Baltimore daily commercial. [volume] (Baltimore, Md.) 1865-1867, 1866-05-24
SENATE.
WASHINGTON. May %, 1866.

FGIITIOn N BROS.
an increase of the tariff so as to protect America
INDUSTRY. aI referred to Committee on Finance.
nes OF clothing asking reduction of tax Referred
to- Committee on Finance.
0n motion OF Mr. Norton. the bill to authorize the
Winona and st. Peters Railroad Company to build
bridge over the, Mississippi river and establish a
post route, was taken up and amended.
Mr.; Henderson said the Senate should be careful
ahout giving authority TO close up this great high
way. way psrreI OF flour or whisky could now be car
rIed from ST Louis to New Orleans, and thence to
Boston, at onethird less than any railroad company
could possibly carry it.
Mr. Cowan said it was destructive to the carrying
trade OF TIE country to build bridges of that charac
RECONSTRUCTION.
Pending discussion, Mr.. Howard moved TO take up
the !olnt resolution from the House. proposing an
amendment to the Constitution.
Mr.. Sumner thought it would be best to postpOue
the consideration of this resolution still more They
would be better prenared next week than now.
Detter plan could be matured by time being taken
Mr. tessenden differed entirely with tho Senator
from MaSSaehusets, as to the propriety Of proceed
ing with tins matter at the present time. 1t mad
been long under consideration and if that Senator
was not pos sessed of sufficient information on the
s9nJect It was his misfortune. There had been am
pie time for every Senator to inform himself ms to
the testimony that had been taken. He (Mr F) did
believe that something had been gained by delay
Long ago the newspapers had pressed the committee
to bring in report. The committee WERE however
ANXIOUS ANXIOUS to obtain testimony and waited for that
clusion had to he fixed, and this the committee had
done If they were to follow the advice of tho Sem
mony which could be obtained was given they might
wat unit! the next century. The Senator spoke of
public opinion. In his (Mr Fs) opinion they should
proceed on their own knowledge and views as they
probably knew and We're in condition to know as
much as the public He had come to the conclusion
that 1t was best for them to consider the matter at
once.
Mr., Sumner said he had performed his duty lie
thGugat Congress should take tune to obtain all tho
information possible on the subject
Mr. Hendricks desired to know of the Senator from
Mass sachusetSs what time he wished to postpone this
} q fnr
reasonable postponement.
Mr.. Sumner said ne thonght that the latter part of
June, three or four weeks from now would be time
enough to commence on the subject of reconstruction
Mr. Conness fayored immediate action the report.
1he motion OF Mr.. Howard was then agreed to.
The joint resolution Of the Committee on Recon-
struCtion was then read
Mr.. Howard said the joint resolution creating the
committee, entrusted them with a very important
enquiry to ascertain the condition of the late rebel
ous States, and TO report by bill or otherwise. The
committee ma been most faithful and asSiduOus in
dischargng their duty. They had taken the testi-
mony OF a very great number of witnesses having
kn9wlcdge Of affairs in the insurgenr States. The
Judgment Of the country, he was satisfied would be
that the committee had discharged its duty Impair
TALLY. After patient and laborious examination
they mad come to the conclusion that to restore peace
lmpart confidence and give security for the future
the Constitution of the United States should be
amended and the proposition they PRESENTS, in their
opinion the best form that be presented. 1t will
pa observed. that the first section is general pro-
hlbiOn upon all States of abridgng the privileges
and immunities of tho citizens of the United States
and secures for all the equal advantage and protec-
states would forever prevent them from interfering
II any way with the colored race.
SO far as he (Mr. II. twas concerned he was frank
70 say that he was IN favor OF securing suffrage to
the negro at least to some extent. If nothing
better could be obtained he would go for qualified
suffrage But this not the question. 1t was not
what he nor half dozen others here in Congress
would do but what would the legislatures of tho diff
they ratify.
The, second section, however, had nothing to do
with this matter. The colOred was found to be
OlyITf HAM sHri11
was fixed among US.
Itwas the opinion of the Committee that two-thirds
OF the States OF the Union could not be induced to
vote negro suffrage. He felt profound conviction
| that the time would come when the people Of the
states Where this race was most dense would them
selves extend the right of suffrage to the colOred peo
PIE as !! would DC TO thelr own interest to do
representation. Mir. II. said that the rebel States
| could not complain at losing representation in
| the other House when their own misconduct
| alone had caused it. Under the amendment they
would loose in the other House twentyfour repre-
senatves if they persist in excluding the coIored
race from the right of Suffrage
Mr.. Howard declared himself to be opposed to the
third section thought it of practical value what
| ever. 1t did not prevent robels from voting for
State officers. He would prefer clause that no rebel
should ever hold an office, national, State or mu-
nicipal.
The rebel debt should never be assumed by the
United States it should be lett in quasi state, but
1t should be forever prohibited by any State from
Mr.. Wade then offered as an amendment to the
| ed by him on Thursday last.
Mr.. Wade made speech in favor of his amend
ment.
Amendments were severally offered by Messrs.
Wilson, Clark and Buckalew, pending consideration
of which,
On motion of Mr.. Grimes, the Senate went into
executive session, and, after short time spent
therein, adjourned.
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
The Speaker laid before the House message from
the President, in answer to resolution of the House
OF April 9th, ultr transmitting copies Of laws and
portions of the Constitutions of the Southern States
relating TO the freedmen. Ordered to be printed and
referred to the Committee on Reconstruction.
The speaker also laid before the House message
from the President, transmit ting letter from the
Secretary of the Treasury, giving the and num-
ber of clerks employed in the various bureaus of his
department. and stating that but person who has
ever been IN the rebel army ls SO employed. whie
several hundred have heen in the Union army. Or
dered to be printed and referred.
| A message was also received from the President
announcing that he had signed bill to fix the time
and place Tor holding the United States Courts for
Virginia.
PUBLIC LANDS IN SOUTHERN STATES.
On motion of Mr.. Julian, of Indiana committee
OF conference was ordered on the disagreeing votes
of the two Houses the bill to dispose of the public
lands in the Southern States to actual settlers.
| QUARANTINE REGULATIONS.
Mr.. Eliot, OF MASSACHUSETTS, sked unanimous
| sent to report back from the Committee OF Com
merce House bill, with Senate amendments relative
to quarantine regulations to prevent the cholera
| with recommendation that the House concur.
present. The bill was withdrawn.
FREBDMEN'S AND REFUGEES BUREAU.
The bill to continue in force and to amend an act
to establish Bureau for the relief of Freedmen and
Refugees and other purposes was resumed on the
unfinished business of yesterday morning hour
Mr. Eliot explained the bill seriaf,I,a. Dnrn; his
remarks there was an interruption on the kepubii-
side. whereupon Mr. L. said he hoped the good
| time IA voice, what news" The Senate and House
of the Connecticut Legislature have elected sen
Ferry United States-senator. LApplause on the Re-
Mr.. LIE Blond. of ohio-I move recess for five
minutes that the other side may shout. Laughter
Mr.. Eliot declined to yield the floor for that pur-
| pose and concluded bis remarks.
| Mr. lie Blond, of Ohio, denounced the bill Before
| he concluded the morning hour expired and the bill
went over until tomorrow.
TAX BILL.
] The House then proceeded to consider, as in Conn
mittee of the Whole, the tax bill. The section llO
relating to the taxing of banks being under cor
| SlderatlOn
Mr.. Blaine of Maine, moved to amen, so as to tax
the deposits of national banks one half of one per
cent. lie said this would produce $260O00O per an
| mum of revenue
Mr.. Ancona, of Pa, moved to amend the Hath seq
ton SO as TO exempt all newspapers whose average
cTcuation does not exceed three thousand, from the
The next section, rs, relating to the revenue tax,
elicit ed long debate. As it stands it proposes
tax OF hye per cent on all incomes in excess Of one
Mr.. Pike, of Maine moved to amend so that on all
incomes over 5000 there should be levied tax of
ten per cent? or, in other words that the old law in
this respect should remain unchanged.
Mr.. Pike. OF Me-, stated in support Of this amend
ment that the new bill virtually exempted rich men,
and reduced the revenue from this SIT 900
year. He thought the English system the best.
They had graduated income tax instead of uni
form one. proposed by the Committee of Ways
| and Means. The English system taxed people with
large incomes ten per cent, those of moderate in
comes seven and half per cent and those with
lesser incomes five per cent.
Mr. Morrill, of Vt, chairman of the committee said
that thegraduated income tax proposed by Mr. Pixies
amendment could not be justified on any principIe
In fact the proposition one of highway robbery
1t proposed to go to the rich man and demand more
money of him because he was rich 1t was saving IN
| man who had five hundred sheen, you shall nav
twice much tax as the man who owns two hundred
and fifty sheep. He was in favor of a uniform tav an
incomes as the only one that could be iustiGed on
principle. VA
| After further debate the House voted. and Mr..
| Pixies amendment was agreed to-yeas ST. NAYS AZ.
| tally as follows.
That there shall be levied, collected and paid an
| nually upon the gains profits and income of every
person residing in the United States, duty of five
per centum on the excess over thousand dollars.
when the income does not exceed five thousand dol
| lars; but when it exceeds five thousand dollars
there shall be levied and collected on income duty
| Of ten per cent.
This is the way the present law relating to incomes
now stands with the single exception that Or thou
sand dollars is exempted by this bill instead Of six
| hundred dollars. ~
| come losses by fire. shipwreck, and from losses -
| real estate purchased and sold within the ye~ on
AZ 4'S0 = NJ the HOUSE 00A fSc, .ss until 73O