New Orleans daily crescent. [volume] ([New Orleans, La.]) 1851-1866, 1866-02-23
CONVERSATIONAL.
PROCEEDINGS OF CONGRESS- ON THE l6rl

r WASHINGTON, Feb Honse.-Mr. Blaine of
ported bill to reimburse the loya States far ~.
pehses incurred in suppressing the rebellion 1t
was recommitted. -
Mr., Ferry Of Mich introduced bill which was
exempt the Gettysburg National Monument 'i Asso.
citation from duty and excise,
Mr.. Nashpufne OF H., from the Joint committee
on the memorial services, on the 10Th inst. re-
ported they haa placed s IN the hands of the Hon.
George Bancroft, the concurrent resolutions of the
two Houses, expressing the thanks Of Congress-
for the appropriate address delivered by him on
the life and services of Abraham Lincoln, and re-
questing a copy thereof for publication.
Mr.. Bancroft, in reply to the committee, saws he
values the action of Congress as very distin-
guished honor, and complies with the request by
furnishing copy of his address. The CORES.
pondence was laid on the table and ordered to be
printed.
Mr.. Washhurn offered resolution that 20 900
copies of the address be printed, which was re-
ferred to the Committee on Printing.
Mr.. Rogers, of N. j., (Dem.l asked the gentle
men to print the bred Scott decision with the ad-
dress so that both sides might be heard.
Mr. Washburne said the case had been finally
decided, and there no occasion to bring it into
controversy. ...
Mr.. Wentworth, of ILL.,, remarked that the Dredd
Scott decision had died with its author.
Mr.. Latin, of N. Y, from the Committee on
Printing, made report on the resolution of Mr..
Stevens heretofore referred to. 1t is accompanied
by resolution that 1000 copies of the work emit
tied g The Memorial Record of National Tribute
to Abraham Lincoln together with the address
of Mr.. Bancroft, be purchased, provided this shall
be in strict conformity with the fifth section CT the
act of August, 1856, namely: that if any work
shall hereafter be ordered for purchase by mem
bers of Congress, the price shall be deducted from
their compensation, provided this shall not extend
to works ordered to be printed by the public Prn.
ter. He said the object of the resolution was:
first to enable the publisher of the book to ascer.
tain how many members of the House are DESTROYS
of obtaining copies at their private expense and,
second, that the publishers of all books may be
thus publicly informed that, without repeating an
act of Congress passed in 1856 it is not within the
power of the House to order books for members
OF Congress, except at their own private expense
The resolution was disagreed to.
The House proceeded to the consideration of
the Pennsylvania contested election case, between
A. H Cofroth and VIM H. kuntz. The majority
Of the Committee on Elections, Messrs. Epson,
Dawson, Baxter, Marshall and Radford, in their
report, say neither of the claimants has any p'T1d
tdcie right to seat under the Governors procla-
nation. Messrs Shellahar and Scotied combat
the views advanced by the majority, and say the
two certificates of election, purporting to have
been addressed, each by district board to the
claimants respectively, are probably both regular
in form, but neither can support priaea tdcie
claim to the contested seat for the reason stated
by them. Mr. Coffroth's return was, on its face,
worthless asa return upon which to base the
him to base his proclamation in part on the return
and in part on evidence obtained 'aii lnde.'
For the same reason, they must, if they do not go
behind there return to inquire who were the loyal
district judges, give the seat to Mr.. Koontz on
his returns alone.
Mr.. Epson of Michigan, addressed the House in
support of the majority report and Mr. Payne Of
Wisconsin, in behalf of the minority report, The
subject was postponed until Monday.
Mr.. Ortiz. of Indiana, asked leave to offer a
resolution that the Committee on Reconstruction
report an amendment to the Constitution. that no
person who held civil OF military Office under
the late so-caled Confederacy shall ever be eligi
Bile to hold an office OF honor or emolument under
the government of the United States, but obiec
ton was made.
MIR. O'Neill, of Pennsylvania, presented petit
ton, numerously signed by citizens of Pennsyiya-
mia, praying that the specific tax of one dollar
levied on crude petroleum may be changed to Il
moderate tax, to be raised by per centage upon
sales, as being less oppressive and more easily
assessed and collected. Referred to the Commit
tee on Ways and Means.
The House took up the Senate bill providing for
the exhibition of mineral specimens of the United
States in the Patent Office building, the Secretary
of the Interior being authorized to prepare suta-
BILE rooms for the same. Referred to the Commit
tee on Mining.
After further proceedings, the House adjourned.
Senate.-Mr Howard, Of Michigan, presented a
petition of citizens of Alexandria, Va, asking for
a territorial form of government for the State OF
Virginia. Referred to the Committee on Recon-
structlOn.
Mr. Trumbull called up the bill relating to the
Court of Claims Passed
The bill allows an appeal to the Supreme Court
from the Court of Claims, and provides that the
regular session of the Court of Claims, shall com
mence on the first Monday in December.
Mr.. Dixon, of Connecticut, introduced bill to
prevent the peryersion Of mails for fraudulent
purposes authorizing the Postmaster-General to
prevent the delivery of letters to fictitious ad-
dresses and imposing a fine for mailing handbills
and circulars to induce people to invest money in
lotteries, and imposing fine and imprisonment
for falsely denying their receipt.
memorial of the citizens of Jefferson county
Va, protesting against the annexation of that
county to West Virginia, was presented.
Mr.. Chandler, from the Committee on Commerce
reported bill to pay Mr.. Wilson, Consul to Bahia
for damage by the mob after the capture of the
Florida. Laid over for the present.
At o'clock the constitutional amendment was
called up.
Mr.. Hendricks, of Indiana took the floor against
1t. MT. Hendricks in the course of his remarks
alluded to the somewhat celebrated so.caed
blood-letting letter written by Mr. Chandler in
1861, and after he had concluded.
In his remarks on the constitutional amend
ment Mr.. Hendricks referred to the early history
OF the country, showing that the constitution was
framed when the best feeling existed between the
different sections, He deprecated the disposition
toward it, when sectional feeling was so strong
he would vote against every amendment now
proposed OF hereafter introduced. he denied the
right Of the committee to report such PROPOSE
ton as they had done. He thought the practice
OF committees reporting on everything referred
to them was a bad one. The proposed amend
ment was designed to cripple representation at
the South and perpetuate the power of the Re-
publican party. Another effect would be to
reduce the representation Of the agricultural
portion of the country. During the war the in
terests of the North have been subordinate to
New England, and he wanted the West to be fairly
dealt with. He thought representation was I'M
equal when comparing New England with the
West He argued that the proposed amendment
was an eE post Jdcto law and therefore Illegal 1t
was punishment for the crime of rebellion which
is now passed and punished by defeat.
While Mr.. Hendricks was dscoursing on the
right of Congress to regulate suffrage in the
States,
Mr.. Yates, of Illinois, asked if he should move
from Illinois to Indiana could the legislature dis.
franchise him forever?
Mr.. Hendricks declined to answer, on the ground
that the question involved judicial question.
which he would leave to the Supreme Court
discussion between Messrs. Hendricks and
Henderson followed, regarding the right of tie
President to order an election in the Southern
States and the status of the people after the over
throw of the rebellion. Mr.. Hendricks next re-
ferred to the action Of Congress, during the war,
and claimed that the Southern States were re-
peatedy recognized.
= Mr.. Chandler replied he stood by the letter now
1t simply said to the Governor of Michigan I'm
less you are averse to shed blood for the preserva-
ton OF this government, the government will be
oVerthrown." Mr.. Chandler now spoke of Presi-
dent Buchanan and others in office in Washington
o. haf tss,,n +;,a4,.