Daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, Va. [W. Va.]) 1859-1865, 1865-01-07
Up GeIegrapB.
AftoFnoOn report see Ist Page
CONGRESSIONAL.
81 II NM

Ulcers asking for an increase of pay, and
asked that the Committee be discharg.
ed and the petition referred to the Military
Committee. Agreed to.
Mr.. Trumbull altered q resolution, which
was passed calling upon the Secretary of
the Interior for information as to the mum
Der of pension agents employed BY the
government. How many in each State,
under what law employed, &c.
HOUSE.
Mr.. kasson introduced a bill, which
was referred to the Committee of Ways
and Means, to promote the diffusion of
knowledge by the suspension of duties on
imported paper.
The resolution rendering vote of thanks
to Gen. Sherman and his officers and men
was passed.
The House proceeded to the considera-
tlon OF the Senate joint resolution chan.
glng the Constitution so as to abolish sla-
very throughout the country.
Mr. ashley made speech against sla.
very, ana argued at length to show that
the trainers of the Constitution could not
be guilty OF making an instrument DENYING
any part Of our people the just possession
OF liberty and happiness. Slavery was the
cause of the present war.
Mr. Orth earnestly advocated the Con.
ssltutlonAl amendment, looking upon sla-
very as the deadliest enemy of the republic.
MIR. Schofeld advocated the amendment.
saying that the people in the recent Presi
Dental election had decided in favor of a
generslemancipation of the slaves.
The House passed the Senate bill repeal
ing so much of the act incorporating the
Smithsonian Institute as requires two of
the Regents to be appointed to be mem
bers OF the National Institute, the latter
having ceased to exist.
AIR. Samuel Mclean, delegate from the
new Territory of Montana, appeared was
qualified and took his seat.
MIR. Schenck, from the Committee on
Military Affairs reported back the follow
ing joint resolution, which was uuani-
mOusly adopted:
RESOLVED, That the thanks of the People
and Congress of the United States are due
and are hereby rendered to Major General
sherman, and through him to the officers
and men under his command, for their
gallantry and good conduct in their march
from Chattanooga to Atlanta, and their
march through Georgia to Savannah and
the occupation of the latter city, aud that
the Pre- sident cause copy of this resolu-
ton to be forwarded to Gen. Sherman.
Mr.. kasson offered resolution, which
was agreed to, that the Committee on
Ways and Means consider the expedi.
ency of providing for a Commission, of
members of the Senate and House, with
leave to sit during the vacation of Con-
gress. to examine and report on a system
of taxation bearing equally on the property
and industry of the country, and the best
means of providing for maintaining the
credit and meeting the necessities of the
government, and that said Commission re-
port by bill or otherwise, at the COM
mencement of the 39th Congress.
On motion of Mr.. Wilson a resolution
was adopted instructing the Committee on
Rules to enquire into the expediency of
creating two additional standing commit.
tees, one on internal revenue aRd the other
on the national currency, and Also into the
expectancy of a standing instead of a spe-
cial committee on the Pacific Railroad.
The House then proceeded to the consid-
Grafton of the Senate joint resolution, hay
ing in view theamendment of the C0nstitu.
ton to abolish slavery throughout the
country.
Mr.. Ashley of Ohio, endorsed the words
of President Lincoln namely, "if slavery is
not wrong then nothing is wrong" A
proposition whether this universal wrong
should be considered or abolished was now
before the House.
If slavery had never been known in this
United States, and any member should in
troduce measure to enslave any portion
of the people, he would be looked upon as
an enemy of humanity. He did not believe
such measure could receive a single vote
in this House, yet it was known votes had
been cast here to keep in slavery men who,
under the laws of the government and ma
ture, were as much entitled to freedom as
white persons. The trainers of the Con-
stitution were not guilty of making an in
strument which could be fairly Interpreted,
to deprive any one of Justice, liberty, and
happiness.
For the last thirty years, statesmen
had ruled this county; if they had been
men who had not defended and made con
cessions to slavery this war would never
have resulted. He argued that Congress
had the constitutional right to make the
amendment aud he anticipated most ia
vorable result from such legislation.
Mr.. Orth spoke Of the duty and destiny
of the American people, the feeling exhibit
ed throughout the struggle and the recent
election proves our ability and willing
ness to serve the nation. The rebellion
must be subjugated without regard to cost
or sacrifice.