A bill for an appropriation for the construction of public buildings in the Territory of Colorado. Mr. Moorhead submitted the following preamble and resolution, viz: Whereas the value and usefulness of the Ohio river (which passes through seven States of this Union) is frequently interfered with by a scarcity of water, so as to render it unnavigable for large or heavy boats: Therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the propriety and expediency of improving the navigation of said stream, and report by bill or otherwise. The same having been read, Mr. Moorhead moved the previous question; which was seconded, and the main question ordered to be put. And then, On motion of Mr. Stevens, at 3 o'clock and 40 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. WEDNESDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1863. The following petitions and resolutions were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the 131st rule of the House: By Mr. Kelley: The petition of citizens of the State of Pennsylvania, praying for the passage of a general act of emancipation; which was referred to the select committee on that subject. By Mr. Ambrose W. Clark: The petition of citizens of the State of New York, praying for the construction of a railroad from the city of New York to Washington city. By Mr. James S. Brown: The petition of citizens of Milwaukie, State of Wisconsin, praying for the construction of a ship canal around the Falls of Niagara. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals. By Mr. Upson: The resolutions of the board of supervisors of Cass county, State of Michigan, asking for certain amendments to the enrolment law. By Mr. Amos Myers: Four petitions of citizens of the State of Pennsylvania, praying for an increase of the pay of the non-commissioned officers and privates of the army of the United States. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Ambrose W. Clark: The petition of Hinman S. Hall, praying for a pension on account of disability incurred in 1861; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Grinnell: Three petitions of citizens of the State of Iowa, praying for the establishment of a mail route from Washington, via South English, Webster, Coal Creek, Union, New Sharon, to Granville, in said State; which were referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. By Mr. Stevens: The petition of John F. Cassedy, praying for the allow ance of rations to the crew of the United States transport Union while they were prisoners; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. By Mr. Schenck: The petition of William Jessup, praying the payment. of damages sustained during the encampment upon his premises in September, 1862, of several companies of United States volunteers; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Hickey, their chief clerk: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have concurred in the resolution of this house providing for an adjournment of the House from the 23d instant until the 5th of January next, with an amendment; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this house. The House having, by unanimous consent, proceeded to the consideration of the said amendment, The same was read, as follows, viz: Strike out the words "this house adjourns," and insert in lieu thereof the words "the two houses of Congress adjourn." And the question being put, it was decided in the affirmative. So the amendment was agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith. The Speaker announced that, in pursuance of the act of August 10, 1846, he had appointed Mr. Cox, Mr. H. Winter Davis, and Mr. Patterson, regents of the Smithsonian Institution, to serve until the fourth Wednesday in December, 1865. The Speaker also announced that, in pursuance of the resolution of the House of the 21st instant, he had appointed the following as members of the select committee on a national bankrupt law, viz: Mr. Spalding, Mr. Kelly, Mr. Cravens, Mr. Hooper, Mr. Frank, Mr. Morrison, Mr. Thomas, Mr. Jenckes, and Mr. Chanler. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House executive communications as follows, viz: I. A letter from the First Comptroller of the Treasury, in reference to the resolution of the House concerning the claim of Carmack and Ramsay; which was laid on the table and ordered to be printed. II. A letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting, in compliance with a resolution of the House of the 15th instant, the report made by Major General George B. McClellan concerning the organization and operations of the army of the Potomac while under his command, and of all army operations while he was commander-in-chief; which was laid on the table and ordered to be printed. Mr. Cox, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Printing, viz: Resolved, That 10,000 copies of the official report of Major General McClellan (not including the accompanying documents) be printed for the use of the members of the present House. The Speaker having announced as the business in order the following preamble and resolution, submitted by Mr. Moorhead, and pending when the House adjourned yesterday, viz: Whereas the value and usefulness of the Ohio river (which passes through seven States of this Union) is frequently interfered with by a scarcity of water, so as to render it unnavigable for large or heavy boats: Therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the propriety and expediency of improving the navigation of said stream, and report by bill or otherwise Mr. Moorhead, by unanimous consent, modified the same by inserting after the word "stream" the words "for naval and other purposes." The resolution as modified was then agreed to. Mr. Fenton, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 52) to facilitate the payment of bounties and arrears of pay due for the service of wounded and deceased soldiers; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Lovejoy, by unanimous consent, introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 15) to provide for the printing annually of the report of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; which was read a first and second time. Ordered, That it be engrossed and read a third time. Being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time and passed. Mr. Lovejoy moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table; which latter motion was agreed to. Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in the said joint resolution. Mr. Sloan, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 53) for the relief of the heirs of Dr. Sylvester Nash and Betsey Nash; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. The Speaker having proceeded, as the regular order of business, to call the committees for reports, Mr. Schenck, from the Committee on Military Affairs, to whom was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 49) to create a Bureau of Military Justice, reported the same with an amendment in the nature of a substitute therefor. Ordered, That the said bill and amendment be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and that the amendment be printed. Mr. Schenck, from the same committee, reported a bill (H. R. 54) to repeal section 3 and part of section 10 of an act entitled "An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1863; which was read a first and second time. Pending the question on its engrossment, On motion of Mr. Fernando Wood, Ordered, That it be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and printed. On motion of Mr. Grinnell, Ordered, That the papers on file in the contested election case in the 4th congressional district of Iowa be referred to the Committee of Elections. Mr. Coffroth moved, at 12 o'clock and 45 minutes p. m., that the House adjourn; which motion was disagreed to. Mr. Amos Myers, on leave, introduced bills of the following titles, viz: H. R. 55. A bill to reduce the excise tax on coal oil, to repeal so much of the present laws as permit the exportation of such oil free of duty, and to classify coal-oil distillers; H. R. 56 A bill to amend an act entitled "An act for enrolling and calling out the national forces, and for other purposes," approved March 3, 1863; and H. R. 57. A bill granting bounties, and for other purposes; which were severally read a first and second time, and referred as follows, viz: H. R. 55, to the Committee of Ways and Means; and H. R. 56 and 57, to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Cobb, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined and found truly enrolled joint resolutions of the following titles, viz: H. Res. 12. Joint resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to Captain John Rodgers, of the United States navy, for eminent skill and zeal in the discharge of his duties; and H. Res. 14. Joint resolution to supply, in part, deficiencies in the appropriations for the public printing, and to supply deficiencies for the appropriations for bounties to volunteers. When The Speaker signed the same. Notices were given, under the rule, of motions for leave to introduce bills, as follows, viz: By Mr. Bennet: A bill for the relief of the citizens of Denver City, in the Territory of Colorado. By Mr. H. Winter Davis: A bill to prevent vexatious appeals and writs of erior. By Mr. Kinney: A bill to establish a mail route from Springville, in Utah Territory, to Gunnison, in said Territory, via Fairview, Mount Pleasant, Springtown, Ephraim, and Manti; Also, a bill to establish a mail route from Mount Pleasant to Wales, via Maroni and Fountain Green; Also, a bill to establish a mail route from Cedar City to St. George, via Pinto, Pine Valley, Alger, Barney, and Diamond; Also, a bill to establish a mail route from Ogden City to Plain City, and from Ogden City to Huntsville; Also, a bill to establish a mail route from Great Salt Lake City to Herriman, via West Jordan, and one from Rockville to Springdale; Also, a bill to enlarge the service on the route from Great Salt Lake City to Fillmore, so as to pass through Poule Rounds and Holden, after leaving Salt Creek; Also, a bill to establish a new route from Brigham City to Franklin, via Mendon, Wellsville, Hyrum, Providence, Logan, Hyde Park, Smithfield, and Richmond; Also, a bill to establish a route from Great Salt Lake City to Payson, via E. T. City, Grantsville, Tooele, Shambiss, Cedar Fort, Fairfield, and Goshen, and to define the service on said routes, and establish the necessary post offices; Also, a bill to change the schedule time on route from Fillmore City to Santa Clara, in Washington county, and increase the service from weekly to semi-weekly. Mr. Ancona, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 58) to establish a postal money-order system; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Mr. Ancona submitted the following preamble and resolution, and, debate arising thereon, they were laid over under the rule, viz: Whereas the act of Congress approved March 3, 1863, commonly called the conscription law, is oppressive, unjust, and unconstitutional; because, 1st, it takes from the States the control of their own militia; 2d, it subjects the rights of the States and the liberties of the people to the unlimited power of the federal government; 3d, it is calculated to create and build up a central military despotism which may be used for the worst and most dangerous purposes; 4th, it falsely imputes the crime of desertion to every man whose name is drawn in the "lottery of death," and who fails to join the army, and subjects him to trial, condemnation, and capital punishment, without a jury of his peers, contrary to the fundamental law of the land: Therefore, Be it resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to bring in a bill for the unconditional repeal of said act of Congress, and substitute in its place some constitutional and just mode of raising armies for the service of the United States. And then, On motion of Mr. Stevens, at 12 o'clock and 50 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. TUESDAY, JANUARY 5, 1864. The following petitions and memorials were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the one hundred and thirty-first rule of the House: By Mr. John H. Rice: The petition of citizens of the State of Maine, praying for the allowance of bounty to the volunteers who have served nine months. By Mr. Yeaman: The petition of John Dickson, heretofore referred July 3, 1862. Ordered, That said petitions be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. John H. Rice: The memorial of citizens of the State of Maine, praying for the allowance of pensions to the widows and children of chaplains who are killed in the United States service. By Mr. Whaley: The petition of Edward Williams, heretofore referred January 25, 1861. Ordered, That said memorial and petition be referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. John D. Baldwin: The petition of Frederick A. Holden and others, heretofore referred July 5, 1862; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Kasson: The memorial of citizens of the State of Iowa, praying for the passage of a general emancipation act; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. Beaman: The petition of citizens of the State of Michigan, praying for the construction of a ship canal around the Falls of Niagara; which was referred to the Committee on Roads and Canals. By Mr. Orth: The petition of the assistant assessors of internal revenue of the State of Indiana, praying for an increase of pay; which was referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. By Mr. Morrill: The petition of Edmund Lanier, a commander in the United States navy, praying for restoration to the navy as an officer recommended for promotion; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. Mr. Cobb, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee did, on the 23d ultimo, present to the President of the United States joint resolutions of the following titles, viz: H. Res. 12. Joint resolution tendering the thanks of Congress to Captain John Rodgers, of the United States navy, for eminent skill and zeal in the discharge of his duties; and H. Res. 14. Joint resolution to supply in part deficiencies in the appropriations for the public printing, and to supply deficiencies in the appropriations for bounties to volunteers. Two messages in writing were received from the President of the United States, by Mr. Nicolay, his private secretary; which were handed in at the Speaker's table; also, a message notifying the House that he did, on the 23d of December last, approve and sign the foregoing joint resolutions-H. Res 12 and H. Res. 14. The Speaker laid before the House additional testimony in the following contested election cases, viz: J. H. McHenry vs. G. H. Yeaman, second district of Kentucky; which was referred to the Committee of Elections. Mr. G. Clay Smith, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 59) to secure to the officers and men actually employed in the department of the Ohio, or the department of Kentucky, their pay, bounty, and pension; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Stevens, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Printing, viz: Resolved, That 6,000 extra copies of the report of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue, and accompanying tables, of which 1,000 copies shall be for the use of the Internal Revenue office, be printed. |