Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-03-09


e change certain judicial districts, which was
t passed.
n The bill enacts that hereafter the Supreme
s Court shall consist OF one Chief Justice and
= eight associate Judges.
= Mr.. Wilson remarked that he should be
$ in favor of still further reduction of the
3 number of the judges, and that as an act 10
t amend the judiciary system would soon
come before the House, it might be well to
provide for such reduction.
Mr.. Wilson also reported back, with a
recommendation that it pass, the Senate
bill to restrict the expenses of collecting SOL
| diers' claims against the government limit
ing the fees OF claim agents to SO.
Some debate grew up on this bill.
NJ WENTWORTH in denOuncing the
claim agents, gave notice to the soldiers
that if they would send their papers to Con-
gressmen they would attend to it with great
pleasure.
Mr.. WILSON explained that the fee of
so was simply limitation. The soldier
could drive q bargain within this limit.
This bill had been reported for the purpose
of protecting the soldiers. II the gentleman
from Illinois attended TO all tho claims of
soldiers from his district he would have
very little time to devote to legislation.
Mr.. WENTWORTH, said he had done so
after the Mexican war, and expected to do
| 80 INV. lAc Was the BTdbullous agent OF
every man in his district for all his Wash
ingtOn business. [Laughter.l
Mr.. WILSON reminded the gentleman
that the State OF Illinois had sent more SOL
diers to the field than the United States had
sent to Mexico. He had, and ne presumed
every other member had attended cheer
fully and without compensation to the busi-
ness of soldiers in his district; but he could
not undertake TO attend To his duties as a
1 3 ! -. - 4
such claims.
Mr.. SCHENCK proposed to recommit the
| bill with instructions that it be amended by
| providing a system of agents paid by the
| Government, by whom claims Of soldiers
| due from the Government may be collected
free of cost
n After considerable debate by Messrs
I'Shellabarger, IngersOll, Wilson, Eldridge |
Cobb and Schenck, in which it was stated |
that Ohio, Illinois, Indiana and other States |
had agents here attending to the business |
Of their soldiers, the molten to recommit |
with instructions was voted on by yeas and |
nayes, and carried by 70 yeas against go |
nayes.
The House resumed the consideration of |
the Senate bill TO protect all persons in the |
United States in the civil rights, and to |
furnish the means Of their vindication /
which had been postponed to this day.
Mn BROOMALL spoke in favor Of the
bill
Mr.. BINGHAM offered an amendment
to the pending motion 10 reeOmmit with
the instructions. Tho amendment propO-
ses to stri ke out the words ~ and there shall |
be no discrimination in civil rights" and
also strike out everything penal in the bill,
and authorizing criminal proceedings, and
in lieu thereof to give to all citizens of the
United States, injured by denial or violation
of any of their rights secured and protected
by this act, the right in action in the Uni
ted States Courts with double costs in all
cases recovery without regard to the amount
of damage.
Mr. RAYMOND made a speech in favor
of his substitute for the bill, declaring the
freedom of citizens.
Mr.. DELANO spoke against the bill
which he thought Congress had no power to
pass
LIZ. -IrERR opposed the bill on COnstitu-
tional grounds.
Mr.. WILSON withdrew the motion to re-
commit, in order for an amendment which
was to insert the words "or for refusing 10
perform any act on the ground that it would
be inconsistent with this act" He then
renewed the motion TO reeommit and moved
the previous question. which was seconded.
This gave Mr.. Wilson the right to the close
and ne agreed to divide his tina with Mr.
Bingham. The bill then went over till
the transfer of the Smithsonian Library.
Referred.
Mr.. UPs0N introduced bill to pay Ger
tain monies to the Chippewa. Choctaw and
Pottawamie Indians in Michigan. Re
ferred.
Mr.. WINDOW presented a petition of
certain citizens Of Minnesota praying for
redress for damages committed by certain
ar,T no l-nsa "a Tpdfanz in 1879 |
House adjourned.
SENATE.
Mr.. VAN WIEKLE presented the joint
resolution Of the West Virginia Legislature
asking Congress to pay the war debt of that
State growing out OF arming and paying the
militia. Referred.
Mr. TRUMBULL presented the petition
of the officers of the Illinois Central Rail
road asking that the iron used in the con
struction of bridges and ether superstrue
lures be exempt from excise duty.
Mr.. MORGAN. from the Committee on
Finance, reported back the petition of the
New York Union League Club asking that
Congress appropriate, for the relief Of Mrs.
Line in. the amount of salary for the full
term of Office for which Mr.. Lincoln was
elected Mr.. Morgan asked that the Com
mittee be discharged, and it was so ordered.
Mr.. POLAND presented joint resolution
to amend the Constitution by disqualifying
from voting or holding Office all who have
taken part in the rebellion. Referred to
the Committee on Reconstruction.
Mr.. HENDERSON introduced the follow
ing:
Resolus1. lst, That the late rebellion was
contest between freedom and slavery to
perpetuate human bondage against the in
huence of progressive civilization which
il was feared would soon manifest itself in |
the action of tho Government, and portion
of the people of eleven States attempted 10
withdraw themselves and their States from
the operation Of these influences.
I'd. When the laws were sesisted in this
attempt at secession it was tho province of
Congress for calling forth the military to
execute the laws when insurrection was in
augurated. Congress alone had the power
and was charged with the duty to sup
press it.
Sd. Whether the insurrection in these
States has been suppressed or not is to be
determined by Congress and not by the
Executive alone. Il is for Congress to de-
eide. not only whether armed resistance TO
the national authority vet exists, but
whether the cause of rebellion has been re-
moved; and if not, it Is for Congress to
adopt such constitutional measures as will
remove these evils and prevent, if possible, |
the recurrence of such wars in the future.
4th. In this attempt at secession the peo-
pie Of these eleven States suffered the poll
teal connection established by their State
governments with the Federal government
to be severed. and in this condition ofthings
the States themselves are without such
Republican form of government as was con-
templated in the Constitution, and it be- {
comes the duty of the United States and
not of the Executive to guarantee such
forms. These people who voluntarily aban-
doned their allegiance to the government, !
and willingly transferred it TO a hostile de- :
facto government, have as far as they were
able become alienated and it is for Congress
TO determine TO what extent they have sue
ceeded in such efforts at alienation, and l
what rights they are now entitled to as eiti- 1
zens of the United States. The Union is /
not restored till the State governments in
these States in the Republican form, shall
be established and recognized by the Fed
eral Government, and it is the opinion of !
the Senate that such governments should be !
at once organized on the true principles of b.
Republieanism the consent of the
governed and that all men recog-
nize the great truth that the peo-
Pile of the States should not be
taxed without representation.
9th. That tire Committee on Reeonstruc-
ton are hereby requested to inquire into I