The Potter journal. [volume] (Coudersport, Pa.) 1857-1872, 1866-07-31
TEN M LESSEE.
WASHINGTON, July "a, 1865.

| The House to day met at clock, AID
commenced working in earnest, preparing
for adjournment. Most of the day was oc-
cupied on the Deficiency Appropriation bill.
At 24 o'clock, Col. Cooper, the Presidents
Private Secretary, came on the floor of the
House and presented message from the
President, stating that he had signed, un-
der protest, the joint resolution admitting
the State of Tennessee into the Union.
Rumors had been afoat all the morning
| that the President would either veto the
bill outright, or allow it to become law
without his signature by letting it remain
over the necessary ten days; consequently
the members were all on the qas vtve
about Tennessee's fate. Accordingly, when
Col. Cooper made his appearance, a num-
Der of members gathered around him to
hear the news. When he announced the
result, he was heartily congratulated by
those around him, among whom were some
of the most Radical Union members. An
outsider in the galleries would have
thought, from the scene below, that the
quarrel between the President and Con-
gress had been settled, and an era of good
feeling was following Speaker Colfax re-
ceived the message, and, not being in the
Chair, a number of members gathered
around him to know the exact words of
Mr.. johnson. Mr.. Bingham, in particular,
was very anxious 1t was his bill, and he
evidently felt that he had the first right to
see the message. Accordingly Mr.. Colfax
surrendered the manuscript to the gentle
man from Ohio, but before Mr. Bingham
had time to read it to the group around him
the Committee on the Whole arose, and
Mr.. Colfax relieved Mr.. Dawes from the
duties of the Speakers Chair. Down
went the little mallet, and the Speaker
announced the message from the President.
In an instant, there was dead silence, and
the Clerk, Mr.. Mop Pherson, commenced
reading the message. When Mr.. Nc
Pherson reached that part of the message
where Mr.. johnson stated he affixed his
signature to the Bill, there was loud clap
ping of hands and applause by Members
on the foor-Radicals, Conservatives and
Democrats joining in. Then again, further
down in the message, where the President
stated that he did not wish Congress to
construe his signing the Bill into an ac
quiescence of their policy, there was loud
laughter by Members. The reading of the
message consumed about 10 minutes
When finished, there was applause from all
quarters. There were very few in the gal
leries, however When matters had got
quieted, Mr.. Stevens rose and moved that
the Committee on Reconstruction be dis
charged from further consideration of the
Tennessee question, and also moved that,
as Tennessee was now State in the Union,
the credentials of her Representatives be
referred to the Committee on Elections.
On these motions, Mr.. Stevens, feeling that
the House had no time to spare for debate
and unnecessary talk, demanded the previ
Gus question, but, as a matter of course, the
Democrats must say something. Mr.. LIE
Blond thought the members from Tennes-
see should be sworn in without their Gre
dentials going to the Election Committee.
Other points of order were raised but all
were oyerruled by the Speaker, and the
first motion of Mr. Stevens for the dis
charge of the Committee was adopted with
out calling the yeas and nays. Then, on
the question Of referring the credentials of
the Tennessee members to the Committee
on Elections, several members struggled
into debate, when Mr.. Wentworth rose and
demanded the regular order. After sew
eral points of order had been disposed Of
a vote was taken by yeas and nays, the
motion being adopted by vote of 50 to
%. Mr. Dawes Immediately proceeded to
get a quorum of his Committee together,
and had an examination of the credentials
of the Tennessee members present. They
were Mr.. Maynard, Col. Stokes and Mr..
f Taylor. Finding the credentials correct,
, Mr.. Dawes, at about A o'clock, moved that
the above-named members from Tennessee
be sworn in, which was carried, and each
member then took the required test oath.
Messrs. Maynard and Stokes took seats on
the Republican side of the House, and Mr..
Taylor on the Democratic side. During a
part of the above proceedings Messrs. Bing-
ham, Schenck, Kasson and Raymond
formed a group, in the center of which was
that firm old Radical leader, Mr.. Thad
Stevens. Altogether the day has been
one of rejoicing in and out of Congress
, This evening salute of 100 guns, in hon
or of the event, was fired at Judiciary
square. # r. :.. 81.
1t is said that Senator Patterson of Ten
nessee cannot take the test oath, and that
objection will be made to his being sworn
in until his antecedents during the Rebel
lion are examined into-Iri6une.
~The special Washington correspon-
lent of the New York Tribune telegraphs