The national Republican., 1867-12-21
Aatioual gepablitau.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
Fortieth Consre..-sees.s session.
FniDAr, December 20, 1867.
gEN ATE


Mr.. Harlan, from the Committee on District
Of oolumbis, reported House bill to incorporate
the congregation Of the First Presbyterian
church Of Washington. Passed
Mr.. Patterson, Of N. H., called up the joint
resolution suspending all work upon the jail
now being erected In the District Of Columbia
until further action Of Congress.
Mr.. Trumbull moved 70 amend BY providing
that the suspension Of work shall not hold for
period longer than afty days from the pssssgs
Of the act.
Mr.. Patterson said the only object Of the bill
was to enable the COMMITTEES Of the two Houses
to hear the different parties who were interested
in the Jail.
Mr.. Johnson said tas contract for building
the jail had been awarded TO very competent
man, . builder Of Baltimore, who had two or
three hundred men now employed, all Of whom
would be thrown ost of smploymsnt for the
winter u this resolution passed.
Mr.. Harlan said there had been some talk
about the manner In which the contract had
been given out, BY which It was feared the cost
Of the Jail would much exceed the sum limited,
$780, There vas also strong probability
that the COMMITTEES would change the location Of
the building, although they might not disturb
the contract.
Mr.. Nys argued against the bill.
Mr.: Patterson said parties had appeared be.
fore tho COMMITTEES and said they could prove
that slo,o had been given to secure this con.
tract that It had been given to the highest bid.
der instead Of the lowest; that II had been given
out in detail instead Of In the aggregate, and
that II would cost two or three hundred thou.
sand dollars more than vas originally intended.
In addition to all this the present location was
Objectionable; II was too near the Capitol.
Mr.. Nye would not say about the Jail. but the
location Of the poor.houss was miserable one
Laughter.
Mr.. johnson had not heard Of the statsnsnt
made by the Senator from New Hampshire IMr.
PattsrsonI relative to the mode Of obt aiming the
contract but the integrity Of the contractor was
beyond oavii.
The amendment Of Mr.. Trumbull was agreed
to, it being modified to read In 40 days
Mr. johnson moved to amend BY providing
that payment shall not be suspended for the
work already DONE which was disagreed to.
The bill was then passed.
Mr.. Sherman called up the bill exempting un.
manufactured cotton from Internal tar
Alengthy debate snsued, which was continued
up to 80, whom the Senate went into sIecu-
tive session, and after . few moments spent
therein, adjourned in accordance With previous
resolution to Monday, January 9, 1858.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,
Mr.. Julian made . statement Of the amount
Of lands granted, and said that, after the grants
were made in 1855, they took no action to 90.
cure the grants, and BY the act Of treason the
lands are ALREADY forfeited, and the effect Of the
bill Is simply to declare that forfeiture so that
the landlsss poor Of the South may take pos.
session Of the land for prs-smption and home.
stead purposes. None Of those railroads had
contaminated the terms Of their grants, and Il
would be no injustice 10 any Of them to divert
the lands from the original purposes. The only
exceptional road might bs the New Orleans and
Opelousss railroad, which had been partly com.
pletsd and In operation.
Mr.. Butler, Of Mass., st M. Juli.n's request,
made a statement with regard to the road men.
toned, and said II was In running order, and
that its owners were loyal men.
Mr.. Chanlsr, Of N. Y, suggested that this
question be further postponed, - 1t was nov be-
lore 4 committee specially appointed to con.
slider the question Of Southern railroads.
Several gentlemen appealed 10 Mr.. Julian 10
postpone the further confederation Of the bill,
and hs at length made . motion to postpone un
til the second Tuesday In January.
Upon this question the yeas and nays were de-
manded, and resulted-ysss 81, nays l6; the
object Of the roll-eal having been to ascertain u
there was quorum present.
On motion Of Mr.. Dawes Of Massachusetts,, the
COMMITTEES on Elections WAS granted an eIten
sion Of time TO take testimony In the New Mex.
leo contested election case.
The regular order Of business was demanded,
and number Of private bills, resolutions, 10,
were acted on.
Mr. Highly, Of California, from Comm on
Mines and Mining, offered resolution authoriI.
ing that COMMITTEES, and the COMMITTEES on Pa.
cihc Railroad, to have jointly one clerk to do the
clerical duty Of both committees.
Mr.. Van Horn, Of New York, desired to em.
brace the Committee on Publio Buildipgs and
Grounds, but Mr.. Highly declined TO do so.
The yeas and nays were demanded on the
passage Of the resolution, and pending the roll
call, the Speaker laid before the House q com.
munication from the President enclosing the 70
nF ha mis- Inn tsh ~ In.
certain accounts Of the State Of Massachusetts,
which was referred to the Committee on Appro
priations.
Upon the question Of agreeing TO Mr.. Highly
resolution the yeas were 73, and the nays 23
Just one more than quorum.
Mr.. Covode, Of Pa, from the COMMITTEES OIL
Public Buildings and Grounds, reported . rsso
luton directing the Secretary Of the Treasury b
suspend further payment on account Of the no,
Jail in this District until the subject can be In
yestigated by his committee, ~ 1t was believe
that there had been fraud in the letting Of th
contract.
Mr.. Covode sent to the Speakers desk an
had read q letter from Secretary Browning,
which he requested the most searching eIamini
ton into the facts connected with the eontrao
Mr.. Ingersoll, Of Ill.,, said this matter
fraud In the contract for the new jail had bee
already before the Committee on tho District o
Columbia In the Senate and In the House. Thes
be introduced in the Senate to suspend furths
payment on the work, which would virtual
stop II.
Mr.. covode insisted upon his resolution, an
it was adopted.
Mr.. Ingersoll said he should then ask thI
the District Committee be discharged from an
further consideration Of the Jail business, an
that the whole subject go to the Committee o
Public Buildings and Grounds.
The Speaker said that would require unau
nous consent.
On motion Of Mr., Washburue, Of Ill, th
House resolved itself into Committee OF th
Whole on tho Senate amendments to the DEF
cheney appropriation billi Mr.. Cullom, Of H.,
the chair.
The amendment striking out the appropriate
for stationery for members Of Congress was d,
clared agreed to by q Vira pOes vote.
Mr.. Chanler, ofN. Y, called the attention
the Chair to the fact that he had in time d,
manded a division, and he insisted upon 4
There was no greater stickler for form In Il
House than Mr.. Washburne, and yet he vi
trying to force this bill through. He insists
upon a division.
Upon the vote being taken, no quorum WI
found, and the roll was then called and qu
rum answered to their names. The fact vi
reported TO the House, and, under the rule, Il
Speaker directed the COMMITTEES Of the Whole
proceed again with Its business. and the que
ton Of agreeing to the Senate amendment WI
L. taLa kut ALL nd he d..