Maryland free press., 1866-07-26
Washington News and Gossip.


S-From the Washington Correspond
ence of the Sun we extract the following
items of Interest,"
The passage by the House this afternoon
Of the resolution for final adjournment on
this day week was accomplished. after
numerous efforts to delay or defeat It on the
part of those members who wish to stay
here. General Banks was very busy try
ing to win over enough members to defeat
the resolution. protesting that as soon as
Congress adjourned the enemies of the
country would swarm here to get the Offices
His appeals, however, were Intellectual,
and the subsequent action of the House in
laying on the table motion to reconsider
settles the matter, 80 far as that body is
concerned. The Senate will. without
doubt, promptly concur in the resolution,
and ten days from this the country will
hear no more of congressional squabbles
for q season, at least. s
A resolution lately passed both houses to
provide for joint committee on retrench-
ment and the first result of it is a bill in
creasing twenty-five or thirty per cent
The salaries of all the employees of the Sem
ate, which will, of course, be followed by a
corresponding one in the House. Mr.
Fessenden stated to-day that one of these
officers, who now receives compensation
of 81 800, is never at his post, and its en-
tire duties are fulfilled by an assistant, yet
it is proposed to increas his compensation
to $4,000. The next part of this pro-
gramme of retrenchment will be q move
ment by Congress to increase their own
salaries.
Congress is Christening to recognize Ten
nessee as one of the loyal and radical
States of the Union. The 'little infor-
mality." as they term it, of the ratification
of the amendment was overlooked in the
House, and will be in the Senate. One
graver objection was urged without effect,
to wit though Tennessee had ratified the
amendment, it was not part of the consti-
tuition, and Tennessee was not bound by it.
She might repudiate the conditions at pleas
ure. This objection would apply, even if
the amendment were made part of the
constitution, and all the excluded States
admitted under it. Each of these States
could repudiate the conditions. What
then2 Could Congress vote their represen-
tatives out of their seats again? Suppose a
change Of parties should convert the pres
ent minority into a majority, what would
then become of the conditions?
The democratic members objected to the
preamble Of the resolution admitting Ten
nessee members, and voted against it. but
they voted for the resolutions.
The radicals asserted that Arkansas will
soon accept the terms Of admission. They
expect at the next session to admit repre-
sentatives from Arkansas. Then they will
wait year or.two, to see whether they
can obtain the assent of the requisite three
fou tNs of the number of States to the con-
ditions now offered. They do not yet
claim North Carolina nor Louisiana.
AT the popular meeting last night, at the
fair building, number Of prominent rad
ical politicians spoke. A continuous ses-
sion. by Congress, was advocated. It was
also declared that the constitutional amend
ment now proposed would when ratified, be
speedily followed by such legislation as
would complete the radical system--negro
equality, suffrage, &c. No further consti-
tutional amendment will be necessary for
the purpose. Congress. with . million Of
bayonets to support il, will do chat by law.
Tho joint resolution admitting Tennes-
see will go to the President for his sigma
ture. Il is the boast Of the radical leaders
that "a forty-veto power" could not stop
il. This joint resolution passed the House
with only twelve negatives.
--<-S><-
"-t Packed Juries.
In the Report of the Reconstruction Commit
tee, IS an examination of Judge Underwood, in