The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-03-06
The Closing Of Congress.

l WAsHIyGToS, March The civil bill
as originally reported contained large
appropriations for the coast survey, hight
house establishments and other objects OF
a miscellaneous character. The House
added new features and the Senate
weighed il down with heavy appropria-
tions, including at last four million dol
lars for reimbursing Missouri for the eX-
penscs of calling ont and subsisting the
State Militia, and appropriating S7OO,OOO
or 100000 to repay the money advanced
by Pennsylvania in calling out her mill
tia to assist in repelling the invasion of
General Lee.
The Senate struck out of the bill mate
rial amendment inserted at the instance
of Mr.. Davis, of Maryland, namely, that
no person shall be tried by court martial
or military commission i'll any State OF
territory where the courts of the United
States are open, except persons actually
mustered and commissioned or appoint
ed otherwise by law in the military or
naval service, or rebel enemies charged
with being spies
When the disagreeing votes OF the two
Houses were sent to the Conference COM
mittee, the managers compromised all
differences, excepting the amendment OF
Mr. Davis, which it was proposed should
be acted upou separately Many of the
members of the House, however, pre-
ferred losing the bill to surrendering the
clause in question, and so by dilatory
motion they defeated it.
All the other general appropriation
bills were passed, and also the bills to
establish bureau for refugees and freed
men, to authorize the coinage of three
cent pieces of copper and nickel, and to
prohibit the use of fractional currency
under five cents
The bankrupt and the Illinois and Nj
agara ship canal bills we're lost in the
Senate, while the bill to pay extra COM
| pensatiOn to the builders Of the iron clads
was also lost
Nothing was inally done with the
Camden Railroad Company bill, the
| Housebill remaining III the Senate, be-
ing clOgged with amendments
The door of the Senate chamber was
crowded to-day to its utmost by SenA-
tors, members elect, and eG-members OF
| Congress, Justices Of the Suprem Court,
army and naval officers, foreign minis
| ters in full dress, Governors of States and
territories, all the members of the cab
met and other disting sisAed personages.
| The President entered the Senate cham
ber after the Vice President had deliver
| ed his address, and while the retiring
| Vice President was administering to him
the oath TO support and defend the Con.
| stitution, and also the oath Of allegl-
ance. The galleries were densely filled
by thousands of strangers, who came
hither to-day to witness the ceremonies.
| Tonight the Executive mansion was
thrown open for public reception The
pressure was immense.
WASHINGTON, March 5.-The Senate sew
eral hours before its adjournment yester-
| day cleared its executive calendar Of all
the pending presidential nominations,
| 600 in number, most of which were OF a
military character and were confirmed
The President yesterday sent in the
| nomination of John D. Defrees, fol Su.
! perintendent of Public Printing, and the
| Senate unanimously confirmed II This
is a deserved compliment to the uniform
courtesy and ability which have marked
this gentleman's management OF the
Government letter-press printing bureau
for the past four years.
Mauy persons are here from distance
looking after private interests and seek
| ing influence TO assist them III the pro
curement of high as well as low posi-.
tions. They do not seem to be mindful
of the fact that there are to be no whole
sale removals from place.
The terms of about nine-tenthS OF the
commissioned civil officers will very soon
expire. This win give the President an
or appoint others as he may think
proper
Previous to the adjournment of Con
gress, the reporters and correspondents
occupying the House reporters gallery
united, without distinction of party, in a
letter to Speaker Colfax, as an honored
journalist, expressive of their gratitica-
ton with his courtesy dignity and abili-