Pending which, Mr. Washburne moved the previous question, and no quorum voted thereon. And then, On motion of Mr. Washburne, at 4 o'clock and 27 minutes p. m., the House adjourned. TUESDAY, JANUARY 20, 1863. The following petitions, memorials, and other papers were laid upon the Clerk's table, under the rule: By Mr. Justin S. Morrill: The petition of wholesale druggists of New York, for change in the internal revenue bill in regard to alcohol. By Mr. Washburne: Memorial of citizens of Illinois, in relation to the currency. By Mr. Trimble: Remonstrance of citizens of Ohio against any reduction in the tax on spirituous and malt liquors. Ordered, That the said petition, memorial, and remonstrance be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means. By Mr. Conway: The petition of Quindaro Nancy Guthrie, for relief; which was referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs. By Mr. May: The memorial of Henrietta M. Hall, personal representative of Richard Hall, praying compensation for losses sustained during the late war with Great Britain; which was referred to the Committee of Claims. By Mr. Washburne: Remonstrance of citizens against the renewal of "Evans's patent safety guard;" which was referred to the Committee on Patents. By Mr. Yeaman: The petition of James G. Haswell, United States commissioner for Kentucky. By Mr. Washburne: The petition of citizens of Lee county, Illinois, for a uniform bankrupt law. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. By Mr. Albert S. White: The petition of citizens of Dorchester county, Maryland, praying for a grant of ten millions of dollars to compensate that State for inconveniences incident to the abolishment of slavery; Also, the petition of the mayor and city council of Baltimore, Maryland, of like import. Ordered, That the said petitions be referred to the select committee on emancipation. The Speaker, by unanimous consent, laid before the House a letter from the Secretary of the Interior, in answer to a resolution of the 12th instant, relative to the expediency of establishing a bureau of statistics in connexion with the Department of the Interior; which was referred to the Committee on Commerce, and ordered to be printed. The Speaker having announced, as the regular order of business, the message of the President of the United States, which was under consideration when the House adjourned yesterday, the pending question being on the motion of Mr. Washburne to refer the same to a select joint committee, and upon which the previous question was demanded. Mr. Washburne withdrew the pending motions, and moved that the said message be referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, and printed. Pending which, Mr. Washburne moved the previous question; which was seconded, and the main question ordered, and under the operation thereof the motion to refer and print was agreed to. Mr. Wickliffe, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee of Claims investigate and report by bill or otherwise on the claim of Preston Bond for clothing furnished. the United States volunteers. Mr. William Kellogg, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the select committee on the construction of a postal and military road between this city and the city of New York be authorized to send for persons and papers, and examine witnesses, under oath, for the purpose of ascertaining the probable cost of the construction on the most feasible route of such road, and the proximate receipts of express companies from the United States and other sources, for commodities and messages carried over the lines of roads not constructed between the points above stated. Mr. Francis Thomas, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That a letter from Brigadier General B. F. Kelly, addressed to Major General McClellan, a letter from General Kelly to Major General H. W. Halleck, and a letter from Lieutenant Colonel Gabriel E. Porter to General Kelly, concerning the means best adapted to the protection of the Baltimore and Ohio railroad and Chesapeake and Ohio canal, be printed and referred to the Committee on Military Affairs. Mr. Lazear, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 691) for the relief of Letty Margaret Shaw, widow of Levi Shaw, deceased; which was read a first and second time, and referred to the Committee on Invalid Pensions. Mr. Pike, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Committee on Naval Affairs be instructed to inquire what action. if any, should be taken with reference to the appointment of midshipmen to the Naval Academy by the Secretary of the Navy, as stated in his annual report. Mr. Eliot, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Secretary of State be requested to communicate to the House of Representatives any information known to the Department of State, tending to show that American vessels having cleared from any foreign port for Africa, ostensibly for mercantile purposes, have engaged in the slave trade or coolie trade; and to communicate to the House such suggestions, for any necessary legis lation to prevent such practices, as he shall judge proper. The Speaker having announced, as the regular order of business, the consideration of the bill of the House (H. R. 387) to establish a uniform system of bankruptcy throughout the United States On motion of Mr. Roscoe Conkling, Ordered, That the said bill, as reported by the select committee on that subject, be printed. Mr. Roscoe Conkling moved that the further consideration of the bill be postponed until Tuesday, the 27th instant, after the expiration of the morning hour. Pending which, Mr. Roscoe Conkling moved the previous question. Pending which, Mr. Holman moved that the bill be laid on the table; which motion was disagreed to. 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 motion to postpone was agreed to. Mr. Roscoe Conkling 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. Colfax, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 692) fixing and regulating the liens of judgments in the courts of the United States in the district of Indiana; which was read a first and second time and referred to the Committee on the Judiciary. On motion of Mr. Fenton, by unanimous consent, Ordered, That an additional member be appointed on the select committee on the construction of a railroad from this city to New York city. Mr. Bingham, by unanimous consent, submitted the following resolution; which was read, considered, and agreed to, viz: Resolved, That the Judiciary Committee be authorized to print the resolution of inquiry, heretofore submitted to said committee by this house, touching the authority of the Postmaster General over mailable matter, and also to print a report prepared thereon by Hon. William Kellogg. Mr. Benjamin F. Thomas, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on the Judiciary, reported a joint resolution (H. Res. 136) giving construction to certain sections of the internal revenue law; which was read a first and second time, recommitted to the said committee, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Moorhead, by unanimous consent, introduced a bill (H. R. 693) to provide a national currency, secured by a pledge of United States stock, and to provide for the circulation and redemption thereof; which was read a first and second time, referred to the Committee of Ways and Means, and ordered to be printed. Mr. Porter, by unanimous consent, from the Committee on the Judiciary, to whom was referred a letter from the Secretary of the Interior relative to payment of annuities for 1854 and 1855 to Miami tribes of Indians, made a report in writing thereon; which was laid on the table and ordered to be printed. Mr. Granger, from the Committee on Enrolled Bills, reported that the committee had examined and found truly enrolled a bill of the following title, viz: H. R. 359. An act for the relief of John B. Motley; When The Speaker signed the same. The House then proceeded to the consideration of the report of the Committee of Elections in the case of Byington vs. Vandever, the pending question being on the following resolution, accompanying the said report, viz: Resolved. That William Vandever has not been entitled to a seat as a member of this house since he was mustered into the military service of the United States as colonel of the ninth regiment Iowa volunteer infantry-to wit, since the 24th day of September, A. D. 1861. After debate, Mr. Washburne moved that its further consideration be postponed until the third Tuesday in February next. Pending which, Mr. Washburne moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered and put, viz: Will the House agree to the said motion to postpone? Yeas.. And it was decided in the negative, {Nas 53 74 The yeas and nays being desired by one-fifth of the members present, Those who voted in the affirmative are So the motion to postpone was disagreed to. Mr. Joseph Segar William P. Sheffield John D. Stiles John L. N. Stratton George H. Yeaman. The question then recurring on the resolution reported from the Committee of Elections, Mr. Dawes moved the previous question; which was seconded and the main question ordered, and under the operation thereof the vote was taken, and the Speaker stated that the resolution was agreed to. Mr. Maynard made the point of order that a majority only having voted in favor of the resolution, it was not adopted, the resolution being in effect the expulsion of a member, which, under the Constitution, required the concurrence of two-thirds of the members. The Speaker overruled the said point of order. From this decision of the Chair Mr. Maynard appealed. Pending which, Mr. Stevens moved that the House resolve itself into the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union. Pending which, Mr. Stevens submitted the following resolution, viz: Resolved, That all debate in the Committee of the Whole House on the state of the Union on the special order (H. R. 659) shall cease in one hour after its consideration is resumed, and the committee shall then proceed to vote on such amendments as may be pending or offered to the same, and shall then report it to the House, with such amendments as may have been agreed to by the committee. Pending which, Mr. Benjamin F. Thomas moved to amend the same by striking out "one," and inserting in lieu thereof "two,' so as to read "two hours," &c.; which motion was disagreed to. The resolution was then agreed to. The question then recurred on the original motion of Mr. Stevens. And being put, it was decided in the affirmative. The House accordingly 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: |