Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1864-12-21
THE EVENING STAR.
CONGRESSIONAL.

In PEE SENATE, yesterday aftarnoon-
Mr. Harlan introduced resolution instruct
Spe the Com mittee on the District Of Columoie
TO Inquire into the expedieney Of IedIirins All
ne res idents OF the District OF Cclnmoi to axe
and file with the Provost MarsnaI OF saio us
nbct an oath Of allegiance ano OF hoen.y 70 TUG
Government of the United States. similar 10
the oath required by law of Senators and MEM
bers In Congress and other officers Of the Gov
eminent; and also to pr9hioit an persons rom
take said oath. The resolution was passed
Mr. sumner, from the Foreign Affairs Com
nittee, reported the following substitute for
the House resolution providing for the termi-
nation of the reciprocity treaty Of 5th of June,
1884, between the United States and Great
Britain
whereas 1t Ia provided in the reciprocity
treaty, concluded at Washington June S, 1851,
between the Unlred States OF the one part, and
the United Kingdom OF Great Britain and Ire
land Of the other part, that the treaty shall re-
main il force for ten years from the date at
which 10 may come into operation; and. further,
until the expiration OF twelve months after
either Of the high contracting parties shall give
notice 10 the other OF Its wish to terminate the
same; and whereas it appears, by proclama-
ton Of the President of the United States, bear
ing date the 10th OF March, 1855, that the treaty
came into operation on that day; and whereas
further IL appears that il is no longer Tor the
interest OF the United States TO continue the
Res,Ivsd. by the Sennt. and House Of Represen-
fGtires Of the Unted States Of 4meric1 an coHIreSs
assembled, That notice be gwen OF tne termt-
the provisions therein contained, for the termi-
mating OF the same, and the President Of the
United States ia hereby charged with the COM
mupfcation of such notice to the Government
OF the United Kin gdom Of Great Britain and
Ireland.
In TIE HOUSE yesterday afternoon
Mr.. Ashley, from The Committee on the Re-
beLious States, reported a bill granting to GER
tain States whose governments have been sub
yerfed or oyerthrown. republican form OF
governments; and the consideration Of the sub.
~ 70 g January
The House resolved itself into n Committee
Of the Whole on the State of the Union, aud re-
sumed the consideration Of the Presidents an
nual message.
Mr. Amos Myers replied at some length to
the recent speech OF Mr. Brooks, and, IN this
connection, asked who ever heard OF true reli.
gion sanctioning and toleratiDg slavery. He
contended that the South had no cause of com.
plant against the other portion of the Union,
and this " as shown In the letter OF Alexander
H. Stephens, the Vice. President Of the Rebel
Government
Mr. Ross replied, arguing tn 1t the States are
sovereign and independents and II this princi-
pie were every W here observed there would be-
10 political disturbances. He said that this
Government was made and maintained by
compromise. and that il would he better TO set
tie the existing difficulties by compromise than
by a continuation of the war. He would Ask
an aTmistiCe and national convention
Mr.. Farnsworth. in replv 10 his colleague,
" ben our armies are so brilliantly employed.
The soldier did not want an aTmistlce and
con veDtOD, because ne "a w Lnat lI WOuiO only
be producty OF chronic war. There was no
way OF peace excepting through war. All the
rs bells had 10 do vas 10 submit 10 the old Con.
etltntion and the old flag, lay down their In.
struments OF war, and take up the instru-
ments OF peace, and then the war would be at
an end.
The committee rose, and the House ad-
jonrned.
THRPAPKR DUTr-The duty on printing pa
per was, we suppose, INTENDED by those VINO laid
il TO produce revenue to tie treasury. Its on
1y effect however, Is TO put money into The
pockets of the American manufacturers. The
duty la twenty per cent. dd vOtoTem; this is pay
able In gold, and il has made importation i'm
possible. 1t does this in the folio wing way:
The manufacturers OF printing paper here
set their prices so as to leave no margin Of GER.
tain profit 10 the importer who must pay a
duty OF twenty per cent. in gold; at the same
time their profits enable them If necessary, TO
undersrll and drive out OF the market with
loss any enc who should attempt to import.
Printing paper sold for from nine to ten
cents PEI pound before The war. 1t is sold for
eight cents per pound in Europe at this time.
But In this country publishers are forced to
pUy for news paper from twenty four to thirty
cents. Take off the duty, and it can he i'm
ported for from seventeen 70 eighteen cents
per pound, currency; and at that price Amer
lean manufacturers can still make and sell AZ
q fair profit.
A duty which yields no revenue is an ah-
surdiy The present twenty per cent duty
upon paper is prohibitory; its emily use is 10
take money ont of the pockets of the public and
put IL into the pockets of the few already
wealthy manufacturers. Even the govern
ment pays tribute, under present arrange.
ments, 10 these capitalists for the immense
quantity Of paper 1t uses. The present Con-
gress ought to remedy this wrong by repeal
ing the duty on paper.-N. Y. Post.
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