, 1866-01-15
FROM WASHINGTON.

Camden Il Anibny Conlrovcrsy-K1-
&raof1lnnry Passage OF n Bill in the
Situate TO Pay c1alMz for War Damages
The Bill Recalled from the HOUSE
senator Howchs 9peoch-The Conn
rnltsee on Reconsideration.
Correspondence Of the Chicago Ttibune.l
WARRINGTON, q. c., Jan. 10, 1866.
Congress Is getting we'll warmed up to its
work the present week, as is erinced by the
fact that the sessions of the House are length
cuing into four or Eve hours, instead Of one
or two hours per day as heretofore. The
great number Of proposed measures Of legis-.
lation, and the very considerable quantity Of
constitutional amendments already offered,
give the various committees full employment.
At the same time the unsettled and over
shadowhg issue Of reconstruction, aud the
uncertain aud delicate position of the rela-
uons between the executive and the majority
In Congress, lend unwonted interest 10 tho
daily debates. The result Is seen in the
crowded galleries and the fuu attendance Of
members Of the House, as well a. the unusu-
ally close attention paid to the ennnciation Of
the views OF different members.
THE CoFrERHEAD NDoRsEAIRNTs OF TILE
PREsIpKNF.
siuce the fne legal argument Of MI. shella.
barger, there have been four or Hvo strong
speeches In the House. That Of Mr.. D. ".
VOORHEES,, Of Indiana, yesterday, WAS the
"last word" OF the late Copperhcad party,
which Is now engaged, like Its suaky proto-
type, In the absorbing occupation Of chang
Ing Its skin. Voorhees, dealt largely IN praises
Of the President, denunciation Of the sradi-
calls " and the "uigger," and In classical pla-
ntndes about the glory and power Of re-
stored Union II was long speech, but not
a strong one, from any honest point Of view.
The burden Of all the haraogues Of the "rc-
CONSTRUCTED" " Democratic party, is that s.sthis
is white mans government" II they could
only get Andy johnson on to that platform
they would willingly mortgage their eternal
salvation On Tie Issue, But they have got to
republican n horesfcs he has heretofore utter
ed, before they can make their own calling
and election sure.
Bingham, Of Ohio, made very Keen e1-
reply no VOORHEES,, and today.
the discussion Was ably continued by Sco-
field and Kelley, both Of Pennsylvania. aud
Wilson, Of Iowa The Latter Is one Of the
In principle, and reliable and hard-working In
practice. These discussions are tolerably
well reported to you By telegraph, and viii
not eu1arge upon them,
HAsTT LEGISLATION.
It is surprising that veteran politicians (uet
to say staiesmen) of the long experience which
50 many In the present Congress have enjoyed
In practical legislation, should let such tn-
stances Of crude and superficial law-maRing
tised fingers. The Senate yesterday sent 10
the House, asking the return of b{u, passed
by tho former body the dny before, under q
misapprehension. The House on the same
day. sent to the Senate for bill which 1t had
itself passed somc days before, and which was
fore unthoueht-of permission to all the rail-
roads in the United States {inclndlng tho I'LL
Dois Ceutrap to charge the Government fur
transporting troops, etc--the effect OF which
must bc not only to allow them to retain tho
sums paid to them by the Government, (viz.
other roads). but ultimately to give them the
remaining :S3,5x :35x pes cent. C1riously enough
this mistake was first detected and exposed
week aites Its passage, BY Mr. Baldwin, of
Mass, In letter to bis own newspaper-the
Worcester Spy. The bill was ostensibly one
to cntitle all railroads to equal privileges In
transporting passengers, freight, Government
for and It vas supposed aud honestly In
tended by the House, to be a bill for abolish
Ing the monopoly Of the soulless corporation
Of Camden 4 Amboy, with It's infamous New
jersey tex on through travel. But 1t really
contained grant fin the words italicised ito all
transportation and when Mr.. Washburna
brought up In the House the charge In Mr..
Baldwin's paper that ats real but unde-
c1arcd purpose was TO release tho Illinois
Central from Its obl1gatfon to carry troops
and military stores for the Government free
Of chazge,''it electrified the majority in the
Houss' whD innoeently thought they had
Mr. Washburne made tho honest avowal {as
did Wilson, Of Iowa, and Garfield, Of Ohio,
who introduced the bill, that be never
dreamed Of any such Interpretation being put
upon that final clause, Mr.. Baldwin showed
that he had tried to get in au. argument on
when 1t was passed, but It was rushed through
under the previous question. After a thor
ough and wholesome ventilation OF the subject
I'm which the abuses Of the "previous cues
tfon" were forctb1y shown up, and 1t was a.
serted that the stock Of the Central had gono
up Il per cent since the passage Of tie bill).
Mr. Boutwell, quietly moved that the House
get the premature bantling back from the
Senate, which was accordingly doue.
ANOTHER DLuSDEa.
The other measure referred to ~ piece of
hasty legisl2ti0n was a bill which the 9GnAte
passed without debate to pay to, 500 to ]. ..
Arnes, OF Fairfax county, Va, for his prop
etty destroyed by the United States army.
Now this bill was reported by the Sonata
Committee On Claims, Of which Nr. Clark, of
n r., IL Chairman; and 30 accustomed arc
both Houses Of Congress To 60 by the reports
Of committees, that This foolish precedent was
made without q word being said On either side.
Senator Wilson, in moving to get back tha
I'LL. very truly said that It wa. an opening
for call Of five hundred or thousand mil
lions from the National Treasury. he avoWed
his own opposition TO any compensation
whatever for damages by onr troops In the
rebel States during the war.
SENATOR HowR's SPEECH.
The great speech Of The session thus far IN
the Senate WAS made to-dny by Senator Tim
othy o. Howe, OF Wisconsin. Uu1lke his
colleague, Dooiittle, Mr.. Howe is firm, bold
and pronounced radical, l. c., 4 man who be-
hevcs In going t. the root oG the Southern po-
lltical cancer willis we are about 1t, instead
OF administering temporary anodynes, and
pursuing treatment which will bring back
the old disease In all its 1onthsone yfgor. The
speech was splend1dlr reasoned, cool, calm,
1awye1-lke statement OF the whole question
Of the present siatis Of The late rebel States.
Il demonstrated their utter unpreparcdness
to re-enter the Union as loyal, sale, or peace
able members thereof. Senator Howe is COM
patatirely new member of Congress, though he
possesses one Of the clearest and subtlest heads
In the Senate. In person, he is tall and grace
fu1, In manners pleasing, with voice hardly
powerful enough for the forum, although
he never alms at oratorical flights, but relies
upon the logic of his thought 10 carry the
Judgment of his audience.
The Joint Committee on Reconstruction
have appointed as their clerk the same abort
hand writer who acted as clerk to the Com
mittee on the Conduct Of the War, and have
gone vigorously to work-hay1ng met three
ffruea fhfa Hark already