Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1864-12-19
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES.

On motion oil Mr.. HILL, the senaIe resoHea lh'o
secret session. -.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
The House met at the usual hour. the SPEAKIR In
the Chair Prayer BY the Rev. Dr. Jeter, OF the Bip-
list Church.
The sPrAKER laid before the House message from
shS PRIsDHET covering tain between
q Government and It's agents abb oad Referred 70
the Committee on Foreign AIRS.
Also message from the PRIsIDERT transmitting a
Communication IRON the Secretary Of the Treasury rs-
latiVe to certain appropriations required b5 hs Do
partmfns. Referred 10 the COMMITTEES Of Wsys and
Means.
Alsoa message Iclosing communication from the
Secretary OF Wa requesting su increase ol the sp-
preparations for which il haa already Furnished estl
n Is. Referred to the Committee OF Ways and
MeAna.
Also, Senate bill regulating the supply Of clothing
for ridshipmsn. Referred 10 the Oommntes on Ma
val III Ire. ~,
The SPEAKER announced, under the head Of unfn-
shed business under 9 suspension Of the rples that
the pending question Was the bill reported BY the gen
sGman fiom North Carolina, Mr.. Smith, relative TO
PRoPIIIY NPAoPsBLY IMPsrssED.
lyon Who6,
NJ FOSTER, OF Ala, hAd the Aoor on the bill In
t,oduoed by tue Chairman vi the COMMITTEES UAims
10 txtel lie &C. for tho establishment and payment
of elaine for property taken or informally impressed
nlaned that the present bill expired by limitation on
The lst OF January 1866 and that his Of ct and that
~ Ia fHonds of the bill 10 extend the time OF
- e. bill, aid at some iuiure day membt 70
,,vl. 80, q 90 -. amendments as m ght DO deemed
usc, sIsTy 10 Peritc! the Dill
Mr.. FOSTER then gave way to Mr.. DuPasS, OF La,
Who. after some explanatory remarks in relation 70
The in porance OF extending tie present BILL then in
troduoed a ,p1sti.uIs for the Senate bill, which was
adopted.
yislons of both the II use and Senate bills.
NEGOTIATIONS FyR PACE.
o. the resolution OF Mr.. TURSHR, Of y, and the
spbsti.ute Cf Mr. AIEsDALE, OF MISS, reported yel-
erdly couc ,rnrug negotiations looking 10 peace, Mr.
RNuLLEN, of Va, having the door, ofertd The follow
irV substitute for both proportions:
Whereas. accOrdn 10 tie DEC ara!ion Of Indepen
pee of the t1d ates and the Constitution Of tho
Confederate States the people OF Gacd OF said states
10 their highest severe ga capacity, have right 10
alter amend or abolish the government under which
they live and establish such other AZ they may deem
most xpeC lent and whereas, the people oil the seVe-
raj Cont, derate Sltes have thought proper 10 sever
their political connection with the people aid govern
ment of the United States for waieh is not
needfu here 70 state and whereas, the people Of the
Oopfederata Statos have glnizsd and established
dstinot government for tie mselVes and whereas be
csuse the people of the Confederate SAFES have thus
,xerciled their uudoubled right IN tns respect, the
psonie and government OF tie United Ssates have
tbonght proper to make war upon tEem; ard whereas
there 10 ems 10 lie difference OF opinion on the paTi
ne resueclv. governments and people as 10 which
If tina coGtendl paroles is responsible for the COM
mel cement Of the prestA. war: Therefore,
Rssolred That, whilst il Is not eIpedient and
would be incompatible with tho dignity oil the Coz fed
era,s States 10 send commissioners 10 Washington
o;ty for the purpose Of securing ce sston OF ho'-
tltes vet il would be, la the judgment OF this body,
enpeuty proper that the Houe Of Representatives OF
h Confederate ates should despatch without delay,
20 acme convenient point, body OF commissioner,
tbirt.en in number composed OF one representative
from eae OF ead Sato 10 meet and conief with such
ndIyiduas as may bs appointed by the Government OF
he United States, In regard to all the outstanding
npf.tioDs o. tsIencs between the Two government,
aud 10 aRIee Il possible, upon the terms OF lasting
and hon, rabe peace, ect to the RATIFICATION OF he
te u Give goVorlnents aud OF the sovereign States
respectiVcly re p'ei ehted lhert'R'
Mr. AcMULLEN said:
NJ gp.AKsR-When the floor was awarded TO me
ist evening did not know that would address the
gouse and Sir, II were 10 c DGsuli my own feelings
l .,nld NOT now attempt IL, because l cannot d .ttei
myself that | am capable OF enlightening this very
intelligent body of mel but ST., ths question pre-
.rtad in the resolution OF tue honorable gentleman
Iroa, North Carolina (Ir TpASsAl and she honorable
mEmb, rom Mississippi (hr. BALEsDALH) must b, me-,
md az had AZ well meet II nov. big gsutlemsa To
remember that THE question WAS presented TO this
House lnat summer by tbs gentleman from NORTH
Carolina (hr LHICH) and again by rhaL geuilsman III
asssi1p aud by 10y honorable friend from Tenutssse
An, FooTS and voted against laying his 10
no.n the table desired TO have ihen referred to
committee aud 10 have II report rPol them.
Ar sPsIEER, have given this autisst much II Aec
lion have prepared preamble aud Tea0lutOn much
more acceptable TO mystt thai any yet ,,rsd tn this
Hou,e, AID hsspeAk hom geGtsmsn a clear and die
passionate confederation Of thfm. hops Dir, that
an ooe of tho last men 10 THE II luse to do anything
"a r &c! disOredl upon tue Confederate Government
nnan the proud old Commonwealth Of Virginia, OF
mon the district have tue kOnOr 10 represent
No. sPTAEER theIgentlemAn from North Olr6ns
pFoposss To aks come action In relation to our pGr-
oic soldiers now ino.roeTsud in Northern pfieons
and duogsons aud ak usabsTs II this is MOI sub
ot Worthv OF ttelf consider aion and action. thins
II 4: hut ST. am ppJ o5sd To sshdihg commissions
10 Washington CT ~ ss proposed by this resolution -
The resolutions OF the gSu sman from Mississippi con-
templates GO soliOn. aud desire action upon them
admit too, that We have said to the Government Of
the Ulfd States tina and again sbst We are ready to
neRotiate with them for peace by President DAVie H.
uis rent messaEes and by the late Congressional
manifest tut here il proposition tmanstDg dir oily
f,om the pc pie through ther representatives fresh
ON the OIL IA 70 Mr. Adkins, of Tennef
ace ked HIM il believed N lii ooln would enter
tar terms OF NJ gotta lou un'ess upon terms in
tsted by himself M. Speaker, thahk my homer
ah'a friend from Tennessee for having asked me-
the que. ton. ] will lay 10 that gentleman that
updeEs and from my friend GU my right (Nr
FoorE) hat Gen Grant has expressed willingness t.
Bishop Lay thai he would receive any gentleman or
set of 90 uamisaioners and would invite like numbsr
from his 90 meet ours at some point to be
agreed pp'n, to end avOr to settle our difficulties
Ba cir, let Mr. ncOln reject tina propagation, IL he
psases. We shall o'e rOthing by the effort. But,
air, It may be said that dsphr ing from the CON-
situtional mode Of settling such questions (Heie Mr.
Barksdale interrupted sud asked me ths qu~tion IT,
hs ls not the only constitutional mode) Mr.. Speaker,
| think 60 much Of the gentleman from Mississippi,
that will alRaya allow him to ask me Question.
tell that gentleman that whilst his pan is CO 1stiiu.
tona there are othtr plans which no. unconsitu.
tional. claim tat the gentleman and myself have
the right as individuals 10 20, and If received by
Gen. Grant, we could take the Initiative siep' at
any number Of gentlemen might do go, and that each
n a. Ii do Va III. Al