The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1867-03-05
,FORTIETH. CONGRESS.

SENATE.
The Senate was called to order at 1920 b,
Mr. Wade, President pre- TEN. After prsyei
by the the Chaplin, the first business in ordei
vas declared the qualifications Of the new
Senators They were sworn 10 the following
order: Cameron, Corbelt. Conkling, Harlan
Davis, Drake, Howe, Morton, Morrill,, o.
New York Fulerson, Pomeroy, Sherman
and TrumbuH.
The Clerk called Thomas Swami, but b.
was not present to respond
Mr. TkUMBCLL presented the creden
tial OF the Senators of Nebraska Jonh NJ
Thayer and I. W. Upton, who were sworn
in as Senators from Nebraska.
On motion of Mr.. TRTMBULL the Senate
proceeded to classify the Senators from Ne.
hraska- Mr.. Thayer drew class No. 2, and
goes out in 1871. Mr.. Upton drew class No.
/, going out in 1869.
Ii WAS ordered that the hour of'meeting oi
Congress be at II o clock
Ou motion OF Mr.. TRUMBULL a Com
mite consisting of Messas Trumbull and
Buckalew were appointed to wait upon the
President, and enqire il he has any commni.
cation to make.
The Senate ordered the Secretary Of the
Senate to inform the House that the Senate
was ready to proceed to business. and then
On motion of Mr.. RUABuLL the Senate
at / o. clock adjourned.
HousE.
After the confusion subsided, Mr. MePher.
son, Clerk of the House during the Thirty
ninth Congress, called - roll. During the
call of the roll the Representatives from Con.
necticut, New Hampshire, Rhode Island, In
diana and Kentucky did no, respond
Mr.. WILSON, OF Iowa, having moved to
urnraad tn the al1ctsn1 ff kzr NJ
BROOKS arose, and after speech, in which
he denounced the organization of the House,
in the absence Of seventeen States, az q reyo-
lutionary proceeding, presented written
protest against II on the part of the minority.
be protest was not received. and the House
proceeded 10 the election Of Speaker. Mr.
Colfax was elected, aEd on taking the Chair
spoke as follows:
GENTLEMEN: Elected for the third tim. TO
this responsible and try ing position, l sdvo-
cate more than ever before the inference OF
trust and realize more than ever. when en-
tering upon its ef5cien, duty, the absolute ne
cessity OF your confidence and support nor
do | overrate the gravity Of our position, as
Americans and legistors, and the years that
have near dropped their sands on the mortal
issue, vast and grsnd as ours to day, nation
decimated by conflict Of frsternal strife, q
land desolated by the destructive marches
hostile armies, q people with fruits of pro-
logged wars ripened into harvests of hearts
dead with the bullet, as well as hearts heavy
with beresvements and broken with snguish,
loeklng snxlousIy from the North and South
alike, and By that light should We walk it
is to guide our steps. by the justice of God
and the rights of men it is to Danish all
malice and revenge. and to Justify our faith
hy r.,tr sc tn anrhnr slattc
on what the great commoner Of England
John Bright, declares the simple but sublime
principles on which great national questions
should be settled as basis OF eternal rights ;
it is to write on our banner these words, that
will shine brighter than the stars which gem the
armament, liberty, loyalty and law it is 10
make history that posteriiy shall rise up
and call us blessed. The Congress which has
lust passed away has written Il record that
will hong be remembered by the poor aud
friendless whom II did not forget. Misrep-
resented or misunderstood by those who de-
uouncedit as enemies. harshy and unjustihed; ;
criticized by some who should have been its
friends. il proved itself 20 be more faithful to
human progress and liberty than any OF its
predecessors; the outraged and oppressed
found in those Congressional champions their
friends; its Key note OF policy was protec-
flOn 70 Tue udNHkFDuQeUs II QUfllSu moi De-
fore the mghtiest, nor neglected the obscur.
est; it lifted the slave, whom the Nation had
freed. to full manhood it placed on our
statute books the Civil Rights bill, as our Ma.
iional magnar charta. grander than all the ell
emepts that benor American code, and in all
regions where civil Government had been
destroyed by vanquished rebellion, it de :
clared as guarantee and defense 10 the
weakest. that freemaus' hands should mould
freemens ballot; II proclaimed that
there could be no safe or loyal
reconstruction on foundation Of pnrepens,
aut rebels and disloysl.Y fortunate it viii }
for US, ifwhen we surrender these seals to our
successors, If we can point to a record which
will show on our hlssery's page. like that of
the Congress which has just expired; thrice
fortunate II when we leave the Capital, our
whole national structure shall be permanently
restored. resting on sure foundation, stones
Of loyalty. unity, liberty and with full convic>
ton Of duty, come to the chair to administer
your rules bat no as 3 partizan, | appeal to
you for that generous support by which alone
presiding officer can be sustained, piedging
you in return an inaexihle impartiaiity, which
shall be proven by my deeds, and invoking
on your deliberations the feyor of Him who
holds tbe destinies OF the nations in the palm
of bis hand. | am now ready to take the
oath Of Office prescribed by law.
The speaker was then solemnly sworn into
Office by Mr.. Dawes, as the member having
the longest continued service.
The SPEAKER then proceeded to admisister
the oath to members by States.
The House by resolution elected Edward
NJ Pherson Clerk.
The Speaker announced that the President
had signed the bill in reference to Wool add
Woolens, also the Army Appropriation bill
with protest The Presidents message on
the same subject was read and laid on the
'tnbie.
The House adjourned at o'clock.