Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1866-12-11
ESSIOSsI


SENATE-Iesterday afternoon, the bill pro-
vlding for negro suffrage in the District beiag
under consideration
Mr.: Anthony offered an amendment provid.
ing that no person should have the right Ia
vote who, IN any way, gave aid or comfort 10
the enemy during the late rebellion.
Mr.. Wilson hoped the Senator would n OF
press the amendment. He repeated his argu-
ment in favor OF impartial suffrage, saving
that the nation had suffered more during the
last few years from the vicious conduct OF IN
telligent men than IL could possibly suffer from
the mistakes of ignorant men.
MI Pomeroy thought the Senator nnder-
valued the amendment of the Senator from
Rhode Island, mir. Anthony IL restricted
Noilng, whether they had left the District ar
not. He would vote for IL because he believed
II right. He did not believe that men should
be DISTINGUISHED because they were not able TO
read and write while franchise was given TO
those who had been engaged IN the rebellion
MT Cowan asked who was TO determine in
regard 10 this matter of disenfranc hisenent
Inc law would be simply a nulity. However
D. might be with the people of the States of this
Union, the people of the District of Golumbia
owed direct per-Onal allegiance TO the Gov
ernment Hoy, by any law recognized among
civil governments could there be any penalty
imposed upon them, except what the law i'm :
posed, in the face OF the plain provisions of the
Constitution, which forbade attainder and ey
post JGcfO punishment Upon what principle
could they be deprived of their right to q trial
by law This was n right acquired by a
struggle of hundreds OF years. A man who
was charged with aiding the rebellion " as pre-
huiDeo 10 oe innocent until proven guilty The
question OF his guilt was the first thing 10 he
determined. The Constitution declared that
tnls must be ascertained by due process of law
now was TINS TO be- done in tle District OF Go.
1umbia ! Was II by a grand iuryl And how
was the Judge TO impose the sentence No
punishment could be inflicted unless there
was law in existence before the offence was
committed. Otherwise it would exceed all the
tyrannles ever perpetrated
Several amendments were offered and with
drawn
Mr. salisbury said il it was possible to make
the bill good in every respect il was by this
amendment But he would never vote for
negro suffrage here or elsewhere They had
now in this District about $500 negroes. If
inns bill was passed II would indeed be the
negTos paradise. Soon all public offices
would be filled by negroes. They would have
afiood Of them here from all parts of the coun-
try
The amendment was lost by a vote OF forty
one TO one.
Mr.. Brown. when his name was called. said
that ne was opposed 10 any educational test
and for that reason ne would vote against the
amendment.
Mr.. Hendricks moved to reconsider the vote
on me amendment ef the Senator from NJ anne;
which was agreed 10.
Mr.. Cowan moved ~ strike from the section
Inc word "male." He said he did not know
any reason why black men should not yots
except tnat the white man did not wish it, II
the cbange, however. was 10 be made he
should advocate the extension OF suffrage to
females also. He would very much prefer
10 allow females 70 vote than negroes He
would never consent TO allow females W ho
paid taxes 10 be disfrapchised, and he wouId
ike 10 hear any reas on for ii. A woman was
subject TO all the laws, yet had no represen-
tation.
Pending the amendment Of Mr.. Cowau the
Senate adjourned.
HoUSE.-Iesterday afternoon
Inc speaker announced the appointment Of
Messrs Maynard. Of Tenn; McCiurg, of Mo:
Mercur. OF Pa: Washburn, of Ind Cbanler
OF n T.; as the Select Committee on Southern
Railroads - ...-
The Speaker also announced the following
OF Ky, in place Of w. IL. Grider, deceased. as
member Of the joint Committee on Recon-
struction. Committee of EIectfons-Mr.
Stokes, of Tenn. For the District OF Columbia
Messrs. Maynard. of Tenn, and Mr. Koontz.
OF Pa. On Banking and Uurreney-Mr j. W
Hunter, OF N. Y. On Military Affairs-Nr
Rousseau, of Ky. On Mili,ia--Messrs. Paine,
OF Wisconsin, Hawkins, Of Tenn, and Ward
of Ky. On Miuing-Mr. NJ q. TayIor. Of
Tenn. On Public Expenditures-Mr ArneII
OF Tenn. On TerritOries-Mr. Cooper of Tenn
On Indian Reserves-Mr. Leftwieh. of Ten n .
On Roads and Canals-Mr. Rousseau. OF XIV
On Mileage-Mr. Ward, ofKy. On War Debts
OF Loyal States-Mr. Hawkins, OF Tenn. ON
Expenditures in the Navy Department-Mr
The House then took up the bill to provide
for the regular meetings OF Congress.
MI. Schenck moved that the seventeenth sec.
tion OF the act making appropriations for sun.
dry civil expenses of the Government and for
other purposes be so amended that no Senator
or Representative in Congress, who shall ha We
been member of the next preceding Congress-
snail receive any allowance or mileage for
travelling TO the place of meeting TO attend the
additional session provided for in the foregoing
section. The amendment was agreeo to-
MT Schenck thought, from the disposition of
the House in reference to this m after, that no
further amendments 10 the bill were necessary.
and he therefore demanded the previous ones
ton, but withdrew the demand temporarily TO
allow an additional amendment 10 be offered
~ the form of an additional section, as fol.
lows .
BE az further enacted, That the regulations of
the several States now represen ted in Com
gress, which have not held elections for Rem
reseDtatives in the Fortieth Con gress. to as
semble on the ith of March, 1857 are hereby so
changed and altered as to empower the Gov
ernors OF the States TO fix day prior 10 March
4, 1867, for the election of such Representatives
and 70 make all necessary regulations for the
election ofsEch Representatives which regu-
iations shall conform, except as to time, as
nearly as possible 10 the existing State regula.
tions or such regulations as NAV be pres cribsd
TO state Legislatures where the same NAV be in
session; Irorided, That If in any case the Gov
ernor OF any state, or the Legislature thereof
when IN session, shall deem 10 expedient to
held such election prior TO the Attn of March,
1867, as aforesaid, then this act shall not oper-
ate 70 invalidate the election when held in ac-
cordaDce with the State law ~
Mr.. Washburne iii suggested that the bill
as amended had better II tue hour of the days
at which each Congress should first meet, at
IL O'Clock noon, on the irh of March
Mr.. Scbenck accepted the suggestion and
again demanded tie previous question: which
WIS ssconded. - %
The Speaker then announced that The a ues.
ton was upon the passage of the bill.
Mr.. Eldridge wis demanded the yeas and
nays; which were called, aud the bill passed
BY aycte OF lsS yeas TO ~ nays /
Iva r laiH hat rha Hons
nication from the Secretary OF War in reply TO
the resolution asking tor information relative
To The occupation of Mexican territory by
United States troops, transmitting a report of
General Grant and a telegram from Gsaeral
Shtridan's department, containing all the in
formation on The snbirct in Possession Oh the
department. Referred 10 the Committee on
Foreign Anairs. ,-.e.. ...r.rf
hlso, the report OF The Secretary OF State. re.
laiiBg 10 the discovery and arrest OF Jshn III.
Surratt: WI hicb vas ordered TO he pI iuted and
efsy N he