The Sun.
London, England, 1868-02-24 00:00:00

CONGRESS.

SENATE,

Jan. :30.—Mr. Patterson, of New Hampshire,
called up the bill, in addition to the Act regulating
the tenure of certain civil offices. Ile said it would
save the Treasury at least three or four hundred
thousand dollars annually, and indirectly the saving
would amount to millions. In answer to a question
by Mr. Sumner regarding the special agents of the
State Department, who were paid out of the Secret
Service Fund, Mr. Patterson replied that the prac-
tice in regard to these appointments was a crying
evil, as, about all these agents did, was to draw their
salaries. Mr. Sumner sympathized with the object,
but thought the practice and precedent of the • Go-
vernment, under all administrations, in the conduct
of our Foreign Affairs, should not be interfered
ith. Ile desired a letter from the Secretary of State
to be read. This expressed the hope that the Bill
will not interfere with the power of the Department
to send these secret agents abroad, exercised under
all administrations, occasions often arising in foreign
relations when it is essential such agents should be
despatched. Mr. Sumner then moved an amend-
ment, that nothing in the bill should be s') con-
strued as to prevent the appointment of special
agents by the Department of the State. Mr. John-
son said all Governments employed such agents,
and their services at times were essentially neces-
sary. If the Senate proposed ts) do away with them
it was better to abolish the Contingent Fund. The
morning hour having expired, the unfinished busi-
ness, being the Supplementary Reconstruction Bill,
was taken up. Mr. Cragin observed, the question
now agitating the country was whether the fruits of
their glorious victory should be preserved?—
whether those whose blood had cemented the
foundations of the Republic should control its
destinies, or whether those who' had laboured to
destroy it, and yet entertained the same unholy
desires should be permitted to resume their former
control ? The accomplishment of the policy of the
President and his friends would secure the latter
result ; the carrying out of the laws of Congress
would secure the former. Mr. Hendricks (Demo-
crat), of Indiana, said the policy and measures of
Congress in regard to the South were maintained
upon two points—first, that •at the end of the war
there were no legalized State Governments in exist-
ence there ; and, second, that the power of Congress
to institute State Governments, rested under the
clause of the Constitution guaranteeing a Republi-
can form of Government to the States. Both of
these propositions he denied. The State Govern-
ments which were in existence at the close of the
war had been organized by the consent and with
the approval of the people. After a State was ad-
mitted into the Union, and her Government recog-
nized, he denied that it was in the power of any
Convention or any Legislature to legislate that
State out of existence. This could only be done by
the consent of all the States of the Union. The war
was not made upon any State or upon the rights of
any State, but for the sole purpose of retaining such
State in that Union.—The Senate adjourned.

Jan 31.—The Legislature of Ohio withdrew the
State assent to the 14th Amendment to the Con-
stitution, and Mr. Sherman on calling for the
reading of the resolutions remarked that they did
not speak the voice of the people of Ohio. In the
canvass of 1866 that Amendment had been ratified
by a vote of 40,000, and they had not rescinded
that assent. These resolutions were the voice of a
partisan majority in the Legislature elected on
issues entirely different. Were the vote of Ohio to
be taken to-day, the Constitutional Amendment
would be affirmed by a hundred thousand majority.
Mr. Sumner considered this action unprecedented ;
a State having once assented had no power to with-
draw, and the resolutions of this Legislature were
impotent. Mr. Johnson confirmed this ; and the
resolutions were referred to the Committee on the
Judiciary. After discussing the employment of
secret service agents, and a notice from Mr. John-
son that on Monday he would take up the case of
his colleague, Mr. Thomas, and consider it until
final disposal, the Supplementary Reconstruction
Bill was taken up. Mr. Howe did not think
that the Republican party ou the Congressional
policy needed defence, but he would examine at
length the manifesto of his colleague, Mr. Doolittle,
which he reviewed in au amusing speech, maintain-
ing that there was no design on the part of
Congress to secure negro supremacy. They wished
to secure negro suffrage, and this they would
do or prosecute the attempt to the end of their
lives. The bill was postponed on the motion of
Mr. llarlan, and other busincs3 discussed, when
the Senate adjourned till Monday.
Feb. 3.—Mr. Cameron presented a memorial
asking the recall from Great Britain of Charles
Francis Adams, on the ground that he does not
properly represent the United States.—Referred to
Committee on Foreign Relations. Mr. Hayter
presented a memorial relative to the rights of Ame-
rican citizens travelling abroad, and remarked that
it was time for the Government to be taking some
measures in reference to this matter. Mr. Sher-
man, from the Committee on Finance, reported the
House Bill authorising State taxation on the shares
of national banks to be levied by the State in
which the shareholder resides, which was passed.
Mr. Wilson introduced a bill to provide for
the gradual reduction of the military service,
and to abolish unnecessary grades therein.—Re-
ferred to Committee on Military Affairs. Mr.
Willey introduced a bill requiring persons applying
to Congress for extension or renewal of patents to
give public notice thereof. Referred to Committee
on Patents. On motion of Mr. Cole, the Secretary
of the Treasury was requested to inform the Senate
whether any additional legislation is necessary for
the protection of emigrants to the United States, in-
terpretation of the laws now on the statute books re-
lative to health, morals, &c., of such emigrants, and
whether such laws are applicable to sailing vessels.
The Supplementary Reconstruction Biil was taken
up, and Mr. Ferry spoke. He referred to Mr. John-
son's vote last March for Reconstruction, and ccn-
trasted it with his present course in assisting the
obstructionists to retard the efforts of Congress.
Mr. Johnson said that he had voted for the act of
last March, although at the time he believed it to be
inconsistent with the spirit of the Constitution, and
to this day he did not regret that vote; because it
was then said that it would be a finality on the part
of Congress. He had hoped it would be the wisest
and speediest method of restoring peace to the coun-
try, and the South to her former condition before
the war. There were times when a Senator of the
United States should rise superior to the question
even of his constitutional duties, and act as he
thought best for the good of the country. He had
been disappointed—there was no peace—the mea-
sure alluded to had not been a finality. From
whatever reason, whether those who had control
of this were not satisfied of the sincerity of the
South, or whether they had other purposes in
view, he was unable to say ; but a new measure
was now brought forward, and he could not
help thinking that its object was to persecute the
people of the South. He had no doubt that it was
more flagrantly in violation of the Constitution
than the former one. Even now he would be dis-
posed to go for a measure which would accomplish
the object of his desires, restore peace and harmony
to the whole country, but he had no such hopes of
the pending bill. Mr. Ferry concluded by saying
the South could not be restored in a day. The
machinery of these acts required some time to bring
back these States in the full exercise of their rights.
The work had gone on well. The Senator (Mr.
Johnson) cried " Bring back the South." That was
what Congresswanridarytloanddo: andana hpeel(aNwlra.reF,erarnyd)
would ask, come
Pennsylvania, and Kentucky, and help us to
bring her back clothed in the garments of
freedom. Mr. Stewart gave an elaborate argu-
ment favouring the legislation of Congress, and the
Senate adjourned at 4 p.m.

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