The Portland daily press., 1867-01-17

yYYIX CONGRESSIONAL SESSION.
WASHINGTON, Jan. 16.
6ENATF

| 6ENATE.
As usual a large number of petitions and
memorials were presented, favoring amend
me nts to the tariff bill, protesting against the
cartailment of the currency, and other purpo
SEES, all of which We're appropriately referred
The House amendments to the national safe
deposit bill were concurred in.
The bill to admit Nebraska was taken nm n,
question being on the amendment of the Hons
that the act of admission shall take effact on1.
on the fundamental condition that the Teoisia'
ture OF the State shall agree to the abolition OF
ensued. o' Deo"'e
>. Mr.. henderson offered substitute which was
disagreed to.
in, e to IA
The bill to admit Colorado was then taken
up, ana the House amendment, which is SINH
lar TO that put upon the Nebraska bill, was
adopted, u to II, so the bill goes 10 the Presi-
! dent.
Mr. Morrill, reported the bill to protect the
| rights of married women, &c, in the District
| of Columbia with an amendment substituting
| a new bill Also bill for the construction
| of a railroad between Knoxville and Monocacy
Junction. The bill was ordered to lie on the
table and be printed.
| Mr.. Sumner, from the Committee ON For
eign Relations, reported Mr.. Banks resolu-
ton from the House on the Coolie trade, and
| it was agreed to.
Mr. CONFESS offered a joint resolution au-
ocean mail service between San Francisco
and Portland, Oregon, at q cost of not more
IMAM S25,00O per annum. Referred to the
Committee on Post Offices
MI Grimes introduced bill to amend GER
tam acts IN relation to the navy providing
that the Admiral shall be the ranking officer
1t also provides for the Commanders nav and
allowances for the Admiraps Secretary. An
other section provides that officers of the vol
unteer navy transferred to the regular, shall
credited pf,, a..
as though they had been in the regular navy.
Section eight provides for a more efficient
discipline, and authorizes commanders to con-
vene summary court marshals. Section sew
en- gives disabled men of the navy or marine
corps who have served twenty years and not
been discharged for misconduct in that time
the privilege of selecting sum of money
equal to one-half their rating, to be paid
quarterly, in lieu of a home in the Philadel-
phia Naval Asylum, the money coming from
the pension fund. A similar class of persons
who have served ten years shall also be aided
from the same fund. Another section causes
the commandment of the marine corps to rank
az Brigad-er General of the army. Re-
ferred to the Committee on Naval Affairs.
MIR. Howard moved that the Senate take up
the resolution offered by him yesterday, in
structlng the Committee on Foreign Affairs
to make certain enquiries regarding Mexican
affiirs.
NJ. Williams favored the regular order of
business, which was the bill to regulate the
tenure of office III
Mr.. Sumner believed the enquiry unneces-
sary, as it was evident the French troops
were fast leaving Mexico. He had official
and unofficial confirmation of that fact.
Mr. Towards motion was disagreed to.
MIR. Fessenden gave notice that he would
defer calling up the tariff bill to next Mon
day fl
The bill regulating the tenure of office was
then taken up, the question being upon Mr..
Summers amendment as an additional sec
ton, that officers and agents of the Govern
ment, except Department clerks whose sala-
ries exceed one thousand dollars per annum,
shall be appointed by the President, by and
with the advice and consent or the Senate, in
stead of as at present by the many heads Of
Departments alone. Ia ..
Mr.. Cowan said the whole number of offices
in the gift of the President was two thousand
four hundred and thirty-four, and the whole
number of removals during the year was four
hundred and forty-six. All the removals he
knew to have been made by the President,
were OF men who had no respect, not only for
the Chief Magistrate, but for the country, and,
he might say, for themselves. There was
great deal of improper and disrespectful Ian
guage used towards the President in the last
campaign. No man was removed who had re-
framed from indulgence in this language
There were three hundred and forty appoint
ments in the State Department, and ten re-
moyals; in the Treasury Department nine hun
dred and seventy-three appointments and one
hundred and ninety-scven changes; in the In
terror Department two hundred and ten ap-
pointments and twenty-one changes, and in
the Attorney Generals Office two hundred and
two appointments and nineteen changes. Out
of four hundred and forty-six appointments
made by the President, three hundred and fifty
seven had been semitic the Senate, and five had
been acted upon. at
Mr. Sumner said if what Mr.. Cowan had said
was correct, he must have been treated excep-
tionally by the President, for in his State be
could not think OF single prominent officer of
the Government who had not been removed
for political purposes. Circulars had been sent
around ordering them to attend the Philadel-
phia johnson convention In many cases re-
movals and appointments were made upon the
recommendation of Democratic candidates for
Congress. Men had been removed for refusing
to contribute money to carry on the Democrat
ic canvass. he knew one who had been ap-
pointed to an important post Office who was
the editor of Democratic paper, and who had
been arrested and imprisoned during the war
for disloyalty. Throughout the entire State of
Ohio Federal officers were compelled to sup
port the opposition to the Republican party or
be removed. He did not know how it was in
other States, but if the proportion of removals
elsewhere was as great as it had beenlthere the
aggregate must be greater than Mr. Cowan
stated.
Mr.. Henderson referred to the recently pub
lished letter of the Secretary of the Navy in
relation to the Norfolk navy yard and appoint-
ment of MI. Sumner
AT 4.45 r. M. the Senate adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr. Spalding asked leave to introduce res
olution instructing the Judiciary Committee
to give an opinion whether the Constitutional
Amendment to be valid should require the
sanction of three-fourths of the thirty-six
States, but objection was made.
9 On motion, the Committee ON Naval Affairs
was directed to enquire into the expediency of
having Commander Aaron X. Hughes appoint
ed to the active list of the Navy.
The Secretary of the Treasury was directed
to furnish the House with information in re-
gard to the disposal of United States bonds.
The bill to incorporate the National Life In.
surance Company of the District came up
! amended, and laid on the table.
! Business relative to the District engrossed
the time up to the expiration of the morning
| honr, when the House took up Mr.. Stevens
/ bill for the reconstruction Of the late rebel
| States.
Mr.. Paine spoke against the second sec
ton, and was followed by Mr.. Brigham, who
opposed it. 49,
After a long debate, without action, the
House went into Committee of the Whole on
the legislative appropriation BILL and after
some time spent thereon, adjourned.