American citizen. [volume] (Butler, Butler County, Pa.) 1863-1872, 1865-01-18
constitutional Amendment.
WAsHINGr0N. Jam. /

w AcitiNdION.
The debate on the Constitutional amend
ment continues to crowd the spacious gal
leries of the House, and the public in
terest seems to increase as the debate
progresses. The developments of Dem
ocratic dissension to-day, coupled with
the irepressible desire of members to
make speeches, led to a further postpone
ment OF the vote.
Little Mr.. Samuel Cox, in reply to
Pendleton's argument of yesterday, con-
elusiyely established the right of Congress
to pass the amendment, and then after
having come SO near the Union ground,
turned around and declared he should
vote against it. Jealousy of Pendleton
thus led him to furnish the Unionists an
admission of complete power in the prem
ises, which becomes from its origin one
of its strongest arguments in favor of the
passage of the amendment Contrary to
his usual custom, his speech was care
fully written out, and read flom the man
uscript.
The statement made in some quarters,
that it was delivered in obedience to the
wishes Of a caucus OF the Democracy
held last night, after Pendleton's speech,
is OF course utterly unfounded Many
Democrats took the courage to go as far
as Pendleton did, but they are all loud
in their admiration of his efforts, while
Cox was listened too with scowlng faces
by some and utterly neglected by 9th
crs.
Vice Admiral Farragut's reception in
Congress to-day was unexceptiunal in its
heartiness. The Senate took a ten min
ute's recess, that Senators might have an
opportunity to pay their respects to him,
His entrance in the House proved the
signal for general rush of members to
the lobby where he stood, and. an utter
neglect of the Constitutional Amendment
debate.
On behalf of General Butler, Senator
Wilson to, day carried through a resolu-
ton instructlng the Committee on the
Conduct of the War to investigate the
cause of the Wilmington expedition
Meantime everybody is awaiting the
bulletins of the new effort that is to de,
eide Gen. Buffers case more etectually
than can any Investigation.
The statement is now specifically made
prolessedly by authority, that on the 9th
instant, Lieut.. Gen. Grant indicated tt
the President his earnest desire that Maj
Gen. Butler be forthwith relieved Of hi
command, giving his reasons therefor
nelcring to the opinion and wishes o
The General-in-C Chief Of the Armies o
the United States in matters purely mill
tary. After consultation with Actin!
S, etary of War Dana, and Maj. Gen
IIalleck, the Secretary Of War being
absent, the President, on the 7th inst.
authorized the issue ofGeneral Order n o
|. The order required him to proceed t.
Lowell, Mass, the place Of hsresidence
and after his arrival there to report b,
letter to the Adiutant General. Genera
Grant thereupon, issued special orde
assigning Ord to the vacant com
mand.
1t thus appears that the order for But
lers being relieved came from the Wa
Department. The explanation sought t
be generally circulated on behalf Of tn
authorities here, is that this order wa
in pursuance of request from Genera
Grant.
The system of bounty paying, with it
decentralization of the service, us well Il
of patriotism at home, is ably dlscusse
in memorial of some of the most infu
ential citizens Of PhiladGA hia, which
presented TO the House by fudge Kelley
PITS. Com.