Congressional Summary.
In the
Senate, Tuesday, several unimportant bills were passed.
The session was chiefly consumed in the discussion of the bill to confiscate the interest of the
American Telegraph Company and other alien enemies in the lines of telegraph in the
Confederate States.
Mr. Oldham advocated the bill.
Messrs. Johnson, of Ark, and
Johnson, of Ga, opposed it. The further consideration of the bill was postponed until to-day.
In the
House the greater part of the morning session was spent in discussing the resolutions reported from the Judiciary Committee in relation to martial law and the suspension of the writ of
habeas carpus. The resolutions were introduced at the first session of the present Congress, and have been on the calendar of the
House since that time.
They were passed.
These resolutions affirm, 1st.
That martial law, in the sense of the arbitrary suspension of civil jurisdiction, cannot exist in the
Confederate States. 2d That if it can exist in any sense, than only by legislative authority.
3d That military law is distinct from martial law, and is enacted by Congress in pursuance of the
Constitution.
4th, That without martial law a military commander may sometimes exert extraordinary authority; but in doing so he assumes the hazard of responsibility according to known principles of law. A motion to reconsider was laid upon the table.
The Senate bill increasing the postage on newspapers was passed.
In the evening reports were made from the Post Office Committee.
The bill of the Senate to allow soldiers to send letters free of postage was defeated.
There were also several bills reported from the
Committee on Indian Affairs.
