The Portland daily press., 1867-02-18
WASHINGTON.
appropriations for Har0or Inn
prOvensessts.
REDUCTION OF DUTY ON COAL
AND SALT.
MIR. Sherman's Bill for the Govern
ment Of the Rebel States.

| -..s WASHINGTON, Feb 16.
| Among the appropriations in the river and
harbor bill are works of improvement on the
| Atlantic Coast $4,000, for the Kennebec river
| $4,000, for the Thames river Conn, 900, for
| the st Croix, Maine, above the ledge, $15,OO0-
provided the Province of New Brunswick pay
like sum for the same purpose; n BSston har-
THE Committee on Ways and Means will re-
nort the tariff bill Monday morning. They
| have reduced the duty on coal to 80 cents. on
salt from 30 to % and from "a to 16 cents
4 In the report of the proceedings on the tax
| bill in the House on Monday evening an error
| occurred The bill proposed to repeal the pro-
visions of the existing law, by which the right
of gas companies to add the tax to the price
charged to consumers is to terminate on the
the House struck out that paragraph in the
pending bill, and the result is, the right of gas
companies to add the tax to the price charged
consumers will terminate April 3Oth The re-
port had it that it would not terminate. Il
Commander Cooper, of the United States
steamer Winooski, reports to the Navy DEPART
ment under date of Feb. 2, his arrival at San
uagO DE Cuba, from cruise in the vicinity of
Cape Antonio, Bay OF Curientes and Isle of
Pines, touching at the ports of Cienfuegos and
Trinidad. : 80 "''"
The following is a synopsis of Mr.. Sherman's
substitute for Mr.. Stevens bill as it passed the
Senate: The preamble declares that no local
State government, or adequate protection for
NE or property now exists in the rebel States
OF Virginia, North Carolina, South Carolina
Georgia, Alabama, Mississippi. Louisiana. Flor
ida Texas and Arkansas, and it is necessary
tnat peace and good order should be enforced
until 10y al and Republican State governments
can De legally established. The first section
divides the States named into five military dis
tricts as in the original bill the second section
makes it the duty of the President to assign
the command of each district to an officer of
the army not below the rank of Brigadier Gen
eral, and to detail a sufficient military force to
enforce his authority in the district, etc. The
third section makes it the duty Of such officer
to protect all persons in their rights of person
and property, to suppress instruction, disor-
der and violence, and to punish cause to be
punished all disturbers of the public peace and
criminals. He may allow local civil tribunals
to try and punish offenders, or may organize
military commissions or tribunals for that pur- (.
pose. All interference under States authority
is declared to be null and void. The fourth
section provides that all persons arrested shall
be tried without unnecessary delay; no cruel
and unnecessary punishment shall be inflicted.
and no sentence affecting life or liberty shall
be executed until approved by the commander
of the district The fifth section provides that
when the people of any one of the late rebel
States shall have formed q constitution and
government in conformity with the COnstitu-
ton of the United States in all respects franz
ed by convention of delegates elected by the
male citizens of said State q years of age and
upward, of whatever race or color or previous
condition, who have been resident in said State
for one year previous to the day of such cleo
ton, except such as may be disfranchised for
participation in the rebellion or for felony as
common law, and when such Constitution shall
provide that the elective franchise shall be en-
j0yed by all such persons as have the Qualifica-
ti0ns herein stated for electors of delegates and
when such Constitution shall be ratified by
majority OF the persons voting on the question
of ratification who are qualified as electors of
the delegates; and when such Constitution
shall have been submitted to Congress for ex-
animation and approval, and Congress shall
have approved the same; and when said State,
by vote of its Legislature elected under such
Constitution, shall have adopted the amend
ment to the Constitution of the United
States proposed battle Thirty Ninth Congress,
and known as article IA, and when said article
shall have become part of the Constitution of
the United States, said State shall be declared
entitled to representation in Congress, and
Senators and Representatives shall be admit
ted therefrom on their taking the oath pre-
scribed by law, and then and thereafter the
preceding sections OF this act shall be in opera
ton in said State. To this is added the addi-
tional section proposed by Mr. Doolittle. Il
- The origin Of Mr.. Sherman's substitute for
the House military government bill was as fol-
lows: When the Senate adjourned after Fri
day nights session, with Mr. Blaine's amend
ment pending, the Republican Senators called
caucus to meet at IL O'Clock on Saturday
morning, to agree on common basis, if possi-
sible. AT this caucus the whole subject was
referred to a committee of seven Senators, viz,
Messrs. Hise, Fessenden, Trumbull, Summer,
Howard, Sherman, Harris and Frelinghuysen.
The committee were at work most Of Saturday
afternoon, and finally agreed upon the bill
which Mr.. Sherman offered as substitute at
the Saturday evening session, and which was
adopted after a whole nights discussion. The
last section substitutes simply Mr.. Blaines
amendment, somewhat changed in phraseology,
but covering just the same points From pres
ent indications there will be serious resistance
in the House tomorrow to the passage of the
military construction bill as amended by the
Senate ~.