Cleveland daily leader. [volume] ([Cleveland, Ohio]) 1865-1873, 1866-05-16
Defeated.
XXXIXthCO Congress,
WASHINGTON, May Is.
HOUSE.

The SPEAKER presented the address Of
the Swiss commission of Geneva to the
Congress of the United States in regard to
the assassination of Mr.. Lincoln, which
was referred to the Committee on Foreign
Affairs.
Bir. WILSON, of Iowa, obtained an order
for the printing of an amendment which be
proposed to offer as a substitute for one Of
the bills reported by the Committee on
Reconstruction. The amendment is as fol-
lows:
Strike out all after the enacting clause in
the first section of the House bill 543 and
insert the following: "That whenever the
above recited amendment shall have be-
como part of the Constitution of the Q.
S.,any State lately in insurrection that shall
have ratified the same and shall have modi-
fed its constitution and laws in conformity
herewith the Senators and Representatives
from such State, if found duly elected and
qualified, may, after having taken the re-
auired oath of Office be admitted in Con-
gress as such; provided, that if any State,
after ratifying said amendment and con-
forming its constitution and laws Herewith,
shall establish an equal and just suffrage
for all male citizens within its jurisdiction,
who are not less than twenty-one years OF
age, the Senators and Representatives from
such State shall be admitted as aforesaid,
without being required to await the action
of the other States on said amendment; aud
provided further, that nothing in this sec
ton contained shall be SO construed as to
require the Acknowledgement Of any loyal
person who is now entitled to vote.
Mr.. ASHLEY introduced bill to incor-
porate the American Cotton Company of the
District of Columbia. Read twice and re-
ferred to the Committee for the District.
Mr.. WASHBURNE, Of Illinois, asked
leave to offer resolution directing the Sec
retary of the Interior TO communicate TO
the House whether any application has
been made for the reissue OF Dunda's pat
ent for cultiyator, and if SO, by whom, at
what time, and on what grounds. Also
what effect the re issue of such patent would
have on the agricultural interests Of the
country.
Mr.. JENCKES, of Rhode Island, objected
to the resolution being received.
Mr.. WASHBURNE represented that the
resolution only asked for information and
could be referred to the gentlemen's
(Jenckes) own Committee-the Committee on
Agriculture. The objection was persisted
in.
A bill to amend tho organic acts of the
Territories of Nebri Colorodo, Dakotah
Montana, Washington, IDAHO, Utah and
New Mexico came up for consideration.
The bill prohibits legislative assemblies
from passing special acts conferring cor
pOral power, but authorizes them to pass
general laws for that purpose. 1t declares
null and void all special charters heretofore
granted by any of the Territories, and
provides that no person appointed by the
President to any office in the Territories
shall receive any compensation unless he
shall have entered upon the discharge of his
official duties within the Territory, and that
no person shall be paid for the time he may
be absent from the Territory without au-
thority from the President It prohibits
legislative assemblies from granting divor-
ces, and leaves that authority with the
courts of the United States in the Territory.
The 9th section is as follows:
And be it further enacted, That within
the Territories aforesaid there shall be no
denial Of the elective franchise to citizens
of the United States because of race or
color, and all persons shall be equal before
the law, and all acts or parts of acts, either
of Congress or of the legislative assemblies
of the Territories aforesaid, inconsistent
with the provisions of this act are hereby
declared null and void
The 18th section entities Terroriatial Off
in the absence of the Governor shall re-
ceive pay. equal to the Governors salary.
Mr.. LIE BLOND moved TO amend by
striking out the 9th section, and addressed
the House in support of his amendment
He did not believe Congress had the power
to control citizens in the Territories in re-
gard TO the right Of suffrage. In referring
to the attempts to shift the responsibility
for the passage of the constitutional amend
ment from the Republican to the Demo-
cratic party, ne said It would be found
very difficult matter to make people be-
lieve that 80 Democrats controlled the ac-
ton of the House in such important meas
ures. He called for the nays on his amend
ment. The vote was taken and the amend
ment rejected by yeas SO, nays 20. The
bill was then passed by a vote of79 to 43.
The House went into Committee of the
Whole on the state of the Union, Mr..
DAWES in the Chair, and resumed the
consideration of the Tax bill, commencing |
On page 90, amending the 26th section Of
the present internal revenue bill. A num-
Der of verbal and unimportant measures |
made the exemptions from distrainal for |
axes to consist Of school books, and wear
ng apparel necessary for family, arms for |
personal use. one COW, two hogs, five sheep /
Ind the wool thereof provided the market /
value Of the sheep does not exceed $50, fuel |
o an amount not exceeding S25, provisions
lot exceeding $50 in value, household fur |
,iture not exceeding $500; books, impIe- |
nents of trade or profession, not greater
han 500.
Mr.. NIBLACK suggested an additional