The national Republican., 1867-07-04
CONGRESSIONAL REPORTS.
rorssssh consr.ss- -seeond session.
WEDNESDAY, July 8, 1867.

Pursuant TO resoiution-o Of adjournment on III,
30th Of March last, the two Houses Of Congress
convened In the Capitol at noon yesterday.
SENATE.
The session was opened with prayer BY the
Chaplain, the Rev. DR.. Grey, when the Presi
Senate was here pursuant 10 adjournment on the
30th March last, and directed the clerk to read
the resolution as follows:
"The President Of the Senate, and the Speaker Of
the House Of Representatives. are hereby directed to
sdjouIn their respective Houses on Saturday March
80 1857 At twelve oclock meridian TO the hrst We'd
nesday Of July 1857 At noon, when the roll o. zach
s' S Of :ss, s1sS sS1s
informed whether or not qu rum Of Its body has
appssrsdi and thsrsupon, II a quorum Of the two
such cali of the rolls, the Prssidsnt u the Senate
| and the Speaker Of the House Of Representatives
shall immedi.,siy ado rn their respective Houses
without day"
So soon as the reading Of the resolution was
concluded. Mr.. Sumner arose and raised tho
point Of order that the resolution under which
Congress 10 assembled Is unconstitutional and
imperative, innmuch as the Constitution de-
clares that 4 majority Of each House only aro
capable Of doing business, but a smaller number
can adjourn from day to day and compel the at.
tendance Of absentees. He submitted that the
resolution could not be regarded by the Chair.
As he understood that quorum was present, Il
did not signify much at this time, but ho made
the point BY way Of precaution, and to enter his
caveat, that that resolution may not hereafter
be brought forward as q precedent, so as to
abridge the rights Of the two Houses
| The Chair did not know that a quorum was
present, and would ask if the Senator desired
immediate action on the point Of order submitted
BY him.
Mr. Sumner did not desire action on II now,
| but merely to enter his protest.
The roll was then called, and the following
Senators answered TO their names:
Ms,.rs. Anthony, Buekalew, Cameron, Csttell,
Chandler, Contiin, Cragin, Drake. Fdmunds, Ferry,
Fss endeo, Fowler, FrelipghuyseD, Grimes, Harlan,
Henderson, Howard. Howe, horssa, Morrill, o. Ne, 4,
Sys patterson Of T.n. rN%S,Oy Ramsey ES;:
Wiley, Wilson, and Yates-Sii making six more
than quorum.
The Senators Who were not present are as fol.
lows:
Msssrs Bayard, Cole, COnness, Corbett, Davis,
Dixon, Doolitle, Guthrie, Hendricks, Johusop, Nor
riii Ofv Morton, Morton, Patterson Of n H. ssuls.
bury, Sherman, Stewart, Van wiDkle, and will
liams-l9
The Chair announced the fact Of a quorum
being present, and directed the Secretary
Mr.. Trumbull said lest by silence II might be
inferred that other Senators acquiosced In the
correctness Of the point Of order made by the
Senator from Massachusetts,, [Mr. Sumner he
desired here to enter his protest against the Sen.
ator's protest as being entirely out Of place. lie
believed that 1t was perfectly competent to pass
the resolution referred to, and that no such OBJ.
jsctions could. be sustained, and that the two
Houses were perfectly oompetent to do exactly
as they had done.
Mr.. Sumner read from the Constitution in sup.
port Of his position and insisted that the resolu.
tion should hereafter be regarded rs Of no value,
and not be quoted as . precedent. 1t was intended
for no other purpose than to tie up the hands Of
Congress
Mr.. Trumbull said It was manifest to his mind
that the clause Of the Constitution road by the
Senator had no application to case Of this kind.
At 1925 p. m, the Clerk Of the House ap-
peared and announced that q quorum Of that
body was present aud ready TO proceed to bust
moss.
Mr.. Anthony moved that a committee Of two
from the Senate and - from the House be ap.
pointed to whit on the President and inform him
Of the fact that q quorum Of both Houses are
present, and are ready to receive any com muni.
cation which he may have 10 make.
Mr.. sumner presented several petitions fro m
parties concerned In the rebellion, asking TO be
relieved Of certain civil disabilities, aud that
they be referred TO the Committee on the Judi.
oiary.
Mr. Psssendeu thought II was not expedient 10
enter on general business at this time. He was
q member Of the House at the called session of
the Twenty-seyenth Congress, by President Har-
| rison, whore IL was decided not 10 enter into
general business. He had examined the record
this morning, and found that a change Of rules
had been adopted, which provided substantially
that all papers on all subjects not connected with
the President's message, and excepting they re.
lated to the national bankrupt law, should bo
laid on the table without debate. They were
meeting hero now In the month Of July. Tho
gent al sentiment was when the resolution was
adopted under which they were now assembled,
that there would be no quorum present, unless
something occurred to make II necessary Some.
thing has occurred which has excited a general
feeling throughout the country that Congress
should be convened. That single matter should
be considered, and all other matters be laid on
the table, for the present at least. lie there.
fore objected to any reference Of the petitions,
and should move to lay them on the table, but
that some other Senator might desire to express
his opinion on the subject.
Mr.. Sumner said they were q Congress Of the
United States, assembled under the Constitution
and with all tho powers that belong to that body
under the Consultation, and also with all the
responsibilities, and they could not divest
themselves OF their responsibilities, but must
transact the general business Of the country
| not one matter or two matters, but all the
matters which concern the welfare Of this great
Republic. Although the Senator had not named
the one matter, he supposed that ho referred
to the question Of reconstruction, and he could
tell him that question had many ramifcations,
and he could see no reason why they should be
restrained or hampered. Tho Senator also
stated that he had not anticipated this extra
session. He (Mr. 81 knew 1t would occur, and
he had labored with his might to bring 1t about.
Did they know who they had as President A
mischief. maker, against whose attempts II Is the
duty Of Congress to be constantly on the guard.
They might not foresee what he would do, but
few Senators could have doubted that he would
do something to make their reassemblng neces.
sary. He had never doubted it-uever doubted
that they would have TO come back here to cor.
rect the misdeeds Of this man.
Mr.. Fessenden said no one denied the two
points made by the Senator that they were here
by authority Of the Constitution, and had powers
and responsibilities deyolving upon them, but
as to what those powers and responsibilities i'm.
PEELED them to do at this moment was for each
Senator to determine for himself. Though they
might all not have the powers of prophecy
possessed by the Senator from Massachusetts,,
each had his individual opinion, and. would
carry them out. The Senator said that II was
the usage Of Congress to be In session at this
time, which was not so. They were often here
in July during the long session, but never dur.
ing the short session. This was q new thing,
entirely without precedent. Mr.. f. read from
the resolution offered by Mr.. Clay, of Kentucky,
at the called session to which lie had attended,
prohibiting any general business from being
transacted. He did not ask for any immediate
A. hut 10