Western Reserve chronicle. [volume] (Warren, Ohio) 1855-1921, 1865-12-13
XXXIXth COngress-FIrst SeS-
SiOns
HOUSE

A0A- 49, Nv
swered to their
The House proceeded to the election
of a Speaker. ,
Hon. Schuyler Colfax, of Indiana, and
Hon. James Brooks, of New York, were
put in nomination.
The House her proceeded to vote with
the following result: Colfax, l39: Brooks,
So. Mr.. Colfax was declared elected, and
amid applause was conducted to the char
by Messrs. Morrill,, of Vermont, and
Brooks, of New York, when he returned
thanks in a brief and eloquent speech
The Speaker then took the oath OF office,
and afterwards administered TO the mem
bers, who were called up by delegations.
The following is a report of Mr.. ColtaX's
address:
GENTLEMEN OF THE House OF REPREsEN-
TArIyEs: The reassembling of Congress,
marking, as it does, the procession OF our
national history, is always regarded with
interest by the people for whom 1t Is to
legislate; but it Is not unsafe 70 say that
millions more than ever before, north,
south, east and west. are looking to the
Congress which opens its first session to.
day with an earnestness and soilcltude
uueaualed on similar occasions IN the
past.
The Thirty Eighth closed its constitu.
t~utional existence with the storm c.oud
of war still lowering over us, and after a
nine months absence, Congress resumes
its legislative authority in these council
halls, rejoicing that from shore 10 shore
in our land there is peace. Its duties are
as obvious as the suns pathway IN the
heavens. Representing in two branche-
the States and the people. It's first AND
highest obligation is 10 guarantee IN every
Estate a Republican form of Government
The rebellion having overthroTn the
constitutional State Government IN many
| States, it is yours to mature and enac.
Legislation, which with the concurrence o
such a basis OF enduring justice a. wi
guarantee all necessary safeguards 10 th'
l~Deople, and afford what our magma cbdTta
the Declaration of Independence, pro
claims the chief object Of Government
protection to all men in their inalienahl'
rights. (Applause.) The world should
witness in this great work the most IN
flexible fidelity and most earnest devo
ton to the principles of liberty and hu
manity, the truest patriotism and tn
wisest craftsmanship. Men by the hun
: QTGuS OF luOuSduuS ndhc hAVN AA~b ~
Republic might live.
The emblems of mourning have dark
ened the White House and the Canine
alike, bat the fires of civil war have melt
ed every fetter in the land. and prove,
the funeral pyre of slavery. 1t is for you
: Representatives to, do your work as faith
fully and as well as did the fearless saw
Tors of the Union in their more danger
= Gus arenas of duty. Then we may hop
: to see the vacant and nee abandone,
+, seats around us gradually filling up, unit
! this hall contain Representatives iron
every State and district, their hearts de
voted to the Union which they are to leg
: islate, Jealous of its honor, proud of II
: glory, watchfuI of its rights and hsstile t
I its enemies and the stars on our banne
hat paled when the States they repre-
scented srrayed themselvesin arms agains
the nation. will shine with 3 more bri
liant light than ever before. Applause.
. Invoking the guidance of Him who hold
the destiny of nations in the hollow
His hand, ! enter again upon the dutie
OF this trying position, with a heart file
with gratitude TO you for the unusual
hattering manner in which 1t has bee
q bestowed, and cheered by the hope tina
it betokens your cordial support and as
sistaDce in its all grave responsibilities
[ am now ready TO take the oath of ofhc
= prescribed by law.
2 Mr.. THAD. STEVENS of Pa, offerei
a bill which was approved in the Reput
lican caucus, for the appointment Of
committee to examine and report whetl
e er any of the so-called Confederate State
I are entitled to representation in Congress
The bill as introduced by Mr. Steven
was passed by following vote: years l23
days &c.
SENATE.
After prayer by Rev. n. Gray the 10
: lowing Senators were present MessI
Anthony, Brown, Buckulew, Chandler
f Clark, Conness, Cowan, Crewell, Dixon
I Doolittle, F~essenden, Foote, Foster
Grimes, Guthrie, Halves. Howard, Howe
johnson, Lane of Indiana, McDouga.
, Morgan, Morril, Nesmith, Nye, Pomeroy
I Ramsey, Riddle, Salisbury, Sherman
, Sprague, Stewart, Sumner, Trumbul
E VanWinkle, Wade, Wiley, William:
Wilson and Wright.
Mr.. WADE of Ohio, presented a bill t
: regulate the elective franchise in the Dii
trict of Columbia.
The bill provides that from and after il
passage, every male citizen of p years c
Iaee. who is citizen of the United Stale.
a resident of the District for six month
and neverconvicted of an infamous crime
shall nave the righto f suffrage in the Dii
trict. Section 2 imposes a penalty for il
terruption or interference with the RICH
granted above. The bill was ordered "a
be printed.
Mr.. SUMNER OF Massachusetts. intro
duced a bill to preserve the right Of tria
by jury, which provides that grand jurie
shall consist Of one-half of persons of Al
riean descent in a section where one sixth
of the population are Africans, and tn
same proportion in petit iuries, wher,
the matter relates to any injuries inflicted
by a person OF African descent upon am
person not OF such descent, or vice versa
and prejudice against such African rae,
Is made a ground of challenge and exclu
sion from such juries. The bill vas or
dered 10 be printed.
Mr.. SUMNER also introduced . bill
prescribing an oath to maintain a repub
| lican form of Government in States in re
bellion. as follows, u do hereby swea.
that | will hereafter use my best endeay
ors to maintain q republisan form OF gov
eminent in the State OF which | am an in
habitant and IN the Union of the United
States; that | will at all times recognize
the indissoluble unity OF h eIepublic, and
will always diseountenance and resent
any endeaVors to break away or secede
from the Union; that | will give my in
huence and vote at all times to sustain
the national credit.
Mr.. SUMNER also offered a bill to en-
force the constitutional amendment by
furnishing any attempt to control the ser
vices of any person contrary to this pro
vision.
Mr.. SUMNER likewise introduced
bill to give the right of suffrage to per
sons of color in the District of Columbia
which was ordered to be printed.
Mr.. SUMNER also introduced a ieint
] resolution proposing to amend the Con
| s%titution so as to make voters instead o.
population the basis of representation il
Congress,
NJ, CTTNTNED fn4nodnaad a aopa1p1api