, 1866-06-15
wAsH1NeroN coRREsPoNpENcE.
FROM AN occAsioalL CORRESPONDENT

| nothing of much public interest," mas uAHspts
in Congress. The Press Of the country has spo
ken out freely in the matter, and, with the sx
ccp,ion of few of the ultra radical i9ITEEPsls
they hsE k6S ksS fhgg fhgSft Sfd fthSt the President
20, "a his vote, tnat dit was a measure that was
unnecessary, impractical, and unconstitutional D
Several cases have been brought before the
Courts in different parts Of the country, and the
parties litigant, either plaintiff or defendant,
have set up the Civil Rights Bill as bar to the
State Courts. The following is taken from the
Memphis (Tenn) argus, as illustrative of the
opinion that prevails, generally, all over the
land.
There was an animated discussion before the
Criminal Court yesterday, between Attorney
General Wallace and Messrs. Sale aud Chal-
mers, on legal point involving the Civil Rights
Bill just passed by the United States Congress.
Some free persons Of color in this city have been
indicted for Keeping tippling houses aud billiard
saloons, both Of which are prohibited bv the
statutes of this State-the Statute providing
that persons of color shall not have a license
either to keep tppling house or bi lard sa-
loon. Messrs. Sale and G amcrs fled a plea
in abatement, alleging that all distinctions are
abolished between colored people ami white cit
iZens, and that the statutes Of the State are an
nulled, since they make a distinction between
the free persons of color and white citizens; that
the recent law Of Congress is now the supreme
law of the land &c.
Attorney General Wallace, on the other hand
contends that in all matters pertaining to the
internal polity of the State the acts of the State
government are the paramount law. of the land;
that the Congress of the United States has no
authority "to legislate legitimatelyovel the sub
jects now before the court" as the States have
never transferred to the United Sntes Congress
jurisdiction over subjects strictly pertaining to
the domestic regulations and Internal politv;
that is to say, "all powers not delegated to
Congress are reserved to the States respect
ivelv."
Shall we have test Of the Infamous ECivfl
Rights bill here in Memphis, br the arrest and
Imprisonment of our Attorney General for the
disregard Of, or rather disoJedience to, the acts
of Congress-?
Attorney General Wallace emphaticnlly de-
cared that lie would neither obey nor respect a
law so palpably voative of the rights of each
State to le-islata on all subjects of State char
acter, and one which the general Government
neither has, nor can have, under the delegated
powers or our constitution, Huy legal control
The question is importlnt and we are sure that
the Attorney General will not shrink from any
responsibility which a full discussion of this
question may involve. Having been a "Cnioa
man through the whole war, General Wallace
cannot be asSailed by the radicals as "a rebel
in Disguise Besides, his whole heart is in the
proper decision of the question, aud we sincere
ly trust be, and all Of US, viii soon have an op.
portunity, through his instrumentality of hav.
ing decision from the Supreme Court of the
United States upon the Constituiionality Of the
Civil Rights bill.
As test case is being made up in nearly all
the States, would it not be well to make one in
Oregon, or in your Territory? For example, let
a Chinaman bring suit against some white man;
let him prove his case by China witnesses. few
Americans Of African descent, an Indian or two,
and kanaka; how would your mining people
like this? But the civil rights bill not only au.
thOrizes and approves it, but directs it: it is
mandato:yRnd the Judge who refuses to hear.
and decide such cases upon such testimony, is
liable to fine and imprisonment
on TUE ADMISSION OF COLORADO.
Another strong fight has been had in the Sen
ate during the past week on the admission of
Colorado with the word ''white'' in its constitu.
tion. 1t will not do to make any distinction
now in citizens on account of color, that is if
you want any Congressional legislation Per.
haps it would be advisable to send as your next
Delegate from Washington Territory, some
smart, Intelligent Indian from way down on Pu-
get Sound. .. a-t
ADJOURNMENT OF CONGRESS-
" From present Indications, Congress will not
adjourn till late in the fall, and as an example
OF what the ultras would desire, will mention
that in the Senate day or two ago bold at
tempt was made to curtail, if not entirely shut
off the prerogatiyes of the President, by the
passage of a joint resolution prohibiting any
Federal sppointee from receiving any salary un-
less his appointment had been ratified and con
frmed by the Senate. This was, of course, in
tended to coerce the President into making only
such appointments as would be satisfactory to a
majority of the Senate whom he would have to
consult ''Whther are we drifting" is ques-
ton that has frequently been asked by men of
thought and intelligence. The House has re-
fused to comply with the recommendations of
the Secretary of the Treasury, and the Post.
Master General, in reference to the modification
OF the "test-oath;" as consequence, very few
of the Federal offices in the South, such as Post
Masters and Assessors and collectors of Internal
revenue. can be filed, except by the loyal ne
groes or imported politicians of the ultra stump,
which, of course, will tend to embtter the feel
ings and prolong the arrangement o the South
ern people. The Fali elections, however, will
tell the tale.
A THsA-RrcAL sUrr. a
Quite an interesting theatrical suit has been
going on in New York, in which the notorious
Hezekiah L. Bateman, the father Of Miss Bate
man, the actress, figures cOnspicuous1y. twill
be recollected by californians, that the same
BatemaH in former days induced several gentle
men'to write prize DRAMA Illustrative of life in
California, for which he offered reward of
81, 900, and the award was given. to his wife,
for the drama known as the YMother's Trust
which, upon investigation, proved to be nothing
more or less than dramatized version ofa nur-
sery tale that could be bought in any book store
for aquarter of dollar. In this instance it ap-l
pears Bateman hired a Mr. DAILY an attaches of one
of the New York papers, to write memoir or
biography of Miss BatemAn; he obtained the
same, and when published, 1t appears it did not
pay, consequently Mr.. DAILY did not get hispay,