The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1865-12-14
Congregational.
WASHINGTON, Dec. Is.

| twelve o'clock, noon, VIM. Foster, Presi-
dent pro tenn, in chair.
Mr.. Wilson was excused from further
service on the committee on pensions and
revolutionary claims.
Mr.. Brown introduced q bill to recon-
pense the State of Missouri for expenses
incurred in enrolling, equipping and pro-
visioning the militia. The bill was or.
dered to be printed and referred to the
committee on military affairs
Mr.. Guthrie presented remonstrance
from certain citizens of Louisiana,
against the reception of Messrs. Hahn
and Cutler as Senators from that State.
Mr. Grimes objected to the remon-
STRANGE, as it was addressed to Jacob
Barbar, and not to the Senate, and it
was ordered to be laid upon the table.
Mr.. Foote presented a resolution
which was referred, providing for the
payment to the widow of the late Mr..
Collamer the. amount due to that Sena'
tor at the time of his death.
Mr. Grimes offered a resolution which
was adopted, instructing the committee
on the library to inquire into the exped-
iency of the appointment of reporter
to prepare the report of the Senate pro-
ceedings for the associated press.
Mr. Sherman, from the committee on
agriculture. reported the House bill to
prevent the Importation of cattle, to
prevent the spread of the disease.
Mr.. Stewart submitted joint resoln'
tion containing the following articles, to
be proposed as amendments to the Con-
stitution of the United States. First,
the union fthe States under the Consti'
tuition is indissoluble, and no State can
absolve its citizens from the obligations
of paramount allegiance to the United
| States. Second no engagement made or
obligation incurred by any State or by
any number Of States or by any county,
city or other municipal corporation to
subvert, impair or resist the authority of
| the United States, or to support or aid
any Legislature, Convention or body, in
hostility to such authority, shall ever be
held void or be assured or sustained in
whole or in part by any State or by the
| ferred to the Judiciary committee.
On motion of Mr.. Sumner the Senate
took up the resolution calling for infor-
nation in regard to the employment OF
persons in the Treasury Department who
have not taken tue oath of allegiance,
and whether there are persons employed
and paid from offices not provided by
law. The resolution was passed.
Mr.. Wilson called up bill to maintain
the freedom of the inhabitants Of the
States declared to be in insurrection and
rebellion by the proclamation of the
President, of the first Of July, 1862 1t
declares all laws heretofore in force or
held valid in the insurrectionary States,
whereby any inequality of rights or i'm
munities among the inhabitants of those
| States exist on account of race or color,
null and void. Mr.. Wilson explained
the nature of the bill. He said the Proc
Iamation of the President of the 22nd of
September 1865 declaring emancipation,
pledges the faith of tie government of
the United States to maintain the tree
dom of the persons declared to be free.
They were repeated in the proclamation
of the first of January. 1t was then the
duty of the government to maintain the
civil rights aud immHnities OF the freed
men. The most cold blooded atrocities
were being perpetrated upon these freed
men and it was the duty of Congress to
interfere at once Whatever differences
of opinion there might be on the subject
of negro suffrage, there ought to be none
in regard to the duty of making good
the guarantees of the government
MI Johnson said there were serious
legal objections to the bill under consd.
Grafton. 1t did not name any bills or
laws, but all laws of certain character
and it only repealed all laws already
made. But if the Southern States are in
the Union they have right to make po
lice laws for the future He had never
believed that the Southern States were
out of tile Union, and he was glad to see
in President JohDson's message, which
was one of tho ablcst ever issued, q
concurrence in this view The people Of
the Southern States were now as anxious
to return, as they once were to leave the
Union &c believed there was as much
philantrophy in the South az the North
and he was sorry that an impression was
sought to be created that the people of
the South were foresworn
Mr.. Cowan did not believe that the
bill would accomplish what its author
intended. He thought an amendment
to the Constitution was the only vay to
reach the matter, and he believed that
such an amendment would pass in Con-
press within month
Mr.. Wilson referred TO certain laws
passed in Southern States since the
abolishmeut of slavery, which he said
subjected the freedmen to worse bond
age than slavery itself The condition
of the freedmen of the South was worse
to-day than it was on the day Of the sur
render.
Mr.. Sherman concurred with tho OBJ
iect of the bill He believed it TO be the
duty of Congress to secure freedom TO
emancipated slaves, but he believed that
such legislation ought to be postponed
until the proclamation OF the Secretary
of State announcing the adoption OF
the constitutional amendment by the
REQUISITE number of States Congress
had power, he said, under the second
section of the amendment to make pro,
vision for the freedom of the blacks, and
there was another section OF the Con
stitution under which it could be done
that section which gives to the citizens
of one State all the rights of the citizens
of the several States.
The bill before the House did not de.
tiue civil right which the negroes ought
to have, but state them in general terms
In his judgement Congress ought to I'M
nose the conditions upon which the
southern States should be received back
into the Union. Action on the bill before