Mr. LAWRENCE, of Ohio. The resolution now before the House proposes to give the consent of Congress to the transfer of the counties of Jefferson and Berkeley from the State of Virginia to the State of WestVirginia. When the resolution was reported back from the ComJudiciary on the 12th of January last, it was accompanied by a written report, which was laid upon the table and ordered to be printed for the in ormation of members. of the House. Anything which I might now say upon this subject would simply be a repetition o what is contained in that report. I will, however, state in very brief terms the facts upon which it is asked that the consent of Congress shall be given to the transfer of these counties. On the 19th of June, 1863, if I am not mistaken iu the date, the constitution of WestVirginia took effect under the proclamation of the POTUS a provision authorizing the transfer of the counties of Jefferson and Berkeley from the State of Virginia to the State of WestVirginia. That was a fundamental provision of the constitution itself. On the 31st of January, 1863, the State of Virginia passed an act authorizing the transfer of Berkeley county to WestVirginia one vote of the people of that county; and on the 4th of February, 1863, the State of Virginia passed an act authorizing the transfer of Jefferson county upon a vote of the people of that county. In pursuance of those laws, a vote was taken in each of those counties, which vote resulted in favor of the transfer. The result of that vote was duly certified; and, from that time until the present, these counties have, by common consent, been regarded as constituting a part of the State of WestVirginia. They have been so regarded upon the grouud that theirtrnusfer from the State of WestVirginia was authorized by the constitution of WestVirginia; and that, therefore, the asseut of Congress was not requisite. As, however, a question has been made whether the transfer would be valid without the consent of Congress, this JtResolution has been in troduced, and reported back from e ComJudiciary, merely for the pupose of settling the controverted question as to whether the assent of Congress is or is not necessary to the transfer. All the Depts of the government of Virginia and WestVirginia, and the executive dept, at least, of the Government of the U.S., have recognized the transfer as already made. The courts which are held there are held under the jurisdiction and laws of the State of WestVirginia. Judgments have been rendered; transfers of pro erty have been made; criminals have been tried and sentenced; and in every possible form the transfer has been regarded as complete. Now, I do not wish to detain the House by any further statement of the facts, because I suppose it to be wholly unnecessary. My colleague on the committee, the distinguished Gentfrom NewJersey, [Mr. Roosiis] desires, I believe, to submit some remarks in opposition to the resolution; and I will yield to him for half an hour, which I hope will enable him to say all he desires to say; and then, if any further explanation be necessary, I may ask the privilege of saying a few words in reply to him. Before doing so, however, I desire to state an additional fact. It is exceedingly important that this matter should be disposed of now. The Legislature of WestVirginia, on the 1st of Februar last, adopted resolutions, which I send to the Clerks desk to be read, asking the action of Congress so that this controverted subject may be settled.