Democratic enquirer. [volume] (M'arthur, Vinton County, Ohio) 1867-1873, 1867-01-31

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was passed. NJ. Sumner, from the
Committee on FOreigo Affairs, intro.
duced q Joint resolution increasing the
number Of commissioners to the Paris
Exposition authorizing the employ
me I OF a clerk aud secretary, scientific
assistants add draughismen, renting Of
houses for the accommodation of the
com omission, and appropriatiDg S8S, 900
for the objects Of the commission. The
Tariff Bill was further amended aud dis
cussed. ,.t
The House resolution, exempting
burning funds from taxes, vas passed -
Mr. Wade introduced a bill to appoint q
Superintendent of the Capitol and Cap-
itol grounds, by the Speaker Ofthe House
and President of the Senate. A bill
wrs passed, removing all pension agents
appointed since the 1st Of Jsnuary, 1866
A bill was introduced to equaliEe and
increase the pay Of army officers. Nj.
TrumbnlI, from the Judiciary Commit
tee, reported back the bill Of Mr.. Wade,
to amend the Constitution, prohibiting
the reelection Of any person to the Of
fee of President of the Uuited States.
Mr.. Wade SAID he would call il up at
an early day. 80 as to have the Legislar
ture Of the States to act on i! before ad-
journmsnt. The Tariff bill was takeO
out Of CominitIee Of the Whole.
HOUSE,. "A resolution was introduced
and referred to the judiciary COMMITTEES
declaring that the Southern States re-
Gently in armed rebellion had been loft
without legal civil governments, and that
their governments can become valid only
by act Of Congress. a resolution was
introduced aud referred to the Commit.
tee on ReconstruotioD, declaring that
States not representated in Congress
should not have the right to vote on the
ratification of a Ccnstitutioual amend
ment, A resolution suspendiug for two
gears the retirement Of legal slender no tes
Gas referred to the Committee on Banks
and Currency. A bill was introduced
70 define the powers Of the Supreme
Court. It'provides that when the Court
is called upon to decide as TO the validity Of
any law Of Congress, the hearing must he
before full bench of tbe Court, aud
the decision Of tho Court must be unan-
imous. This is one of the Radical
measuresto, prevent the will of Congress
being interfered with by any other depart
mentof the Government, and if adopted
will be great step toward anarchy. A
bill was passed directing that, when the
Secretary Of the Treasury intends to
sell gold, he shall give reasonable notice
Of the time, place and amount to be
sold. A billiWas introduced to increase
the compensation of officers Of the Uni
ted States Courts in Washington and
other cities. Agqbill was introduced to
prevent any further withd drswal from
circulation by the Government Of legal
tender notes A resolution iostructing
the Committee on Elections to Inquire
into the manner Of the recent Maryland
election and the Presidents agency
therein, was, after considerable discussion,
passed. o,t ,,,.-
The Committee on the Judiciary ra.
ported faVJrably on the bill to legalize
all acts and proclamatiOns made BY the
President from March 4th, 1861, to De
cember l, 1865, and indemnifyiDg all
officers for any acts committed in
discharge of,their duty during the war,
and who sat on military commissions and
condemned citizens to imprisonment and
death, and who, for such acts, are, under
tbe recent decision ofthe Supreme Court,
liable, criminally and ciyilly, for their
illegal acts. An amendment declares
that all officers who we're in the service
shall be- presumed to have been acting
under the orders Of the President. A
bill was also reported from the same
Committee (ca|led Boutwell's Bib de,
clating it 60 be rule Of all Courts of
the United States, that any person who
took part in the la:e war on the side of
the Confederacy shall not be allowed to
practice in said Courts. Mr.. Boutwell,
spoke in favor Of the bill and den ounced
the decision Of the Supreme Court, which
declared that the test oath was uuconsti,
tutionaI. So soon as he had finished he
called for the previous question, so as to
cut off all further debate. Here CONS
meBced scene often before witnessed in
the House Of Congress, when an imperi,
GUS minority determined to put meas
ure through without debate. The oppo.
nentS ofthe bill resorted to parliamentary
strategy to prevent vote being taken on
the passage of the bill and to cut off
debate, and kept the House in session all
night and until eight o'clock next