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elect from the same State, in the place of Darwin A. Finney, deceased; and John H. Stover, a member elect from the State of Missouri, in the place of Joseph W. McClurg, resigned, also appeared, and having taken the oath required by the Constitution of the United States and the act of July 2, 1862, took their seats in the House.

Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne submitted the following resolutions; which were severally read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate that a quorum of the House of Representatives has assembled and is now ready to proceed to business.

Resolved, That a committee of three be appointed on the part of the House, to join such committee as may be appointed on the part of the Senate, to wait on the President of the United States and to inform him that a quorum of the two houses is now in session, and that Congress is ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make.

The Speaker appointed Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne, Mr. Garfield, and Mr. Brooks, the committee on the part of the House under the latter resolution.

Ordered, That the Clerk acquaint the Senate therewith.

The following memorial and petitions were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the rule:

By Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne: The petition of citizens of the State of Illinois, praying for the repeal of the stamp tax on cigars and tobacco. By the Speaker: A petition of similar import from citizens of the State" of Indiana.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means.

By Mr. Hulburd: The petition of citizens of the State of New York, praying for the erection of a dam across one of the channels of the St. Lawrence river.

By Mr. Ellihu B. Washburne: The petition of the New York and Virginia Steamship Company, praying for the return of certain tonnage duties erroneously paid.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Commerce.

By the Speaker: The petition of Mrs. James Hinds, of Arkansas, praying that the salary of her husband until the close of Congress may be paid to her; which was referred to the Committee on Accounts.

By Mr. Julian: Five petitions from citizens of the District of Columbia, praying for the right of suffrage to women; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

By Mr. Ferry: The memorial of Abraham Jacobs, praying compensation for carrying the mail from Puebla and Trinidad, Colorado, from April, 1867, to June, 1868; which was referred to the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads.

By the Speaker: The petition of Commodore James Boyle, United States navy, praying compensation due his father, lately deceased, for services as acting Secretary of the Navy; which was referred to the Committee of Claims.

By Mr. Schenck: The petition of Arthur W. Irving, bugler company C, 104th regiment New York volunteers, praying for a pension.

By Mr. Perham: The petition of Clarissa K. Grant, praying for a pension.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions.

By Mr. Eliot: The petition of citizens of the State of Virginia, pray

ing for the continuance of the Freedmen's Bureau in that State; which was referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Affairs.

By Mr. Maynard: The petition of William H. Burns, H. W. Holdway, S. P. McConnell, and Charles R. Vance, citizens of Scott county, Virginia, praying for relief from political disabilities.

By Mr. Bingham: The petitions of Williams C. Wickham, S. B. Wright, John W. Burton, R. S. Burton, J. H. Smith, Robert Bolling, J. W. McKinsey, and Thomas M. Kembrough, all of the State of Virginia, praying for relief from political disabilities.

Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on Reconstruction.

By Mr. Schenck: The petition of certain officers of the army, praying for the passage of a bill entitled "An act to equalize and fix the pay of officers of the army;" which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs.

By Mr. Morrell: The petition of John and Elizabeth Goodman, praying for a pension on account of the services of their son Charles B. Goodman; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. - The petition of Thomas Thoroughman and others, praying for the relief of W. M. Stafford; which was referred to the Committee of Claims.

By Mr. Tift: The petition of J. R. McNeal, James M. Granberry, and Thomas J. Roberts, of Quitman county, Georgia, praying for relief from political disability; which was referred to the Committee on Reconstruction.

The Speaker laid before the House the certificate, by the governor of the State of Georgia, of the election of John A. Wimpy, as a member of the House from the sixth congressional district of the State of Georgia. The same having been read,

Mr. Brooks presented the certificate, by the major general commanding, of the election of John H. Cristy as a member of the House from the same district.

When

On motion of Mr. Brooks, under the operation of the previous question, the said certificates were referred to the Committee of Elections.

Mr. Brooks 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. Spalding gave notice, under the rule, of his intention to move for leave to introduce bills of the following titles, viz:

A bill for the relief of Alexander W. McCormick.

A bill providing for the speedy resumption of specie payments by the United States government.

A message from the Senate, by Mr. Gorham, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: I am directed by the Senate to inform the House that a quorum of the Senate has assembled and is ready to proceed to business. The Senate have adopted a resolution providing for the appointment of a committee, to join such committee as may be appointed by the House, to wait upon the President of the United States and inform him that a quorum of each house has assembled, and that Congress is ready to receive any communication he may be pleased to make, and have appointed Mr. Dixon and Mr. Hendricks the committee on their part.

Mr. Maynard presented the credentials of Thomas A. Hamilton as a member elect from the State of Tennessee, for the State at large; which were referred to the Committee of Elections.

"

Mr. Maynard moved that leave be granted to the said claimant for a seat to occupy a place in the hall pending the investigation of his claim. Pending which,

After debate,

Mr. Maynard moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered, and under the operation thereof the said motion was disagreed to.

The Speaker then proceeded, as the regular order of business, to call the States for resolutions;

When

Mr. Lynch, on leave, introduced bills of the following titles; which were severally read a first and second time, referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, and the former bill ordered to be printed, viz:

H. R. 1461. A bill to provide against undue expansions and contractions of the currency; and

H. R. 1462. A bill to allow a drawback upon articles used in the construction of vessels.

Mr. Boutwell, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1463) declaring who may vote for electors of President and Vice-President and for representatives in Congress; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Dawes submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to inquire whether any legislation is necessary to secure to government employés uniformity of compensation under the eight-hour law and an adminis tration of the same according to its true intent, and that they be authorized to report by bill or otherwise.

Mr. Boutwell submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Reconstruction be directed to examine into the condition of public affairs in Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas, and to report as soon as practicable what measures, if any, are necessary for the better protection of life, liberty, and property.

Mr. Pike submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, viz:

Resolved, That in the judgment of this house justice to the public creditor and sound policy demand there should be no further delay in the payment in gold of the United States notes commonly called greenbacks; and the Committee of Ways and Means are hereby directed to report a bill providing that measures be taken at once to effect that purpose.

Mr. Eliot, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1464) continuing the Freedmen's Bureau in Virginia, Mississippi, and Texas; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Freedmen's Affairs. Mr. Eliot submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on Commerce be instructed to inquire into the expediency of repealing the acts of July 13, 1832, and June 30, 1834, concerning tonnage duty on Spanish vessels.

Mr. Wood submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the President be requested to communicate to this house, if not incompatible with the public interest, copies of the letters of instruction to the American minister at London, relating to the settle

ment of the so-called "Alabama claims," and any subsequent correspondence with him or the British government on that subject.

Mr. Kelley, on leave, introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 363) proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States; which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on the Judiciary, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Broomall submitted a concurrent resolution to amend the Constitution of the United States, so as to prohibit qualifications of suffrage based upon race or parentage; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Broomall, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1465) amending the laws providing for the naturalization of aliens; which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee on Reconstruction, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Morrell, on leave, introduced a joint resolution (H. Res. 364) requesting the President to recall Reverdy Johnson, minister to England; which was read a first and second time.

Mr. Banks moved that it be referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.

Pending which,

Mr. Randall moved that it be laid on the table; which motion was disagreed to.

The motion of Mr. Banks was then agreed to.

Mr. Banks 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. Miller, on leave, introduced bills of the following titles, viz:

H. R. 1466. A bill to reduce the number of assessors of the United States revenue;

H. R. 1467. Á bill repealing so much of the third section of the gen eral bankrupt law approved March 2, 1867, as directs the Chief Justice of the Supreme Court of the United States to nominate and recommend registers in bankruptcy, and to vest that appointing power in the President of the United States;

which were severally read a first and second time and referred as follows, viz:

H. R. 1466, to the Committee of Ways and Means;

H. R. 1467, to the Committee on the Judiciary.

Mr. Randall submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on the Rules be requested to inquire into the expediency of introducing an amendment to the joint rules taking from all committees of conference the power of increasing in amount any item of appropriation bills in which the two houses have concurred, or of introducing any new item of appropriation not previously considered by the House or the Senate.

Mr. Scofield submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on Reconstruction examine into the condition of public affairs in Georgia, and that the committee have power to send for persons and papers.

Mr. Cullom 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. Banks submitted the following resolution; which was read and referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, viz:

Resolved, That the President be requested to use the good offices of this government for the purpose of obtaining from the Russian government a prompt and just consideration and settlement of the claims of Benjamin W. Perkins, and other citizens of the United States, arising under contracts with said Russian government made pending the Cri

mean war.

Mr. Banks 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. Archer submitted the following resolution, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary be requested to report a bill appropriating the sum of $50,000, or so much thereof as may be necessary, to reimburse President Johnson for the expenses incurred by him in defending himself in the impeachment trial.

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On motion of Mr. Kelsey, the said resolution was laid on the table. Mr. Whittemore, on leave, introduced bills of the following titles; which were severally read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Reconstruction, viz:

H. R. 1468. A bill to remove the disabilities of F. J. Moses, a citizen of South Carolina.

H. R. 1469. A bill to remove the disabilities of Andrew Ramsey, a citizen of South Carolina.

Mr. Tift presented a resolution of the house of representatives of the State of Georgia, in regard to the removal of political disabilities; which was referred to the Committee on the Judiciary and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Kellogg, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 1470) to provide for the improvement of the bay and harbor of Mobile; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on Commerce. Mr. Schenck submitted the following resolution, viz:

Resolved, That the Committee on the Revision of the Laws be instructed to inquire what amendments to the laws relating to naturalization are needed to give greater security and purity to elections, and particularly whether there ought not to be such provisions enacted as1. To confine the power of receiving declarations of intention to become citizens and of issuing letters or certificates of naturalization to the courts of the United States and the higher courts of record of the several States.

2. To require uniformity of proceedings in all such cases in the sev eral courts so authorized.

3. To require that each such certificate of declaration or letter of naturalization shall be signed by the judge presiding in the court from which the same may be issued, as well as attested by the seal of the court and signature of its clerk.

4. To require, under proper penalties, a complete record to be kept of all the steps and proceedings had in the case of each such application, including a full copy of the certificate of declaration issued, or letter of naturalization granted, and the testimony in full on which any such letter was granted; and also a full and convenient index of the names of persons naturalized.

5. To authorize letters of naturalization hereafter to be issued in four years after the arrival in the United States, but conditioned only to take

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