The Ottawa free trader. [volume] (Ottawa, Ill.) 1843-1916, 1867-03-23
Congress.

/
| The only item of special interest in the pro-
ceedings of Congress during the past week is
J the passage of the supplemental reconstruc-
ton bill, which had previously passed the
! House 1t passed the Senate with important
amendments, after IL o'clock on Saturday
night; went back to the House on Monday
where all the Senate amendments EXCEPT one
were concerned in without iebate;was returned
to she senate on Tuesday, where il was finally
passed on that day, and sent to the President
on Wednesday morning. The President, it
is stated on pretty high authority, will return
it to the House with his veto, which, however,
will be very short, and will occupy but day
or two in its preparation. The material pro-
visions of the bill are, that before any person
in the lately rebellious states shall be allowed
to vote on the question of calling conven-
ton to frame constitution, or for delegates
to such convention, or on the adoption or re-
lection of such constitution, he shall take an
oath that he is not DISTINGUISHED by any law
of his state or the United States, now in force
for participation in the rebellion or that he
never took an oath, as member of congress
or any state legislature to support the consti-
tuition of the United States and afterwards
broke it by engaging in the rebellion. The
bill also provides that all voters who can take
the said oath shall be registered, and that the
constitution framed by any state un-
der the reconstruction bin, shall be approved
by all the registered voters of such state.
The bill which passed the Senate at the be-
ginning of the present session, apprOpriating
S1.OOOO 900 for the relief of the destitute peo-
pie Of the South, still hangs fire in the House,
where it will probably be defeated General
Butler, Logan, Schenck, and other radicals
oppose it strenuously; offering amendments
that the money shall be expended only for the
relief Of the destitute families of Union men
impoverished by the rebellion, &c. General
Howard is quoted against the bill as saying
that there are abundant means in the hands of
the freedmens bureau to relieve all the desti-
tute of the South until December next, except
rebels"
Thad Stevens finally got the floor on Mon
day to make his long-promised speech in favor
Of the conhscation Of the property of all the
leading rebels. He had proceeded but few
minutes in his speech, however, before he
broke down so completely, on account of fee
BILE health, that it became necessary to have
the Clerk to read his speech. The majority of
the House, tercely radical as it is, is evidently
not with Stevens on his contscation hobby.
In reference to impeachment of the Presi-
dent, the only report is, that the judiciary
Committee is still examining witnesses
Both houses finally, on Saturday, agreed to
a joint resolution prohibiting the sale of liquor
within the capitol.
The Senate has had considerable discussion
on the question of admitting Mr. Thomas, the
newly elected conservative" Senator from
Maryland to his seat. His offense il, that he
was Buchanan's Secretary of the Treasury Just
before the war, and resigned Immediately after
the attack upon Fort Sumter, although no one
questions that he demeaned himself as loyal
man all through the war.
Neither house has yet agreed upon day for
adjournment. 1t is understood, however, that
Congress will adjourn on Saturday (to-day) if
the President either signs or vctoes the Sup
Elemental Reconstruction bill before that date