Richmond Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1862-1865, 1865-03-17
HOUSE or REPRESENTATIVES.
THURSDAY, March 18th.

The House met at the usual hour.
The unfinished business being postponed,
Mr. EWING, of Tennessee, offered a resolution
for the adjournment Of Congress on Saturday 18th
inst. at O'Clock p. M, which was agreed to.
Mr. CLUSKEY, of Tennessee, submitted the
following resolution:
Resol,sd, That the Speaker of the House will
hereafter issue his warrant tor the arrest of any
member about TO absent himself without leave
Mr.. BLANDFORD, OF Georgia, moved to amend
by adding and in all sue h cases the privilege of
the writ OF ha5eas corpus shall be suspended.
The amendment was ruled out of order.
The resolution was laid oter under the rules.
Mr.. PUGH, of Alabama, from the Committee on
Military Affairs, submitted report in relation to
that portion of thB Presidents message which had
been referred to that committee.
The committee found but two measures suggest
ed in the message for recruiting the army
l. "a law of few lines repeating all class ex-
emptions."
3 a. general militia law"
Tha report states that the law of exemptions had
been thoroughly considered, and the committee
had reported bill which finally laid aside, and
a bill passed repeating the fifteen negro clause 3"
and reducing and restricting the number of exemp-
tions and details, while rev class exemptions are
allowed.
The Recommendation of the President to abolish
al class exemptions and TO confer upon him alone
the unlimited power of detail presented the ones
tion whether representatives of the people or the
Executive shall decide what persons shall cOnsti-
tute the army in the field and what persons shall
remain at home in pursuits Indispensable TO the
vital interests Of the country.
Without discussing the question of subiecting
all classes, individuals aud associations to the ex
elusive control'Of the Executive Department of the
Government, experience has demonstrated that the
power Of detail as heretofore exercised has afford
ed more unnecessary Immunity from military SER
vice than the well guarded legislation upon the sub
iect of exemptions.
The committee entertained the opinion That seri-
Gus abuses had been developed upderathe system cf
detail-that the opinion was general am, tended to
create discomfort and jealousy in the army which it
advisable to abate by further limitations OF the
power.
The subject Of a general militia law was con-
sdered by the committee at 9s early period of the
session. After mature deliberatiOn, il. was de
cided to be unnecessary and inexpedient,
Congress had placed at the disposal of the Presi.
dent all male persons between the ages of Il aud
SO, and the committee could not see what advantage
could acrue from the passage of general militia
law, but we're OF the opinion that the power would
be more efficient in the hands Of the Governors OF
the States.
So far as the question of putting negroes in the
service as soldiers was concerned, the committee
remarked that the President himself and his Minis
ter OF War had both declared against its immediate
expedsncy at the beginning OF the session. Hence
it was not earlier considered.
Mr.. SWAN, of TennSSsee, member Of the CON-
mittee said he did not concur in the report.
Mr.. CLARK, Of Missouri, approved Of the report
in the main, but favored legislation on the militia
question.
Mr.. HARTRIDGE, of Georgia, submitted tho
following:
tesolcsd, That the report presented By the Com
m ttee on Military Affairs expresses the sense of
ms House IN reference to the subjects contained in