Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-09


aerS issued by Assistant Commissioners of Freed
men, and such other papers may be in possession
Vi tne freedmens Bureau, not heretofore communi-
cateui reiatlng TO the condition of the freedmen.
\, W.. COMMERCIAL AND POSTAL.
Mr. Wilson. of Iowa from the Judiciary Commit
tee' reported back BILL with amendment, to facIi-
tate commercial and postal inercoursg between the
several States The bill in substance is as follows:
Every railroad company whose road is operated by
tet Is authorized to carry and over its connec-
tons boats, ferries, etc. all passengers trOops SIM
pileS mails and freight, Government supplies etc
on tneir way from one State to another and receive
compensation therefor, provided this act shall not
effect any StlpulatiOnS between the Government of
the United States and any railroad company for
transportation or fare, without compensation nor
impair or change the conditions imposed by any act
granting lands to any such company TO aid in the
construction of this roadl The bill was postponed
until Tuesday next.
THE SUPREME COURT
:, Mr. Wilson also reported bill providing that
hereafter the supreme Court of the United States
shall consist of Chief Justice and eight Associate
Justices and that the first second and third circuits
snail remain as now constituted that the districts of
aaryland, Delaware. Virginia. North Carolina and
South Carolina shall constitute the fourth circuit;
that the districts of Georgia. Florida Alabama Mis-
SSslppi, Louisiana and Texas shall constitute the
NTH circuit that the districts of West Virginia Ohio
anu Michigan shall constitute the sixth circuit: the
districts Of Indiana, illinois, Kentucky and Tennes-
see snail constitute the seventh circuit; the districts
OF Wisconsin, Minnesota, Iowa. Missouri, Kansas
ana Arkansas shall constitute the eighth circuit: and
the districts OF California, Oregon and Nevada shall
constitute the ninth circuit. The bill was passed
without debate. Prior to its passage Mr. Wilson said
shat tHs plil reduced the number of judges on the
supreme Bench to the same number as were provid-
cd for before the act of March 3, 1868.
- CLAIM AGENTS.
Mr.. Wilson also reported Senate bill from tn same
Committee, to restrict the fees to be allowed to claim
ageots tor presenting claims for soldiers. long de-
bateensued on the bill
Mr.. Wentworth, of illinois. denounced the claim
agents as SWlnders. and declared that any one who
charged soldier for any such service ought to be
placed IN prison. He notice to all of the soldiers
of the country that members of Congress wouId at-
tend to their claims and take pleasure in doing it,
Laughter
Mr.. Schenck, of Ohio moved to recoumit the bill
with instructions to provide for system of agents in
the several States to attend to soldiers claims and
to be paid by the Government, which was agreed to-
Yeas 10 nays 69.
CIVIL RIGHTS.
The House then resumed the consideration, as the
special order. of Senate bill TO secure to all persons in
the several States the same civil rights
: Mr. Bro0mal OF Pa. addressed the House in sup
port OF the measure lie said that the object Of the
Dill was two-told: 1st. To declare who are citizens
q. 10 secure the protection OF the Government to
1t could not be said that this was not q proper sub
leet OF legislation he claimed that the Government
owed TO those who aided it in putting down the re
belliOn, all of the rights of citizenship. lie assumed
that the negro Is citizen, and repudiated the mod
ern democratic cry that this was white mans Coy
ernment. He was opposed to Southern Tepresenta-
ton, and declared that none but democrat would
consult the wolf concerning the safeguards to be
thrown around the flock lie declared that the
not IN the Executive. He would never consent that
the Government should desert its allies in the South
III tuitL respect he would MAKE no distinction
account OF race or color. either for or against
Mir. Raymond, RepD Of New York, said the bill
was one OF the most important that had been brought
before the House. lie advocated his substitute for
the pending measure. providing that all persons who
have been born or VINO may hereafter be born in the
United States shall be declared citizens of the nj
ted States. lie thought that the passage of such a
proposition would to the African population
IN this country the rights of citizens Make the col
ored man citizen of the United States and he has
the same rights as any white man in this country
the right to travel from State to another-to bear
armS-o defend his wife and childrcn-and to testify
IN MI courts. II this were done by act Of Congress it
would relieve all necessity for such bill that now
pending. As to the latter he contended that we had
not the right to punish State court or q Judge for
enforcing or not enforcing law securing civil rights
The bill proposed two things: lst That all persons
born in the United States without distinction OF color
should be citizens. I'd. 1t made provision for the
protection of that class OF persons thus introduced
into citizenship. lie was in favor of both Of these
things and he would vote for both if he could con
vince himself that they fell within the constitutional
powers of Congress, demanded by the present
emergency of the ease. As to the first, he had no
doubt whatever. Mr.. X. contended that we should
have more authentic evidence ofthe condition of the
South before We legslate here. He could be con-
vinced that ali of these stories in the newspapers
every outrage that had been committed the true
representation of public sentiment in the South.
Every murder that occurred, every outrage that had
been perpatrated, was paTaded and charged to the
political differences existing IN the South. Therewas
decentralization he would admit, the natural re-
suit of the war.
As a specimen of the stories from the South, we
had read here the other day the Norfolk Post article
with gravity that took from our feet, which, As
he knew at the time burlesque on South
ern sentiment. Before decide on the condition
OF the South he repeated let US have some authentic
evidence. lie would like to read the evidence sub
mited here by the Reconstruction Committee before
voting on bill that gave the Federal Government
the power to punish the judge of State-to destroy
some OF the rights of the States.
Mr.. DelanO, of Ohio, had not made up his mind on
this bill, which gave the Federal Government the
power to enter,the States and to determine the civil
rights Of its people, 1t bill subversive of tho
fundamental law of the land and tended to conccH-
trate the powers Of the GOvenment-pOwers, which,
if centralized would cause us to tremble Under
this bill the Government could override nearly all of
the powers of State. 1t could repeal a law in a
State where negro was prohibited from being wit
ness. The theory of the bill uprooted all of the
present State legislation. He claimed that this bin
could not be passed under any clause Of the COns-
tution-eyen the second clause Of the recent amend
ment aboliShing slavery. We should be careful and
not swing INTO the powers of Capitalization on one
hand or to the assertion Of extreme State rights doe
Tino on the other.
Mr. Kerr (Dem.) Of Indiana. declared that the bill
usurped the functions OF the State government lie
would remind the majority here that if they had
Needed the remopSrances of the minority against
unconstitutional legislation, there would have been
no necessity for the Presidents interference This
bill placed the ministerial and judicial officers of
State at the mercy Of petty Federal Officee.
Without d vote, the House adjourned.