The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1864-01-12

CoNaREss.-Congress is almost constantly oc-
cupied with questions relating to taxation, curren
cy and an increase of the army. A proposition is
pending to repeal the whole exemption law, and
leave the matter in the hands of the President and
Secretary of War The bill appropriating So, 000,-
-00O to clothe Kentucky troops was vetoed by the
President.
Bills have been presented to suspend the habeas
corpus in all substitute cases, and provide hat
persons liable to military duty who shall absoond
the country or 60 beyond the enemy's lines, to
avoid military service, shall be held to have chosen
to take sides against US, and declared to be
alien enemies, and all their property and credits
be subject to sequestraton, and all deeds and con-
yeyances made by persons seeking to avoid militia
ny duty declared fraudulent and void" Both
bills referred to the Judiciary Committee.
A bill to place in the service citizens of Mary
land and any States and Territories of the United
States, or other foreign nations, is under discus
sion. MIR Vest, of Missouri, said that as he might
have been misunderstood in his remarks on Satur-
day, as denouncing all Marylanders, he would state
that his sympathies were with them-those, he
meant, who were true to the cause of the South,
and, especially, those who with Stuart and Lee,
were fighting for us. He intended his remarks,
Saturday, for that class of towards who came
here and did nothing but speculate and prowl
about the streets.
Mr.. Chiffon, of Alabama, in reply to remarks
made to the danger of passing such an act,
quoted from the instructions of Earl Russell to the
man Bunch, British Consul at Charleston, who
complained to his government that British citizens
were being forced into the Confederate, service.
Even in all the excitement of the occasion, when
it natural to presume that English indignation
would be very great against the Confederacy, Earl
Russell distinctly admitted that foreign residents
Of country at war might, after having due notice
to depart, be compelled to enter military service if
they refused. Mr.. Chiffon admitted that
post tucto law would be violation Of the inter-
national law, but here, future time was specific
ally fixed, after which all residents shall be con-
sidered on the same footing with citizens, and
against which there could be no just of CON-
plant. 1t was true that Earl Russell had said
that in such the comfy between nations light
be damaged, but what right had England or other
foreign nations to claim comfy from us So long
as they fail to recognize US, they certainly had no
right to such claim, and net until then could
claim of comfy legitimately arise.
Mr. Gather, of North Carolina, said that he did
not believe that either the national honor would be
stained the national safety imperiled by the
passage Of law having in view the object set
forth,fe this. By giving the foreigner reasonable
tim. Furnishing him with passport, by enabling
him to take his. family and his property with him.
our duty will have been performed. He believed
there should also be a distinction between Trans
Atlantic foreigners and orei gners from the United
States, in favor of the former.