The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-27 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON TIIURSDAY EVENING-; FEBRUARY 27, 1868,

CONGRESS.

- -

SENATE.
Feb. 4.—After some business, Mr. Buckalew

moved to amend a resolution calling for informa-
tion relative to instructions given to Generals
Pope and Meade of the 4th Military Division, and
for copies, votes, and opinions in Cabinet meetings

relative to the Reconstruction Acts, by striking out

.he part calling for the proceedings in the Cabinet,

which Mr. Sherman considered was unprecedented
to call for. The amendment was agreed to, and the

resolution passed. The bill, in addition to the Act
regulating the Tenure of Civil Offices, the question
being an amendment limiting the number of Secret
Service Agents of the State Department to five,
Mr. Sumner asked for the reading of a letter from
Mr. Seward, urging the importance of that service to
the Department. He called the attention of the
Senate to the trials occurring of persons denomi-
nated as Fenians, and he understood the
State Department had employed agents to be paid
out of the Secret Service Fund to defend
these parties, and the expenses of some of these
cases were very great. In addition to all this,
special agents were often required in the trans-
mission of important despatches. There is a
United Stated despatch agent in London to whom
all the despatches are first addressed, and whose
duty it is to distribute them. In addition to this,
there is a despatch agent at Boston and one or more
at New York. He (Mr. S.) hoped this branch of
the State Department would not be interfered with.
Mr. Hendricks opposed Mr. Seward's amendment
continuing the Secret Service, as also Mr. Came-
ron, who did not see the necessity of continuing
such service.—The amendment was rejected. Mr.
Ramsay moved to amend by increasing the number

of Special agents of the Post-office Departmen
to 25. The effect of the bill, he stated, will be to
turn the mail agents out of office in ten days.—
Agreed to. Mr. Edmunds offered an amendment
excepting from the provisions of the Act the regu-
lar route agents of the Post-office Department,
and such agents as are temporarily employed by
the Comptroller of the Currency to examine into
the condition of the national banks, which gave
rise to considerable discussion.—The bill was then
recommitted, and the Senate adjourned.
Feb. s.—Mr. Howard introduced a joint resolu-
tion authorising the Secretary of War to employ
counsel to defend the Generals of the Army, Major-
General George G. Meade and Brigadier-General
Roger, Provisional Governor of Georgia, in any
suits which may be brought against them in the
pursuance of their official duty. Mr. Hendricks
wished to know the necessity for the resolution.
He thought the Secretary of War had already the
power to appoint special counsel. Mr. Howard
asked that a letter from Secretary Stanton should
be read from the desk. The Secretary states that
Governor Jenkins, of Georgia, is, as he is informed,
about to bring a suit in the Supreme Court against
the officers named, and he asks the passage of a
resolution him the power to employ special
counsel
givingdefend them. Mr. Howard said that
to
it was notorious that the Attorney-General had
already declined to appear for the Govern-
ment in a case involving the Reconstruc-
tion laws of Congress. It was the duty of
this officer to defend the Government, but that
officer had declared these Acts null and void, thus
placing himself in such an extraordinary attitude
that the Government was compelled to seek else-
where for counsel to defend it. It teemed strange
to him (Mr. H.) that the highest law officer of the
Government should, in advance of the decision of
the Supreme Court, express the opinion he did. He
(Mr. H.) condemned these partisan decisions. Mr.
Sherman expressed the opinion that the Attorney-
General had been conscientious in his action. Mr.
Johnson thought the Senator (Mr. Howard) did
the Attorney General injustice. The President, in
pursuance of his undoubted authority, had called
upon the Attorney General for an opinion on the
Reconstruction Acts, and that officer, in accordance
with his duty, had furnished the opinion asked for.
He (Mr. J.) had no doubt the Attorney-General had
given the opinion that he did conscientiously, and it
would be a singular spectacle for him to appear in the
Supreme• Court, where his own opinion might be
cited against him. Mr. Howard had no desire to
impugn the conscience or the sincerity of the At-
torney-General, but there was a simple and easy
method to get rid of the whole difficulty. If the
Attorney-General was unable to appear in the de-
fence of the law-making power of the Government,
let him resign and allow his place to be filled by
some one who has no conscientious scruples on the
subject. The joint resolution was then passed. (It
authorizes the Secretary of War to employed coun-
sel to defend the above-named officers, and all
other officers of the Government in any suits aris-
ing out of the Reconstruction Acts. On the mo-
tion of Mr. Fessenden, the Committee on the
Judiciary was instructed to inquire into the pro-
priety of repealing or modifying the Act of Feb. 20,
1865, " to temporarily supply vacancies in the Exe-
cutive Dapartment in certain cases." The Supple-
mentary Reconstruction Bill being taken up, Mr.
Morrill, of Maine, said Congress was arraigned upon
this floor in precisely the same strain as it was
arraigned by rebel sympathizers during the war. It
was now charged with disrobing the white race and
clothing the black race with all power. What was
this white race that they were charged with dis-
robing ? It was the same people whose hands were
imbrued in the blood of our children ; the same
people who had usurped exclusive control of the
States in which they lived ; who had for 200 years
revelled in lust and dominion. Congress was slan-
derously charged with establishing a military des-
potism in ten States of the Union. Congress, in
the exercise of the great police power conferred on
it by the Constitution, had gone into those commu-
nications, and established law and order in the place
of despotism. It had created equality in the place
of despotism. It had created equality in the place
of oppression. If the theories of those who opposed
the legislation of Congress were correct, then all
that had been done was a nullity; the Government,
after four years of bloody war, had come out of the
contest with nothing settled—all the sacrifices that
we had made went for naught.

States. He was opposed to prying into the conver-

cation of any gentleman, still less a Judge of the
Supreme Court, and would therefore vote against
the resolution. Mr. Scofield said he would now

yield to Mr. Johnson for his amendment. Mr.
Johnson declined to offer such an amendment, and
Mr. Scofield demanded the previous question. Mr.
Robinson, of New York, moved to lay the resolu-

tion on the table. Not agreed to. The bill was
then passed by a vote of 97 yeas to 57 nays. Mr.
Stevens, of Pennsylvania, from the Committee on
Appropriations, reported back the Executive, Legis-
lative, and Judicial Appropriation Bill for the year

ending June 30th, 1869, and it was ordered to be
printed and recommitted. The committee have cut

down the estimates about $6,000,000, leaving the

total amount $17,119,478.32, distributed as fol-
lows :

Legislative expenses...
Public Printing 1,271,721.79

Library of Congress

33,616.00

Court Of Claims

139,800.00

Botanical Gardens

7,874.96

189,700.00
71,500.00

State Department
Surveyor General and clerks
Mints, with their branches, and the
Assay Office of New York 522,907.60
Independent Treasury 290,200.00
Territorial Governments 258,500.00
Judiciary 196,600.00
Treasury .... 2,760, 146.00

Internal Revenue 6,100,000.00

Interior Department. 700,000.00
Department of Agriculture 151,993.00
Navy Department 156,098.0)
In the appropriation for the Court of Claims a pro-

viso is inserted that no judgment for a sum over
$5,000 should hereafter be paid until approved by
Congress and an appropriation made therefor. The
Senate amendments to the bill in relation to whisky
metres were taken up and agreed to, and the bill
passed. The House resumed the consideration of
the bill reported yesterday from the Committee on
Foreign Affairs in relation to the rights of American

citizens abroad. Mr. Banks, of Massachusetts,
amended the bill by adding to the clauses excepted
from the privileges of the bill, such as had fled from
any military or naval conscription actually ordered
by a foreign State; or of any naturalized citizen
who shall have removed from the United States and
shall have failed to make return of his property for
taxation. Mr. Banks then entered a motion to re-
commit the bill. Mr. Donnelly, of Minnesota,
addressed the House in favour of the bill. Mr.
Woodward, of Pennsylvania, took the ground that
this country cannot question other Governments
regarding relief from citizenship without first
defining its own position, and he would therefore
suggest an amendment, that when any citizen of the
United States should remove and become natura-

lized in a foreign country, he shall have been con-
sidered denationalized in this country. Mr. Wilson
of lowa, said that those persons who came to our
jurisdiction from foreign States, and complying
with our laws, acquire citizenship, should find the
shield of theßepublic as firmly held for their defence
as it is for those who are born upon our soil. At
the conclusion of Mr. Wilson's remarks, the further
consideration of the question was postponed until
Tuesday next. The House resumed the considera-
tion of the bill in relation to forfeiture of public
lands South, and speeches were made by Messrs.
Kelley, of Pennsylvannia; Lawrence, of Ohio ; and
Burr, of Illinois. Mr. Julian gave notice that he
would call the previous question to-morrow, at four
o'clock, and the house then, at 3.55 p.m., adjourned.
Jan. 31.—After some business, Mr. Eggleston,
of Ohio, said he had an unpleasant duty to perform
in presenting the resolutions adopted by the Legis-
lature of the State of Ohio, withdrawing its assent
to the proposed 14th amendment to the Constitu-
tion of the United States, and requesting the Pre-
sident of the United States to transmit to the State
of Ohio all records in possession of the Government
relative to the ratification of the amendment. The
resolutions were reported in full, after which Mr.
Eggleston moved their reference to the Committee
on the Judiciary, which was agreed to. On motion
of Mr. Dawes, of Massachusetts, the House pro-
ceeded to the consideration of the contested election
case from the second district of Kentucky. The re-
solutions were to the effect that John Y. Brown having
aided armed hostility to the United States cannot
hold a seat as Representative from Kentucky. That S.
E. Smith, not having received a majority of votes,
is not entitled to the seat, and that the Governor of
Kentucky be notified that the vacancy still exists
for the second Congressional district of Kentucky.
A long discussion followed, when the resolution was
laid over, and the bill to repeal the internal tax
on cotton was taken up, and Mr. Allison, of lowa,
reported the results of the Conference Committee
agreeing to the amendment exempting from duty
cotton imported after Nov. 1, 1868. This the House
agreed to by a majority of 104 ayes to 43 nays, and
the bill goes to the President.
Feb. I.—The Kentucky contested election case
was resumed. Mr. Beck spoke at length in advo-
cacy of Mr. Brown's right to the seat. Mr. Cook,
of Illinois, replied in favour of the report of the
committee. Mr. Knott, of Kentucky, supported
his colleague in opposition to the report, and its
further consideration was laid over till Monday, to
give Mr. Kerr, of Indiana, an opportunity of sup-
porting the resolution of the majority.
Feb. 3.—Among the bills offered was one by Mr.
Poland, of Vermont, to provide for the payment of
contracts made payable in gold and silver coins.
(It provides that in any suit for the recovery of an
amount of money contracted to be paid in gold and
silver, when judgment is rendered for the complain-
ant, the judgment shall be paid in gold and silver
coin, and the court shall direct the collection of
the same specifically in coin.) By Mr. Robinson.
of New York, joint resolution upon the subject of
the naturalization laws. Foreign Affairs. (It pro-
vides that any alien may become a citizen of the
United States upon application to any common law
court of record in the United States, on giving
proof of good character and of his intention to re-
main in the United States, and upon taking an
oath to support the Constitution of the United
States.) By Mr. Williams, of Indiana, bill to pro-
vide for an additional issue of 150,000,000 of Legal-
Tender notes, to supply the place of notes hereto-
fore withdrawn. Ways and Means. By Mr. New-
comb, of Missouri, bill to provide for the removal
of the national capital to St. Louis county, Mis-
souri. Ways and Means. By Mr. Loughridge, of
lowa, bill in relation to the taxation of United
States notes, Treasury notes, and fractional cur-
rency notes, for State and Municipal purposes. Bank-
ing and Currency. The following resolution, offered
on Dec. 16, by Mr. File, of Missouri, was then taken
up :—Resolved, That the Secretary, of the Treasury
be directed to report to the House whether, since
the Ist day of July last, any national banks have
changed their securities held in the Treasury to
secure their circulation and Government deposits ;
and if so, what banks have so changed their secu-
rities, what changes have been made, the date,
amount, and kind of such changes specifically ;
and that he be required to make no further changes
in the funded securities of the United States by
payment or otherwise, except interest, until further
orders or legislation of Congress thereon. Mr.
Butler, of Massachusetts, said this resolution did
not seem to be perfectly understood, and he wanted
to have it passed, and would, therefore, explain its
purport. It was for the purpose of preventing the
funding of Seven-Thirty .Notes into Five:Twenty
Bonds, by which process the Government of the
United States was losing a large sum in interest.
Ten-Forty Bonds were also being changed by banks
to Five-Twenties, simply for the purpose of getting
as much of the gold loan as possible out before this
House can take action, and it was also for the pur-
pose of taking from the Secretary the discretionary
power of converting these bonds. Mr. Blaine, of
Maine, said the 7-20 bonds bore their terms upon
their face, and they say they may be converted into
5-20 bonds, and this resolution was simply for the
purpose of annulling that contract under the ope-
ration of the thumb screw of the previous question.
Mr. Butler said it was not so, but the resolution
was intended to get the public funds out of the
hands of sharpers. It does not change the funded
debt of the United States. The Secretary is play-
ing into the interests of sharpers in this matter.
Mr. Blaine replied that he was acting in the jute-
rest of common honesty and simply allowing to
be done what the contract requires shall be done.
Mr. Butler demanded the previous question, and

reik ling the question on seconding it the morn-
ing hour expired, and the resolution went over.
Mr. Robinson, of New York, offered a preamble
;and resolution reciting, that Stephen J. Meany,
John Warren, and other American citizens, were
confined ;',n British prisons without having been
permrttod a proper trial, and without having com-
mitted any offences in Great Britain, &c. ; and
&cod) ig the President of the United States to in-
stitute an examination of the facts of the arrests of
such p ersons, and if it is ascertained that they were
arrest( d for offences committed outside of Great
Britair!, to demand the immediate release of all
person s arrested and committed for words spoken
or acts ; done in the United States ; and if not re-
least . upon demand, that the President be autho-
rised to arrest and hold in custody any subject
of G rest Britain in this country, and to with-
draw all intercourse between the Government
of Great Britain and the United States. Mr.
Bing.hatn, of Ohio, said the resolution was a
very important one, as it in its terms involved
a dectvration of war. Besides he was opposed to
authorizing the arrest of any subject of Great Bri-
tain, fc‘r by that language Ambassadors could be
arrested, while in all civilized nations the persons of
Ambast3adors were held secure from arrest. Mr.
Robinsc n modified his resolution to meet the views
of Mr. _Bingham in the respect referred to. His
only desire was to have some action on the part of
the House. Mr. Maynard objected to the recep-
tion of the resolution. Mr. Robinson moved to
suspend the rules, which motion was agreed to. Mr.
Banks said therewasnoofficial information in posses-
sion of the House upon which to predicate the reso-
lution or to justify its passage by this House. The
Secretary of State has informed the Committee on
Foreign Relations that the papers in these cases are
very voluminous, but it was expected that they
would be sent to the House within a week, and he
thought it would be most advisable to delay action
until that time. Mr. Robinson said the reason he
asked action now was that something niight be done as
soon as pogsible to relieve those who were now suf-
fering in British dungeons, and who are now incar-
cerated for no known crime except the utterance of
sentiments in a country distant from their own.
The resolution simply authorized the President to
take measures if he found the facts as stated to be
true. He wanted this House to so express itself on
this subject that the British nation should under-
stand that the time has passed when these outrages
can be perpetrated upon American citizens ; and
that the British lion should no more be permitted
to trample upon the rights of American citizens.
Mr. Bingham viewed this question as one of the
greatest importance, and which should be approached
with great care. It touches the dignity of the na-
tion, and as Representatives it is due to the people
of the American Republic that hasty action should
not be taken ; and he would, therefore, advocate
the reference of the resolution to the Committee on
Foreign Affairs for full examination and investiga-
tion. After some further discussion the resolution
was referred by a vote of 80 yeas to 37 nays, and
the House then, at five minutes past five o'clock, ad-
journed. The bill introduced to-day by Mr. Boutwell,
of Massachusetts, in relation to the public debt, and
to provide for the payment thereof, was the same
that he endeavoured to introduce last week, and
which was then published in full. It provides for
two loans, one of $600,000,000 at six per cent.,
payable in coin, to be issued to citizens of the United
States only, payable in sums of fifty millions of
dollars annually, commencing on the Ist day of
January, 1878. The other loan is for $400,000,000,
at 4'per cent., and payable in coin, in sums of
$50,000,000 annually, commencing on the Ist day
of January, 1900, to be subject to the State or
United States taxation, and made exchangeable for
5-20 bonds. In the House to-day Mr. Williams
introduced the following joint resolution, which
was referred to the Committee on Banking and Cur-
rency :—Be it resolved, &c., That the Secretary of
the Treasury be and is hereby authorized and re-
quired to issuesl4o,ooo,ooo of Legal-tender notes to
supply in part the deficiency in currency, caused
by the cancellation of Legal-tender and compound
interest notes taken up by the Secretary of the
Treasury.
Feb. 4.—The House resumed the consideration of
the bill beretofore reported from the Committee on
Foreign Affairs in relation to the rights of Ame-
rican citizens in foreign countries. Mr. Bailey, of
New York, addressed the House in favour of some
stringent measure upon the subject, but he opposed
the pending bill as not going far enough, and
being sufficiently explicit. Mr. Butler, of Mas-
sachusetta, had read what he proposed to offer at
the proper time as a substitute for the pending bill.
The substitute declares the right of a citizen of any
country to expatriate himself, and that any
foreigner may become a citizen of the United
States, and have all the protection at home and
abroad which the Government gives to any native-
born citizen—and when any citizen of the United
States is deprived of his liberty or despoiled of
his property by any foreign Government, and is
held for trial for a crime not committed in such
foreign country, his release shall be demanded by
the President of the United States, and in case of
a failure to release him, all diplomatic and com-
mercial intercourse between the United States
and such foreign country shall cease, and the
President shall at once communicate the
facts to Congress, together with the detailed rea-
sons for such cessation of intercourse. Mr. Jenckes,
of Rhode Island, also gave notice of a substitute,
which he proposed to offer at the proper time. This
substitute provides, in the first section, that the
right of expatriation, and the right of naturaliza-
tion under the conditions imposed by law, shall be
declared a part of the public law of the United
Stated, and the Executive Department of the Go-
vernment shall insist upon the recognition of these
principles by all foreign Powers. If the rights of
American citizens are infringed, it shall be the duty
of the President to report the facts to Congress
without delay. Any citizen of the United States
may lose his rights as an American citizen : First—
By becoming a naturalized citizen of a foreign Go-
vernment. Second—By entering into a foreign
service without the permission of the Govern-
ment of the United States ; and, Third—
By making a domicile in a foreign county with-
out intention to return to the United States.
Any citizen of the United States, when engaged in
a lawful business abroad, shall be entitled to the
full protection of the Government, whether such
citizen be naturalized or native born. The pro-
visions and protection accorded by the bill shall
not apply to the following classes of cases : First—
Those who have renounced citizenship by any of
the modes named above. Second—Those who have
been guilty of crime against the laws of a foreign
State in such foreign State. Third—Those who
have been convicted of treason, and have thus for-
feited their right to the protection of the Govern-
ment. Fourth—Those who have absented them-
selves from the United States for five years con-
tinuously, and have not in that time made returns
of property for taxation, as required by law. Fifth
—Those who have engaged in the service of a
foreign belligerent in contravention of the military
laws of the United States. Sixth—Those who have
connected themselves with organizations in foreign
Governments, the terms of membership to which
require a nativity of the country in which such
organization may be located. Seventh—Those who,
having become naturalized citizens of the United
States, afterwards return to their native country
with the intent and purpose of being domiciled
there. Eighth—Such as have procured naturalization
in this country by fraud. Ninth—Those who have de-
serted the actual service of a foreign country, or have
left to avoid an actual military order already given.
It is provided further that any citizen of the United
States who may lose his citizenship by any of the
modes above named, may regain it by again de-
claring his intention to become a citizen of the
United States. Mr. Rigby proceeded to address
the House, and argued the necessity of adopting
some measure at once. Mr. Judd said ho had not
opposed the motion for a night session because he
wanted to cut off debate, but because these evening
sessions were very little advanced above debating
societies, and he thought the question of sufficient
importance to demand the attention of a full House.
The morning hour baying expired, jr,D Judd was

compelled to yield without concluding his remarks.
On the motion of Mr. Koontz, of Pennsylvania,
the Senate Bill for the temporary relief of the
destitute people in the District of Columbia was
taken from the Speaker's desk and referred to
the Committee on the District of Columbia.
The House then resumed the consideration of
the bill reported from the Committee on Public
Lands, declaring forfeited certain lands hereto-
fore granted to the Southern States for railroad
purposes. Mr. Eldridge, of Wisconsin, opposed
the bill. Mr. Mungen, of Ohio, opposed the bill
as not being what it purported to be upon its face.
He denied that it was intended as a measure to
give land to the landless and homes to the home-
less. Mr. Niblack, of Indiana, spoke in opposition
to the bill. Mr. Hopkins made a speech in favour
of the land grant bill; and was followed by Mr.
Arnell, of Tennessee, who advocated an amend-
ment to exempt the Tennessee and Alabama, and
Nashville and Decature roads from the operation of
the bill. Mr. Shanks, of Indiana, spoke in favour
of the bill. Pending further consideration, the
Speaker laid before the house the following commu-
nications :—From the Secretary of War, trans-
mitting copies of correspondence between the
President and General Grant, in relation to the
suspension of Secretary Stanton and the course
pursued by General Grant in surrendering the
portfolio of the office. Mr. Wilson, of lowa, moved
the reference of the papers of the Committee on
Reconstruction, and that they be printed. So
ordered.

Feb. s.—General John Beatty, from Ohio, took
his seat. The bill declaring forfeited lands granted
to the Southern States for railroad purposes was
discussed, amended, and finally laid on the table,
when the House resumed the consideration of the
bill in relation to the rights of American citizens
abroad ; and Mr. Judd, of Illinois, continued his
remarks commenced yesterday. He opposed some
of the features of the bill as reported by Mr. Banks.
He contended that the remedy proposed, that of
arresting and holding a citizen of another State for
no crime, except because his Government had
arrested an American citizen, was barbarous, as
it neither punished the offending party nor
asserted a principle, but simply punished an
innocent man, who may have come to the
United States fos the most innocent purposes.
The Senate Bill authorising the Secretary of
War to employ counsel to defend Generals Grant,
Meade, and Ruger, in suits pending against them
in the State of Georgia for their enforcement of the
Reconstruction Acts, was then taken up. Mr.
Garfield, of Ohio, moved to put the joint resolution
on its passage, and he urged the necessity of passing
the bill, so as to confer this authorityupon the Sec-
retary of War. Mr. Scofield, of Pennsylvania,
thought we had an Attorney-General who was paid
a high salary, and he wanted to know why he did
not attend to the defence of these Generals. Mr.
Garfield thought the question a pertinent one.
We had an Attorney-General, but his time
was mostly employed in writing veto messages
and making speeches at Democratic dinners. Gen.
Meade has removed the Governor of Georgia,
who was an obstruction to Reconstruction, and
the Secretary of War had been asked to defend
him in a suit against the General for effecting such
removal. Mr. Randall, of Pennsylvania, opposed
the bill only because this employment of special
counsel was one of the greatest sources of fraud and
expense to the Government. It was the duty of the
Attorney-General to attend to this matter, and he
should do so. Mr. Upson asked if the Attorney-
General had not refused to attend to these cases ?
Mr. Washburne—Yes, he has. Mr. Randall had
no reference to this special case, but he thought
there should be some limit to those expenditures,
and he suggested that an amount of compensation
be stated. The joint resolution was passed by a
vote of 115 yeas to 37 nays.