teer infantry; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. The Speaker having proceeded, as the regular order of business, to call the committees for reports, On motion of Mr. Alley, Ordered, That the Committee on the Post Office and Post Roads be discharged from the further consideration of the memorial of citizens of Alton, Illinois, in regard to a new railway communication between the cities of Washington and New York; and that the same be referred to the select committee heretofore appointed on that subject. Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 65) to change the place of holding the circuit and district courts of the United States for the district of West Tennessee, and for other purposes, reported the same with two amendments. The House having proceeded to its consideration, Mr. Wilson moved the previous question; which was seconded, and the main question ordered; and under the operation thereof the said amendments were severally agreed to, and the bill ordered to be engrossed and read a third time. Being engrossed, it was accordingly read the third time and passed. Mr. Wilson 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 bill. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Forney, their Secretary : Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed joint resolutions of this House of the following titles, viz: H. Res. 15. Joint resolution to provide for the printing annually of the report of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; and H. Res. 16. Joint resolution to continue the bounties heretofore paid ; severally without amendment. Francis P. Blair, jr., a member elect from the State of Missouri, appeared ; and, having taken the oath prescribed by the act of July 2, 1862, took his seat in the House. Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 66) concerning the jurisdiction of the Court of Claims, reported the same with an amendment. The House having proceeded to its consideration, Mr. Wilson moved the previous question on the said amendment; which was seconded, and the main question ordered; and under the operation thereof the said amendment was agreed to. The question then recurring on the engrossment of the bill, Mr. Wilson moved the previous question; which was seconded, and the main question ordered to be put; When Mr. Stevens moved that the bill be laid on the table. And the question being put, It was decided in the negative, Yeas... The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Mr. William J. Allen Mr. James Brooks William G. Brown Mr. Samuel S. Cox Mr. Joseph K. Edgerton Anson Herrick Mr. H. Winter Davis moved that the vote on ordering the main question be reconsidered. And the question being put, Yeas It was decided in the affirmative,Nays The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Lorenzo D. M. Sweat Edwin H. Webster Kellian V. Whaley Chilton A. White Joseph W. White Thomas Williams Charles H. Winfield. Fernando Wood George H. Yeaman. Augustus Brandegee Josiah B. Grinnell Daniel Morris So the vote on ordering the main question was reconsidered. Mr. James S. Brown moved that it be committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union and printed. Pending which, After debate, Mr. Lovejoy moved the previous question; which was seconded, and the main question ordered; and under the operation thereof the motion to commit and print was agreed to. Subsequently, By unanimous consent, the vote by which the bill was committed was reconsidered, the motion to commit withdrawn, and the further consideration of the bill postponed until Thursday, the 21st instant, at 2 o'clock p. m. Mr. John D. Baldwin, from the Committee on Printing, reported the following resolution; which was read, considered, and, under the operation of the previous question, agreed to, viz: Resolved, That six thousand extra copies of the report of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue and accompanying tables, of which one thousand shall be for the use of the Internal Revenue office, be printed. Mr. Baldwin 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. Wilson, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 67) to provide for the revision and consolidation of the statutes of the United States, reported the same without amendment. Ordered, That the said bill be printed and recommitted to the said committee. Mr. William G. Brown presented certain papers in the contested election case in the 7th congressional district of the State of Virginia; which were referred to the Committee of Elections. Mr. Stevens, from the Committee of Ways and Means, reported a bill (H. R. 122) to increase the internal revenue, and for other purposes; which was read a first and second time, committed to the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union, ordered to be printed, and made a special order for Thursday next, the 14th instant, at 2 o'clock p. m. Mr. Dawes presented additional papers in the Dakota contested election case; which were referred to the Committee of Elections. Mr. Francis Thomas, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the bill of the House (H. R. 63) supplemental to the laws relating to the War Department, and authorizing the settlement and payment of certain claims against the United States, reported the same with two amendments. Ordered, That the said bill and amendments be printed, and their further consideration postponed until Thursday, the 21st instant, at 2 o'clock p. m. Notices were given, under the rule, of motions for leave to introduce bills as follows, viz: By Mr. Coffroth: A bill for the relief of George Mowery; and By Mr. Spalding: A bill to provide for the construction of a ship canal around the Falls of Niagara. By Mr. Coffroth: A bill to amend the act commonly known as the conscription act, to compel the provost marshals to hold their examination in each county town of the district. On motion of Mr. Stevens, the House resolved itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union; and after some time spent therein, the Speaker resumed the chair, and Mr. Pike reported that the committee, having had under consideration the special order, viz., H. R. 117. A bill to reimburse the State of Pennsylvania for expenses in calling out the militia of said State during the recent invasion, had come to no resolution thereon. 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. 15. Joint resolution to provide for the printing, annually, of the report of the Commissioner of Internal Revenue; and H. Res. 16. Joint resolution to continue the bounties heretofore paid; when The Speaker signed the same. Mr. A. W. Hubbard presented a certificate of the election of William Jayne as delegate from the Territory of Dakota; which was referred to the Committee of Elections. And then, On motion of Mr. Driggs, at 4 o'clock p. m. the House adjourned. WEDNESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1864. The following memorials, petitions, and other papers, were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the 131st rule of the House: By Mr. Farnsworth: The memorial of citizens of Batavia, in the State of Illinois, praying the construction of a military railroad between New York city and Washington; which was referred to the special committee on that subject. By Mr. Fenton: The petition of certain deputy naval officers in the city of New York, asking an increase of salary; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce. By Mr. Donnelly: The memorial of the common council of the city of St. Paul, Minnesota, asking for a grant of land to assist in the building of a railroad from the city of St. Paul to the head of Lake Superior; which was referred to the Committee on Public Lands. By Mr. Thomas T. Davis: The petition of citizens of the State of New York, praying an increase of pay to non-commissioned officers and privates in the army; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Fenton: The memorial of citizens of New York, praying the construction of a military and postal railway between the cities of New York and Washington; which was referred to the special committee on that subject. By Mr. Longyear: The memorial of Edward Nash and William F. Keefer, praying for relief; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Edward H. Rollins: The memorial of citizens of the State of New Hampshire, praying the establishment of a uniform hospital and ambulance system; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Sweat: The petition of George W. Bezzell, praying a pension; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Law: The memorial of Mary Shircliff, widow of John Shircliff— heretofore referred February 2, 1858; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Wilder: The petition of citizens of the Territory of New Mexico, in favor of the appointment of Indian agents in New Mexico; which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. By Mr. Wilder: The memorial of the legislature of the Territory of New Mexico, in relation to Indian affairs-heretofore referred March 4, 1862; which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. By Mr. Sweat: The petition of George W. Murray-heretofore referred May 19, 1862; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. Upson: The memorial of citizens of the State of Michigan, praying an act of universal emancipation, and also an increase of pay to colored soldiers; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Farnsworth: The petition of certain non-commissioned officers of the engineer corps of the army, praying an increase of pay; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Schenck: The memorial of Colonel Edward W. Sewell, volunteer engineer corps United States army, praying an increase of pay to the engineer corps; Also, the memorial of certain paymasters' clerks, asking an increase of pay, with the approval of the Paymaster General and the Secretary of War; Also, the memorial of the paymasters of the army, praying an increase of pay to their clerks; which were referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Wilder: The memorial of the legislative assembly of New Mexicoheretofore referred April 24, 1862; which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House executive communications, as follows, viz: I. A letter from the Secretary of the Navy, in answer to a resolution of the House of the 6th instant, relative to the delay in the distribution of prize money; which was referred to the Committee on Naval Affairs and ordered to be printed. II. A letter from the Secretary of War, transmitting, in answer to a resolution of the House of the 14th of December last, a statement showing the number of general officers of the army unemployed, time off duty, their staffs, pay, &c.; which was referred to the Committee on Military Affairs and ordered to be printed. Mr. Dawes, from the Committee of Elections, submitted a report in writing in the Dakota contested election case, accompanied by the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That William Jayne, having presented a certificate, in due form of law, of his election as delegate from the Territory of Dakota to the 38th Congress, is entitled to take the oath of office and occupy a seat in this House as such delegate, without prejudice to the rights of J. B. S. Todd, claiming to be duly elected thereto, to prosecute his contest therefor, according to the rules and usages of this House. Ordered, That the said report and resolution be laid on the table and printed. The Speaker having proceeded, as the regular order of business, to call the committees for reports, Mr. Wilson, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred the joint resolution of the House (H. Res. 18) to amend a joint resolution explanatory of an act to suppress insurrection, to punish treason and rebellion, to seize and confiscate the property of rebels, and for other purposes, approved July 17, 1862, reported the same with an amendment. The said amendment having been read as follows: Add at the end of the bill: "Provided, That no other public warning or proclamation under the act of July 17, 1862, chapter 95, section 6, is or shall be required than the proclamation of the President made and published by him on the 25th day of July, 1862, which proclamation so made shall be received and held sufficient in all cases now pending, or which may hereafter arise under said act:" Mr. Wilson moved the previous question thereon; which was seconded, |