The daily Gate City. [volume] (Keokuk, Iowa) 1855-1916, 1866-04-22

| 0us parts OF the two cities for use IN cases oi
A special dispatch to the Philadelphia
Frsss processes to announce, on high authori-
| ty, that JEFF. Davis will soon be released on
parole on the same terms as Clement C.
Clay.
i NJ. Paul, an Assistant Commissioner OF the
Russian Government to the Western Union
Telegraph Company, arrived in the steamship
Persia. After delivering his dispatches TO
the Russian Minister at Washington, and
spending few days 1t the Telegraph Com
pany's headquarters in Rochester, he will
proceed to San Francisco by steamer on the
first Of May, and There join. the expedition
under Colonel Bulkley, which is preparing to
start for the Russian Possessions with the
materials and supplies requisite to complete
the line to the North Of the Amoor. The
Russian Government continues to manifest
the most lively interest in the great tele-
graphic enterprise, and is extending to it all
needed encouragement and facilities.
Z XXX CONGREss--FIRsT SESSION
WAsHISGToN April 81.
HOUSE.
The House proceedings Of the DAYS session
we're, by order, confined to general debate on
the Presidents annual message.
Mr.. Nicholson was the first speaker. He
took strong grounds against the Constitution
al amendment in regard to representations
Mr.. Nicholson contended that the effect of
it would be to destroy the Federal character
of the Government, produce consolidation
and to subject the people to the worst kind Of
despotism-thst of Constitutional majorities.
There was no propriety in it. The States
themselves were the best Judges rs TO what
concerned the internal order and well being
He was followed by Mr.. Perham who took
directly an opposite view Of the question Of
reconstruction. He considered it of little
Importance whether the late rebel States
we're regarded as dead, according to the view
of some members Of Congress, or As having
had their functions suspended according to
the views Of the President. The great fact
renamed, In either case. that it was the duty
of Congress to provide for the establishment
of State Governments which should cores
pond with the spirit Of those provisions of the
Constitution requiring Congress TO allow the
States a republican form of Government.
This was about what Congress had been 90
to do for the last five years, with but par
tial success. 1t was the duty Of Congress
to see not only that new States to be admit.
ted had such form Of government, but to
guarantee to the old ones also, il there were
not loyal men enough in the South to fill the
Offices, some ofthe Federal heroes of the war
could be appointed and told to take part in
the administration Of the government Of the
States, which they had saved by their valor.
In these States the rebels were now in the
ascendency, loyalty was the exception. and
dlsloyaity the rule; on whom devolved now
the duty OF deciding whether the late rebel
States were to be represented in Congress
Not on the Executive, no such power was
delegated to him, not on the House Of Repre-
sentatives, nor the Senate, acting indepen-
IDENTIFY Of each other, but on the law making
power of the Government. It was the duty
Of Congress to take the whole subject into
consideration, which it was now doing. and
to decide what guarantee should be required
to secure equal and exact justice TO all citi-
zens, and to prevent the recurrence of another
rebellion. This could be secured by such
constitutional amendments as could not fail
to accomplish the object, and on the ratIti
cation Of such amendments by the late rebel
States, as pledge Of sincerity and loyalty,
he would allow them to be represented
IN Congress on equal footing with the
other state. The guarantees we should re-
qulre were first, that leading conservative
traitors. as the President calls them should
be deprived of all political rights. at least
for the present, and until they shall have
brought forth fruits meet for repentance, or
with the loyal sentiments Of the States has
become SO strong as to render them power
less for evil. Second, that all the rights Of
citizens including that of suffrage, shall be
given to oil loyal citizens irrespective Of race
or color. Third, that the payment Of the
confederate and State debts contracted in aid
of the rebellion, should be prohibited, and
also the payment by the nation or by States
In avNa tod ,,rtk &In+ It.
doctrine of secession shall be repudiated and
branded with everlasting infamy. He quoted
from the Nashville speech of President John
son, delivered, he said, before his head had
become giddy with power, and before South
ern rebels and Northern Copperheads had
led him captive at their will, and he called
upon the President to CO o-operate with Con-
gress in giving effect to the doctrines enume-
rated in the speech. The Union members
did not desire to have any conflict with the
President, and would have none, except so
far as the President repudiated the principles
that prompted him in 1864. For himself he
had only to swear that he would never con
sent. ty his vote, that the Government Of the
country should be taken from the loyal citi-
zens who had saved it by their blood, and
be given to traitors.
Mr.. Miller next addressed the House on
agree with the doctrines enumerated on that
subject by his colleague, Mr.. Stephens, or. by
his other colleague, Mr.. Williams. or by the
able gentleman, from Ohio, Mr.. Shellabarger.
For himself he held that rebellious actions
could not force State out of the Union. The
Southern States, notwithstanding the re-
bellion. still remained part of the Union.
He would accord to the rebels no such honor
or success in taking eleven States out of the
Union. or in taking State out. All. the
action of the Confederate government was
gross violation Of rights. The government
had never been admitted into the family OF
notions. The Federal government had con-
troll over those States, and all the people, and
AL its legal rights, as well as the rights OF
war.
Mr.. John s. Thomas, Jr., next addressed
the House on the question of reconstruction.
He felt that Congress had full control over
the whole subject. The unseemly haste oi
their own terms, was only equalled BY their
pfecipitate action in leaving the halls
Of Congress in 1851. They hsd then
attempted to break up, by force Of
arms, which they would break up to-
morrow By political trickery if they had the
power. His own desire was that the rebel
states should have their representatives in
Congress, but ct the same time he was sen-
aible Of the duty Ne owed to the country,
aud to those loyal men OF the South Who had
stood tz1e 70 the Union in the hour of peril.
He holeivod that the country was on the eve
of . revolution q portentious to the next
gsneration - The recent rebellion had ben
to this. Tho very men who had brousht on
the war Of The rebellien vess gtiiyilg 70 ket
back 70 places tney thaa . iGaoninioJsly