Mr. FESSENDEN. Mr. President, if I had any sort of doubt as to the propriety of reconsidering the vote passing this bill, that doubt would be entirely dissipated by the speech which the honorable Senfrom Minnesota has just made. It seems that it is a long bill, containing many provisions increasing salaries, creating offices, and making provisions with ref. erence to the punishment of certain offenses. All 3 of these things are involved in it. "I looked over it as reported in the Globe this morning, and some parts of iIt am inclined to approve, and I do not know but that on exami nation I shall approve it all; but I was perfectly surprised to see that the bill had passed without examination. I have thought it my duty, when ever I have offered a bill or have had charge of a bill, which made changes in the laws, especially in regard to salaries, to call the attention of the Senate specifically to it, in order that they might understand what was being done. But how was this bill taken up? We went into executive session on Saturday, and every body knows that when at that time of day we go into executive session for a special object, especially after a motion has been made to adjourn, it is understood that the business of the day is at an end. I was not fo I went away supposing that nothing further was honorable Senfrom Indiana, to be done; but it seems that with some 8 or ten Senators Present, not a quorum, or any where near a quorum, this bill was taken up, discussed in all its provisions, and passed with. out a division being called. The practice is a dangerous one and ought at once to be stopped. I of course have no question and wish to make none in regard to my friendfrom Minnesota; he thought it was all right; he thinks so now; perhaps it is. But my objection is to taking up a bill of such importance at the time this was taken up, when Senators could not be expected to be Present. If such a practice is permitted to grow up in the Senate we shall not know what is done here. I fully agree with the objection which was made at the time by the Mr. HEN DRICKs, and if I had been Present I certainly should have called for a division, even if I had been in favor of the bill, for the simple purpose of having a quorum of the Senate Present when a bill of that sort, was considered, and for the purpose of opposing the beginning of the practice of taking up a bill of importance under the circumstances under which this was taken up, with 8 or ten Senators Present, and at a time when it was understood that the Senate was not to do any business of consequence. I am opposed to such a practice, and for that reason, even if the bill is all right, I hope the Senate will send for it and reconsider it, and act upon it properly, when the Senate is in session and Hill.