June 13, 1866

Mr. STEVENS. 1 move now I that the House proceed to the business on the Speaker s table. The motion was agreed to; and the Speaker announced as the lirp 1 business on the table the. consideration of joint resolution of the House No. 127, proposing an amendment to the Constitution of the United States, returned from the Senate with amendments.

Mr. SfEVENS. Mr. Speaker, that portion of the joint committee which is composed of the Union members of this House have examined the amendments which have been made by the Senate, and are unanimously of opinion that they ought to be adopted by the House. 1 do not desire myself to discuss this question, the amendments are so slight, and unless there are gentlemen on the other side of the House who desire to discuss the question, we would be willing to take a vote upon it at once. If, however, there are any gentlemen on that, side of the House who wish to be heard. I would suggest that, by unanimous consent, the. speeches be limited to fifteen minutes each, and that the time shall not be extended upon any motion which may be made. I am willing to say twenty minul es, if that is preferred.

Several M umbers. Oh, no; fifteen minutes.

Mr. SCOFIELD. How many speeches is it proposed to allow?

Mr. STEVENS. I will say, furthermore, that it i s my intention to call the previous question at three o'clock, or at furthest at half past three, so as to have the vote taken by four o'clock. I then propose that the speeches shall be fifteen minutes in length.

Mr. HARDING, of Kentucky. Is the gentleman willing to allow to this side of the House an hour, to be divided according as we may agree?

Mr. STEVENS. I think there will be no objection to allowing that side of the House to* occupy one hour, and they may distribute it among themselves as they may agree. If not, I propose that, fifteen minutes be the length of the speeches, and I hope that will be unanimously agreed to.

Mr. FINCK. I hope it will be the understanding that if we are to have but one hour we may divide it as we see fit, so as not to limit the speeches to fifteen minutes, unless we have more than three speeches.

The SPEA KEU. The gentlemen on both sides of the House had better agree upon the division of the time.

Mr. STEVENS. If the gentlemen do not agree upon it then let each one be confined to fifteen minutes.

The SPEA KER. The Chair hears no objection to the proposition.

Mr. ELDRIDGE. I suppose that it is not required of us on this side, inasmuch as we are impotent to object, that we shall consent to the gentlemen on the other side of the House dividing the Union just exactly as they see fit. [Laughter.]•

The SPEAKER. Does the gentleman object? Mr. ELDRIDGE. No, sir. I did not intend to do so.

Mr. lilDW ELL Mr. Speaker, there are some bills on the Speaker s table that ought to be referred so that the committees may be able to act, upon them. There is one that 1 desire to have referred, and I hope there will be no objection.