Mr. JOHNson. Mr. President, being compelled, by business affecting my State and city, or a period to leave my place in the Senate some 3 weeks since, and having prepared, in con'unction with 2 other members of the committee of 15, what is denominated a minority report, and it not being copied at the time so as to be in a presentable form, I re uested the honorable member from Indiana ilMr. Hsxnmcus] to present it in my name; and that was done a few days after I left here. The reception of it was objected to, as I see, by my friendfrom Illinois [Mr. TRUMBULL] upon, as I understand, 3 grounds. The 1st was that it was not presented by myself or by any member of the committee; the 2nd was that reports of that sort are not received at all; and the 3rd was that it was not presented at the time the report of the ma'ority was presented. In relation to the firsf what I have stated I suppose may be considered as a sufficient explanation; but if it isnot, the objection is avoided, my asking to present it now. In gelationlt the 2nd, I find, on looking at he JOHI'Dllfinlhicb I have had examined only so for back mm 10th of April 1840, comin down tea recent period, that the minority o p committee have been permitted to present what I suppose Were their reports, although they are on led in the Journa the “ views of the minority." That was done on the 10th of April, 1840. It is unnecessary to trouble the Senate with the detail of each of those cases. On the 12th 6f March, 1856 “Mr. Devon is, from the ComTerrito es. To whom were referred several messages of the President in relation to affairs in houses. submitted a refiort “ which was ordorogto be printed. Mr. OoLL/iiisn submitts the vicws of the minority noted the committee: which were ordered to be with the report of the committee." On the 5th of May, 1858, I find this entry: “Mr. BAYARD, from the ComJudiciary, to whom the subject of a national bankrupt law hadbeenreferred.statedthat the committeo had been unable to agree upon the details of a bill. Mr. Toouns. in behalf of theminority of the committee, submitteda paper purporting to be a bill to establish n. uniformsystemof bankruptcy, and moved that it beprinted. “A question of Wit, orderwas raised by Mr. Gauss. to that the minority of n committeehad no power to originate or bring in a bill." He did not object to the minority presenting their report or their views, but only their right to do it in‘the form of a bill. “The View Pensions": stated that it had been usual to receive the views of a minority of a committee.” On the 7th of February, 1862, cia"r Mr. HAnnis, from the ComJudiciary to whom were referred the credentials of Hon. Benjamin Stork, submitted a report. Mr.TRUMBULL asked and obtained, leavcto submit the viewsof theminority"of the committee. “Ordered.That the report of the committee, With the viewsof the minority, and accompanyingpapers, beprinted.” I suppose, therefore that it may now be considered as the established usage of the Senate to permit the minority of a committee to state the grounds upon which, if they differ from the majority, that difference is founded. at in addition to thlt I will state to the Senate, and I have here an extract from the journal of the committee, that on the 28th of "April, 1866, when the committee determined upon reporting the measures which are now before the country, there is in that journal this entry: “Mr. S'rsvnys movedthat theioint resolutionand bills adopted by the committee to dny ho reported on Monday next to the 2 Housesof Congress, and that leave he asked to submit at some future time rep‘Tohrtostmooateioconmw paasnaygtrheeedsatom.”e. “ “ On motion of Mr. Roosns, it was “Ordered.That the minority of the committeehave leave to submit minority reports.” The matter remained in that situation from the 28th of April until, I think, the 8th ofJune; and as I knew that the majority desired that the report which was to accompany the bills and resolutions, and which was directed to be made by the entry which I have just read, should be prepared by my friend, the chair man of the committee, the honorable Senfrom Maine, [Mr. FassnxnsN] and how his time was occupied in other dkuntoiwesin, g doubted very much whether he would be able to prepare a report at all; and if he had not prepared a report, I certainly shodld have presented none, and as far as I nqyvthe minority of the committee would not have presented any. But on the 8th of June, nearly 2 months after the report was authorized to be made, the honorabia member from Name, as I get from the proceedings of the day reported in the Globe, just at the moment when the vote was about to be taken on the measures themselves, rose and said to the Senate: “Iask leave to make a report. I have here an extended report from the committee of 15.50 called. the ComReconstruction, giving their views and reasons with referenceto the JtResolution which theysubmittedtothe Senate and the con clnsions to which they arrived. It was my hopethat sometime in the course of this debate, beforo the vote was taken, I might have the opportunity to lay the wholereport beforethe Senate and have it re, bnt it is now so into an hour, and as gentlemen are desirous of taking the vote, and it has been a reed to take it to diiy, that I do not feel that it won d be right to attempttohave it readin detail. I thereforo movethat it " be laid upon the table and printed. The motionwas agreed to." I then rose and said: " It was understood in committee that if there should be any member who did not agree with the majority of the committee he would be at llbOftY‘IO make a counter or minority report and I merelyrise for the purpose of saying that as such is the condition in which I stand, nnd.in which 2 or 3 other membors of the committee stand, I shall avail mgliiely off that privilege at as early 0.day as possi e. To that there was no objection.