Virginia free press. (Charlestown, Va. [W. Va.]) 1832-1916, 1866-12-20
CONGRESS.

7, the Senate Wednesday 10Th, after the in
.-oJ,ct;on Of several resolutions OF no general
;ntorest the bill to allow coored suffrage In
.ha District of Columbia was again taken up.
Ter protracted debate the proposition to ex-
~ the elective franchise to females was re-
TOD yeas 9. NAYS 3d. Pending the further
JeOns;deration of the bill the Senate adjourned.
The House. after debate, recommitted the bill
- reneal the law of 1870, which provides that
no trial for treason shall take place three years
! after the commission of the act. A bill was
nassed authorizing the President to confer bre-
| vet rank, with the consent OF the-Senate, upon
officers appointed to the regular service for
gallant action in the volugteer service. The
6ill to regulate appointments to and removals
from Office was then taken up. An amend
ment was adopted, by vote of rs to ITO al
low the President to appoint the assistants and
clerks of the several departments, instead Of
giving as originally proposed, the power to
make such appointments by the heads OF the
/ departments. The bill was then laid over.
After transacting some business of no gene
raj interest OH Thursday, the Senate proceeded
! 70 the final consideration of the bill to extend
| the elective ftachise to the colTed population
/
mendment requiring those who have not hereto
fore voted in the District to be able to read
and write their own names was after some de-
bate rejected by yeas II, nays "a. After the
adoption Of other amendments, the bill was
passed-yeas so, nays 13--amidst Kisses from
the whites and cheers from the colored persons
! in the galleries.
In the House, bill was introduced to estab-
lish civil government in North Carolina
1t provides for holding convention at Raleigh,
May 20, 1867, of one hundred and twenty 10y
al citizens as delegates, to frame constitution,
to be submitted to Congress for approval or re-
lection. All male resident citizens, twenty
one years Of age, without distinction of race or
color or who own 800 or more, shall vote,
provided that no one heretofore entitled to vote
Shall be disqualified from voting in said cleo
ton 1t also declares the present government
void, and the functions of all State officers at
an end. Several other bills were introduced
and referred. 1t was resolved that the House
adjourn on the goth instant, and stand adjour-
ned until the Sd of January. The bill to sup
ply deficiencies for the service of the govern
rnent for the fiscal year ending June next was
taken up, discussed, amended, and passed.
The Senate on Friday amended and passed
the deficiency bill, and agreed to the House re-
solution to adjourn over from the 10th instant,
until the 81 Of January. The bill to admit
Nebraska into the Union was taken up, and
an amendment offered that colored suffrage
should be granted before the admission should
| be allowed, Considerable debate ensued, du-
ring which MrWade, of Ohio, declared that
he was for holding the Southern States in mil
itary subsection by force, if they rejected the
constitutional amendment. Without coming
to a vote the Senate adjourned until Monday
next.
The House, by a vote Of lis to &c, passel
/ the Senate bill to grant colored suffrage in the
/ District of Columbia. 1t was passed without
debate under the operation of the previous
question OF tine Maryland delegation, Fran
els Thomas voted yea. Messrs. Phelps and Har-
ris nay, and Messrs. Mccullough and John l..
Thomas were absent. A bill was reported APP
propriating $4,000 to establish government
! telegraph line between New York and Wash
ington. Also, bill to re-establish civil gov
ernments in the late rehellinus States. Seve-
raj other bills were introduced and REFEREED
| The Senate amendments to the deficiency bill
were concurred in, After transacting some o.
Their business, the House adjourned to Monday.
Among the petitions presented in the SEN
ate on Monday was one from Alexandria for
the retrocecssion of that county to the District
of Columbia A bill was introduced TO prevent
coorcd persons from being cnticed 10 foreign
countries where they will be treated al coolies.
After the transaction of other business the bill
to admit Nebraska into the Union was taken
up, and opposed, in a speech of some length,
by Mr. Hendricks, of Indiana, but no vote was
taken. The bill to take away the pardoning
power from tie President was briefly discussed
during the morning hour. The death of Sena
tor Wright, of New jersey. was formally an
nounced, and several eulogies delivered, after
which the Senate adjourned.
In the House resolution was adopted de-
claring that that body will sustain the Execu
tive in his efforts to vindicate the Monroe doc
4 trine on this continent and that it specially
approves of the public voice relating to Mex
| CO.
A resolution to appoint select committee
to inquire whether any officer of the govern
ment had done any act deserving Of impeach-
ment, was offered. but not received-yeas SO,
NAYS 49-not two-thirds This is the first
movement looking to the proposed impeach-
ment of President johnson. A resolution was
adopted recommtn ling the President 10 offer
the friendly offices of the United States to the
South American States now at war, IN order
to bring about peace.
VIRGINIA LEGISLATURE.