H. R. 611. A bill making appropriations for the support of the Military Academy for the year ending the 30th of June, 1864; which were severally read a first and second time, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, and ordered to be printed. Ordered, That the former bill (H. R. 610) be made a special order for Thursday, the 18th instant, at 1 o'clock p. m., and that the latter (H. R. 611) be made a special order for Friday, the 19th instant, at 1 o'clock p. m. On motion of Mr. Clark, by unanimous consent, the resolution of the Senate (S. Res. 108) for increasing the bond of the Superintendent of Public Printing was taken from the Speaker's table, and read a first and second time. Ordered, That the said resolution be read a third time. It was accordingly read the third time and passed. Mr Clark 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 acquaint the Senate with the passage of the said resolution. On motion of Mr. Fenton, by unanimous consent, Ordered, That the bill of the House (H. R. 401) relating to claims for the loss and destruction of property belonging to loyal citizens, and damages thereto, by the troops of the United States during the present rebellion, with the amendments agreed to and pending, be printed. On motion of Mr. Dawes, by unanimous consent, Ordered. That the bill of the House (H. R. 288) to construct a ship canal for the passage of armed and naval vessels from the Mississippi river to Lake Michigan, and for other purposes, postponed at the last session until the 18th instant, be further postponed until Tuesday, the 13th of January next. The Speaker having announced as the business next in order the joint resolution (H. Res. 103) in relation to neutral rights, heretofore postponed until this day On motion of Mr. Cox, Ordered, That its consideration be further postponed until Monday, the 19th of January next. Mr. Shanks introduced the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Interior inform the House whether the permanent annuity for the years 1854 and 1855, payable to the Miami tribe of Indians in accordance with the 5th article of the treaty with said tribe made June 5, 1854, has been paid to said tribe. Mr. Sheffield submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs, viz: Resolved, (the Senate concurring with the House in the passage hereof,) That the accounting officers of the treasury be, and they are hereby, directed to adjust the accounts of Henry W. Diman, late acting assistant paymaster in the navy, (whose books and papers were sunk and lost in the transport steamer Whiteman, in July, A. D. 1862, in the Mississippi river,) according to the principles of equity and justice. Mr. Roscoe Conkling introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 113) providing a convoy for ships bearing provisións to suffering operatives in England; which was read a first and second time. Pending the question on its engrossment, Mr. Conkling moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered, and under the operation thereof the resolution was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time. Being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time. Mr. Conkling moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered and put, viz: Shall the joint resolution pass? Yeas And it was decided in the negative, {es 46 71 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are— So the joint resolution was rejected. Mr. James F. Wilson George C. Woodruff 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. Mr. Van Wyck submitted the following preamble and resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Whereas grievous delays happen in the payment of money due soldiers therefore, in order to ascertain if any, and what, legislation may be necessary to remedy such delays: Resolved, That the Secretary of the Treasury be requested to furnish to this house the reasons why requisitions of paymasters in the army are not promptly filled. Mr. Pomeroy introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 114) to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to pay certain portions of the public debt in coin; which was read the first and second time. On motion of Mr. Mallory, Ordered, That it be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. Hickman submited the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz : Resolved, That the Commissioner of Agriculture be directed to inform this house, at the earliest day practicable, of the number of clerks and other persons engaged in the whole business of the department, together with the names of the same, the salaries and pay of each, the nature of their employment, and the length of time of their respective services; and also the amount of money expended since his appointment for seeds, plants and cuttings, the quantity of the different kinds, with their respective prices, and where, when, and by whom purchased. Mr. Babbitt submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee of Ways and Means be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing compensation to assistant assessors for the travelling expenses necessarily incurred by them in the discharge of their official duties, and report by bill or otherwise. Mr. Ancona submitted the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to inform the House what steps, if any, have been taken for the release of sutlers and other non-combatants attached to our army, now held as prisoners at Richmond and elsewhere. The same having been read, Mr. Ancona moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered, and under the operation thereof the resolution was agreed to. Mr. Ancona 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. Mr. McPherson submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire whether additional legislation, and if any, what, is necessary to prevent the evasion or violation by paymasters or paymasters' clerks of the act of June 18, 1862, providing that company officers of volunteers shall be paid on the muster and pay rolls of their company, party, or detachment, and not otherwise, except when on'detached service without troops, or on leave of absence; and that they have leave to report by bill. Mr. Calvert submitted the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to furnish this house with a statement of the expenditures of the quartermaster's department at Beaufort, South Carolina, on account of the contraband fund (as it is termed) embracing the monthly reports of the quartermaster at that place, showing the number and description of persons paid out of that fund for each of the last three months. The same having been read, Mr. Stevens moved that it be laid on the table; which motion was disagreed to. The question then recurring on agreeing to the said resolution, Mr. Lovejoy moved that it be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. And the question being put, It was decided in the affirmative { Nays 77 42 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are Mr. John A. Gurley Edward Haight John T. Nixon John W. Noell Mr. John F. Potter Alexander H. Rice Rob't B. Van Valkenburgh Albert S. White James F. Wilson William Windom Samuel T. Worcester. So the motion to refer was agreed to. Mr. Moses F. Odell William A. Richardson John D. Stiles Francis Thomas Clement L. Vallandigham William H. Wadsworth Elijah Ward Chilton A. White Charles A. Wickliffe George C. Woodruff. Hendrick B. Wright Mr. William G. Brown submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads inquire into the expediency of giving the franking privilege to the assessors of internal revenue. Mr. William G. Brown introduced a bill (H. R. 612) to provide for compensating loyal citizens for property taken for the use of the United States; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Mr. Pendleton submitted the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That the President be requested to inform this house, if, in his opinion, not inconsistent with the public interest, whether in any oath of allegiance or parole required to be taken by any persons held in custody as a so-called political prisoner, there has been inserted a clause to the effect that he should not bring suit for the recovery of damages for such imprisonment, or that he should not oppose, by speech, or otherwise, the war measures of the administra tion. Mr. Stevens moved that the resolution be laid on the table. Nays.... 77 43 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are Mr. Cyrus Aldrich John B. Alley Fernando C. Beaman Mr. James Buffinton Jacob P. Chamberlain R. Holland Duell Mr. Sidney Edgerton Thomas M. Edwards Samuel C. Fessenden |