The national Republican., 1867-12-20
slatiuaal @epablifan.
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
Ferticth Cengress--seeenss session
SENATE.
Tuunsp,r. p.e,mbsr 10. 1867.

The Chair laid before the Senate = oommeni
cation from the President, transmitting the pro-
oeedines &C., Of the International Monetary
Cony,ntiou, held In Paris In June last. Re-
ferred 70 COMMITTEES on Finance.
The House bill amending the supplsmsntary
reooustruotion aets was received, read twice, and
referred TO the Judiciary Conmittse.
Mr.. Sherman presented memorial Of oitiIsns
Of Cincinnati, including members Of the City
Council, asking the adoption Of measures 70 So
euro the rights Of American oitizens abroad from
foreign aggrsssions, and also asking soms .ex-
plicit disposition Of American oitissnship. Par.
ticular attention Il called TO the treatment Of
American oitirsns BY the British authorities In
connection with Fsnisn dif,oultiss.
Mr.. Connsss said the President was invested
with ample power in the premises, and II u was
not exercised II was the neglect Of the kIoeu-
tive.
Mr.. Sherman said the memorial which he had
presented related 10 three different aspects Of this
subject, and II had better BE- referred 10 the
COMMITTEES. We could not submit TO foreign
dovsrnments assuming to punish our citisens
for offences committed here, and not punishable
By our laws.
been lately punished in England for words
spoken in this country.
Mr.. Coniling went further than the Senator
from Ohio, Mr.. Shsrman.l No foreign Govern.
mont had the right TO punish American oitizens
for offences committed here. even II they were Of
the highest nature known 10 our laws.
Mr.. Johnson said soma Of these questions
would have 10 be settled By negotiation.
Mr. sumner briefly rspsilsd any idss that the
COMMITTEES on Foreign Relations would be dsrs-
lct TO their duty to the country in this matter.
Mr.. Conness, ~ . representative OF the peo-
pie whose interests had been assailsd, was
srati6sd At this avowai from the COMMITTEES.
Mr.. Sumner did not doubt that the American
Rspublio was fully compstsnt 10 meet this mat
ter a. other dificultiss had been met. but the
BY any temporary pressure.
Mr.. Wilson had presented the other day the
petition Of Col. John Warren, who was Fe-
nian, a. he had right TO be, and he (Mr. W.
would say hero that so far % the Fenian move.
mont was for the protection Of human rights and
liberties he cordially sympsthirod with II. Col;
Warren was an Amerioan citizen now confined
in British jail for alleged offences which had
been committed here.
Mr. Couness hoped that while the committee
was examining the matter, the President would
demand the release Of those American citiIens
who were nov lsnguishing in British bastiles.
The memorial was thsn referred to the Com
mittse on Foreign Relations.
M Morrill,, Of Maine, reported, from the
Committee on Appropriations, the deficiency
appropriation bill, with amendments. appfopri.
ating for deficiency In EXTRA pay Of clerks Of
Senate committees, pages, &o', sss,oooi which
was agreed TO. II-
Mr. Buokalsw offered an amendment striking
out the prohibition against members Of the
Senate and House receiving more than Sl25 per
annum for newspapers and stationery, and make
1t apply TO members Of the House.
Mr. Grimes said thsre had been much talk
in Congress about retrenchment, and he thought
that rstrsnehment shoald begin right here.
Mr.. Sherman ssid the stationery contracts for
the present year had been made, and would
move that the prohibition should apply AFTER
this year.
Mf. TrumbuII had no personal knowledge that
these abuses existed; they should DO broken up
at once.
Mr Fsssendsn thought the matter had better
be postponed for . fsw weeks, until ths real
facts could be asccrtained.
Mr. BuckAlsw's object in offering the amend
ment was because this provision did not apply
to the system in the Senate.
Mr.. Wilson thought that Sl25 was ample to
buy newspapers and stationery roT oaoh mem
Der, but be WAS opposed to the proviso, Is in
serted By the House, giving them the privilege
Of charging this amount in money instead.
Mr.. Hendricks did not understand the action
on the part Of the House a. intended to rebuke
the Senate, but rather as curb 10 their own
extravagancs, as he understood they had voted
themselves extra stationery at tho July session.
and again in November.
The amendment Of Mr., Buekalew was then
Nj. Pomsroy moved to amend BY striking out
the whole provision, so that nothing shall be
allowed.
MI. Conkling hoped the amendment would be
adopted, a. thsrs vas plenty Of ststionery fur.
nishsd on the requisition Of the different com
mittess-
M. Morton said small partisan papers would
Of course make capital out Of this thing, but
that would not influence him.
Mr.. Buokalsw. Tho gloves are set down
among the funeral expenses.
Mr.. Cosbstt. Tho pen-kniyss are not good
Mr.. Morton. Well. then, they ought u
make deduction.
Mr.. Pessndsn said the whole thing was
vssy small and disgraoeful scandal.
Mr., Upton regretted that the discussion
which had taken place this morning among th
older Senators was Of such nature ~ 70 max
the new Senators rather anxious about the com
pany into which they had fallen. He had bee
charged last fall in NsbraskA with having 7,
osivsd ten or twelve pairs Of gloves, and ha
been unable TO reply because tho subject wi
now TO him.
Mr.. Cameron used great deal Of stationsr.
but II was all for the benefit Of his constituent
and hs was sure they would not complain
Mr.. johnson alluded to an article In the
bany Argus, In which he, with other Senator
sAs stated to have received dozsn gloves and
dorsn psnknivss, none Of which articles had
ever seen. He understood that these articl,
were all purchased in bulk, and the erpen
then apportionsd among the different Senator
and that u was the custom to furnish the doc
kespers, messengers and tho pages with the
pepkniyes, DO, which appeared on tho bool
charged TO the Senators. Ho could not vote 4
the amendment Of the Senator from Minnosot
IMr. Ramsey, as he could not admit that q
Ssnate Of the United States was unht to
trusted with what stationery It needed.
After some farther debate Mr. Ramsey mod
hod his amendment to read: THAT no memb
Of either House Of Congress shall DO sllow'
newspapers or stationery, or any oommutatit
therefor" which was disagresd to-yem L
nays II. =,
The amendment Of Mr.. Sherman TO make Il
principle apply after the expiration Of the Gu
rent FISCAL year was then rejected.
Mr.. Fessenden moved to strike out the who
clause, upon which Mr.. Grimes demanded Il
ayes and nays, when 1t was disagreed to by
vote Of 81 ayes TO % nays
Mr.. Wilson moved to amend by prohibitir
the receiving Of money In Communication, whie
was disagreed to.
An amendment Of the committee appropriate
s,640 for additional messengers, was agreed to
sIso, striking out m appropriation Of 81, 900 Il
extra clerical labor In preparing tho history
the United States land grants, and $500 for fue
The bill having been considered In Commit,