aught I know, quietly submit to have her towns robbed and burned and her citizens murdered, but the Northwest will not. The people cannot be restrained unless the Government takes prompt and immediate action upon this subject; and I desire to offer the following resolution on the subject. It may not meet the views of the Senate, but I offer it for the purpose of having the subject referred to a committee; and I have another to follow it:

Whereas raids have been organized in the Canadas and Nova Scotia, and men enlisted in said British provinces by men purporting to hold commissions from the rebels of the United States for the purpose of robbing and murdering peaceable citizens of the United States, of burning cities and villages, of piratically capturing merchant vessels and murdering their crews, being a general system of murder, arson, robberies, and plunders of the peaceable and unarmed citizens of the United States; and whereas the people of the British provinces seem disposed to protect these thieves, robbers, incendiaries, pirates, and murderers, not only in their individual capacity, but by the quibbles of the law: Therefore,

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be directed to inquire into the expediency of immediately enlisting an Army corps to wateli and defend our territory bordering on the lakes and Canadian line from all hostile demonstrations.

I ask for the present consideration of the resolution.

Mr. JOHNSON. I object.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Objection is made, and the resolution will lie over until to

morrow.

Mr. CHANDLER. I move that the resolution be printed.

The motion was agreed to.

RECLAMATION ON GREAT BRITAIN.

Mr. CHANDLER. I had hoped that that resolution would pass unanimously this morning; but as it is objected to, of course it must lie over. I now offer the following resolution:

Whereas at the commencement of the present rebellion the United States were at peace with the Governments of the world, and upon terms of comity and good-will with Great Britain; and whereas that nation, before the arrival on her soil of our minister accredited by the administration of President Lincoln, precipitately acknowledged the rebels as belligerents, thus recognizing their flag upon the ocean, without which recognition it would have been regarded and treated as piratical by all other Powers; and whereas she then proclaimed perfect neutrality between a Republic with which she had entertained friendly relations for upward of half a century and its treasonable subjects; and whereas numbers of her subjects, with the knowledge of her Government, commenced fitting out British fast-sailing ships, loaded with munitions of war, for the purpose of running into our blockaded ports to the rebels, thus furnishing them the means of organizing and continuing the rebellion, and without which it could not have sustained itself six months; and whereas, in addition to the above, and with the knowledge of the Government, British subjects and members of Parliament engaged in the manufacture of piratical English ships, owned by British subjects, manned by British seamen, and sailing under British colors, for the purpose of burning, destroying, and utterly driving from the ocean all peaceful merchant vessels sailing under the United States Hag; and whereas many private and unarmed American ships have been burned and destroyed by these pirates from British ports, thus causing great loss and damage to the citizens of the United States: Therefore,

Resolved, That the Secretary of State be instructed immediately to make out a list of each ship and cargo thus destroyed, with a fair and separate valuation thereof, and interest thereon at the rate of six per cent. per annum from the date of capture or destruction to the date of presentation, and that he be directed to demand from the British Government payment in full for all ships and cargoes destroyed as aforesaid.

I ask for the present consideration of the resolution, and move that it be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. It requires

unanimous consent to consider the resolution at the present time. Is there objection?

Mr. JOHNSON. I object. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. being made, it will lie over.

Objection

Mr. CHANDLER. Imove that the resolution be printed.

The motion was agreed to.

MESSAGE FROM THE HOUSE.

A message from the House of Representatives, by Mr. MCPHERSON, its Clerk, announced that the House had passed the following bill and joint resolution, in which it requested the concurrence of the Senate:

A bill (No. 595) to amend an act entitled "An act for the punishment of crimes in the District of Columbia," approved March 2, 1831; and

A joint resolution (No. 56) authorizing the President of the United States to give to the Government of Great Britain the notice required for

the termination of the treaty of the 5th of June, A. D. 1854.

ENROLLED BILL SIGNED.

The message further announced that the Speaker of the House of Representatives had signed the following enrolled bill, which thereupon received the signature of the President pro tempore of the Senate:

A bill (H. R. No. 465) for the relief of Deborah Jones.

ST. LOUIS ARSENAL.

Mr. BROWN submitted the following resolution, which was considered by unanimous consent, and agreed to:

Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs and the Militia be, and they are hereby, instructed to inquire into the expediency of repealing the act of Congress of March 2, 1861, entitled "An act to remove the United States arsenal from the city of St. Louis, and to provide for the sale of the lands on which the same is located," and report by bill or otherwise.

PRINTING OF A BILL.

On motion of Mr. RAMSEY, it was

Ordered, That the bill (S. No. 354) extending the time for the completion of certain land-grant railroads in the State of Minnesota, and regulating the disposal of lands heretofore granted said State to aid in the construction of such roads, be printed for the use of the Senate.

INCREASE OF THE REVENUE.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. I move to take up the resolution that I offered the other day, which upon the request of the Senator from Michigan [Mr. CHANDLER] was laid over. The Senator from Michigan, I believe, did not understand fully the purport of the resolution. It is merely one of inquiry, and I understand he has now no objection to its being passed. It will give rise to no dis

cussion.

The motion was agreed to; and the Senate proceeded to consider the following resolution submitted by Mr. DOOLITTLE on the 12th instant:

Resolved, That the Committee on Finance be instructed to inquire into the propriety of the immediate passage of an act to increase the revenue, first, by an additional tax of one per cent. upon all sales of real and personal property, including also all bargains for the sale of merchandise, produce, gold or silver coin, or stocks of any description; second, by an additional tax of twenty-five per cent. upon the gross receipts, to be added to the present rates, of all railroad fares, including street railroads, steamboats, and ferries, to be collected by the companies or persons running the same for the use of the Government. And that said committee be further instructed to inquire into the propri ety of the passage of a law to prevent the further expansion of the currency by the organization of any new banking associations except when they may take the place of some existing State bank. And that said committee be further instructed to inquire into the propriety of redeeming all the outstanding interest-bearing legal-tender notes, by issuing in their stead other notes, in denomination not less than fifty dollars each, bearing a uniform interest, from the 1st day of January in each year, of three and sixty-five one hundredths per cent. per annum, with coupons attached, to be paid out, and to be made a legal tender for their face, with interest added.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. I desire to call the attention of the members of the Committee on Finance specially to the points mentioned without at all entering into a discussion. The resolution instructs the committee to inquire into the propriety of a tax on all sales both of real and personal property. According to the lowest estimate which can be made, that of itself would produce a revenue of $75,000,000 every year. It not only proposes a tax upon sales actually made, but upon all bargains or contracts to sell stocks, gold, and produce, which will have more of a restraining effect upon speculations in gold than any gold bills which can be passed making it a penal offense to sell gold in the market, or to make any distinction between gold and paper currency.

It also proposes that the committee shall inquire into the propriety of adding twenty-five per cent. tax to all the railroad fares in the country, including street railroads, steamboats, and ferries, and making the companies the tax-gatherers for the benefit of the Government. Here is a source of income and of revenue which is the most immediately accessible, perhaps, of any upon which the Government can lay its hand. It will be received in large quantities from powerful companies, rich companies, and the revenue to flow into the Treasury of the Government will be immense. And this is the time, Mr. President, of all others, when we should seize hold of those means which will produce the revenue, for the money we must

have.

Another point in the resolution is an inquiry

whether it is not best to prevent the organization of any more new banking associations with power to put their notes afloat and still further expand the circulating medium, allowing at the same time those State banks that are now in existence, by withdrawing their circulation, to go into operation under the general law.

The fourth point is-and to that I desire specially to call the attention of the chairman of the Committee on Finance-to attempt in some way to substitute some notes of the Government in place of all those legal-tender interest-bearing notes which now bear interest from the date of their issue, and the date of their issue may occur in any month during the whole year, producing "confusion worse confounded" in all money transactions so far as concerns the computation of the interest that may have accrued on these notes between individuals as they pass from hand to hand. In their stead, I should like to substitute interest-bearing legal-tender notes for a uniform rate of interest, bearing date from a given date within a year, for instance the 1st day of January; bearing an interest of 3.65 per cent., which can easily be calculated: upon $100, a cent a day; upon $50, half a cent a day; and bearing interest from that given day, no matter when issued by the Government, and to be a legal tender not only for the face but for the accrued interest, so that when the Government pays them out it pays them out for their real value, and then they pass from hand to hand, and any individual who happens to take them takes them for the face and the interest, and if he chooses to keep them in his hands they are all the while accumulating.

Mr. President, I have simply called the attention of the Committee on Finance to these four points; I do not intend to go into a discussion of them. I deem each and every one of them exceedingly important; and it is still more important that we act, or, if possible, that we induce Congress to act upon this great subject of finance, even before we take the usual adjournment for the holidays. I do not know that it is possible for this body to originate any bill on this subject; but the committee may inquire into it, and can report upon these questions. It is for the other House to originate revenue measures, I am aware; but I hope that it is possible that this Congress, before we take the Christmas adjournment, can pass some revenue measure that shall bring money into the Treasury.

Mr. SHERMAN. Before the vote is taken upon the passage of the resolution, I will say a word or two, but not detain the Senate. I have no objection to the reference of the resolution, but will state that the Committee on Finance have already had this subject under consideration by the reference of the report of the Secretary of the Treasury and of the President's message. All the points indicated by the Senator's resolution will be considered in the Committee on Finance without the resolution.

I desire further to say that, while it is well enough for Senators to submit their propositions upon this subject, yet we are restrained in our action by the provision of the Constitution which requires that all bills for raising revenue shall originate in the House of Representatives. At the last session the Senate attempted to indicate its desire to increase the tax on incomes, and sent a proposition of that kind, as an amendment to one of the military bills, to the other House, but it was resented by the House, the bill was laid upon the table, and they sent us back a new proposition. I think, therefore, we ought to avoid any controversy with the House of Representatives upon a matter the origination of which the Constitution vests in them exclusively. We must await their action. They will, necessarily, soon send to the Senate bitls providing additional revenue, and then we can propose amendments of various kinds increasing the taxes.

I desire now to say for myself that I believe the true remedy for our financial difficulties is a very large increase of taxes. Perhaps my views in this respect will not be sustained by the Senate. From the beginning of the war I have thought that the true mode was to pay as we go, as far as possible. There are various reasons for this; I will state but one that operates very strongly on my mind. The soldiers that are serving in the field are enduring all the hardships of this war; those at home are more prosperous than ever

before; persons engaged in ordinary business are now doing better than they have done for years; and I think it but right that they who are now reaping profits from the condition of war should pay very largely in taxes in order to bear their share of the burdens of a great war. If we increase our national debt, and put these taxes upon future generations, we compel the descendants of the very soldiers who have fought our battles also to pay the expenses of the war. think we ought to be willing to endure a very large amount of taxation, far in excess of any we have had heretofore.

I

At the proper time, when these questions properly come before the Senate, the Senator will have an opportunity to present his views on the various details connected with the general subject of taxation, and they will then be fully considered; but at present, we are not able to act upon them, and shall not be until bills come to us from the House of Representatives.

Mr. BROWN. Mr. President, I should have no objection to the reference of this resolution especially, to the Committee on Finance, if it was introduced simply for the purpose of setting forth the views entertained by the Senator from Wisconsin, and of indicating the direction in which he thought inquiry should be made; but if it is going to that committee by general consent, and is to be taken as any indication that the Senate concur in the suggestions made, I wish for one to say that I do not, that I differ very widely in regard to the policies which he has indicated and the effects to flow from them which he seems to anticipate.

I will add only one other word, and say this, that I think gentlemen are perhaps somewhat mistaken in regard to the extent to which taxation can be carried, and that we are perhaps nearer the limit at which it can be properly borne than many persons imagine. I think that in the conduct of this war, in the carrying on of our system for the future, we have got to look in another direction; in other words, it has become an expense account, and we have got to look to a reduction of expenditure to enable us to sustain our financial system. I believe that is a direction in which inquiry should more properly be made. I do not desire to oppose the passage of the resolution, but simply to say that I trust it will be taken as no indication, in regard to the points mooted, of a general concurrence on the part of the Senate.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. I agree with the Senator from Missouri entirely in what he says, that it is necessary to reduce the expenses in every possible way, and I will go with him in the effort to reduce them, and to compel the administration of every department of the Government on principles of the strictest economy possible. At the same time, our necessary expenses are so great and must be so great that we are compelled to seize hold of every source that will certainly bring us revenue; and while I do not expect, of course, that the Senate, by allowing this resolution to go to the committee now, express their opinion on the points I have presented, still the points are of sufficient consequence and magnitude to be well considered by the committee, and therefore I hope the resolution will pass without any objection.

Mr. FOSTER. Mr. President, I do not rise to prolong the discussion; I only wish to say one word, and that is, one of the most certain modes of promoting economy in our affairs is to make the people pay as we go.

The resolution was agreed to.

HOUSE BILLS REFERRED.

The bill (No. 595) to amend an act entitled "An act for the punishment of crimes in the District of Columbia," approved March 2, 1831, was read twice by its title and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

The joint resolution (No. 56) authorizing the President of the United States to give to the Government of Great Britain the notice required for the termination of the reciprocity treaty of the 5th of June, A. D. 1854, was read twice by its title. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. The joint resolution will be referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations if there be no objection.

Mr. GRIMES. I think that resolution ought to be referred to the Committee on Commerce. The PRESIDENT pro tempore. Does the Senator make that motion?

Mr. GRIMES. I do.

Mr. SUMNER. It refers to a treaty. Mr. GRIMES. It refers purely to commercial relations existing between this country and the provinces of Great Britain.

Mr. SUMNER. Then every question of commerce between the two countries, even if it is the subject of negotiation, must be referred to the Committee on Commerce, and you may as well dismiss your Committee on Foreign Relations. That subject is at this moment under the consideration of the Committee on Foreign Relations. It was referred by the Senate several times during the last session by several different resolutions and petitions.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. It is moved by the Senator from Iowa that the joint resolution be referred to the Committee on Commerce. The question being put, the motion was not agreed to.

The joint resolution was referred to the Committee on Foreign Relations.

UNFINISHED BUSINESS.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. I move that those matters which were pending at the adjournment of the last session of Congress, with the papers accompanying them, be referred by the Chair to their appropriate committees.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. That order. is already made.

Mr. COLLAMER. Some question has arisen among us about the referring of papers to the committees. I understand that by the rule of the Senate the business is to be taken up in the state of completion in which it was when we adjourned at the last session. I take it, of course, that those bills which were reported and on the Calendar at the close of the last session are not again to be sent to the committees, but the Senate will take them up in the order in which they stood on the Calendar at the time of our adjournment.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. That is the understanding of the Chair.

Mr. DOOLITTLE. I understand, then, that according to the rules all those matters which were in the hands of the committees, not reported upon, are to be again sent to the committees, with the accompanying papers.

The PRESIDENT pro tempore. All'unfinished business before the committees at the adjournment of the last session goes back to the committees, of course.

EXECUTIVE SESSION.

Several executive messages were received from the President of the United States by Mr. NicoLAY, his Secretary.

On motion of Mr. POMEROY, the Senate proceeded to the consideration of executive business; and after some time spent therein the doors were reopened, and the Senate adjourned.

HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES. WEDNESDAY, December 14, 1864. The House met at twelve o'clock, m. Prayer by Rev. Dr. BOWMAN, Chaplain of the Senate. The Journal of yesterday was read and approved.

RECIPROCITY TREATY-RECORDING VOTES. Mr. KASSON. I ask leave to record my vote on the passage of the joint resolution authorizing the President to give the requisite notice for terminating the treaty made by Great Britain on behalf of the British provinces in North America.

Mr. STEVENS. Before this permission be granted, I would like to inquire whether it is true that the Canadian authorities have discharged all the rebels whose cases have been under investigation there.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. It is so stated in a dispatch from Toronto.

change his vote on the same question, and voted in the affirmative.

NATURALIZATION OF SOLDIERS AND SAILORS.

Mr. WILSON, by unanimous consent, reported from the Committee on the Judiciary, with an amendment in the nature of a substitute, a bill (H. R. No. 583) to so amend the law in regard to the naturalization of soldiers as to include sailors also in its provisions.

On motion of Mr. WILSON the House proceeded to the consideration of the bill.

The substitute reported by the committee was read. It provides that the twenty-first section of an act entitled "An act to define the pay and emoluments of certain officers of the Army, and for other purposes," approved July 17, 1862, be so amended as to read as follows:

That any alien of the age of twenty-one years and upwards, who has enlisted or shall enlist in the armies of the United States, either the volunteer or regular forces, or in the naval or marine forces, and has been or shall hereafter be honorably discharged, may be admitted to become a citizen of the United States upon his petition without any proofs of the declaration of his intention to become a citizen of the United States, and that he shall not be required to prove more than one year's residence within the United States previous to his application to become such citizen; and that the court admitting such alien shall, in addition to the proof of residence and good moral character as is now provided by law, be satisfied, by competent proof, or such person having been honorably discharged from the

service of the United States as aforesaid.

The amendment was agreed to.

The bill was ordered to be engrossed and read a third time; and being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time, and passed.

The amended title, as reported by the committee, was agreed to as follows:

A bill to amend the twenty-first section of an act entitled "An act to define the pay and emoluments of certain officers of the Army, and for other purposes," approved July 17, 1862.

Mr. WILSON moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table. The latter motion was agreed to.

COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS.

Mr. STEVENS. I move that the Committee of Ways and Means have leave to sit during the sessions of the House.

The motion was agreed to.

INVALID PENSIONS, ETC.

Mr. STEVENS, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill making appropriations for the payment of invalid and other pensions of the United States for the year ending the 30th of June, 1866.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. I desire to ask the gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. STEVENS] whether this bill contains any other provisions than those necessary to carry out existing laws.

Mr. STEVENS. It is simply a bill to pay pensions authorized by law. It contains no other provisions.

The bill was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. STEVENS. I move that this bill be made a special order for to-morrow. The motion was agreed to.

CONSULAR AND DIPLOMATIC EXPENSES. Mr. STEVENS also reported from the Committee of Ways and Means a bill making appropriations for the consular and diplomatic ex-. penses of the Government for the year ending the 30th of June, 1866.

Mr. HOLMAN. I wish to make the same inquiry in reference to this bill that was made with regard to the other-whether it contains any appropriation not authorized by existing law.

Mr. STEVENS. It does not; it contains no

already existing.

Leave was granted to Mr. KASSON to record his vote, and he voted in the affirmative.

Messrs. DEMING, DRIGGS, BLAIR, and LONGYEAR obtained similar leave, and voted in the affirmative.

Messrs. J. C. ALLEN, LE BLOND, and KALBFLEISCH obtained similar leave, and voted in the negative.

Mr. DAVIS, of New York, obtained leave to

The bill was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. STEVENS. I move that this bill also be made a special order for to-morrow. They are both short bills.

The motion was agreed to.

SHIP CANAL AROUND NIAGARA FALLS. The SPEAKER. The first bill in order is a bill (H. R. No. 126) to construct a ship canal

around the Falls of Niagara, postponed from last session until this day.

Mr. SPALDING. I move that the consideration of that bill be postponed, and that it be made the special order for Tuesday, the 24th day of January, after the morning hour. Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. And be continued from day to day until disposed of. Mr. HOLMAN. It is not proposed to make it a special order.

of?

The SPEAKER. It is not.

Mr. BROOKS. Has the subject been disposed

The SPEAKER. It has not; the question of postponement being still pending.

Mr. SPALDING. I ask that it be made a special order.

Mr. HOLMAN. I object.

The SPEAKER. Unanimous consent is required to make it a special order, except on Mondays.

The motion to postpone was then agreed to.

PROTECTION OF CANADIAN FRONTIER. Mr. BROOKS submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to: Resolved, That the Committee on Foreign Affairs be re quested to inquire into the expediency of forthwith providing, by negotiation or otherwise, for the protection of our Canadian and provincial frontier from murder, arson, and burglary, under the pretense of rebel invasion.

PUBLIC BUILDINGS AND GROUNDS. Mr. RICE, of Maine, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to:

Resolved, That so much of the annual message of the President to the two Houses of Congress at the present session, together with the accompanying documents, as relates to public edifices and grounds in the city of Washington, be referred to the Committee on Public Buildings and Grounds.

SHIP CANAL.

The SPEAKER stated the next business in order to be a bill (H. R. No. 322) to construct a ship canal for the passage of armed naval vessels from the Mississippi river to Lake Michigan, and for other purposes, reported by the gentleman from Illinois [Mr. ARNOLD] from the Committee on Roads and Canals, and the further consideration of which was postponed until Tuesday, December 13.

Mr. ARNOLD, I move that the same order be made in reference to that bill that was made in reference to the bill for a ship canal around the Falls of Niagara.

To what

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. day does my colleague propose to postpone it? Mr. ARNOLD. To the same day. The motion was agreed to.

COMMITTEE OF WAYS AND MEANS. The SPEAKER stated that the Calendar having been exhausted, the next business in order was a call of the committees for reports.

Mr. STEVENS. I ask that, by unanimous consent, the Committee of Ways and Means shall have the privilege of reporting at a subsequent period of the day.

There was no objection, and the motion was agreed to.

REPEAL OF COMMUTATION CLAUSE. Mr. SCHENCK, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported back the remonstrance of JL. Retilley, and two hundred others, against the repeal of the commutation clause; which was laid on the table, and the report ordered to be printed.

UNEMPLOYED GENERAL OFFICERS.

Mr. SCHENCK, from the same committee, reported back House bill No. 586, to drop from the rolls of the Army unemployed general officers, with the recommendation that it do pass.

The bill was read.

Mr. SCHENCK. The committee recommend an amendment to strike out the 1st and substitute the 15th day of February.

Mr. COX. I will ask my colleague whether this is the same bill which was proposed by him at the last session of Congress.

Mr. SCHENCK. I was about to explain. The first section is the same, with only the change of date, so as to make it prospective now as it was then.

There is, however, a second section to make

Charles O'Neill, Orth, Patterson. Perham, Pike, Pomeroy, Price, Alexander H. Rice, John H. Rice, Edward II. Rollins, James S. Rollins, Sebenek, Senfield, Shannon, Sloan,

Upson, Van Valkenburgh, Ella B. Washburne, William B. Washburn, Whaley, Withams, Wilder, Wilson, Windom, Benjwain Wood, and Yeaman—99.

Mr. COX. I remember when my colleague introduced his bill at the last session, my friend from New York, [Mr. KERNAN,] as well as myself, offered amendments. I do not know whether they are pertinent to this bill or not; and I want to understand whether this is entirely a new bill. Mr. SCHENCK. It is a new bill.

Mr. COX. What has become of the old one? Mr. SCHENCK. That bill hangs in the Senate. The old joint resolution, for this is a bill and that was a joint resolution, is substantially the same with the exception of the date.

Mr. COX. I would have no objection to vote for this bill, provided the proper guards are thrown around it by which the officers who are to be dropped shall have a fair trial. That was the amendment of my friend from New York, [Mr. KERNAN,] at the last session. The President of the United States can now, at any time, drop any of these officers for incompetency and inefficiency.

I have not learned the necessity, since the last session of Congress, of passing this measure, when the head of the Army has already the right to drop these officers. I do not know why the Senate does not pass the bill sent to them by this House; perhaps my colleague can inform me. They may have some reason for not passing it that the minority did not comprehend last year. I would ask my colleague to state, if he knows, why it is that the Senate does not pass it.

Mr. SCHENCK. It is as much as I can do to answer for the action of this House so far as I am concerned as one of its component parts. I certainly cannot tell why the Senate does or does not legislate upon any given subject.

Mr. COX. I think my question was hardly a proper one to my colleague, and I withdraw it. But I am opposed to the measure.

Mr. SCHENCK. I do not propose to reargue the merits of the proposition reported from the Military Committee. The joint resolution, as passed by us last session, was discussed until no one seemed desirous of discussing it any longer; and amendments were proposed and disagreed to by the House. The joint resolution was passed,|| but the evil continuing to a very considerable extent, though not to quite so great an extent as at that time, and the committee, not knowing why the Senate have not acted upon that joint resolution, have embodied the substance of it in a section of the bill they have now reported. They have further added to the provision a section which will make the operation of the bill continuous in its application. There are no new principles involved, no new questions to be raised, and as the subject was thus discussed last session, and subsequently presented to the House again by the committee, I will move the previous question upon the passage of this bill.

The previous question was seconded and the main question ordered.

The question recurred on the amendment to strike out" 1st of February" and insert "15th of February;" and it was agreed to.

The bill was then ordered to be engrossed and read a third time; and being engrossed it was accordingly read the third time.

Mr. ELDRIDGE demanded the yeas and nays. The yeas and nays were ordered.

The question was put, and it was decided in the affirmative-yeas 99, nays 38, not voting-45; as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. Allison, Ames, Ancona, Arnold, Ashley, Baily, John D. Baldwin, Baxter, Beaman, Blaine, Blair, Blow, Boutwell, Boyd, Brandegee, Broomall, Ambrose W. Clark, Freeman Clarke, Cobb, Cole, Cravens, Thomas T. Davis, Dawes, Dawson, Deming, Dixon, Donnelly, Driggs, Eckley, Edgerton, Eliot, English, Farnsworth, Finck, Garfield, Grinnell, Griswold, Hate, Harrington, Higby, Holman, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Asthel W. Hubbard, John H. Hubbard, Halburd, Ingersoll, Jenckes, Kasson, Francis W. Kellogg, Orlando Kellogg, Knox, Law, Lazear, Le Blond, Littlejohn, Longyear, Marvin, McAllister, McClurg, McIndoe, Moorhead, Morrill, Dante! Morris, Ainos Myers, Leonard Myers,

NAYS-Messrs. James C. Allen, Augustus C. Baldwin, Brooks, James S. Brown, Chanter, Cox, Denison, Eden, Eldridge, Ganson, Grider, Harding, Herrick, Kalbfleisch Kernan, King, Knapp, Long, Mallory, Marey, McDowell, McKinney, William H. Miller, James R. Morris, Morrison, Noble, Norton, John O'Neill, Pendleton, Samuel J. Randall, Ross, Scott, John B. Steele, William G. Steele, Stevens, Stiles, Townsend, and Wadsworth-33.

NOT VOTING-Messrs. William J. Allen, Alley, Anderson, Bliss, William G. Brown, Clay, Coffroth, Creswell, Henry Winter Davis, Dumont, Fenton, Frank, Gooch, Hall, Benjamin G. Harris, Charles M. Harris, Hutchins, Philip Jolinson, William Johnson, Julian, Keily, Loan, McBride, Middleton, Sanuel F. Miller, Nelson, Odell, Perry, Pruyn, Radford.William H. Randall, Robinson, Rogers, Strouse, Sweat, Tracy, Voorhees, Ward, Webster, Wheeler, Chilton A. White, Joseph W. White, Winfield, Fernando Wood, and Woodbridge-45.

So the bill was passed.

Mr. SCHENCK moved that the vote last taken be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table. The latter motion was agreed to.

MAJOR WILLIAM H. JAMESON.

Mr. GARFIELD, from the Committee on Military Affairs, reported back a bill (S. No. 329) for the relief of William H. Jameson, a paymaster in the United States Army.

The bill, which was read, requires the proper accounting officer of the Treasury to allow Major William H. Jameson, on settlement, a credit of $959 14, for money in his hands as paymaster of the Army, on board the steamer Ruth, destroyed by fire on the night of the 4th of August, 1863.

Mr. HOLMAN. I should like to hear some explanation of that bill.

Mr. GARFIELD. A bill passed both Houses of Congress at the last session, in connection with which there was a full investigation of the circumstances attending the burning of the steamer Ruth, and a credit was given to Major N. S. Brinton of $2,600,000, for currency which was in wooden boxes, burned on board that steamer.

It was also in evidence before the committee, as will be found in the printed report of last session, that there were several paymasters' safes on board the Ruth at the time of her destruction, and that these were in part recovered, and that some fragments of bills, not entirely destroyed, were delivered up to the Treasury agent. This bill has reference to one of the paymasters, who had his money in one of these safes. There was only about nine hundred dollars of it, and he had paid out of that sum about two hundred and fifty dollars to two officers whose names he had entirely forgotten, and the vouchers for these payments were in the safe and were destroyed.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. If the gentleman will permit me, this, I believe, is one of a class of cases in regard to money which was lost on board the Ruth. During the last days of last session this House passed a bill, which I think became a law, for the relief of Major N. S. Brinton, but that bill contained a provision which is not in this bill, but which I shall ask leave to have incorporated in it, that the case should be examined by the Paymaster General, and that the allowance of the credit should be subject to his approval.

Mr. GARFIELD. I do not remember such a provision in the bill, though it may be there. The gentleman will find on page 10 of the Private Acts of the last Congress.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. Well, I know that the House put that provision in.

Mr. GARFIELD. I have no objection at all to having it inserted in this bill. It has passed the Senate, and has been examined by the Committee on Military Affairs. On comparing the facts in this case with the report in the other case, we find that it belongs to the same class.

Mr. FARNSWORTH. I will ask the gentleman from Ohio if it is not understood that this matter has already been fully examined at the Department.

Mr. GARFIELD. It has passed through all the Departments of the Government, and they have referred the party to Congress as his only remedy. The evidence is full and satisfactory that this money was utterly destroyed except such payments as were returned to the Treasury agent

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. I will read the act:

"That the proper accounting officers of the Treasury Department be, and they are hereby, authorized and re quired to allow Major N. S. Brinton, on the settlement of his accounts, a credit of $2,600.000 for money in his hands as paymaster in the Army, on board the steamer Ruth, and destroyed by fire on the night of the 4th of August, 1863 "— Now, this is the part of the act to which I referred, and I thought I was not mistaken:

"If, on examining the evidence by the Paymaster General, he, the said Paymaster General, shall deem him justly entitled to such credit; but such credit shall not be allowed without the said Paymaster General shall certify his approval thereof."

That is an amendment which I drew up. The gentleman from Pennsylvania [Mr. STEVENS] accepted it, and the House embodied it in the law. I only desire to have this claim put upon the same footing, and I presume the gentleman will have no objection to that.

Mr. GARFIELD. I will say to the gentleman from Illinois that the bill, as introduced by the Military Committee of the House, did not contain the clause which he has read; I remember now that the bill that finally passed came from the Senate.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. I knew that I was not mistaken. If the gentleman from Ohio will consent to this amendment, I will offer no further opposition to his bill.

Mr. GARFIELD. I will do so. Let that clause be added to the bill.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. The amendment is, to add to the bill the words, " if, on examining the evidence by the Paymaster General, he, the said Paymaster General, shall deem him justly entitled to said credit; but such credit shall not be allowed without the said Paymaster General shall certify his approval thereof."

Mr. GARFIELD moved the previous question. The previous question was seconded and the main question ordered, which was first on the amendment.

The amendment was agreed to.

The bill, as amended, was then ordered to be read a third time, and was accordingly read the third time, and passed.

Mr. GARFIELD moved to reconsider the vote by which the bill was passed; and also moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table. The latter motion was agreed to.

BUSINESS ON SPEAKER'S TABLE.

Mr. STEVENS. I move that the House do now proceed to the business on the Speaker's table.

There being no objection, the motion was agreed to.

COMMISSION ON TAXATION.

The House proceeded, as the first business on the Speaker's table, to the consideration of a joint resolution (S. No. 78) providing for the appointment of a commission on the subject of raising revenue by taxation.

The joint resolution was read. It authorizes the Secretary of the Treasury to appoint a commission, consisting of three persons, to inquire and report, at the earliest practicable moment, as to the best and most efficient mode of raising, by taxation, such additional revenue as may hereafter be found necessary to supply the wants of the Government, having regard to the sources from which the same shall be derived, and gives power to the commission to take testimony in such manner and under such regulations as may be prescribed by the Secretary of the Treasury, and appropriates such sum as may be necessary to defray the expenses of the commission, including the pay of witnesses.

The SPEAKER. On the 4th of July last the previous question was ordered on the passage of the joint resolution. The gentleman from Ohio [Mr. LEBLOND] moved that the joint resolution

be laid on the table. On that motion the yeas and nays were ordered, and the House then adjourned. The question is now on the motion to Tay the joint resolution on the table, on which the yeas and nays have been ordered.

Mr. MORRILL. If the motion to lay on the table be voted down will not the question then be on the passage of the joint resolution? The SPEAKER. It will be.

Mr. FARNSWORTH. I wish to inquire if we have not got a committee of the House for the very purpose contemplated by the joint resolution.

The SPEAKER. The Chair will state that the House is acting under the previous question. The question was taken, and it was decided in the affirmative-yeas 69, nays 65, not voting, 48; as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. James C. Allen, William J. Allen, Ancona, Augustus C. Baldwin, Bliss, Blow, Brandegee, Cobb, Cole, Cox, Cravens, Henry Winter Davis, Dawson, Denison, Dixon, Eckley, Eden, Edgerton, Eldridge, English, Farnsworth, Finck, Ganson, Grider, Harding, Harrington, Higby, Holman, Asahej W. Hubbard, Jenckes, Philip Johnson, Kalbfleisch, Kasson, Francis W. Kellogg, Orlando Kellogg, Kernan, Knapp, Le Blond. Loug, Mallory, Marvin, McClurg, McDowell, Meludoe, McKinney, Daniel Morris, James R. Morris, Morrison, Noble, John O'Neill, Samuel J. Randall, James S. Rollins, Ross, Stannon, Spalding, Starr, William G. Steele, Stevens, Stiles, Stuart, Thayer, Thomas, Wadsworth, Elihu B. Washburne, Williains, Wilder, Wilson, Benjamin Wood, and Yeaman-69. NAYS-Messrs. Alley, Allison, Ames, Anderson, Arnold, Ashley, John D. Baldwin, Beaman, Blair, Boutwell, Boyd, Broomall, James S. Brown, Chander, Ambrose W. Clark, Freeman Clarke, Thomas T. Davis, Deming, Donnelly, Driggs, Eliot, Frank, Garfield, Grinnell, Griswold, Herrick, Hooper, Hotchkiss, John H. Hubbard, Haiburd, Ingersoll, Kelley, Littlejohn, Longyear, McAllister, McBride, William H. Miller, Moorhead, Morrill, Amos Myers, Leonard Myers, Norton, Charles O'Neill, Orth, Pendleton, Perham, Pike, Pomeroy, Price, Radford, John H. Rice, Schenck, Scofield, Scott, Sloan, Smith, Smithers, John B. Steele, Townsend, Upson, Van Valkenburgh, William B. Washburn, Whaley, Wheeler, and Windom-65.

NOT VOTING-Messrs. Baily, Baxter, Blaine, Brooks, William G. Brown, Clay, Coffroth, Creswell, Dawes, Dumont, Fenton, Gooch, Hale, Hall, Benjamin G. Harris, Charles M. Harris, Hutchins, William Johnson, Julian, King, Knox, Law, Lazear, Loan, Marcy, Middleton, Samuel F. Miller, Nelson, Odell, Patterson, Perry, Pruyn, William H. Randall, Alexander H. Rice, Robinson, Rogers, Edward H. Rollins, Strouse, Sweat, Tracy, Voorhees, Ward, Webster, Chilton A. White, Joseph W. White, Winfield, Fernando Wood, and Woodbridge-48.

So the joint resolution was laid on the table. Mr. FARNSWORTH moved to reconsider the vote by which the joint resolution was laid on the table, and also moved to lay the motion to reconsider on the table.

The latter motion was agreed to.

REVENUE CUTTERS FOR THE LAKES. The SPEAKER. The next bill on the table is Senate bill No. 350, to authorize the purchase or construction of revenue cutters on the lakes.

The bill was read a first and second time. It proposes to authorize the Secretary of the Treasury to construct or purchase and alter not exceeding six steam revenue cutters for service on the lakes, and appropriates $1,000,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, for that purpose.

Mr. WASHBURNE, of Illinois. This bill contains an appropriation of money, and if there be any objection to its consideration, it must, as a matter of course, go to the Committee of the Whole on the state of the Union. I hope, however, that the House will hear read the letter of the Secretary of the Treasury on this subject which I send to the Clerk's desk, and that there will be no objection to the immediate passage of this bill for the protection of our commerce and to prevent smuggling on the lakes.

The SPEAKER. As this bill contains an appropriation, it will require unanimous consent for its consideration by the House at the present time. The letter of the Secretary of the Treasury will be read, after which the Chair will ask for objections, if any.

The Clerk read the following letter:

TREASURY DEPARTMENT, December 8, 1861. SIR: I have the honor to acknowledge the receipt of your letter of the 7th instant, requesting information as to the number of revenue cutters now on the lakes, their efficiency, and the necessity for their increase.

The number of cutters heretofore maintained on the northern lakes was six. They were sailing vessels, and of such build and rig as to prevent their cruising with eff ciency. In 1861 five of them were directed to be brought down the St. Lawrenee to the Atlantic coast, in the hope that they might be used advantageously in the preventive service. One was left upon the lakes, but found to he worthless, and sold. During the last winter a contract was made with parties to build an efficient steamer for revenue

service on Lake Erie, which vessel is so nearly completed that her trial trip has been ordered for to-day. This is the only steamer belonging to the Government applicable to revenue purposes on all the lakes

The necessity, however, for preventing smuggling along our northern frontier, which the Government has satisfactory evidence is carried on to a great extent, induced the Secretary to charter two steamers for temporary service, one on Lake Erie and one on Lake Ontario. One of these vessels was lost on entering the harbor of Cleveland, and the charter of the other has expired and she has gone out of service.

I therefore recommend that authority be given to build or purchase five efficient steam vessels for the use of the revenue department on the northern lakes, which, in addition to the one just completed, will make the number of cutters previously employed.

It is possible that the number here recommended may not all be required. The great length of the coast to be guarded, and in some parts its close proximity to the Canadian shore, demand constant vigilance, and the proper authority should be conferred to meet all contingencies.

If possible such vessels should be completed and commissioned by the opening of navigation. I am, very respectiully, your obedient servant, W P. FESSENDEN, Secretary of the Treasury.

Hon. JOHN SHERMAN.

The SPEAKER. Yes, sir; that motion would take precedence of the motion to adjourn.

Mr. BROOKS. I make that motion.

A MEMBER. Say till the 4th of January. Mr. BROOKS. The Constitution forbids that; otherwise I would.

The motion of Mr. BROOKS was not agreed to. The question was taken on the motion to adjourn, and it was decided in the negative-yeas 55, nays 82, not voting 45; as follows:

YEAS-Messrs. James C. Allen, William J. Allen, Allison, Ancona, Anderson, Arnold, Baily, Beaman, Boutwell, Boyd, Brandegre, James S. Brown, Chanter, Freeman Clarke, Dixon, Driggs, Eckley, Eden, Eldridge, Farnsworth, Gooch, Grider, Hooper, Hotchkiss, Asahel W. Hubbard, Ingersoli, Kalbfleisch, Kelley, Francis W. Kellogg, Knapp, Lazear, Le Blond, Longyear, Marcy, McAllister, McDowell, Melndoe, Jaines R. Morris, Morrison, Norton, John O'Neill, Pike, John H. Rice, Scott, Smith, Smithers, Spalding, John B. Steele, William G. Steele, Stevens, Stuart, Van Valkenburgh, Wadsworth, Elihu B. Washburne, and Wilson-55.

NAYS-Messrs. Alley, Ames, Ashley, Augustus C. Baldwin, John D. Baldwin, Baxter, Blaine, Blair, Brooks, Broom ail, Ambrose W. Clark, Cobb, Cole, Cox, Henry Winter Davis, Thomas T. Davis, Dawes, Dawson, Deming, Denison, Donnelly, Edgerton, Eliot, English, Finck. Frank, Ganson, Grinnell, Hale, Harding, Herrick, Higby, Holman, John H. Hubbard, Hulburd, Philip Johnson, Orlando Kellogg, Kernan, Knox, Law, Littlejohn, Loan, Long, MalJory, Marvin, McClurg, McKinney, William H. Miller, Moorhead, Morrill, Daniel Morris, Amos Myers, Leonard Myers, Noble, Odell, Charles O'Neill, Orth, Perham, Pomeroy, Price, Radford, Samuel J. Randall, Alexander H. Rice, Edward H. Rollins, James S. Rollins, Ross, Shannon, Sloan, Starr, Stiles, Sweat, Thayer, Thomas, Townsend, Tracy, Upson, William B. Washburn, Whaley, Wheeler, Williams, Wilder, and Windom-82.

NOT VOTING-Messrs. Bliss, Blow, William G. Brown, Clay, Coffroth, Cravens, Creswell, Dumont, Fenton, Garfield, Griswold, Hall, Harrington, Benjamin G. Harris, Charles M. Harris, Hutchins, Jenckes, William Johnson, Julian, Kasson, King, McBride, Middleton, Samuel F. Miller, Nelson, Patterson, Pendleton. Perry, Pruyn, William H. Randall, Robinson, Rogers, Schenck, Scofield, Strouse, Voorhees, Ward, Webster, Chilton A. White, Joseph W. White, Winfield, Benjamin Wood, Fernando Wood, Woodbridge, and Yeaman-45.

So the House refused to adjourn.

MESSAGE FROM THE SENATE.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. FORNET, its Secretary, informed the House that the Senate had passed a bill and joint resolutions of the following titles, in which they asked the concurrence of the House:

A bill (No. 352) to authorize the holding of a special session of the United States district court for the district of Indiana;