, 1866-02-23
LATER FROM THE EAST.
Dates to FcbruarY AN.

Dates to February 4th.
CH1oAeo, Feb. 4.-The House Constitute,
amendment, fixing the basis Of representatop
will be passed by the Senate, and Trumbun5
civil rights bill by the House, both probablr
this week The Congressional plan Of recon.
struction, so far as any majority can affect 4
will be completed. Numerous amendmehts viii
continue to be offered aud discussed, but tbs
great work stands upon these two above named
propositions. Summers demonstration in tbs
Senate, last Friday, offering negro suffrage asa
counter proposition to the House amendment
brings him no applause, and will amount IN
nothing With the completion of the Constitu.
ton amendment, which Fessenden, having itip
charge in the Senate, announces that be will
urge from day to day, beginning tomorrow.
in order to reach Legislatures now in session
and -withrthe passage of Trumbull's bill, it will
only remain to settle the test oath and adiust
the personal qualifications Of Southern mem.
bers. These two measures are as follows:
Trumbull's bill euacts that all persons borp
on American soil except Indians subject to
tribal authority, aud children of transient resi-.
dents, subjects to a foreign power, are citizens
and that no discrimination in their rights shall
be made on account of color or condition, but
they may make and enforce contracts, sue aud
be sued buy, sell, lease, hold and convey prop
erty and be subject to the same laws and pun
ishments as the most favored c.ass under the
present laws. This bill extends every right Of
citizenship except suffrage.
The House Constitutional amendment provides
that the representation shall be apportiOued
among the several States, which may be inclu-
ded within this Union, according to their respec-
tive numbers, counting the whole number Of
persons in each State, excluding Indians not
taxed, provided that whenever the elective fran
chise shall be deniedor abridged in any State,
on account of race or color, all persons therein
of such race or color, shall. be excluded from
the basis of represention.
The speech of Thad Stevens on this occasion
was not represented in the best light by the
first reports He said: Though the House had
been informed through high authority, that It
was better not to amend the Constitution, be
himself believed that this Congress had the
high duty, which, if it omitted or abused, it
would be held to account by this and future
generations, and all the world that was in favor
of freedom Our fathers made declaration Of
independence that was, and they intended that
it should be, the basis of the Government. II
the Government had been placed on these prin-
cipcG, no amendment, such as was now required
by the issue of Ihe>war, would have been needed
but at that time, the institution of slavery, hot
from hell, appeared Among- them, and, rather
than have no harmony, they compounded for
what they believed was the greatest good. But
the time had come when we could make the
Constitution such our fathers intended it.
The time had come when, through blood, every
stain had been washed out, unless we choose to
re-estabish slavery, which God forbid. He be-
lieved the Constitution needed just such an
amendment as this, and said that Congress
would take pleasure in sending it to the Pres-
dent, though they need not submit it to him for
aDproyal 1t therefore was the more kind in
the President to send advice to them without
being asked for it. Here he took occasion to
say, that the President had put forth remarka-
bic proclamation while the question was pend
ing in this House, being violation of the priv
ileges of this body, which, if done some ccntur
ries ago by a British king, would have cost the
monarch his head. Now, however, we are toll
Grant of usurpation.
New York, February 3.-PrOceedings were
commenced yesterday in the civil courts for sew
eral more victims of the Mercer emigration
fraud. The cOmpanants allege that Mercer
represCrtcd to them that he bad been appointed
bv the Territorial Government of WdshinGtOn
Territory to solicit female emigration, and had
$50 geo In gold to be distributed among them
for handsome settlement. On these recon-
mendaticns they Purchased the tickets which
they now hold.
WAsHrvGroE, Feb. To-day the President
sent to the Senate the'Cor:eSpOndence with Chief
Justice Chase, Of .nst October wherein the
President inqrircs If the Circuit Court in Nir-
| ginia is in a conditop to exercise its functions,
/ as it may become necessary for the Government
to prosecute some high crimes and miSdemean-
ors committed against the United States within
! Virginia Judge Chase replied that the time is
/ too short for the transaction Of important busi
ness before holding the Supreme Court in Wash
Fington, and were it otherwise, he doubts the
! proprety of holding n Circuit term in State
| yet liable to martial law and military admins
| tration.