The Wheeling daily register. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1864-1878, 1866-06-05
Congressional Proc ecdings.
WASHINGTON, June

SENATE-The Postmaster General sent
in a communication. in response to an
inquiry as TO the cost practic ability
&c, of connectinga . mail telegraphing
system with the PostOffice Department
At one o'clock the Reconstruction res
olution was taken up.
Mr.. Hendricks, from the Committee on
Naval Affairs, repotted q resolution to
restore Lieutenant Commander Richard
NJ. Law, of the United States Navy, to
the active list Which was passed at
] O'Clock
The reconstruction resolution was
taken up. The question was upon the
adoption If the following amendment:
Section 4. The Obligations of the Unit
ted States incurred in suppressing insur-
rectien, or in defense of the Union, or for
payment of bounti les or pensions incl
dent, that shall remain inviolate.
Mr.. Hendricks took the floor aud de-
livered speech against the pending
propositjor
At the cuse of Mr.. Hendricks re-
marks, the ponding amendment was
adopted Crrtaint verbal amendments
to the 5th section we're then agreed to.
Mr.. Davis demanded the yeas and
nays upon the amendment, with the
following result:
Yeas-MesSrs. Oowan, Davis, DO1lit-
tie, Guthrie, Hendricks, Riddle, Van
Wrinkle and Willey-8.
Nays-Mrssrs. Chandler, Clark, Con-
ness, Cragin, Edmunds, Feesenden. Fos'
ter, Grimes, Harris Henderson, Howard
Howe, Kiskwood, Lane, of Indiana,
Morgan, Eyr, Poland Pomeroy, Ramsey,
Sherman, Stewart, Sumner, Wade, Will
liams, Wilson and Yates-26 So the
amendment was disagreed to.
Mr.. Van Wrinkle submitted al amend
ment as o new section, that every per.
son mentioned orAdescribed in section
three of this article, who shall have en-
gagged in insurrection or rebellion
against the United States, and against
whom no prosecution for treason has
been instituted within - years shall, at
the expiration fthat time, upon TAX
ing an oath to support the Constitution of
the United States, be exempted from all
pains, penalties and liabilities for such
participation in the rebellion.
Mr.. Henderson, of Conn, moved the
ollowing: Strike out Of section Of the
proposed amendment the following: -
But whenever in any State the elective
franchise shall be denied to any portion
of its male inhabitants, being citizens of
the United States not less than twenty.
one years Of agei or in any way abridged
except for participation in rebellion, or
other crime. theSasis of representation
in such State shall be reduced in the
proportion which the number of such
male citizens snail bear to the whole
number of male citizens not less than
twenty one years of age in such State;
and insert in lieu thereof the following;
Excluding also two fifths of such per-
sons as have been discharged from invol-
untary servitude by any proclamation
of the President of the United States, or
by amendment to the Constitution of
the United States since the year
1861, and to whom the elective
franchise may be divided. This was dis
agreed to.
Mr.. Doolittle offered the following as
a substitute for the second resolution:
After the census to be taken in the year
1870, and each succeeding census, repre-
SeDUdtlNtS Sudli po dppoiuUcu dihoIB IbO
several States which may he included
within this Union, according to the mum
Der of each State, of male electors over
twenty one years of age, qualified by
laws thereof, to choose members of the
most unanimous branch of its legis-
lature; and direct taxes shall be appOr-
toned among the several States accord
ing to the value Of the real and personal
taxable property situated in each State
not belonging to the State or the United
States.
Mr.. Doolttle explained the effect of
such an amendment as that proposed
upon the representation Of the different
States, reading table recently pub
lished in the newspapers on this subject.
Mr. Poland took the floor to address
the Senate at length on tAe pending
proposition, but gave way to Mr. Doc
little, who at 3 o'clock moved an eX-
ecutive session, which was held, and the
Senate soon after adjourned.