CONGRESS, UNITED STATES (1866). 



Ill 



President to bring the States back, but Con- 

 gress could do it, 285 ; objections to this opin- 

 ion, 285 ; in what way can a State come back? 

 286 ; qualifications of electors to be prescribed 

 by the State, 287; nature of the amendment 

 proposed,' 287 ; there is a strife here, 288 ; the 

 question is, What is to be done with four mill- 

 ion negroes ? 288 ; shall one-third of this body 

 be permitted to delay an important bill ? 288 ; 

 a stupendous hoax, 289 ; prior orders taken up, 

 289. 



In the Senate, a resolution never to recog- 

 nize the Confederate debt adopted, 289. 



In the House, a resolution relative to the 

 sovereign capacity of the President offered, 

 289 ; do. relative to terms of negotiation, 290 ; 

 laid on the table, 290 ; resolution on appoint- 

 ment of representation, 290 ; adopted, 290 ; 

 other resolutions offered, 291. 



In the Senate, a call for the proceedings of 

 the recent Peace Conference, 291, 292. 



In the House, a bill relative to freedmen's 

 affairs reported, 292; it will not accomplish 

 the object desired, 292 ; its features, 292, 293 ; 

 what it proposes to repeal, 293; objections 

 considered, 294 ; extracts from a communica- 

 tion to the President, 294, 295 ; further debate, 

 295 ; report agreed to, 296 ; report of commit- 

 tee of conference considered in the Senate, 

 297 ; debate, 298 ; adopted, 299 ; the bill, 299. 



In the Senate, oath administered to Vice- 

 President Johnson, 300 ; his address, 300. 



VI. Session of 1865-'66 : when convened, 

 124 ; in the Senate, credentials of John P. 

 Stockton presented, 124 ; protest made, 124 ; 

 resolutions declaratory of the adoption of the 

 Constitutional Amendment, 125 ; resolutions 

 declaratory of the duty of Congress in respect 

 to the guaranties of the national security and 

 the national faith in the Southern States, 125 ; 

 do. declaratory of the duty of Congress in re- 

 spect to the loyal citizens in Southern States, 

 125. 



In the House, motion to elect a Speaker, 

 126 ; first settle who are members of the House, 

 126 ; if Tennessee is not in the Union and its 

 people aliens, by what right does the President 

 hold his seat? 126; reasons of the Clerk for 

 omitting certain States, 126 ; Louisiana Repre- 

 sentatives, 126 ; Schuyler Colfax chosen Speak- 

 er, 127 ; his speech, 127 ; takes the oath, 127. 



Motion for a joint committee of fifteen, 128; 

 adopted, 128. 



In the Senate, credentials of Mississippi Sen- 

 ators presented, 128; resolutions of the Ver- 

 mont Legislature on reconstruction of Southern 

 States, 128. 



In the House, election of Chaplain, 128 ; C. 

 B. Boynton nominated, 128 ; his qualifications, 

 128 ; Thos. H. Stockton nominated, 128 ; his 

 qualifications, 128 ; Chas. B. Parsons nomi- 

 nated, 129 ; his qualifications, 129 ; L. C. Mat- 

 lock nominated, 129 ; his qualifications, 129 ; 

 Thos. H. Stockton's nomination seconded, 129 ; 

 James Presley nominated, 129 ; his qualifica- 

 tions, 129 ; James G. Butler nominated, 129 ; 

 his qualifications, 129 ; J. H. C. Boute nomi- 

 nated, 129 ; his qualifications, 129 ; B. H. Nadal 

 nominated, 129 ; his qualifications, 129 ; John 

 W. Jackson nominated, 129 ; his qualifications, 

 129 ; John Chambers nominated, 130 ; his 

 qualifications, 130; General Grant suggested, 

 130 ; election of C. B. Boynton, 130. 



Resolution relative to repudiation of the 

 public debt, 130 ; adopted, 130. 



Resolutions on amendments to the Constitu- 

 tion, 130; read and referred, 130; resolution 

 to base representation on the number of elec- 

 tors instead of population, 130. 



Resolutions relative to amendments of the 

 Constitution, 131 ; do. on the origin of powers 

 of government, taxation, color, and mercy to 

 enemies, 131. 



In the Senate, resolution calling upon the 

 President for information respecting the South- 

 ern States, 131 ; his reply, 131 ; report of Gen- 

 eral Grant, 132 ; call for General Schurz's re- 

 port, 133 ; discussion, 133. 



In the House, resolution to admit Southern 

 Representatives to the floor pending the ques- 

 tion of their admission, 133 ; do. calling for 

 information relative to a decree of peonage in 

 Mexico, 133. 



In the Senate, a resolution for a joint com- 

 mittee of fifteen on reconstruction, 133 ; amend- 

 ment to refer all papers to said committee, 133 ; 

 the House resolution is a pledge to each House 

 not to readmit Southern States until a report 

 has been made, 134; present position of those 

 States, 134; not to-day loyal States, 134; the 

 purpose for both Houses, 134; construction 

 of the resolution, 134; all these questions 

 should be referred to the Committee on the 

 Judiciary, 135; it is constituted to consider 

 such questions, 135 ; the Senate does not stand 

 on an equality with the House in the proposed 



