Mr. SCHENCK. 1 rise to what I suppose to be a privileged question. A bill passe the Senetg several weeks ago and came to the House and wasp/eased here with amendments. A very serious error, either in the copying or in some other way, has occurred in the text by which it defeats its own‘purpose. I desire, therefore, the permission of epic House to introduce at once a Jtresolutio amendatory of that act which will correct that “error. I would like to have the matter settled today because it is keeing alarge number of soldiers from receiving their bount, many of whom have been waiting here for a ong time. I will state briefly what is the error I desire to have corrected. Under the existing law, the law antecedent to the enactment to which I now refer, the negroes who were enlisted were paid beauty or not, according as it might appear that they were free or not on the 19th of April, 1861, the commencement of the war. A great many ap lications having been made on the part of e ered soldiers or their representatives feiw/bb'giinty, a difficulty arose in regard to the evidence. On some of the muster rolls of comanion and regiments the entry was made “ ree ” or “ not ree on the 19th of April, 1801, " as the fact might be. But upon most of the muster rolls there was no entry whatever. The consequence of this has been that 100s of these men have been kept waiting, and are yet waiting, to receive the $100 bount to which the are entitled under the act, if the proof could be furnished upon the question of their freedom. To remedy this difficulty the Senate passed a bill providing that other testimony might be admitted upon the question of freedom at that date. The ill, coming to this House, was referred to the ComMilAffrs, and by that committee reported back with an amendment pro e viding that where nothing ap eared upon the muster roll to show whether t ie claimant was free or not, the presumtion should always be in favor of freedom. hat amendment added by the House was in these words: " But wherenothing appearson the muster roll or ofrocord to showthatacolered soldierwasnot a free man at the dnte aforesaid. Undar the previsions of the 4th section of the not making appropriations for the an) ort of the Army for the year ending 30th June, 5. the presumption shall be that the person wasfree at the time of is enlistment." The words “ at the time ofhis enlistment" defeat the o cratien of the 1st part of the amendment. the question of freedom doesnet relate to the time o enlistment; it relates to the 19th of April, 1861. B the addition of those words, “at the time of is enlistment, " which were inserted through some mistake in co ying the bill, the whole provision is made ana surdity. The bill thus amended went back to the senate, where