Mr. INGERSOLL. The gentleman will permit me to say that he is mistaken if he understands this bill as attempting any such thing. This bill leaves the power of the President just where the Constitution leaves it. It neither diminishes nor augments it. It simply directs the General of the Army to assign to the command of certain districts created by the bill such generals as he may in his discretion select, and this does not interfere with the powers of the President as Commander in Chief of the Army and Navy. The character of this legislation is not new. The same thing was done many times before, and its constitutionality was never questioned until now. By an act of Congress the office of Provost Marshal General was created, and the duties of that officer were specified in the act. By acts of Congress officers of the Army and Navy by name have been assigned to special duty heretofore, and we propose to do nothing more than that by this bill. Mr. Speaker, I will now return to the consideration of the subject, the discussion of which I had commenced when I was interrupted by the Gentfrom Kentucky. I was speaking in reference to the impeachment of the President and the necessity of determining without unnecessary delay as to whether the President has been guilty of any crimes or misdemeanors for which he should be im eached and removed from his high office. If i is innocent it is due to him and to the country that the agitation of this question should cease, for it must be apparent to all that while this question remains undetermined the country is necessarily agitated on this subject, the commercial and financial interests of the country are disturbed by it, and the prosperity of the country is affected seriously, and the sooner the question is settled the better for all parties and interests concerned. In these remarks I intend no reflection upon the honorable committee that has charge of this subject; but that this inquiry ought to be ressed at once and without is most evi ent. If the President has been guilty of acts for which he should be impeached, let us not shrink from the responsibility which properly If he is guiltless he should not be unnecessarily haunted with the specter of impeachment.. If he is to be tried, and when tried found guiltless, we must then submit to the rule of the President to the end of his constitutional term and suffer him to pursue his devious way. If he is to remain in that office for the coming 2 years we might as well abandon the question of the reconstruction of the States lately in rebellion by legislative enactment, and at once proceed to fortify ourselves against any further encroachments on the part of the Executive, and content ourselves with such legislation as shall be necessary to prevent the Representatives from the President's “pocket States” from occupying seats on this floor until after another presidential election shall have given us a President true to liberty, true to justice, true to the best interests of the whole country. Then harmony will be restored between the executive and the legislative depts of the Government, then the work of reconstruction can again be resumed and prosecuted to a speedy restoration of these States upon a basis in accordance with the principles of the Constitution. We can certainly endure the present condition of things if the southern States can. It is of more importance to them to have representation than it is to us that they should have it. If they prefer to continue in their obstinacy rather than yield to the just and humane desires of Congress, I say compel them to bear their equal share of the burdens of the Government and withhold from them the blessings which result from h condition of restoration to the Union and to representation in Congress until such time as they are willing to do justice. Let the responsibility rest with them, it will not belong to us. They have rejected the constitutional amendment proposed at the last session of Congress: perhaps they will like this measure better. The Gentfrom Ohio, [Mr. LEBLoND, ] in his remarks today, seemed to be somewhat excited over an anticipated war if we passed this bill. I desire to ask the gentleman where he is going to get his soldiers to make war upon the Government and the Congress of the U.S.? You will hardly find them in the rebel States. They have had enough of war; they have been thoroughly whipped, and do not desire to be whipped again. You will not get them from the loyal people of the northern or southern States. If you get any at all you may drum up a few recruits from the Democratic ranks, but in the present weak and shattered condition of that party you would hardly be able to raise a very formidable army, and I tell the gentleman if the party decreases in the same ratio in the coming year as it has in the last, the whole party together would not form a respectable corps darmeee.