The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1866-12-11


successors have been appointed and qualified, and
who shall give bond with good ana sufficient sure
ties, for such amount and in such form the Sec
retary of tho Interior may approve provided, that
| the number of pension agencies in any State or
territory shall in case be increased hereafter SO as
to ceed three and that such agency shall be es
tablished in addition to those existing in any
sions paid during the fiscal year next preceding
shall otexeeed the sum Of S500000 And provided
further, That the term Of office of all pension
agents appointed since the fret day of January,
1885, shall expire at the end of thirty days from the
passage OF this act and that the President shall,
within nfteen days from the passage Of this act,
nominate to the Senate persons for pension agents
in the several agencies in which pension agents
have been appointed the said first of January,
| 1866, and that all pension agents appointed prior
10 sald date last named, and now acting shall con-
| unue In their respective Offices until their sue
| cessors shall be nominated and confirmed, in
aGSGrdsnce NS 10 With me PROVISIONS OF this act
| as question of privilege:
Whereas, 1t is alleged that Charles b. Culver, of
Pennsylvania, member of this House, is detained
from his seat in this House, under arrest in Vio-
lation Of the provisions of the sixth section, first
article OF the Constitution, and OF the privileges Of
Resolved, That the Committee on the Judiciary is
hereby instructed, with all practicable Dispatch to
inquire INTO the circumstances of the case and re-
port the same TO this House, and that it report to
the House whether any breach of its privileges has
| been committed, and what action should be had
theTeupon; that the said committee have power TO
send for persons and papers, to sit during the
sion OF the House, and to report by bill or other
In explanation of the resolution Mr.. HALE had
read at the clerks desk, newspaper paragraph
showing that Mr.. Culver, of Venango Bank
notorety, was in custody under the civil law; that
he had been brought before Judge Turkey on a
Congress he was free from liability to arrest on
civil process, and that the Judge had decided that
member of Congress was not entitled to his priyi-
leges when held for an indIctable offence.
Mr.. WILLIAMS, of Pennsy vania, stated the
main facts as he understood them, contending that
the decision was wrong, and that Mr.. Culver
should be discharged from custody, the only ex-
cepttons to the exercise of the privilege being where
iG ah Wi kraa a,l
Mr.. THAYER, of Pennsylvania, took the same
ground.
The resolution was adopted.
The SPEAKER presented a message from the
President, in answer to the House resolution of
the 9th of December in reference to the occupation
of Mexican soil by United States troops and trans
mitting report from the Secretary of War. Re-
ferred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs.
Also, message from the same in reply to Mr..
Boutwell's resolution relating to the discovery
and arrest of John II. Surratt. Referred to the
Judiciary Committee.
On motion of Mr. LOAN, of Missouri, the Sc
cretary OF the Interior was directed to furnish in
formation in reference to the payment of money by
the United States to the Atcbison and Pixies Peak
Railroad Company for the construction of
branch of the Union Pacific Railroad from st.
Joseph to Atchison, &c.
Mr.. BIDWELL, of California, introduced a bill
to provide for the care and main of the In
dians in northern California. Referred to the
Committee on Indian Affairs.
the Military Committee was instructed to inquire
into the expedency of amending section OF the
peace establishment of the United States so as to
permit the appointments OF persons who have
served five years or more in the army, and were
field
Mr: COOK, Of Illinois, from the judiciary Com
mlttee, reported an act to amend the act of Febru-
airy 2 o63 regulating the fees and costs OF clerks
marshalls and attorneys of the United States Cir
cult and District Courts.
Ordered to be printed and recommitted.
Mr. DODGE, of New York, introduced bill to
amend the charter of the Washington and George
town Railroad Company.
Read twice, and referred to the District Com
The HOUSE went into Committee OF the Whole
on the State OF the Union, MI Washburne, of Hi
nois, in the chair on the Presidents annual mes
sage,
Er. BLAINE, of Maine, spoke at some length
in regard to the condition of the country. He
main tanned that the late elections had decided that
the disloyal States should cot be Teadmied to the
privileges of Congressional representation on any
less stringen conditions than the adoption OF the
constitutional amendment. But the elections had
not decided that Congressional representation
should be accorded to those States as an immediate
consequence of accepting the amendment The
amendment would have been detinitive basis of
adjustment If the south hal promptly accepted it
as such, but the south having practically, II not
finally rejected 1T, Congress is no longer bound by
any promise or implication made on the subject,
and even if the amendment should be made the
detnitive adjustment, the southern States could
rot be admitted to representation until the terms
of the amendment should be complied with.
The correction in the basis OF representation
should be made at once, and not postponed till
after the census of 1870 If the southern States
were readmitted 10 this floor on the basis of the
apportionnent of ls60 the late slave States would
have e5 members of the House, while the free
States would have 1856 But apportion the mem
bers on the basis of the constitutional amendment
and the slave States would have but So, while the
free States would have lS3, relative gain of 81 TO
the free States. A corresponding change wonld
be made in the electoral colleges, the north legtl-
mately gaining IA members the basis of the
amendment. 1t would be necessary, therefore, to
have special census and a new apportionment
before the southern States could be rightfuly rep
resented. II was in this view that at the last ses-
sion he had submitted bill providing for special
enumeration ofthe Inhabitants of the United States.
But the country now demands free suffrage in
addition to the constitutional amendment With
out free suffrage the loyal element OF the south
would be in the power of the disloyal, and would
be persecuted accordingly. The constitutional
amendment is admirable and essential, but is de-
ective in that it leaves the rebel element in posses
sion OF the local governments free to peTsecute
loyal men of all complexions and to deprive them
of all participation in civil affairs provided they
will themselves accept a curtailed representatio
in Congress the penalty. The danger is that they
would accept the penalty in order that they might
visit the loyasts with their vengeance just GER
tain religious denominations in England, under the
Stuarts, favored measures OF prescription which
bore with some hardship on themselves in order
that they might visit rival and hated sectarians with
still more severity and cruelty but give the ballot
to the negro, and thus aided, the loyal whites could
| form acombination that would be self-protecIve,
and there is no protection you can extend to
man so effective and conclusive as the power to
protect himself, and in assuring protection to the
loyal citizens you assure permanence to the govern
ment that the bestowal of suffrage is not merely
the discharge of personal obi cation towards the
enfran ehised, but is the most far.sghed provision
against social disorder, the surest guarantee for
peace, prosperity and public justice.
| Mr.. WENTWORTH, of Illinois, obtained the
| floor, but not beirg ready TO proceed, he moved
that the committee rise
The committee rose, and the House, a. 5 minutes
past adjourned.
| House Committees.
The following are the standing committees Of the