Litchfield enquirer., 1865-12-28
congrssaional Summary.

.
 h the Senate, Tuesday, bill to eatabl;ab i. nAtioLaL militia wa introduced and rsfsrrea q z. A b'R va introduced to authorize tho estab- nsnment of . branch of the Freedmen,s ,s Bureau u n e.cn of the former Slave States. A bill in telas.on to the Court of Claims was referred to tne Military Committee. A resolution was soopted asking for information in regard to the fekular army. An amendment to the Pension AAW xas moved and adopted. Three thousand coPlsg uf the Navy Register were ordered prin. seq. An encouraging message was received nom the President in relation to reconstruc- ton. The message was accompanied by the reportB of Generals Grant, Howard and Schurz. A1EU4Ejsf dehxts; the Seusts went iutu-Ex. ee5lve 1esaiop, and soon afterward adjourned.
 In the House certificates of election of mem bsgesfsoq IOgjsisus, and one from Virginia Ncn referred f0- the Committee of Fifteen. 14s Election Committee were directed to in qeire into tho right of MT. Harris, of Maryland. tea Beatsasa member. The bill to regulate Sailruad transportation between the States, knQvn as the New York and Washington Air H1e bill. was passed. after sharp discussion, 9z t062. It was voted to allow each member for piati0nefy, &75 for the long and $45 for tbe ebort session. The joint resolution to amend she Constitution, 50 as toprohibit the assump- tloI or payment of rebel debts by any State. H1s adopted. After some further business, the Home adjourned.
 h Senate, "Wednesday, the bill to pay $25.- 600 to Mrs. Lincoln was passed. Various pc titions were offered concerning the status fthe da-tts1 sd to aas afAassses5y rsssli1H Sa report in vlrginiato West Virginia. This puts Har- AntsS RoSS6 aad m &k<, .,. s..,t .f xh p.1 timore and Ohio Railroad in the latter state ! 4 bill was reported to grant suffrage in the Dis trict of Colombia to all males over 2l> who can read and write. Mir. Wilson called up the bill t0maintain the freedom of the inhabitantsin in tho States declared in insurrection and rebel lion by the proclamation of the President of July l, 1862. It abolished all laws, statutes, acts, ordinances, rules and regulations, which make inequalities in rights and immunities or accouut of distinction or differences of rules, race or descent. It was agreed with the House toadjourn from Thursday to the 9th of Janu- ary.
 In the House. resolutions were referred con- gtatulating the country on the adoption of the Constitutional Amendment. A bill was passed giving the appointment of Deputy Assessors of Iutsrnal Revenue to the Secretary of the Treas- nry. It was resolved that the Secretary Of War be directed to communicate to the House the record, testimony, sentence and action of the Court martial which tried Benjamin G HarriD, member of this House from the State of Maryland. Mir. Banks reported an amend ment to the rules intended to nuke the report sSs of tho official record of proceedings, officers ofsthe House, appointed by the Speaker. Mr. Stevens introduced bill to double the pensions of those who were made pensioners by the cas- ualties of the late war; to pay the damage done : to loyal men by the rebel government and the rebel raiders, and enforce the con6scations laws 70 as to pay the same ont of the con6scated property of the enemy. Resolutions were sub mitted requesting speedy public trial of lief. ferson Qayis. The recess to Jan. 5, was agreed
 h, Senate, Thursday, Msssrs Fessendsn, Grimes, Harris, Howard, Johnson and Williams were appointed as the Senate's part of the Com mittee Of Fifteen on Reconstruction. Petitions we're presented in favor of securing rights to cclored people: for extension of suffrage to cplored people, ion which MT. Sumner spoke J and still another to the same general purpose. Mr. Howard called for information why Davis had not been tried. A resolution was passed inquirng into the expsdisncY of abolishing the bill to maintain and enforce the freedom of the inhabitants of the United States upon which he spoke at great length.
 ln the. House, . Committee on Message was appointed. MT. Ashley being Chairman. It EaA voted to print 5000 copies of the Army Register. Monroe doctrine resolutions were referred. Information was called for about Jefferson Davis and his probable trial The Post Office Committee were ordered to report upon the expediency of making the telegraph part of the Post-O Office establishment Leave vas asked to offers bill to purchase site for the post-ofics in New York. Mr. Varhees submitted resolutions indorsing the policy of the President The propriety of having del. egate from tho District of Columbia was moet. ed, sud the proper committee is to enquire into it. Sezeral relief bills of minor importance were od0 "a. The session was concluded with aa Important discussion upon the reconstruc- ten question. heFpolicy of the President, &c., Ar. Fink, of Ohio, spoke particularly for the Dsmocratic side. Mir. Roymond of New York, followed in speech of an hours length, main- lyip reply to the recent address of Thaddeus Stevens. and taking the general ground that the Southern States were still and always had been members of the Union that the effort to secede was frustrated and therefore was void, and the acts, speeches and deeds of arms of the rebels were of no legal effect in dissolying their con- nection with the General Government. Both Housss adjourned over the holidays. Y a' E .F ' Y A