Spirit of Jefferson. [volume] (Charles Town, Va. [W. Va.]) 1844-1948, 1866-12-11
Congregs-(So He'd

OUuSI66H -ASU 7Ud116usJ
We shall not attempt in this issue TO give |
anything Ike aconuected report of the doings
of the so-called Congress, which is now rev.
cling in the capitol ut Washington. To do
SO, would require more time and space than
We are disposed to devote to disgusting SUBJ /
ject, and would inAict upon our readers
dose too nauseating for contemplation.
On Tuesday, the House passed a bill to
repeal the 18th section of the act of July II,
ls62i to suppress Instruction, aud to punish
treason, designed To take from the President
the granting of amnesty aud pardon by vote
OF Ill to 80. A number of bills and resolu-
tions were introduced and referred, among
them bill to convene the next Congress at,
noon on the 18th of March next; bill re-
quiring the concurrence of the Senate in all
appointments to Office; bill creating the De-
partment of Internal Revenue; bill to reg
uiate removals from Office; bill authorizing
the Secretary of the Treasury to sell at pub
lie auction in the city of New York two mil
lions of gold on Monday of eaclt week, on
certain conditions. These bills, with others,
which were introduced, were severafly re-
ferred. The committee of ways and means
was instructed to inquire into the expediency
OF so changing the revenue laws as to dis
pense with inspectors of distileries
On the same day, the following resolutions
were offered:
By Mr.. Ingersoll. of Illinois, requesting
the President to inform the, House, if not in
compatible with the public interests, how near
the verge of the gulf the present Congress is,
and whether it is not nearer the centre than
he supposed. Mr.. Eldridge demanded the
yeas and nays, and Mr.. Ingersell withdrew
the resolution.
This is very much like Nero iddling
while Rome is burning."1
By Mr.. Washburn, resolution which is
Observation-Disclosures. The House,
it alleges, finds additional reasons for insist
ing ON the constitutional amendment in the
many acts of disloyalty that have trauspired
in those communities (the Southern States)
since their last adjournment, as well as in
what has since transpired at the North. What
those many acts of disloyalty are we have not
learned. This resolution was passed.
On motion of MIR. Thaddeus Stevens,
committee of five was appointed toexamine
into the relation of the Government with the
railroads in the Southern States, and to re-
port TO the House at the next session of Com
gress.
Having been a rogue himself all his life,
the hero of the buckshot war, is now attempt
ing to catch somebody else in thieyiug. '.Set
rogue to catch n rogue"
On Wednesday, in the House, SIR. Will
liams, of Pennsylvania, called up the motion
Cd h,,h Ia =
the vote whereby the bill regulating appoint
ments to Office was recommitted to the Com
mittee on Judiciary. lie proposed to sub
NIT some amendments based upon the hy-
potbesis that the right of removal from Office
was not vested in the President alone, but
that the consent of the Senate was required
Mr.. Williams gave his views at length, and
urged the passage of the bill by this Con>
gross, or the golden opportunity would have
passed. The motion to reconsider prevailed,
and the consideration of the bill was post
poned until the next day.
The Senate has refused to take up for con-
sideration the bill from the House to deprive
the President of the power to pardon persons
concerned in the late rebellion, and Sumner
has introduced bill declaring the illegality
of the present State governments the South
ern States, accompanying the introduction of
the bill with one of his usual bitter TRADES
against the South.
On Wednesday, when the bill repeating
the pardoning power of the President was
called up in the Senate, it provoked cOnsid-
cradle discussion.
: Mr.. Chandler reiterated the charge that
abandoned women had hawked pardons about
the streets of Washington for sale.
Mr.. Dixon denied that the President was
in any way implicated. IF he was he would
be liable to impeachment.
Mr.. Grimes said, even if they passed the
bill, the President could keep it for ten DAYS,
and in that time could issue a general procla-
nation of amnesty ~
The bill was finally referred to the Judi>
ciary Committee.
The Debate upon theGonfsoation Ques-
ton.