Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-03-08

;. Mr. Latham. of West Virginia, introduced 4 bill
to protect all persons in their civil rights Ordered
to be printed and laid over.
Inc House resolved itself into committee of the
whole. MR. Raymond in the chair and took ,lp the
Pl 70 regulate trade between the United States and
the oi regarding it as the legitimate offspring of the
expiring Reciprocity treaty He objected to that
feature wnlch gave the President the great power of
sushendlng the bill or any portion of it, at his dis
cretlon. The old Reciprocity treaty was tho result
OF those Southern men who desired to enfeable and
lmp0yeush the North by such legislation. The pres
ent bill struck down the great leading interests OF the
Countrywide salt the fishing, the lumber and the
against the discrimination against the Pennsylvania,
Mary land and West Virginia coal interests and de-
eiared that 1t also injured the future of Virginia.
Missouri and Georgia, and other Southern States
Under the old Reciprocity treaty Nova Scotia coal
was imported so that some of the companies declared
one hundred and seventy-fve per cent dividend
%ne but one coal company in the United States de-
clared dividend.
Mr.. briggs, (Rep) of Michigan, declared that the
bill Disseminated against American lumber interests
and desired it amended in that regard.
Mr.. Wentworth, (Rep) of Illinois, opposed the bill
nation against all Of the American interests and the
power of the President to suspend the bill or any
portion OF 1t at any time as he saw fit. He GIr. W.
mad inquired of his constituents out West, and they
had informed him that Canada could give them moth
ing under this bill that the West did notalready pos
seSs. lie hoped the bill would be recommitted.
neS tne preSent treaty eXpire-CongresS would be in
sesslon-and we could see then how to legisate. lie
Ol5lOSeu II special tarln Tor Canada.
Mr.; Spalding, (Rep.) of Ohio. objected to this pro-
posed legislation he voted in the last Congress with
the chairman OF the Committee on Ways and Means
to repeal the reciprocity treaty and he surprised
that the gentleman (AIr. MorrilD should bring in n
oil 70 continue that treaty before it had actually
Mr. Phelps of Md, called attention 70 tn fact that
under the operation the reciprocity treaty now ex
plrlng the great hiuminous coal interests of Penn
syiYanla, Maryland, Virginia and West Virginia had
Iang9lshed whI!e on the other hand the coal inter
est of the British Provinces had fouriShed some of
the companies paying dividends high as one hun
drcd and sevenyye per cent II this state of things
was not checked, the prOStration of the American
coal interests would continue.
What had these people (of the British PrOvinces)
done to entltle them to our sympathy? Certainly
nothing to justify in striking down. in their favor
that great and growing interest of large section of
our country. MIR. Phelps concluded by expressing
his concurrence in the proposed amendment to strike
out every provision in the bill relating to the coal
trade leaving that interest as regulated by the act
Mr.; Hogan, Dem.) of No. favored the bill and
urged incidental protection and not prohibitory
tariff
Mr.. Morrill,, of VT, said that he saw that the
House was opposed TO the pending BILL and he was
After further debate Mr.. Blaine, of Me-. moved as
loSt-yeas 53 nays 6S.
The Committee then rose without vote.
THE RECONSTRUCTION COMMITTEE.
Ihe Reconstruction Committee again reported to
the House to day vast amount of evidence rela-
ting to the States of Texas, Florida, and Louisiana
1t IS OF the same tenor that heretofore offered by
the Committee relating to other Southern States. and
that Is that the people of these States are too dis
loyal TO be permitted representation in Congress
Lieutenant Miller, commanding in Southwestern
Texas states that just after the close of the war the
people were well disposed towards the Government
but latterly they have become more independent
and outspoken, and show their bitterness towards
the Government and hostility to the officers and sol
diers which hostility was breaking out into acts of
violence.
In response to question as to what has produced
the change the witness replied that the conduct of
the Government, the facilities with which pardous
were granted, the general disposition of the Admin
lStraton to be lenient and the fact that these peO
pie had strong friends in the North produred the
change. They desired to get into political power
again. He regards the Freedmen's Bureau as an alb
sOlute necessity.
General Stanley testified that the freedmen are
abused in Texas, and that the German element in
that State is loyal. He said he did not believe there
were ten loyal persons in Texas. He did not think
there would be any outbreak but in case of Foreign
war the people would side with our enemies. Men
Of prominence in Texas had expressed that opinion
Hon. John Covode, of Pa, testilies that the poll
uclans and women in Louisiana are very bitter
against the Government. Many planters had left the
country belleylng that they could never live there
Tor fear the United States Government would deal
heavily with participants in the rebellion. When
Gov. Wells, of La, returned from Washington, the
rebel element appeared to be greatly encouraged by
the intelligence which he had brought. lie Gov.
Nes,) felated to them that the President q
Southern man and democrat, and that he would be
bulwark between Northern abolitionism and the
South. This statement was made by Wells in a
speech and greatly discouraged the loyal element.
Mr.. COyode says he urged the immediate removal of
Wells to the President, declaring that he had be-
trayed his trust. lie also recommended the con-
tinuance of military goveNlment in the Southern
States Mr.. G. says the freedmen are working we'll
but some Of them have lost confidence in their for
mer masters.
The evidence in regard to Florida is of tho same
nature though multiplied at greater length
The House adjourned