in receiving his pay, is unable to provide his family with the pittance necessary to lift a letter from the office. Besides, Mr. Speaker, a favor of this kind would be encouraging to the soldier and gratifying to his friends. It would assure them that the Government was in no way unmindful of those whose lives were risked in defence of that Government. The question was put; and on a division no quorum voting Mr. Lazear demanded the yeas and nays. Mr. Colfax.-I see many gentlemen on the other side of the House rising to demand the yeas and nays on this amendment. I stated last session, and I repeat it now, that as long as members of Congress determine to retain for themselves the franking privilege, I cannot see how it can be denied, as a matter of principle, to the soldiers also, if they desire it. I am opposed to the franking privilege for any one; but as it is retained, I think I shall vote for this amendment; with the full understanding that the public at large will have to be taxed for a heavy deficit in the postal system. There is a deficit now. I went as far as I thought it expedient before, in reporting a bill, which passed, that letters might be sent by soldiers without the prepayment of postage, but that the postage should be paid by the recipient at the other end of the route. But the gentleman from Pennsylvania is not satisfied with that, and desires to have the free system extended. I suppose he is in favor of the franking privilege for members of Congress, and the House seems in favor of retaining it. As he desires to retain the privilege for himself, I think, if he wants a record made, that I shall go with him to give this privilege, enjoyed by members of Congress, to the soldiers also. The yeas and nays were ordered. VIII. REMARKS OF MR. COLFAX IN CLOSING THE DEBATE ON HIS RESOLUTION TO EXPEL MR. LONG. DELIVERED IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, APRIL 14TH, 1864. Mr. Colfax.-Mr. Speaker, I rise to demand the previous question; but, Sir, I understand that a point of order has been before made by the gentleman from Wisconsin [Mr. Eldridge]. If I can surrender the floor for the decision of that point of order, I will do so. Mr. Pendleton.-I ask the gentleman from Indiana to hear me for a moment before he calls for the previous question. Mr. Colfax.-I will hear what the gentleman has to say. Mr. Pendleton.-I only desire to say to the gentleman from Indiana that there are three or four gentlemen on this side of the House who desire to express their views on the subject. They feel that it is an unusual thing for gentlemen to be called on to exercise the plenary power of the House without expressing their views on the particular case in which it is invoked. They think it is a very hard thing, when the question involves free speech, that the power of the pre vious question should be brought to bear to prevent the exercise of free speech on the question. There is no disposition, as the gentleman well knows, unnecessarily to prolong the debate or to stray into matters not connected with the pending proposition. I feel it to be the best plan for the gentleman to adopt, as the most in consonance with the feelings of the House and justice, to allow the debate to go on until these gen tlemen have been heard. Mr. Colfax. If I consulted my own feelings, I would yield to the request made by the gentleman from Ohio; but my duty to the public business and to the public interest compels me to insist on my demand for the previous question. This debate has run to a length that every gentleman must be satisfied has been fair and ample. It has extended from Saturday morning last up to this time. I was asked by gentlemen on the other side of the House to call for the previous question on this question on last Tuesday; but I was anxious to give as large an opportunity for discussion as could be fairly asked. I have already subjected myself to the censure of the papers, and perhaps I ought to have called for the previous question on Tuesday evening last. It was debated all day on Tuesday, and Tuesday night, and Tuesday afternoon I gave notice that I should ask the House, at half past twelve o'clock today, to second the demand for the previous question. If this debate be allowed to be further continued, we do not know where it is to stop. I understand there are fifteen members whose names are upon the list asking to speak. How many more will feel it to be their duty to be heard if the previous question is not moved I cannot tell. Some twenty-five or twentysix speeches have been made already on the subject, and I feel compelled as a duty to the House to call for the previous question. As I have already stated, this debate presents a strong contrast to the proceedings in this House on the case of Hon. Joshua R. Giddings, from the same State as the gentleman who has made this request. He was censured by the House, which he considered as equivalent to expelling him. That was done without debate. This debate has been prolonged until it may considered ample. be Mr. Pendleton.-I desire to make two suggestions. Mr. Pendleton.-I will make two suggestions. The necessity for prolonging this debate does not proceed from this side of the House. The subject was not introduced here by them. The next consideration is this: since this debate has been commenced, this side has not yet moved an adjournment or to take a recess. We have been willing to sit here so long as the majority of the House were willing to let debate go on. We are willing to do it now, and to continue it as many hours as the House may think fit. Mr. Colfax. The gentleman has made two statements and two mistakes. He says this action did not originate from that side of the House. I think it did, and I shall prove it when I come to make my speech. In the second place, he says that no gentleman on that side of the House has moved an adjournment or a |