Marshall County Republican. (Plymouth, Ind.) 1856-1878, 1867-07-18
ghe gepnblieaa.
CONGRESSIONAL.

IL.
The Senate refused to consider it.
The Reconstruction bill was taken up.
Mr. HOWARD reviewed the argument
OF the Attorney General controyerting tn
position taken by him, ssyirg that III
Presidents scheme was to reinstate Tia
rebels formerly in power.
Mr.. WILSON'S amendment offered We:
tefday, was agreed TO.
Mr.. DRAKE offered an amendmen
which defines the intent OF the oath pre-
scribed in the supplementary act. Tn
words while holding any such office" ar
so changed as to make the clause read =
''But no person who has been Il member o
the Legislature of any State, or held an.
executive or judicial Office, whether he ha
taken the oath to support the Constitution
or not, while holding such office, or after
ward engaged in insurreciion."
A long debate ensued.
Mr.. JOHNSON suggested that Mr.
Drake change the wording of his amend
ment so as to read: "And whether he wa
holding such office at the time of the re
bellion, or had held it before"
Thc.amendment was modified as sug
gested
Mr. TRUMBULL said this made a very
"
plish anything. 1t did not alter the Origi-
nal intention of the bill.
The amendment was agreed to as modi-
fed
Mr.. HOWARD moved as an amendment
to the sixth provision that the mere act O
having voted for an ordinance of secession
shall not OF itself he deemed under this act
or shall any person be deemed disqualified
by reason of holding the Office OF Justice
OF the Peace. Trustee, or agent of any pub
lie institution, &c.
Mr.. HOWARD said General Schoficld
had made ruling which renders the above c
necessary as regards those who voted for
the ordinance OF secession.
Mr. BUCKALEW desired toknow ifihe
members of the bar were included in this
amendment. They were judicial officers
in certain sense. and might be excluded
under the stringent lsws in operation. lie
regarded il a. dangerous to enumerate in q
case like this, because all who were not
included would be regarded as coming
der the exclusion OF the bill.
Mr.. HOW ARD modified hi. amendment
Ivy adding after ordinance Of secession
lat az op'i,ar election"
Mr.. POM EROY suggested whether this
amcndmeLt was not in opposition to the
resolution restricting legislation TO the re-
moval of Instructions to the execution of
the previous laws.
Mr. HOW ARD said this Was necessary
to remove the obstruction according to the
construction put on the rule.
Mr.. ST MINER characterized the amend
meht as perfect Noah's Ark, in which
rebels were To he saved.
T. II ~
said the gentleman had miScOnstrued, and
denied that it WAS opening the doors for
the admission of rrbel. to participate in the
Government. Ali he desired was to ascer-
tain tho meaning of the woris in the four
teenth amendment To the Constitution rela-
tive to engaging in rebellion. or giving aid
and comfort 10 the enemies The Govern
ment. lie wished the Senate To say whsih-
er vote for secession was an act Of
treason, and was so intended when the four
teenth amendment was passed in the Sen
ate.
HOUSE.
On motion OF Mr.. DAWES. the time for
taking testimony in the Kentucky contest
ed election cases was extended until the
first of December.
Mr.. Shanks asked leave 20 offer pream-
bic an | resolution, reciting that there had
been no thorough investigation ofthe. treat
ment of Union prisoners by the Confedcr-
ate War Department. and the people think
that such investigation should be made,
and resolving that a select committee of
five be appointed ;o make such invesiigs-
ton an report to the House with such
recommendation as may seem proper, with
power to send for persons and papers, APP
point clerss, reporters. &c.
Mr.. WOOD objected.
Mr.. SHANkS moved 10 suspend the
rules.
Mr. STEVENS asked whether such in
vesiigaiion should not be referred 10 the
committee appointed last session.
Mr.. BUTLER asked why not refer the
matter To the committee on Conspiracy.
Mr.. SHANKS said that committee had
As much as ii could attend to-
The rules were suspended, IS TO 81, and
the resolution was introduced.
Mr.. DAWES called attention to the res
OlutiOn promising amnesty and grace, and
which was copied from that offered by Mr..
Butler the other day. II attempted to
pledge the faith OF the Government, not
only that no person shall have used against
him evidence he may give TO the commit
tee, but that he shall not be tried at all on
any evidence
Mr.. SHANKS admitted that the resolu-
tion was, TO say the least, precarious, and
he would withdraw it.
Mr.. SPALDING argued that the subject
should be referred to Mr.. Buffers select
committee. expressing his opposition to
the appointment of SO many special COM
mittecs.
Mr. SHANKS demanded the previous
question on the adoption ofthe resolutions
The previous question was seconded.
The first resolution, authorizing the COM
mittee, was adopted-lOO to ~.
The second resolution authorizing the
committee to send for papers, was adopted
without division.
The third resolution, authorizing grace
and amnesty To witnesses implicated in the
crime, and which had not been Withdrawn
but modified, was rejected.
The preamble was then agreed to, modi-
fed so as TO read:
WHEREAS, 1t is expedient that the treat
ment of prisoners of war and Union citi-
zens held by the rebel authorities during
the rebellion shall be thoroughly investiga-
ted; therefore, &c.
Mr.. STEVENS, rising to a personal ex-
PLANTATION, referred to the correspondence
published in the New York Herald on
Monday. lie questioned the propriety of
publishing private conversation. He ad-
mitted that the political views attributed
to him were correctly stated, busr}isclaim-
ed the remarks attributed to him in refer
ence to his colleagues.
Mr.. BROOMALL was granted permis-
sion to have his name recorded on the pass
age of the Reconstruction bill. Similar
permission was granted to such other mem
bers as desired 1t.
Mr.. JULIAN introduced bill to extend
and apply the provisions Of the homestead
act in Alabama, Mississippi and Florida
Referred to the committee on Reconstruc-
ton.
Mr.. ROBINSON, of New York. offered
a resolution directing the committee on
Foreign Affairs TO report Immediately
whether any American citizen has been ar
rested, tried ard convicted, or sentenced
in Great britain or Ireland for words sDO-