Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne submitted a resolution, which he subsequently modified to read as follows, and which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the following named committees of this house that were authorized to appoint clerks during the last Congress, viz: Elections, Commerce, Post Office and Post Roads, Judiciary, Military Affairs, Naval Affairs, Territories, Foreign Affairs, Indian Affairs and Accounts, be authorized to employ clerks during this Congress at the usual compensation of four dollars per day while actually employed. Mr. Washburne 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. William J. Allen submitted the following preamble and resolution; which were read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Whereas the President of the United States, in his annual message of December 8, 1863, has recommended the establishment of a yard and depot for naval purposes upon one of the western rivers: Therefore, Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of locating such yard and depot for naval purposes at Cairo, Illinois, and to report by bill or otherwise. Mr. Lovejoy submitted the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire. into the expediency of placing, in any bill or bills they may report on the subject, all regular enlisted soldiers on the same footing as to pay without distinction of color. Mr. Orlando Kellogg Benjamin F. Loan James K. Moorhead Justin S. Morrill Mr. Daniel Morris Amos Myers Mr. John H. Rice So the House refused to lay the resolution on the table. The question then recurring on the demand for the previous question, it was seconded and the main question ordered, and under the operation thereof the resolution was agreed to. Mr. Farnsworth submitted a resolution, which he modified to read as follows, and which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Secretary of War be directed to inform this house the names, number, pay and allowances of major generals and brigadier generals of volunteers and of the regular army and their staffs, respectively, not on duty, and the length of time which has elapsed since each of them has been relieved from duty, and which of them, and how many, are not now on duty in consequence of wounds or disability incurred in the service. Mr. Arnold submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: . Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be directed to inquire into the practical working, advantages and disadvantages of the reciprocity treaty between the United States and Great Britain; and if experience has developed defects and inequalities in the operations and working of said treaty, the committee report whether it is not expedient for the mutual advantage of the parties to said treaty to alter and amend the same in such manner as to remove such objections and render the same reciprocally beneficial to both parties thereto. Mr. Mallory submitted the following resolution; which was read, consid ered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz: Resolved, (the Senate concurring,) That when the House adjourns on Friday next, the 18th December, it adjourn to meet on Wednesday, the 6th January, 1864. Mr. Spalding moved, at 3 o'clock and 10 minutes p. m., that the House adjourn; which motion was disagreed to. Mr. Mallory moved that the vote by which the said resolution was agreed to be reconsidered, and also moved that the motion to reconsider be laid on the table. Pending the question on the latter motion, Mr. Farnsworth moved, at 3 o'clock and 15 minutes p. m., that the House adjourn; which motion was disagreed to. The question then recurred on the motion of Mr. Mallory; And being put, Yeas .... It was decided in the affirmative, {ays The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are— Henry W. Harrington Ordered, That the Clerk request the concurrence of the Senate in the said resolution. And then, On motion of Mr. Ancona, at 3 o'clock and 30 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. TUESDAY, DECEMBER 15, 1863. The following memorials, petitions, and other papers, were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the 131st rule of the House: By Mr. Holman: The petition of D. H. Bingham-heretofore referred, January 12, 1863. By Mr. Van Valkenburgh: The petition of Lieutenant Colonel John L. Gardner, of the United States army-heretofore referred, December 18, 1861. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Windom: The memorial of the legislature of the State of Minnesota, asking an appropriation of land to supply a deficiency in the grant heretofore made to aid in the construction of the Minneapolis and Cedar Valley railroad; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands. By Mr. Speaker: The memorial of Carl T. Kraby, United States consul at Porsgrund, in the kingdom of Sweden, asking an increase of his compensation; which was referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. By Mr. Speaker: The protest of the midshipmen of the United States Naval Academy against the promotion of volunteer officers to corresponding grades in the regular navy; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs. By Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne: The petition of James Knox, contesting the seat of Francis P. Blair, jr., a representative of the first congressional district in the State of Missouri; which was referred to the Committee of Elections. 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. The Speaker announced that he had appointed Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne, Mr. Mallory, Mr. Littlejohn, and Mr. Cox, who, with himself, as directed by the resolution of the House, shall constitute the select committee on the rules. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House the following messages, just received from the President of the United States, viz: To the Senate and House of Representatives: 66 In conformity to the law of the 16th July, 1862, I most cordially recommend that Captain John Rodgers, United States navy, receive a vote of thanks from Congress for the eminent skill and gallantry exhibited by him in the engagement with the rebel armed iron-clad steamer Fingal," alias "Atlanta," whilst in command of the United States iron-clad steamer "Wehawken," which led to her capture on the 17th of June, 1863; and also for the zeal, bravery, and general good conduct shown by this officer on many occasions. This recommendation is specially made in order to comply with the requirements of the 9th section of the aforesaid act, which is in the following words, viz: "That any line officer of the navy or marine corps may be advanced one grade, if, upon recommendation of the President by name, he receives the thanks of Congress for highly distinguished conduct in conflict with the enemy, or for extraordinary heroism in the line of his profession." WASHINGTON, D. C., December 8, 1863. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Ordered, That the said message be referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs, and printed. To the House of Representatives: I transmit herewith a report dated the 9th instant, with the accompany ing papers, received from the Secretary of State, in compliance with the requirements of the 16th and 18th sections of the act entitled "An act to regulate the diplomatic and consular systems of the United States," approved August 18, 1856. WASHINGTON, December 10, 1863. ABRAHAM LINCOLN. Ordered, That the said message be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, and printed. The Speaker also, by unanimous consent, laid before the House letters from the Superintendent of Public Printing, submitting estimates of additional appropriations for the public printing, binding, &c., for the year ending June 30, 1864; which were referred to the Committee of Ways and Means and ordered to be printed. Mr. Stevens, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported bills of the following titles, viz: H. R. 33 A bill making appropriations for the payment of invalid and other pensions of the United States for the year ending the 30th of June, 1865; and H. R. 34. A bill making appropriations for the support of the Military Academy for the year ending June 30, 1865; 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. Mr. Stevens, by unanimous consent, from the same committee, reported the following resolutions, viz: Resolved, That so much of the annual message of the President of the United States to the two houses of Congress at the present session, together with the accompanying documents, as relates to the finances, to the deficiencies in the revenues of the Post Office Department, to the receipts into the Treasury, and public expenditures, the organization of the banking institutions, and provision for a uniform currency, to the provision of additional revenue, to taxing consuls residing abroad, and the ways and means for supporting and meeting all public liabilities of the government, be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to commerce be referred to the Committee on Commerce. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the public domain be referred to the Committee on Public Lands. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the subject of telegraphs, and to the Post Office Department, be referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the Constitution and laws of the United States, and judicial proceedings, be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the public expenditures be referred to the Committee on Public Expenditures. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to agriculture, and the Department of Agriculture, be referred to the Committee on Agriculture. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to our intercourse with the Indian tribes, and to remodelling the whole Indian system, be referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the army of the United States, the exchange of prisoners, to additional provisions for the enrolling and calling out the national forces, and to coast and lake defences, be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the navy of the United States be referred to the Committe on Naval Affairs. Resolved, That so much of said message as relates to our foreign affairs, together with the accompanying correspondence in relation thereto, be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the Territories of the United States be referred to the Committee on the Territories. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to pensions and the Pension Bureau be referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to the expenditures in connexion with the State Department be referred to the Committee on Expenditures in the State Department. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to expenditures in connexion with the Treasury Department be referred to the Committee on Expenditures in the Treasury Department. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to expenditures in connexion with the War Department be referred to the Committee on Expenditures in the War Department. Resolved, That so much of said message and accompanying documents as relates to expenditures in connexion with the Navy Department be referred to the Committee on Expenditures in the Navy Department. |