The weekly pioneer and Democrat. [volume] (Saint Paul, Minn. Territory) 1855-1865, 1864-02-19
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
Thirty.Eishth Congress--lst session.
WAsHrNeroN, Feb. Is. 1864.

WASHINGTON, Feb. Is, 1854.
SENATE.-Several petitions were received
including one from the Milwaukee Chamber of
Commerce for ship canal on the American
side of Niagara Falls r., - .
A bill was introduced and referred to the
Military Committee, providing that the nav of
Q chaplain in the army shall be the same as .
major of Infantry and defining his duties &c.
lhe Dill Tor the, enrolment of the national
forces, with the House amendment, was then
lake up. -
The Senate refused to recede from its propo-
to the House
The deficiency bill was then considered. and
an amendment offered that after the present
fiscal year the salaries of all Assistant Secreta-
RES De So, 900. This was adopted. Subse-
quently amendments were adopted including
the Ist ana "a Assistant Postmaster General
among the Assistant Secretaries and increasing
the salaries OF all to SO, 500. The bill AS aInend
ed was agreed to- F'fe ~. --Il-T,-II'
Bills granting lands to the State of Oregon
10 AID IN the construction of military roads
were passed
On motion of Mr.. Harris the bill repeating
the statute of limitation in cer,ain cases was
called up and passed. r.f...t-II -
!he Oil as amended provides that during the
existence OF the rebellion, the time during
which person shall be beyond the reach Of,
legal process, shall not be deemed or taken as
| any part OF the time limited by law for the COM
mencenent of action.
| On motion of Mr.. Lane of Kansas tho Son.
| ate proceeded to the consideration of the bill
| settlig ap ri cera n lands in Texas for the use
Of persons OF African descent Mr.. Lane ad
dressed the Senate at length. -
| Dlr. dawes earnestly argued that the ereden-
tials OF James N. johnson, Representative
| eieGS rom Hrhansas, be referred to Committee
on Elections. Col. johnson, he said brought
Win hun the Constitution of Arkansas as
Free Siate-the first unwilling fruit of the re.
| beliion. Mr. Dawes regarded it as extraoJdi.
| nary that Mr. Davis Of ,aryland should have
formally moved to lay these credentials on
the table without even giving Arkansas fair
hearing.
Mr.. Davis, of Maryland, said his objection
was that these credentials assumed the pre-
existence OF State Government in Arkansas.
winch Was not true in point of fact. They
must hrst ascertain whether there is a State
government there before they entertain the
.stion vi admitting Representative.
MIR. Boutwell,, OF Mass, concurred in the
view expressed by Mr.. Davis, of Nd. saving
that We should wait until Arkansas shall re.
organize without military coercion. Mr.. r
then offered series Of resolutions. as declare
Tory OF the opinion of the House in regard to
the Reconstruction OF the Union; among the
requirements OF which are, freedom to the
back as well us to the white man.
Mr.. Herman, of N. Y, replied. He said the
House should devote themselves to practical
Questions instead of discussing humbuy opin-
IONS. 10 rDtlDf ~ r.
Mr.. Dawes argued in favor of the reference
OF The credentials Of Mr.. johnson to the Com
mhtee on Elections, and that they be consid
cred without reference to the question of re-
construction. gu aiulc = 1T
Mr. Davis, of Md, replied, that in his opin-
ION the admission of Representative from
Afhansas would be the recognition OF the ex-
istence OF State government there. os1
Alter al ineffectual motion to refer the Gre
dentials To u Select Committee ON Re-c0nstrr1c.
ton, with instructions. they were referred to
the COMMITTEE on Elections. h,iu9a9rr
The House then resumed the consideration
0i The whisky amendments to the Internal