The evening telegraph. [volume] (Philadelphia [Pa.]) 1864-1918, 1867-01-18


| citizens OF saratoga and Fulton counties. New
| York, praying for pension to Samuel Down
ing, Jhe 3nly surviving soldier OF the l}evolu-
The House then proceeded to the considera-
ton OF Mr.. stevens Reconstruction bill.
Mr.. BAKER (Iil.) addressed the Nouse. giving
his reasons why the bill should not be agreed To
IN IT'S present form, and why IL should be re-
ierred 10 the committee on Reconstruction He
objected to the phraseology of the preamble
inaSinush 5 as u applies the term government"
Mr.. STEVENS tPa.) said that rather than have
@ InaI cause trouble any ofthe brethren, ne would
Mr.. BAKER said that the term government
llnpiled q settledsolid institution In such cases
~ I @ Cmis tne I5fm was usually modified by the
PuIuSe sO,called," "Sef-called" ;" or " dc CpctOn
He Objected TO the second section as recognizinp
lne 5tHle governments now existing de TactO
ana suggested that such recognition should be
postponed until such time as the scheme giving
ihem constitutional governments should 20
mo InIo VlIect;, lie had some doubts as to the con-
sututlonality of the third section The object
OF the lourth section was good one but why
~ 3oylia should Congress fail into
Sinary DusY why, in seeking to prevent states
DISTINGUISHING colored men should Congress
e ueelare t9aJ no person shall be disfranohised by
ICasoh Ol CONVICTION and punishment for any
crime other than for insurrection or treason or
misprision OF treason? VI
His substantial objection however ,vos 10 tl,,
sixth section, which declares that ali VINO nj
any time held office, either civil or military
under the Confederate States Government or
who swore allegiance thereto had renounced
allegiance to the United States and have 10 he
rCinvested with the rights of citizenship ne
denied that the people of the Southern States
were or could be made by law of Congress aliens
They were citizens of the United States: they
must either be foreigners or citizens. They
were not foreigners they were citizens. They
had never ceased to be citizens Of the United
states. Their Government had never been re
cognized as q Government by the United States
or by any other country. He was unwilling to
give any vote that would recognize the idea that
there ever We're for one moment of time two
soveregnties existing within the Jurisdiction OF
the United States. The Rebellion was gigantic
combination, but yet there was not a moment
when every one in the rpVOltpd 0iStriat did n
in law owe allegiance to the Government of the
United States.
He saw difficulty also in the seventh section
of the bill, which insists upon equal political
and civil privileges to all, and regarded the con-
Guiding portion of it, whi ch declares that il the
section should ever be altered or amended. the
State should lose its right in Congress, as a
9onstrqus mon q proposition. he thought the bill
should be by all means referred to the Joint
Committee on Reconstruction. In his judg-
ment the States of the Union were in the long
run better nursing mothers of liberty than this
central government could be. He wanted to
see everything left TO the States that could safely
left to them. He warned the House against the
evil tendency of degrading diminiShinE and
dishonOring the States of this Union.
The gentleman from Pennsylvania CMr. Ste
Vens) had denounced his own State as not re-
publican, and had expressed tn hope that Con-
gress would interfere to make it so; and the
gentleman from Massachusetts, CMr. BankS)
had spoken of cashiering the Representatives
OF states that were not republican in form. He
warned the House against the encouragement
OF any such destructive ide as.
Mr.. GRINNELL uowa) said he would have
been better pleased with the remarks Of the
gentleman who had just sat down If he had
applied himself to the peri ectton of the bill, not
its destruction.
Mr.. BAKER replied that he thought the Re-
construction Committee was infinitely more
oompetentto suggest improve ments to the bill
than he was.
yield up all his judgment TO that committee
Ihe session was wearing out, and he wanted
tleman from Ohio (NIr. Binghamj appeared de-
sirous to wait for the Constitutional Amend
ment to be adopted. Did he want that amend
nent to be again scornfully and defantly
thrown in the face of Congress by the Legisla-
lures of the Rebel States? The Legislatures of
the loyal States were advising a different
policy. They were saying that the Constitu
tional Amendment having been rejected, Com
gress should now go on and pass laws for the
proper government OF the territory recently in
Rebellion.
Referring to the inslnuation in Mr.. Dawson,s
speech yesterday that New England was inter
ested in keeping up the present condition Of
things, and excluding the Southern States from
representation in Congress, he repelled that as
untrue Congress would deserve the reproach
of the world if it did not see to it, that the
friends of the nation in the Rebel States had
full protection extended over their lives and
political and civil rights. If they were placed
here for anything, ii was that they might pro-
tect their friends and establish Justice, He
would not advocate execution or banishment
OF Rebels, but he would place by their sides,
with equal rights and privileges all black men,
was Gods.
This question would take case of itself The
LOOKING
votes, and would therefore, begin to treat the
black man with respect. Let then, the black
man have justice done to him, for he was the
friend Of this nation in the day of its trouble
lie gave an account OF an interview he had
VIII VIII M Mr. Lnc2& shout the time he r Grin
for enlisting colored soldiers, in which Mr..
Lincoln said to him he wanted everybody to
hght the Rebels Let the Indians fight them,"
sald ne. Let the negroes fight them, and il
you have any fighting jackasses in the State of
Iowa, that Will kick the Rebels to DEATH let the
jackasses fight them"
, MIR. HOGAN MOI introduced bill to repeal
that section OF the Railroad Bridge bill of last
session, which authorizes low bridges.
On motion of Mr.. briggs (Mich.J, the Secre-
lary OF war was requested TO send to the House
any surveys made for improvement of Ontona-
son harbor, on Lake Superior, and if no such
surveys SUI nave been made, then to cause them TO
Mr.. briggs introduced bill TO amend the
aCIs lor the disposal of coal lands and town
Properly Referred to the Committee on Public |
:, Mr.. HoTcHKIss IN. ", introduced bill for
Sue LeheI OF the Iwenty-first Regiment of New !
Military Affairs.
On motion Of Mr., RAYMOND IN. " the Senate |
i f @ 20 tne House bill in relation to the
sue 81 % IoT fost Odlce and United States Courts
ln New YORK city, requiring the title thereto to |
pc pc approved by the Attorney y-General, was |
taken 1rom the Speakers table and concurred |
signature.
Mr.. LAWRENCE (Ohio) stated that he had been |
absent the past three days of this |
week. II present, he would have voted tor the !
Two ollls admitting Nebraska and Colorado, !
thereto.
In reply to an inquiry by the Speaker,
=, MT MT 9IEyENs lntlmated that he would try to |
close the debate next week.
Inc House, at 4l5 p. NJ, adjourned.
The Storm in New York.
NEW YORK, January 1.-THE snow storm has
he tdie an Gay. The city cars run about half