnaon OF their constituents instead of their ap-
proval.
He believed the Congress should be In perpetual ses
iUp. Had the Congress not adjourned last year for
seven months finances would not be 10 the de-
plorable condition in which they were. Toe remedy
came too late. Had the legislation Of February been
adopted in july the Government would have beensaved
hundred millions by keeping down prices, BY cor-
actioa of the currency, the proper time Toe Cos.
greas did choose remain in session. and the Presi
dent did not choose to call them together aud the 70
suit was the danger OF bankruptcy.
There was much TO do. Important legislation was
needed for the army An Inspector Generals Depart
ment shoull be estab she'd There was such Depart
ment. What was called the Adjutant and Isspector
Generals Department was only an Adjutani Generals
Department The act establishing 1t declared that IL
should cousst of two Assistant Adjutant Generals with
he rank of Lieutenant Colonel, e. Assistant Adutant
Generals with the rank of Major and four Assistant
Acutant Generals with the rank Of Captain" and the
President was authorized Cf he 6t) to assign one
of the generals to the discharge of the dues Of Adu
Ant and Inspec General but there Assist ant
A5uant aud Inspector General II the President chose
not to make such assignment there would not be
single Adutant and Inspector General in the AIutant
AID Inspector Generals Department. IL was the play
Of Hamlet with the part of Hamlet left out We had
an Aduiant and Inspector Generals Department filed
with Adutsnts General only.
Without inspection no army could be properly or
ganiz.d or disciplined. The duties Of an Adjutant
General and of an Inspector General utterly ds
similar The Adju.snt Generals office was the bureau
OF orders and Adjutans General should write good
hand and be familiar with military forms and military
Law. The Inspector General should be most accom-
plshsd soldier He should understand the duties OF
QuartermGstsr and Commlssary as to be able TO ex
anime their accounts and that they correct
IL was only by inspection that Disturbing officers could
be prevented from defraudng the government Millions
wonld have been saved to the government had In
spector Generals Department been established at tie
beginning Of the war He did believe that another
army now existed in the world without such Depart
ment.
Our troops should ba fttqienly inspected, and full
reports be made to the OF the ocers-Is
TO the drill aud scipine Of the regiments and police
of the camps and condition of the hospitals. These
inspections could only be AIDE by competent officers
selected for their qualifications and peculiar fitness.
A Pay Department ought to be establi he'd. There
could be no responsibility and would be no honesty
while the dsburspg and purchasing waj done by the
same officer.
Much legislation was needed for the proper organize.
ton of the cavalry It's discipline wretchsd. Il
should to be militia on horseback. The patefia
was good, but leg ltion was needed to make it tfh-
cent.
The ration law mutt be amended. Our officers should
not be starved. They had but few votes and but few
fiiends He hoped one was not dependent or the
other. s
An effort would be made to repeal the acs suspeDdpg
the privilege of the hd6eas corpus writ IL IL ID repealed
the Congress should not adjourn-at least for only
duty of Congress to remain in session. The purpose is
to repesl il at any monent that justice opprsso
should be attempted He did not apprehend such
contingency. But the right to suspend egi latve
right ard the Congress should at all times be prepared
to act upon its own judgment Oh 80 important mat
TER.
most important bill was now before the Senate upon
which no 20 could be taken st the last session for
want of time. II should be freely discussed. he
ALLUDED to tie bill limiting the terms OF tho principal
officers Of The Executive partment He believed the
success of this war would depend upon the remlvsl OF
some of the Secretaries. Ne legislation would do with
out efficient ADMINISTRATION This Congressional
government and we should not shrink from the per-
fosmarce of the duties which the Constitution imp jsed
upon Us. -
There was much other legislation which he believed
to be important but which be would not take up the
time of the Senate in enumerating
The capital fault of the Congress he believed to be
its Impotence. Tie FIRST motion after meeting gen.
orally motion to adjourn. We should meet aud 70
seriously to work. and when it Was finished could ad
j2urn. 81
There wa, one other matter he should mention. By
law, no Commssary or Quartermaster could be aI-
pointed on the staff of sGy General of higher grade
than Brigaiier. They were necessary, aud were ap-
pointed, but without gu hortY OF law. /. tins for
the Congress 10 begin 10 leglite No Surgeon could be
appointed ex,spt for Regiment, but every General
had at least on his staff They necessary, TOO,
but they should be allowed by law.
Nearly two years ago the Senate expressed to the
President the opinion that it his duty ssnd in for
confirmation all the i:ers who had been appointed
under the Provisional Governm ant. Some officers, hold.
ing most important positions, had not been nominated
10 the Senate. He unwilling to this Congress
adjourn till all persons holding Office under this Gov
ermet should be appointed in the manner prescribed
by the CensLituton-by and with the advice and con
9 mt of The Senate.
Mr. ORR favored the adoption of resolution similar
to that pendiog His experience had been that when
the day OF adjournment fixed, Congress would ad-
dress itself more indutriousy t, the work before Il
would be necessary to amend the resolution SO as TO
fix the time for tie of tie Eext session.
O1 bis motion the resolution referred to the Com
mitee of the Judiciary.
THE TAX ACT.
Ca motion of Mr. SPARROW, it WAS