Mr. HOWARD. Mr. President, this bill was passed by the HoRep yesterday, I understand, and it has not been referred to a committee of the Senate. It is to be supposed that the HoRep saw some reason satisfactory to them for speedy action on this subject. There can be no doubt that the general power of pardon, of ardoning offenses, is granted in its plenitude. the Constitution of the U.S. to the President, and no act such as that from which an extract has been read is necessary to be [. by Congress in order to confer on the resident the power of pardon. I do not suppose, sir, that the necessity for repealing the 13th section of the confiscation act of 1862 arises from the mere fact that the POTUS has the power of pardon and may exercise it. I take it for granted that there is some other evil, either existing or apprehended, which has led to the speedy enactment by the HoRep of the bill now before us. I take it for granted, sir, that the great object of is, this bill if possible, to prevent an unwise restoration of property to persons who have heretofore been engaged in the rebellion, by the POTUS, under the confiscation act of 1862; and if I have been rightly ipformed there is a necessity for the speedy }. of Congress upon this subject. I do not understand that the power of restoring forfeited property to offenders under the confiscation act is a power legitimately included in the constitutional power of pardoning of: fenses. It seems to me to be a distinct and separate function conferred on the President by the confiscation act; and I have great fear myself that proceedings have been had under the confiscation act in the way of restoring forfeited property to rebels with which the country. not be very generally satisfied when they come to understand all the facts of the case. I suppose that the bill now before us is intended to foreclose and put an end to this restoration of rebel property by the POTUS, so far as it is practicable for us to do so; and for one I hope the bill will be taken up and acted upon speedily, without unnecessary delay; and I see no necessity for referring the bill to the ComJudiciary or to any other committee of this body. We all know quite well what the 13th section of the confiscation act of 1862 is. The object of this present bill is simple, and aims only to the repeal of that 13th section. The repeal of that section, I take it, will, for the future, prevent the POTUS from attempting to restore to its former owners property which has become confiscated on account of those owners having been engaged in the rebellion.