Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-01-21
WEDNESDAY, Jan. goth, 1864.

The House met at IL o'clock.
The call of the Sa.es being the order, the rule
suspended motion Of Mr.. JONES, OF Tenn, and the
special order beirg the Senate bill fix ng the time for
the meeting of Congress in regular session, taken
Mr.. GARLAND, of Ark, explained at length his ra-
sons for voting for the committees amendment to sub
sute the IL. Monday in April ins cad Of the st Mon
day in May. He found an argument sst forth IA The
Presidents message in favor of early meeting, aud
deemed it an important point in the bill. UOless it
was done in che present u1c.ure the emergency might
arise and the responsibility would rest on Congress- and
there had already been manifested disposition in
tain quarters TO cast blame upon Congress fer failing
do What others are responsible for. II the occasion
arises 10 all probability It may, for earlier meet
ing of Congress- and it should be in legis-
late for the emergency, the responsibility would resi- upon
T. aud the consequence might be failure of the tiuy
gle itself The people had the rght to have their gh:s
represented II the emergency should come AMI 70; one,
he was unwilling to ocur the responsibility of refusgg
them het ght. Some thought the interval between
the present aud the pext should not continue
more than week. He objected to that IL would
give the members elect from the Trans Mississippi
Department sufficient tme TO receiv, notice and reach
Richmond by the beginning OF the session. Mr.. GAR
LAND saw particular force in the constitutional OBJ
ections that had been urged against the bill and SHOW
ed very clearly that Co gress possessed the consiu
| tonal power to ix the day Of meeting.
Mr. STAPLES, of Va, conceded with the gentleman
from Arkansas who, in his opinion, had fully answered
the constitutional objections of the gentleman from
| Tennessee. As general rula il the safest
wisest policy to speak the truth boldly Surrounded as
We are by peril, IL is better 10 give uterance 10 tue
tru shen it. suppress on would de- mischief L.
feared that if Gong mat at 1ho time named in tie
bill il would be tn. occasion OF ayrara1 Echemos and
other wild legislation II dsoya men hal been elected
the Congress as had been intml ed the seonsr
they were stripped OF their ssuse aud sen: back 70
the co cards aud traitors who e!tc ed The the bster
and TIE first Whisper IS of treason heard the floor
should be the signal for immediate pusion Applause
| in the galleries How can any gen lemeD, honored
WITH renewal OF popular confidence refuse TO vote for
the bill and desc their post in tn hour of dangerg
What would be thought of the soldier who should de
| sert his colors in time Of battle, the pol who do
serted bis sal in the hour of pr The present the
crsiJ OF cue fac, aod the peopls a-e cal ing for
additional securi y The army and pc pli would b.
at w,Ik and everybody out Congre S. 1t would sound
badly in history alter ing in sfsson t6o months
| aud fifteen Ga,s Congress should oarn without pro-
vding for carly setug il an emergency should arse
| to render Il necessary. Snc ia las. ion hsd
witnessed the consequences of this in deprecaled
| curretcy the loss Of public confidence, and Con-
gross was held responsible or this condition Of I'll rs
Whoever relies the Presiden to cal! Congress to-
gether reckln wish u his bost II Congress does not
provide for early meeting, we may bo assured that
| the President W II not do it.
| Mr. LY0NS-Wh the gentleman slow me 10 inqu re
if he mea 20 cast iuputa-ion upon the President
| Me- SfAPLES-If the gentleman go cons.rues it he
can accept it, H. M SrAPLts) rot in the habit
Of making indtcr;m nate charges against the President
| aud did not mpugn his patriotism, but he cons cred
| him partially responsible for these things. Every
man feels TIA. If tie msa.ures on which Con-
| gress vas now delberaiiDg had been ad0p ed the
| last Summer, the currency could have been sooaer
remedied and the consequences it has enailed
| prevented. II the cure cy is disposed OF, there
| remains much eGe to be done. The defects of OK
| stirg legislation should be rsmed ed; the depIrt-
mems should be watched over, aud, above all, public
confidence should be strengthened by wholesome lesis
lation. On the one hand the chains Of so uyasoD;
and the other tee breath Of the fee air offreedom
we succeed Ii we be true to ourselves the day OF
Gemp.ion will surely come. 1t was on Southern soil
| that freedom was first won, and its ieebe accents
Oh rmed the nation. Lei Congress meet a; an early day
as possible TO encourage the country
NJ. HElSKELL called the previous question,
The main question was ordered, and Mr. JOHNSTON,
of Va demanded the yess nays on the amendment
of The comuittee--yeis AZ, nays 40.
The bill was engrossed for third reading and put
upon its passage.
Mr.. SMITH, of N. c., demanded the yeas and rays,
which result ed in SO yeas and 20 nays.
Tee bill is entitled act change the time of the
asemb ng of Congress for the regulr session. en-
providing for its meeting on the rsthonday in April CT
each year.
Mr. BARKsDALE, of Miss desired to enter mo
ton to reconsider the vote the p'sssgs of the b
He saw nothing in the CO dition OF the co ntry jn
tify the ssty Of mu edats action. He frankly az
proved the Senate bill The House had been most un-
fJrtu ate, if after bel N on three months it had
ia led to peri rm the duty on its hand If the Hou.e
wori ed lately it becomes it to do the business
necessary to be transacted could be easily disposed Of
The gentleman fir 10 Vug MA that the Pres;-
dent III not call Congress togeth If the emergency
demands. He desired to know if he spoke by au-
thority.S
Mr.. STAPLES / did not assert tia! the President
woud not call Congress together but that he had IA led
n can it Waa in To-
sponsibe for the present condition of the try =
d. ei the gentleman speak by authority
Mr.. BARKSDALE said nc WAS rot author zed to
make any declaration on the subject But he could as