Daily union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1865-1866, 1866-01-23
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
speech, of sEr. syilsos,.
FROM WASHINGTON
FOREIGN NEWS.
Secretary Seward in Havana.
Defeat of the Inperialisss-

presented a memorial of the Boston Board o
Trade asking for the passage of a law to exemp
Northern creditors from the operations of South
ern statutes which was referred 10 Judiciary
Committee.
Mr. Clark called up the bill in relation to the
qualifications for jurors providing that no person
shall be disqualified from acting in a grand OF
petit jury by reason of his having formed or ex-
pressed an opinion upon the matter. to be sub
mitted to such jury founded upon public rumor OF
newspaper statements. &c. The bill was made
the special order for Thursday.
A bill for the enlargement Of the Frsedmen's
Bureau was taken up. The pending question was
upon Mr.. Cowan's amendment to limit the juris-
dicton of the Bureau to the States lately in re-
bellon.
Mr.. Fessenden. from the special committee on
reconstruction, reported a joint resolution to
amend the Constitution by providing that repre-
sentation and direct taxes shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be included
within this Union according to their respective
numbers, counting the whole number Of persons
in each, (excluding Indians not taxed) provided
that whenever the elective franchise shall be de-
MED or abridged in any State on account of race
or color, and all persons Of such race or
color shall be excluded from the basis of repre-
sentation.
Afsr debate Mr.. cowaa's amendment was re-
jected. Ayes II, noes SO.
Mr.. Davis moved to strike out the provision ex
tending military jurisdiction and protection to
agents and employees of Bureaus was rejected.
Mr.. Fessenden, of Maine, from the Joint Com
mittee to inquire into the condition OF the late
bellious States. having authority to report from
time to time, reported the following joint resou-
ton:
Resoired. By the Senate and House of Repre-
sentatives of the United States Congress, two
thirds of both Houses concurring), That the fol-
lowing article be proposed to the Legislatures of
the several States, as an amendment to the Const
tuition of the United States which, when ratified by
three-fourths of said Legislatures, shall be rated
as part of said Constitution, viz: Representa-
ton and direct taxation shall be apportioned
among the several States which may be included
in this Union, according to their respective NUM-
bers, counting the whole number of persons in
each State, excluding Indians not taxed, provided
that whenever the elective franchise shall be de-
MED or abridged in any State, on account of race
or color, all persons of such race color shall be
excluded from the base of representation.
Mr.. Sumner presented memorial of the Bos-
ton Board Of Trade, setting forth that before the
outbreak Of the rebellion the Boston MERCHANTS
had large claims or the rebel States. that pro-
ceedings for the collection of these claims have
been instituted, and that they have been out
lawed. and they pray for a law exempting suitors
from the operation of Southern law for period
long enough for them to enforce their demands.
The bill relative to the qualifications of jurors,
=.
was called up, which provides as follows:
Sec l. That no person shall be disqualified 20
sit upon any grand or petit jury by reason Of
having formed or expressed an opinion of the
matter or cause to be submitted to which jury.
founded upon public rumor. statements in public
journals or common notortety, provided he be
otherwise competent, and it shall appear tothe
satisfaction Of the court, upon the declaration of
his oath otherwise, that he and will, notwith
standing such opinion. act impartialy and fairly
upon the matters to be submitted to him.
SEC 3 That any question of law arising upon
the trial of any person in the District Curcuit
Court of the United States, or in the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia, for any ofcnse
whereof the punishment may not be death. may
be removed to the Supreme Court of the United
States by writ of error and be served ont within
sixty days after the entry Of the final Judgment
on such case in courts below. and thereon pro-
ceedings shall be stayed in said courts and the
question of law heard and determined in the SUI
preme Court of the United States. and such order
sent to the court below. affirming or revoking the
as the determination Of such question
of law may require.
Mr.. Sumner thought there we're serious objec-
tons to the above. 1t was an erDarte taofo law;
it was contrary to the ruling of Chief Justice
Marshall in the ease of Aaron Burr.
Mr.. Davis concurred in the views Of Mr.. Sum-
ner. He had no sympathy for JEFF. Davis, whose
case, it was very evident the bill was intended to
cover. He did not think. however, that any true
lover Of the Union should entertain any unkind
feelings toward that distinguished criminal, be-
cause his conduct had divergcd from the path of
duty.
The bill was, on motion, postponed until next
Thursday.
Mr.. Anthony called up the resolution to refer
all papers and documents on the subject Of repre-
sentation of the lately rebellious States to the
special Committee on Reconstruction.
Mr.. Doolittle moved to amend by inserting The
words except credentials" after the words . all
papers,"
made to him since the Offering of this amendment
that satisfied him it was not the intention Of the
resolution TO exclude credentials; he therefore
withdrew the amendment. The resolution then
passed.
Mr. Trumhull then called up the bill to enlarge
the powers of the Freedmen's Bureau. The ques-
ton was upon the amendment Of Mr. Cowan to
limit its jurisdiction to the States lately in rebel
lion.
Mr.. Creswell hoped the amendment would not
be adopted. Itwould exempt Maryland from the
operation Of the bill. Returned rebel soldiers
were persecuting freedmen in aryland, and the
Intervention Of the Freedmen's Bureau was neees-
sary to prevent this.
Mr.. Wilson said it would be remembered that
from the time Trumbul on the I'D of July, 1851,
reported in favor of making free the slaves used
by rebels for military purposes up to the passage
through the House of Representatives, the other
day, of the suffrage bill for the District, timid
friends and determined opponents had predicted
evil results to follow the action of the majority on
this subject and although in every single ease
these predictions have been falsiaed by the fact
and all coming time win prove That they were
wrong, and that the enemies of this series oflneas-
ures weakened the energies Of the country and
strengthened its foes-but these measures lifted
the country up in the eyes of the Christian and
civilized world, and brought down upon II the
blessings of Almighty God. They still continue to
oppose the completion Of the series Of measures
that are intended to establish universal liberty in
our land. a
When the bill for the abolition Of slaveTy in the
District Of Columbia was passed, Senators pre-
dicted this District would be ruined, and that
poverty was to prevail and anarchy to be estab-
lished. When the bayonct was put in the hands
Of the black soldier to fight for the country, they
told US, in the first place. that he would not fight
and in the second place, that white men wouldn9t
fight along with him; that he would be strength
ching the enemies of the country that the mus
kets were put in the hands os 900 black soldiers
and on many battle Geld they fought and bled
with heroism unsurpassed, and white soldiers
Of the Republic fought and blci and died with
them, and the enemy was driven in the last hours
to otter liberty to their own slaves If they would
fight for the country, and the slaves spErned such
liberty and would not fight for It.
When the proclamation 81 emancipation was
issued. we we're told that the couStry would be
ruined; that we would be overwhelmed By popu-
lsr indignation. That act gave freedom to three
and a half millions Of people made free By Abra-
ham Lincoln. The niost honored Of tho country
strengthened the country and broke the backbone
Of the rebellion Certain newspapers had advo-
Gated the use Of Governmsn. patronage to infa-
enee the aetioa<of Congress. lie would say &
everybody who had that thought In his brain that
the people Of this country are not in shy temper
to be sold. and they have decided that negroe.
shall not be bought and sold. ard they are unan'
imous that Senators and Representative shall mol
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