Mr. SCHENCK. It seems to me, Mr. Speaker, that if we had not your clear head to guide us we should be in such a muddle that no one could extricate the House from it. We have had an explanation of the condition of business; and I wish to add a single remark in relation to the Present status of this bill and the manner in which it is Presented for the action of the House. At the very commencement of this session we revived the Reconstruction Committee, and agreed that everything relating to the representation of the insurrectionary States and their reorganization should be referred to that committee. For reasons best known to the committee it had, I believe, no meeting; and various side attempts were made to dispose of the question of reconstruction, until the whole subject, as it was Presented by a bill from the gentleman at the head of that committee, was referred to the committee. We then obtained a report in the shape of the bill which has been under discussion for several days. We see on all sides of this House I think I am not mistaken in saying this a disposition to come speedily to an agreement so to amend that bill as to make it agreeable to a large majority here and to pass it. If it be passed it will cover the whole question of reconstruction for all the rebel States. Now, in this condition of things, when we are probably a solution of the whole difficulty, there comes in from another committee by a side wind a proposition for reconstruction applicable to one particular State, and that in the shape of a bill whose provisions occupy probably nearly a quire of paper; and upon this we are called upon to act, and at once, because if we do not act upon it at once it will lie over with no prospect of our being able to reach it. In this condition of things what would be the sensible course for the House to take? To take up and go on with the whole subject of reconstruction Presented in the bill now under consideration, what is called the military bill, coming from the proper committee, the ComReconstruction. Commit this bill to that committee at once. They will have an opportunity, for it is a privileged committee, to report it back at any time, and if it prevails it will cover the whole ground. It seems to me in all this matter we resemble more what I have seen in boys hunting rabbits. After going a little distance on one track we come to another which crosses it, and we follow the new track till another crosses it, take that, and so continue; and nothing is accomplished. I propose that we put this out of the way, as a new track or a new line crossing our path, by sending it to the ComReconstruction and going on with the recon: struction bill and disposing of it, as I think we can, in the next 24 hours. I will (I know the gentleman holds the floor against me, and I cannot do it now) at the 1st opportunity, if I can vote down the previous question, in order to move to recommit this to the ComReconstruction and go on with the reconstruction bill.