Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-01-18
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS
HOuse OF Representatives.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 1.-THE Speaker
announced that the regular business in or
der during the morning hours would be
the calling of committees for reports of q
private character.
A resolution by Mr.. Butler, with the
Senate amendments to the deficiency bill
was referred to the Committee on Appro-
priations.
Several private bills were passed.
On motion of Mr.. Washburne, of Hi
nois, it was ordered that the session to-
morrow be for general debate only.
On the suggestion of Mr.. Bingham, it
was agreed that the debate on the recon-
struction bill should 90 on to-day, and that
the subject might also be discussed to.
morrow, and that the previous question
shall be considered seconded on Monday
after the morning hour.
Mr.. Schenck, from the Committee on
Ways and Means, reported back the sub
stitute for the House article on the con-
traction bill, with a recommendation that
it be nonconcurred in. He proceeded to
explain the difference between the propo-
sition of the House by saying that the
Senate's substitute accomplished but by a
vague phraseology what the House bill ac,
complished in a direct plain and unmis-
taxable manner.
The Committee on Ways and Means
were unanimous in recommending the nom
concurrence to the Senate amendment
The amendment was nonconcurred in,
and the bill goes back to the Senate.
The House at half past one resumed the
consideration of the bill reported from the
Committeeon Reconstruction, on which Mr..
Boutwell, was entitled to the floor. He
yielded twenty minutes TO Mr.. Garfield,
who addressed the House in the advocacy
of the bill.
Mr. Brooks, of New York, and Mr..
Hubbard of Connecticut, opposed the bill
The latter characterized the bill more than
infamous. Every State in the Union he
said had right to representation here !;
the bill simply contained the principles of
the:robber. The Mark Anthony who pro-
posed to offer this crown to Gen. Grant
would find that both they and he would
meet with condemnation.
Mr.. Peters addressed the House in sup
port of the bill, and sent up and had read
by the Clerk, a letter from gentleman in
Alabama, whose name he did not wish to
make public, but who deserved himself, as
an officer of the Freedman's Bureau, and
member Of the Constitutional Convention,
picturing the social condition of affairs ia
Alabama, and declaring that the DISPOSE
ton of the Rebels there was more malig-
nant and deperate that at any former pc
Rod.
Mr.. Washbnrne, Of lIlinais, stated, in
the same connection, that he had received
letter from one of the most'reliable gem
tlemen in Alabama, bearing ont the gen
eral statements of the other letter, and
mentioning the fact that the Rebel General
Clanton was stumping the State against
reconstruction, and telling colored men
that every vote for reconstruction was a
vote for open war between Rebels aud the
colored men.
Mr.. Jencks argued in favor Of the con.
stitutionality and benefeeni character Of
the bill
Mr.. Ross spoke against the bill, which
he said was concocted in the same spirit as
that which animated the first bill reported
by the Reconstruction Committee. He
claimed that Congress had not the consti-
tutional power TO pass the proposed act,
and that if it had the power it would be
inexpedient to exercise il.