First Session -- 37th Congress

WASHINGTON, Jan. 28. – SENATE. – Mr. TRUMBULL modified the amendment so as to confine the bill to any State or District in which the laws of the Sate are opposed, or the execution thereof obstructed by insurgents or rebels against the U. S. too powerful to be suppressed by ordinary courses of judicial proceedings, which was agreed to, yeas 19 nays 17.  The bill was then passed, yeas 23 nays12 as following – Messrs. Browning, Cowan, Davis, Fessenden, Foster, Grimes, Harris, McDougal, Powell, Trumbull, Salsbury and Powell.  Adjourned.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29. – HOUSE. – The House passed the Legislative, Executive, and Judicial appropriation bill.  Among the provisions are the following, viz.

That nothing in this act shall prevent hereafter a reduction of salaries, and mileage now due by law, shall be paid as soon as certified by the presiding officer of each House, but there shall be no construction for mileage beyond what is allowed by law, to whit.  Mileage for each regular session only, the bill makes appropriations merely for objects authorized by existing statutes.

Mr. LOVEJOY, form the committee on Agriculture, reported a bill appropriating $3,000 to be expended under the direction of the Secretary of the Interior, for purchasing up-land cotton seed for general distribution, through the Patent office.  Passed.

The House passed the bill providing in all cases that where a volunteer regiment has been or shall be raised to the minimum standard, the Colonel and other field officers who shall have been commissioned as such, shall be entitled to receive the pay and allowance established by law for their respective grades from the time they were severally authorized in writing by the President, Secretary of War, or Governor of their State to raise such regiment; provided however, that in no case shall such pay date back more than three months prior to such regiment being organized to the minimum standard.

The provisions of the bill are also to apply to Captains, excepting their pay shall extend back only two months.

Mr. BLAIR of Missouri, urged the passage of the Senate bill authorizing the President in certain cases to take possession of the Railroad and Telegraph lines, when in his judgment to the public safety may require it.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 29. – SENATE. – Mr. WILSON, of Missouri, presented the credentials of Mr. Henderson.

The resolution was adopted providing for the distribution of documents belonging to seceded Senators among the members present.

The joint resolution on secret session was taken up, and after some amendments, passed.

Mr. BRIGHT’s case resumed – no action after extra session.

HOUSE. – The bill passed giving the President authority to take possession of railroads, telegraphs, &c. by 113 to 28.

The Consideration of the Treasury note bill resumed – no action.

The Army bill was taken up.

Mr. GURLEY made an attack on the inactivity of leading Generals.

The joint resolution on secret session was taken up and passed.  Adjourned.

WASHINGTON, Jan. 30 – SENATE. – Several resolutions were adopted.  A debate ensued on the want of proper management at the Hospitals.

Mr. JOHNSTON, from the special committee on that part of the President’s message relating to the construction of a Military Railroad from Kentucky to Tennessee, reported a bill for that purpose.

The case of Mr. Bright was then taken up.

Mr. HOWE proceeded to speak at length on the subject.  He thought it was a very poor apology for the Senator to say that he had forgotten that he had ever written that letter or that Mr. Lincoln was his friend.  Adjourned.

– Published in The Burlington Weekly Hawk-Eye, Burlington, Iowa, Saturday, February 1, 1862, p. 2