Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1864-06-02
CONGRESSIONAL SUMMARY.
THURSDAY, MAY 26, 1864.

could be much essened by excluding many long speeches
that not delivered especially n the other House.
The subject laid over.
Mr.. MORRILL,, from the Committee on the District of
Columbia reported bill for the revision of the laws of
| the District.
Mr.. HALE, from the Naval Committee, reported back
the bill providing for the efficiency Of the navy with amend
ments
Mr., JOHNSON submitted d resolution requesting the
President if not incompatible with the public interest to
inform the Senate whether hs has authorized any person
to be delivered up the Spanish authorities and if So
under what law it DONE The resolution was ordered
to be printed.
Mr. HENDERSON, from the Committee on the District
of Columbia, reported back the bill to incorporate the
home for friendless women and children" with amend
ments.
Mr. POWELL submitted the following resolution, which
was also ordered to be printed:
Resolped That the conduct of the Executive authority
of the Government in recently closing the ces and sup
pressing the publication of the World and Journa OF
newspapers the city Of New York under circum
stances which have been placed before the public was
act n itself dangerous to the of the
Union, violation Of the Constitutions and subversve of
the principles of civil liberty aud such hereby
sured by the Senate
Mr. WADE called up the joint resolution to amend the
charter of the city of Washington
Mr.. SUMNER said this was d very important subject
amending the charter of Washington The language of
the resolution very broad covering the whole question
of the political franchise. The person desiring vote is
to that he has been resident for certain period
aud to certain other things 10 regard to registration and
them if he has complied with requirements of the pre-
sent laws and possesses the qualifications therein pre-
scrbed he may vote This is that tail of slavery remain
ing here of which he had before spokenst preserving
that disqualification of color left to us uuh4ppy by the
former slavery in the national capital Did the committee
who reported the intend keep alive that odcus
distinction The language of the resoluopQught to be
made clear and leave doubt that subject He there
fore moved to amend the resolution by adding the follow
ing: provided there shall be exclusion of any person
from the register on account of color
Mr. WADE said that the committee had only designed in
accordance with the wish of the whole people, do that
which necessary to get fair election 1t not
designed either widen narrow the elective franchise
but SIMPLY provide that the techncaty of the old
law should not prevent persons having all hs substantial
qualifications from voting The old law registration
having been differently construed at different times this
the necessary He did consider
to define bis position the subject Of excluding men from
voting account of color; but he did not see why that
matter should be in every BILL This bill was simply for
the purpose which he stated.
Mr. RUNNER about to reply, when Mr. FEssEN-
to its further consideration to the exclusion of the tex
bill.
Mr.. HENDRICKS did not see the U.S. Of any discussion
Tie presumed the Senate knew what judgment to give on
the Of negro voting without further elaboration
Mr.. SUMNER stll desiring to reply to Mr. WADE on mo
tion, the subject laid over
On motion Of Mr. FEssENDEN, the Senate as in Com
mttee Of the Whole resumed the consideration Of the
House bill providing for of the internal revenue
The proposed thereto by the senates Finance
Committee generally agreed the reading OF the
bill progressed 1t not concluded when the Senate
between nine and ten O'Clock adourned-(a having
been taken from Al to o'clJck)
In the HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES, leave was asked
by Mr.. WAsHBURNE, of Illinois, from the Committee on
Commerce, to introduce bill approprsting $3.50 900 for
the preservation and repair Of public works on the lakes
and 100000 for similar works the seabosrd He re
marked that in the present condition of the country the
committee do not propose to report any general and
hsrbor BILL but the appropriation proposed actually
necessary to preserve the public works from destruction
mr STEVENS objected TO the introduction OF the bill un
should be referred 10 hs Committee Of the Whole on
the state Of the Union for consideration. Mr. WASH
BURNE gave notice that next Monday he would ask sus
pension Of the rules for the purpose Of introducing the
resolution.
The House resumed the of the reciprocity
question. Mr.. BAXTER of Vermont Mr.. DAVIS Of Mary
land and Mr. MORRILL, Of Vermont opposed the abrogaon
Of the reciprocity treaty with the British North American
Provinces. Mr. SWEAT Of Maine and Mr.. LrTTLEJoHN
of New York opposed abrogaou but favored the appoint
ment Of commissioners both Sides in order to form
perfect reciprocity.
The House then proceeded to vote on the pending pro
positions, and rejected two Of them including one merely
To- give the notice for the abrogson of the treaty without
conditions The vote yeas "a, nays 81.
Mr.. STEVENS moved to lay the original joint resolution
the table, 1t provides for the appointment Of commits
soners to form perfect system Of reciprocity The
question determined in the negative by two msority
and finally the further consideration Of the resolution was
postponed until the second Tuesday of December next
The House passed the Senate bill making an sppropris-
ton to pay Peruvian citizens under the recent convention
between the United States Peru and then adjourned
FRIDAY, MAY 27, 1854
In the SENATE favorable report was made by Mr..
FEssENDEN, from the Committee Finance on the joint
resolution from the House amendatory Of the joint resou
ton to increase temporarily the duties on imports
Mr. DAVIS moved to take up resolution, heretofore Of
fsred by him, directing inquiry into the Of VIM
Yokum 10 order to ascertain whether he confined in the
pentenary Albany elsewhere and whether or not he
has been pardopod, after trial by military court The
resolution proposes instruct the Judiciary Committee
obtain all the facts in the and report the to the