The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1867-02-14
IKxIK CONGREss-seeOnd session,
WAsH1NGroN. Feb. 13.l

House resolution of thanks to Secre-
tary Stanton and Quartermaster Gen
eral .Melgs. 1t was indefinitely post
poned. 'iAAtsV 2
/ The clerk of the House announced
the passage by the House of bill for
the establishment of civil government
in Louisiana 1t was taken up by a
I'vote of % to 19, but Hendricks OBJ
jecting to the consideration of it to-
day, it goes over till Tomorrow. 4
Hendricks called up the bill to pun
ish the larceny of any article of Gov
ernment property by a fine of S., 900,
or Imprisonment for not less than
one, nor more than ten years, or both.
I Passed. nis 8g a aonaAco eas1o
. Morrill, reported, from the, Commit
tee on Military A Affairs, withoutamend-
ment, the bill to regulate the disposi-
tien of the unclaimed colored volun-
teer bounty fund now in the custody
| I,ofthe Freedmen's Bureau. iss AsIlis
r. Wilson reported from the same
SCommittee, the House bill for the
payment of additional fbounties aau-
thorized by law9to soldiers who lost
their discharge papers with an amend
| 1nent. sm4er3 9d1, io agi} si1r9q nf
Wilson alison reported twithont
amendment the House bill extending
to general officers and officers on the
retired list, the benefit of the addi-
tional ration for every five years SER
vice. He also reported with an amend
ment the House bill crediting yoluna
teer officers in the regular army
with their service in the volunteer
service, and giving to such officers
some rank by brevet in the regular
army, as they held by commission in
the volunteer service. igt
Howard reported without amend
ment the bill authorizing the payment
of rewards offered for the capture of
jeff Davis. 5gaTb III 81
Poland reported from the Judi
ciary Committee bill providing that
persons held upon mere process or
execution issued from the United
States Courts shall be entitled to
discharge in the same manner as if
arrested ona similar process of State
Courts in same District.
Anthony reported from the Com
mittee sen9 Printing, the House bill
making the Superintendent of Pub
lie Printing elective by the House of
Representatives with b amendmentl
making such officer an officer and
elective by the Senate. isa bfie 9lesaloa'
Recess till Z o'clock.
HoUsE-The Speaker presented the
laws of Montana Territory. Referred.
Also, a telegraphieIdispatch from Den
yerv Colorado Territory, announcing
The proceedings of a public meeting
in favor of the admission of Colorado.
The House resumed the eonsidera-;
ton of the 'bilf for the establishment
Van Horn Advocated tie biii, aEgu- !,
ing the illegalityof the governments
set up in the lately rebellious States.
p Stevens withdrew his motion tore
commit, in order to submit some
amendments, which he explained
Among them was a substitute for the
second section, by which Congress de-
tailed five general officers to command
in the military districts proposed to
be organized.
Garfield suggested that it was not
for Congress to undertake 10 detail
any officers. cAhC H35la
Stevens said he had tried vainly to
satisfy the gentlemen around him,
but finding that he could not, he
Withdrew the proposition to amend. IL
Boutwell, closed-the debate, argue
ing necessity prepriety-ef
passing the bill. In the.ceurse of his
remarks he said ifs should happen
that the Supreme Court should de-
clare, as it possibly might, that the
ten States lately in rebellion were
States in the Union, and entitled to
/ all the rights and privileges-of States,
and should base their declaration on
amy act of, Congress. then these States
were restored, az far as The judiciary
could restore them, to their position
in the GoVernment 4 and nothing re-
mained to Congress and the people
except to accept that conclusion as
binding, or enterinto an indescribable
and dangerous 7 controversy with the
Chief judiciary of the land. If, how
ever, this bill becomes a law, is putt in
operation, the Sabreme Court would
have no capacity to seei in those ten
States any civil government There's
fore, for judicial purposes it could see
mo State, aud Congress would keep in
its own hands the political reorgani-
zation of those States. In reply to the
question by Eldridge, he said it was
competent for Congress to declare that
the late rebellieus States should be
governed by military law; thai the
pretended State Goyernmentsshsd mo-
power to issue a writ of habeas corpus.
or to do any. other, act of government,
except by power derived from military
authority. .reiesa'si IS 5. s Z
Schenck having had FIVE minutes al
lowed him, declared his assent to the
propriety of extending martial law
over the States that were in rebellion.
and his opinion that at some time
Congress oughtte indicate to the peo-
tpies of these States what, they,were re-
quired to do IN order that they NAV
fhave civil governments and, bay ron.