also whether there has been rendered to the Commissioner of Agriculture, and at what date, an official statement showing the true condition of the agricultural division on the 1st of July, 1862, including the property thereunto belonging at that date; and further, whether said statement exhibited the outstanding debts, if any, due from the agricultural division, what amount, and for what purpose or purposes. Mr. Francis Thomas submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on Military Affairs be instructed to inquire into the expediency of providing for the establishment of camps of military instruction, at suitable points on or near the Baltimore and Ohio railroad, as an effectual means of protecting the Chesapeake and Ohio canal and Baltimore and Ohio railroad, so that these public improvements may be safely used for the transportation of coal, for the use of steam-vessels of the United States navy, and of supplies for the United States army, while operating in Eastern Virginia or on our Atlantic coast. Mr. May submitted the following preamble and resolutions, viz: Whereas Maryland has been proclaimed by the President of the United States to be a loyal State, and its people are entitled to the benefits and protection of the Constitution and laws of the United States; and whereas, "persons held to service and labor" in the said State, "under the laws thereof," and escaping therefrom into the District of Columbia, have been therein arrested, and, after due examination by the commissioners appointed by law for that purpose, have been committed to prison within said District in order that they may be delivered up "on the claim of the party to whom their service and labor may be due," according to the provisions of the Constitution of the United States; and whereas, before the opportunity has been afforded to said parties to make such claim, and immediately after the said arrest and detention, military officers, acting under the authority of the military governor or provost marshal of the said District, or both, have, in many cases of such detention, demanded from the marshal of the said District, having such persons in custody, their release, and this without any legal warrant or process of any kind, and upon the refusal of said marshal to deliver up said persons, have with armed bodies of soldiers, forcibly released said persons from custody as aforesaid, and in effect discharged them altogether from said service and labor, and any future reclamation of the same by the parties to whom it is due, to the destruction of their rights of property and of the solemnly guaranteed rights of the people of Maryland, and in palpable violation of the Constitution and laws of the United States: ThereforeBe it resolved, 1. That the Committee on the Judiciary be instructed to investigate the facts and law concerning the premises, and to report the results of their investigation at an early day, together with such measures of legislation as may, in the judgment of the committee, be necessary to put an end to such lawless and unconstitutional proceed. ings. 2. That a copy of this preamble and resolutions be transmitted to the President of the United States, and that he be requested to see that the Constitution and laws be faithfully executed here, in this District, so immediately under his personal observation and official authority. Mr. Samuel C. Fessenden moved that the preamble and resolutions. be laid on the table. And the question being put, It was decided in the affirmative, {Nays... 68 44 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are So the preamble and resolutions were laid on the table. Mr. Francis Thomas submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the committee on emancipation and colonization be instructed to inquire into the expediency of making an appropriation to aid the State of Maryland in a system of emancipation and colonization of persons of color, inhabitants of that State. Mr. Alley submitted the following resolution: which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the committee on the conduct of the war be directed to inquire what rules or restrictions, if any, are applied to trade in those sections of the country now under military occupation, and whether any officers in the service of the government are, or have been, engaged in trade or speculation, or affording special privileges or facilities to other persons to do so, and to report the facts to this house. Mr. William G. Brown, on leave, introduced a bill (H. R. 676) to aid the State of West Virginia in the emancipation of her slaves; which was read a first and second time and referred to the select committee on emancipation. A message from the Senate by Mr. Forney, their Secretary: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill of the following title, viz: S. 459. An act to provide for a further issue of bonds of the United States and of United States notes, and for other purposes; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this House. The Senate have indefinitely postponed a joint resolution of this House of the following title, viz: H. Res. 121. Joint resolution for the prompt payment of the soldiers of the United States army, and the seamen and marines of the United States navy. On motion of Mr. Stevens, by unanimous consent, the said bill of the Senate (S. 459) was taken from the Speaker's table, read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. Mr. Granger, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined and found truly enrolled joint resolu tions and a bill of the following titles, viz: H. Res. 126. Joint resolution to confirm the adverse decision of the Court of Claims in the case of Thomas B. King; H. Res. 127. Joint resolution to confirm the adverse decision of the Court of Claims in the case of Arthur Edwards and others; H. Res. 128. Joint resolution to confirm the adverse decision of the Court of Claims in the case of George Yates; H. Res. 129. Joint resolution to confirm the adverse decision of the Court of Claims in the case of Joshua Eddy's heirs; H. Res. 130. Joint resolution to confirm the adverse decision of the Court of Claims in the case of J. W. Knaggs, administrator of Whitmore Knaggs; and H. R. 587. An act to provide for the imprisonment of persons con victed of crime by the criminal court of the District of Columbia. When The Speaker signed the same. Mr. Fisher gave notice, under the rule, of his intention to move for leave to introduce a bill giving aid to the State of Delaware for the purpose of securing the abolishment of slavery in said State. 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. Campbell reported that the committee having had under consideration the special order, viz: H. R. 659. A bill to provide ways and means for the support of government, had come to no resolution thereon. A message from the Senate, by Mr. Hickey, their chief clerk: Mr. Speaker: The Senate have passed a bill of this house of the following title, viz: H. R. 137. An act to authorize the raising of a volunteer force for the better defence of Kentucky; with an amendment; in which I am directed to ask the concurrence of this house. On motion of Mr. Stevens, Ordered, That the bill of the House (H. R. 659) to provide ways. and means for the support of government continue a special order from day to day until disposed of. On motion of Mr. Stevens, by unanimous consent, Ordered, That an amendment, in the nature of a substitute, to the bill of the House No. 659, submitted by him in Committee of the Whole, be printed. And then, On motion of Mr. Stevens, at 4 o'clock and 35 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. TUESDAY, JANUARY 13, 1863. The following petitions, memorial, and papers were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the rule: By Mr. Clark: The petition of tanners of Northern New York, for a change in certain provisions of the internal revenue laws. By Mr. Baily: The petition of tailors of York, Pennsylvania, of like import. By Mr. Fisher: The petition of E. J. Du Pont de Nemours and Company, and others. for a reduction in the tariff on saltpetre. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. By Mr. Baily: The memorial of the widow of Ezekiel McMurray, for an increase of pension; which was referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. By Mr. McKnight: The petition of Isaac Hertzberg, for payment of a claim; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Fisher: The petition of Major Henry B. Judd, asking to be relieved from a charge of $150, recruiting funds lost on the San Francisco in the year 1852. By Mr. Watts: Pay-rolls of the militia of New Mexico, for services. Ordered, That the said petition and papers be referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. By Mr. Edgerton: Two petitions of citizens of Ohio, against the passage of a bankrupt law; which were referred to the select committee on the bankrupt law. Mr. Babbitt gave notice, under the rule, of his intention to move for leave to introduce a bill repealing so much of the act of 14th July, 1862, entitled "An act making appropriations for the naval service for the year ending the 30th of June, 1863," as prohibits the appointment of chaplains in the navy over the age of thirty-five years. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Treasury transmitting, in answer to a resolution of the House of the 8th instant, information as to the cause of delay in the payment of soldiers; which was laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. The Speaker announced that he had appointed the following members the select committee on the establishment of a military and post road from the city of New York to the city of Washington, viz: Mr. Fenton, Mr. William Kellogg, Mr. Wadsworth, Mr. Sargent, and Mr. English. Mr. Washburne, by unanimous consent, presented a communication from the Secretary of State, submitting a copy of a correspondence between his department and the minister of her Catholic Majesty to this government on the subject of the difference alleged to exist between the duties on tonnage exacted from vessels of the United States in the ports of Cuba and those which Spanish vessels are made to pay in ports of the United States; which was referred to the Committee of Commerce, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Stevens moved that the House resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. And the question being put, Yeas.. It was decided in the affirmative, {Nays 83 36 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are— Mr. William Allen Mr. Frederick A. Conkling Roscoe Conkling Mr. Valentine B. Horton John Hutchins Anson P. Morrill Robert H. Nugen |