The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1867-12-04
HOUSE.

munications from the Secretary OF war,
ad interim, including the draft Of reso-
luton, explanatory of a certain act fer
an arsenal at Rock Island, Ills. All the
papers were referred to the Military
Committee.
Mr.. Stevens, of Pa, on account feeble
ness and inability to make himself heard
by the House from his own seat, came
up to the Clerks desk and asked leave
to introduce the following resolution
relative to the partition of Texas. It
instructs the Committee on Reconstruc-
ton to inquire into the expediency of
dividing the territory lately known as
the State of Texas into two or more
States, to be admitted into the Union
when duly qualified.
Mr.. Eldridge objected, remarking that
the State of Texas was enough to be
held under despotic government.
Mr.. Stevens explained his resolution
was merely one of inquiry.
The Speaker stated that the effect of
the resolution would be to revise tho
committee on Reconstruction.
MIR. Eldridge persisted in his objec-
ton, and the resolution was not read.
A resolution was introduced by Mr..
Stevens concerning the tax on spirits
and directing the Ways and Means COM
mittee to enquire into the propriety Of
so amending the revenue laws as to
ascertain and assess the value accord
ing to the capacity Of the still instead
of the present mode. Adopted.
Mr.. Cook, from the committee on
Elections, made q report in the matter
of the Kentucky representatives and
asked for action to-day. The Clerk pro-
ceeded to read the report, but before
concluding it the Presidents message
was delivered and the reading of the
election report suspended. lt recon-
mends the admission to seats Of Knott,
Grover, Jones and Beck. AS 10 Trim
BILE, Brown and Young, the committee
had not disposed of their cases.
Mr.. Schenck, rising to question of
privilege, said, i understand that the
paper now presented as the annual mes
sage of the President Of the United
States. wish to call the attention Of
the House and of the country to the fact
that the message was published this
morning in all the papers of the leading
cities of the Union. / hold in my hand
the Baltimore Gazette, with q copy of
the message in fall. 1t is paper adj
dressed to the Senate and House of Re-
personalities of the United States re-
quired by the Constitution. / hold it
to be disrespect to Congress that this
paper should first make its appearance
in the public prints Of the country be-
fore its being communicated to Con-
gress.
Rumor says some hanger-on about the
White House, or some favorite individ-
ual, has made traffic with the message
and sold it to the different newspapers.
If that be the case, it renders il more
disrespectful to this House. will not
object to the message being read, al
though l might properly do so under
the circumstances, because we owe re-
spect to the great Office which that man
holds, although we may not respect the
incumbent. The publication of the
message is certainly an act of disre-
spect. But who is the guilty party 7
The President in handing out the mes
sage in advance of its official promul-
CATION has done nothing more or less
than was done by his predecessors in
Office, but always with the express or
implied pledge of honor that it will not
be published until officially promulga-
ted. /, as q member of the press, deeply
regret that the pledge eff honor has been
violated, / think, for game which is
not worth the candle.
Mr.. Farnsworth insisted on the regular
order of business, which was the read
ing of the annual message. The Clerk
at !:35 proceeded to read the Presidents
message.
Mr.. Schenck in moving a reference of
the message to the Committee of the
Whole, said, there is a great deal in that
message which think it probable will
command the assent of most of the
United States and there is great deal
more and especially in that part which
relates to the reconstruction of the
States that have been in rebellion,
breathing as it does the spirit not
only of defiance, but l may even
say of ill-temper towards Con-
gress which I apprehend will
not, when we come to discuss the con-
tents of the message in committee, pass
without challenging criticism is that
when the message first came in | spoke
of it as apparently disrepectful that the
annual message of the President should
find its way into the public prints Of
the country, at least in all cities, before
it had been communicated to Congress,
TO which it is addressed. | didn't wish
to be understood as charging that the
President himself was directly party
to such disposition of the message.
did say, and am somewhat confirmed in
my belief by information which have
received since that with or without first
being Il party to the arrangement. Per-
SONS in his confidence have made traffic
of the message for money.
Mr.. Scenck, also alluded 10 the adj
dress on the title page of the officially
printed copies of the message, which
says to the two Houses of Congress.
do not know what is intended by that.
1t seems to have been thought by Con-
gress when it passed the act of the 22d
of January last, providing that in adj
dition to the present regular time OF
the meeting of Congress, there shall he
meeting of Congress on the 4th
day of March, at the beginning of each
Congress that it was adding another to
the already existing November and re.
gular meeting of Congress, and doing it
by law. do not know who is response
blefor this title page, but it looks to me
rs ifsomebody else having the confidence
of the President has undertaken a
petty fling at Congress by an intimation
at the very threshold of that legislation,
and is not worthy Of being regarded as
legal or within its constitutional
powers.
Mr.. Covode said the message had got
to the newspapers through direct pur-
chase made yesterday evening of one
of the Presidents surroundings and
that one hundred dollars was paid for
it. The seller had afterwards disposed
of copies to other parties at reduced
prices, creating confusion in the mar
ket. Laughter.l The Message was
referred to the Committee Of the Whole
on the State of the Union. The motion
to print extra copies was referred to the
Committee on Printing.
The report of the committee on Ken
tucky representatives was taken up and
agreed to.
Messrs. Beck, Jones and Knott were
sworn in. Mr.. Grover was not present.
Mr. Schenck reported bill abOlishing
the tax on cotton to be grown after the
war 1867