The Wheeling daily intelligencer. [volume] (Wheeling, W. Va.) 1865-1903, 1867-03-16
XLth CONGRESS, 1st SESSION.
SENATE.
wAsH1NeroS, March Is.

/ 1AA- EGBOEItu COtn-
mittee on Commerce to amend the ninth
section of an act further to protect the
| lives OF passengers on steam boats, &c
so as to exempt steamboats, from being
compelled to carry friction matches in
! Iron safes. Passed.
Mr.. Henderson asked that the com
mittee to investigate the conduct OF the
printing bureau of the Treasury De-
partment consist of tive instead ofthree
members.
Mr.. Sherman spoke in favor of the
Joint Committee. He was authorized to
saythat there had been no duplication of
United States bonds. In all the cases
OF presumed duplication nothing was
discovered but erroneous stamping, the
same numbers having been placed on
Two bonds. The amount thus errone-
ously stamped was SI6, 600. Pending
the consideration of the motion the
morning hour expired. 1@
Mr.. Cole introduced a bill providing
that, in lieu of the appointment Of
special agents for the Postoffice Depart
ment for the Pacific States and Terrific
ries, there shall be appointed a Super
intendent of Postal Affairs for that dis
affairs of the same.
Mr.. Morgan introduced bill proyid-
ing that nothing contained an the act
for the preservation of the neutral re-
lations OF the United States, be con-
strued to render it illegal to sell or
charter any vessel built within the
Gnited States, and purchased from the
United States, to any Government then
at peace with the United States, or to
any subject thereof, though such YES
Sc! be prepared for war, provided such
SAFE or charter be a commercial transac-
ton, and no intent or part OF the snle tn
participate in any hostile act. 1t pro-
yides that all penalties incurred under
the art THfRFFRn IN shall ha
In accordance with the act regulating
the disposition of penalties incurred
under the laws relatingsto customs. an
proved February %. 1897. Referred 10
Committee on Foreign Relations.
Mr.. Morton offered joint resolution
commissary stores furnished to the
militia of that State when called ont to
repel invasion. Referred to the Mill
tary Committee.
The supplementary Reconstruction
Dill was then taken up. The question
was on Mr.: brakes amendment, which
was modified by the mover so as to
read that the constitutions of the States
referred to shall provide that all voting
for State, County and Municipal OH
GERS shall be by ballot. The amend
ment was disagreed to.
Mr.. Fessenden moved his amend
ment, the effect of which he explained
yesterday, to be that the Convention to
form aConstitutions shall be called only
upon legal expression in favor OF So
doing, transmitted from the Provisional
Government to the Commanding Cen
eral' de moved to strike from the
first section the following words. IStbat
before the first day of September. 1867
the Commanding General in each dis,
Irict oenned by an act to provide
for the more efficient government
OF the rebel States, approved March
I'd, 1867, shall cause registration, &c,
and insert in lieu thereof thefollowing:
That before the convention shall be
held for the purpose of framing a State
Constitution under, and by virtue of,
the act to provide for the more efficient 1
government OF the rebel States. an
proved March I'd, 1867. The command |
ing General in each district defined in |
said act, shall cause registration, DC; !
also 10 strike from the I'd section the 1
following words: That, after the com |
pletion of the registration hereby pro- /
vided for, in any State, at such time |
and places therein as the commanding 4
General shall appoint and direct, Of I
which at least thirty days public notice 1
shall be given, for the purpose of es-
tablishinS a Constitution and civil gov
srnment. for such States as
were loyal to the Union. and /
insert in lieu thereof, a provision that
after the completion of the registration
hereby provided for in any State, the /
Commanding General shall furnish a |
certified copy thereof to the Provisional |
Governor OF the State for which the
same was made, and whenever, there
after, the Provisional Government of |
said State shall by legal enactment
provide, convention shall be called /
for the purpose of forming a Constitu
ton and Civil Government, and thew
shall funish a certified copy thereof to |
the Commanding Generals he shall di-
rect that Convention shall be held /
and shall appoint time and place for
holding it.
This gave rise to a discussion, which
took wide range and was generally
participated in, lasting from three to
four o'clock, when the vote was taken
on the first amendment. Disagreed to.
Mr.. Fessenden said, regarding this as
a test vote and his second amendment
being dependent upon, first that he
should withdraw 1t.
Mr.. Buckalew moved to go into exec-
utive session.
Mr.. Trumbull hoped not. He hoped
the Senators in favor of this bill would
continue it until it was passed. If il /
was carried over from day to day it was
hard to tell when the result woufd he
reached. The debate of yesterday had
been repeated TO day and would be to-
morrow, If this bill was kept before the
Senate. If one amendment each day I,
was to be offered and voted on, with the 1
as were understood ready
to be offered, he could not tell whenthe
bill would be passed.
Mr.. Sherman interrupted the discus
sion to offer joint resolution to re-
move the disability to hold office from
Robert NJ. Patton of Alabama and
Joseph E. Brown of Georgia, which
was referred to the judiciary Commit
tee.
Tho Sanata want irt, o,-o,,,,,.- - |
sion, after which a resolution for recess
was rescinded, and then adjourned.
HOUSE.
Several amendments to the rules of
the House were adopted, none OF which
were IMPORTANT
Mr.. Boutwell,, on leave, introduced a
resolution relating to claims against
the Government. Referred to the Com
mittee on Foreign Affairs.
Mr.. Hurlburd offered q resolution re-
questiug the Speaker to appoint Com
mittes to take into consideration the
report of the Committee of the last
House on the subject of the New York
Custom House, and report what action,
If any, is advisable in the premises.
Mr.. Hulburd replied at some length
to Collector Smythe's card, declaring.
in the course of his remarks, that the
New York Custom House was under
Smythe's administration, reeking with
corruption 10 reference to the bonded
business. a more dagitious,
improper, disreputable and disgracefui /,
than that shown in the tes-
timony, had never been made public,
he also declared that the evidence
showed that while Smythe took an
oath every month that he received
nothing from carriage, &C., he actually
did receive every month two hundred
and ffty dollars from that source
which money was handed TO his secre.