The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1865-12-20
AFTERNOON DIsPATCHEs.
xxx CoNGREss-FmST SESSION
WASHINGTON, Dec. Is.
HOUSE.


On motion Of Mr.. Ortiz of Indiana, it was
resolved that if not incompatible with the
public interest," that the President communi-
Gates any information in the possession of the
II. Excessive Department IN regard u the steps
taken at any time by the so-called Empire Of
Mexico, or any European power, to obtain
from the Government recognition of the So
called Emp;fe OF Mexico, and also what cor
respondence or action in the premises has
been taken by the Government ofthe United
States.
Mr.. Stiilwell of Indiana, offered the follow.
Whereas, the war for the peeesvation of
the Union and the Consultations 3 now over
andits Counterpart, insurrectio1ol noboslion,
has just been put down by the strong srm of
the Government, and peace and union being
the object, and that having been obtainedi
therefore, U&
Resolred, That the people Who have been
in rebellion against the Government, and who
haze submitted to the laws of the United
States, and adopted Republican form Of
government. repealed the ordinance of seces-
sion, passed the Constitutional Amendment
forever abolishing slavery, repudiating the
rebel debt, and passed protection to the
freedmen in their liberty, the Representatives
of the people elected to Congress having re-
ceived their certificates of election from their
respective Governors, should be received as
members of the 39th Congress, when they
shall take the oath prescribed by Congress,
known as the Test Oath, without further de-
lay.
Reconstruction.
On motion of Mr.. Dumont, it was
Eesolred, That the Committee on the Ju-
dietary be instructed to inquire into the expe-
diency of providing by law that no person
shall be appointed Clerk of District or
Cneuit Court of the United States who is of
kin OF related by blood or marriage to the
Judge thereof.
On motion of Mr.. Sloan, of Wisconsin the
committee on Roads and Canals was instructed
TO inquire whether persons visiting the Nation
al Cpital are subject to any unnecessary IN
conTeniencies or obstacles in passing through
the city Of Baltimore, and to report to this
House at an early day whether it should be
just and expedient to authorize the Northern
Central Railroad Company of Pa, to extend
their road to this city
MIR. Hall, of Ind, introduced the following
resolutions
Resolced, That the act of July 2, 1862 pre-
scrlblng an oath to be taken aud subscribed
toby persons elected or appointed to office by
the Government of the United States, before
entering upon the duties of such Office, is of
binding force and effect in all the departments
OF the public service, and should in no Instance
be dispensed with.
A motion to lay the resolution on the table
was disagreed to by yeas 81; nays l26.
ne resolution was then passed.
Mr.. Hooper, from the committee on War
Department of the loyal States. reported a
resoluio which was adopted, calling on the
Secretary of War to furnish to the House q
statement showing the number of men fur
mshed - each State from the 1st Of April.
1851, the number of three months men, and
The number credited to each State on the
standard of three years, &c.
On motion of Mr.. Elliott, the committee
on Commerce, was directed to enquire into the
expectancy of reporting general bill provid
ing appropriations for the necessary improve
ments IN the sea and lake coasts, and in nav
igsble rivers.
Mr. Miller introduced a bill to inquire into
the praeticability of having steans ship naviga.
ton from the Chesapeake Bay, at the mouth
OF the Susquehanna River, to Lake Ontario,
IN the State of New York. The bill was re-
ferred.
A message was received from the Senate,
accompanied by report from that body pro-
posing appropriate action consequent upon
the death of President Lincoln The report
was unanimously concurred in by the House
Mr.. Washburne, of ILL.,, from the Select
Committee appointed to take action on the
bill for the relief of Mrs. Lincoln, reported
the same with q substitute, namely: That
the Secretary of the Treasury, il not other
wise appropriated, to Mrs. Mary Lincoln, wife
of the late President of the United States, or
IN the event of her death before payment,
then to her legal representatives, $50, 900
provided, always that any sum of money which
shall have been paid to his personal repre-.
seniatives since his death on account of his
salary as PRESIDENT of the United States shall
be deducted from the said sum of $25, 200.
Bill passed.