The Portland daily press., 1867-03-16
XLTH OONGREss---FIRsr SESSION
WASHINGTON, Mar. 10

WASHINGTON, Mar. IT,
SENATE.
Mr. Grimes moved that at B P. NJ. the Senate
take a recess until Z 80 P. NJ, unless otherwise
ordered.
Mr. Sumner hoped not. .,is
Mr. Trumbull said it was necessary W w N.
in order to pass the supplementary re0on''i
ton bill. .,.,.
Mr.. CONFESS said there was an evident dspo-
sition ON the part of some OF the oeha'ols W
discuss this bill with the view Oh procrasliha-
tion of the day of adjournment, contrary as he
thouoht. to the wishes of the majority of the
Senate and country. . ~
agreed to-.
olution reported yesterday by Mr.. Fessendep.
to amend one of the joint rules by prohibiting
the sale or introduction of spirituOus LIQUORS
into the Capitol buildings Adopted.
Mr.. Henderson asked that the committee to
investigate the conduct of the Printing Blu
reau OF the Treasury Department consist of
five members instead of three.
MIR. sherman thought it ought to be a joint
committee. lettering to the impression in
the pubhc mind of the duplication of U. s.
bonds and that the government had lost great
deal in that way he said this was erroneous
he was authorized to say that in no case had
the duplication been discovered. In some
instances the same number had by mistake
been put upon two bonds. The amount of the
poltuo tiuS cIrOneOuSly SUaUlpeu WAS @lojooV'
Pending consideration of the motion the
morning hour expired.
Mr.. Morgan introduced bill providing that
nothing contained in the acts for the preserva-
ton OF the neutral relations OF the Unltea
States shall be construed to render 1T illegal to
sell or charter any vessel built within the UNI
ted States, or to any subject thereof, though sad
vessel be prepared for war, provided that such
sale or charter be a commercial TRANSACTION
with no intent on the part OF the seller to par
ticipate in any hostile act OF the purchaser.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Affairs
After the introduction of several bills and
resolutions the supplementary reconstruction
bill was taken up. The question was on Mr.
brakes amendment which was modified by
him so as to read that the constitutions of the
States referred to shall provide that all voting
for State, county and municipal officers shall
be by. ballot The amendment was disa-
greed to.
Mr.. Fessenden introduced amendments the
tenor of which was to make the limitations of
Constitutional Conventions, registration of
votes, etc, in the rebel States, voluntary the
part of the present provisional governments in
each State. These gave rise to a discussion
which took wide range and was generally
participated in, lasting from 1 O'Clock until f.
when vote was taken and the first amend
ment was disagreed tod to 81.
Mr.. Fessenden said that regarding this as a
test vote he would withdraw the other amend
ments.
Mr.. Trumbul approved the motion, urging
the Senate to stick to this bill until it is passed
Mr.. Sherman interrupted the discussion to
offer joint resolution to remove the disability
to hold offices from Robert NJ. Patten, of Ala
bama, and Joseph X. Brown of Georgia. Re
ferred to the Judiciary Committee.
AT 415 the Senate went into an executive
session.
After the executive session the order for re-
cess until 7.30 was rescinded and the Senate
adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. Banks, from the Committee on rules, re-
ported several new rules which were agreed to;
one (which provides that messages from the
Senate or President, giving notice OF bills pass
ed or approved be repeated forthwith from the
clerks desk.
Mr. Blaine reported an amendment from the
same committee to the rules providing that es-
Inmates of appropriation and all other commu-
nications from the executive departments in
tended for consideration, or any communica-
ton to the House shall be addressed to the
Speaker and be submitted to the House imme-
ately for reference; and that in all cases where
appropriations cannot be made specific in
amount, the maximum to be expended shall be
stated. Adopted.
Mr.. Hubbard offered a resolution requesting
the Speaker to appoint a committee on public
expenditures, and that such committee take
into consideration the report of the committee
of the last session on the subject of the New
York Custom House and report what action If
any is advisable in the premises. He made an
explanation of the object, in which he denied
the charge made by Smythe of spiteful d7inoas
on the part of the committee, because of his in
ability to make all the appointments the COM
mttee has asked for. The committee had new
er asked an appointment of Smythe which he
did not make, but on the contrary, had ten
dered TO them appointments which they had
never received.
Referring to the denial of Senators Doolit-
tie and Patterson that they had, received one
copper from Smythe he said the committee
had never made any such charge. He replied
in detail to other statements made by Smythe,
denying and explaining them. He asserted
that the Custom House in New York under
Smythe's administration reeking with
corruption and that in reference to the bonded
warehouse business, more improper, disreput-
able and disgraceful transactions than those
shown in the testimony had never been made
public. He characterized Smythe as vampire
sucking out the life-blood of commerce of New
York, hampering commerce and making it
subordinate to his own personal aggrandize-
ment and to political objects.
Mr. Chandler obtained the floor and declar-
ed himself an advocate of the reforms which
the report of the Committee contemplated.
Mr. Fernando Wood obtained the floor, but
yielded it to enable the speaker TO present a
message from the President, with a letter from
the Secretary of State, transmitting an addi-
tional report from Minister King, at Rome,
dated Feb. Is, on the subject of the removal of
the American Chapel from Rome.
Referred to the Committee on Foreign Rela-
tons.
1t was ordered that when the House adjourn
to-day, it be until Monday.
Mr.. Mallory, member rom Oregon, took
the oath and his seat
Mr.. Eldrdge on leave, introduced a bill for
the creation of National Board of Insurance.
Referred to the judiciary Committee.
Mr. Logan introduced resolution for the
immediate appointment of the Committee on
Military affairs, but after discussion, it was
voted down, SO to 90.
This was an indication that the sentiment
of the House is opposed to prolongation OF
the session.
Mr.. Van Wyck made report from the Com
mittee on Retrenchment to which was referred
some days since a resolution of inquiry in re-
ference to the coin in Richmond banks, now
on special deposit in the treasury, and report
ed joint resolution directing the treasurer to
sell the coin and bullion (about $100O00) and
place the amount in the treasury and allow the
claimants to assert their right to the same in
the Court of Claims.
On motion of Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa, the last
clause was struck out.
Mr.. Cook moved to amend so that instead of
being Sold the coin and bullion be paid into
the Treasury. Agreed to.
The joint resolution, as amended, passed.
Mr.. Wood resumed the floor, declining to
yield it to allow Mr.. Schenck to introduce a
JOINT resolution III regard 10 COLLECTOR Smythe
and the New York Custom House affair." He
then spoke at some length in opposition to
Smythe, saying that he was satisfied from the
evidence taken by the Committee, that wheth-
er a criminal or not he had not the capacity
certainly not the discretion-to fill place of
such magnitude and importance.
Mr.. Schenck offered resolution that the
Committee on public expenditures inquire in
to the conduct of Henry A. Smythe, Collector
of New York, in connection with the admins
tration of his office, and in connection with
his testimony and proceedings as a witness be-
fore the same Committee of the last Congress.
Adopted.
The House then adjourned