The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1867-02-21
YYYTx OONGREss-sEOOND SESSION
WAsHINaToN, Feb. 20.
aFNATR

| ~
| G-aa SENATE.
The Chair laid before the Senate certificate
| from the Governor of Pennsylvania of the rat
| ifcation of the 18th section to the Constitution
| by that State. tEEN
| The bill for the establishment of park in
the District OF Columbia was passed. 1t pro-
| vides for the appointment of q commission to
| select site and report its cost to Congress-
Mr.. Henderson called up the bill to provide
| for the annual inspection of Indian affairs the
pending question being on agreeing to the sub
g g5; passed by the House, transferring the
Indian Bureau to the War Department.
The inspection Of the Indian affairs bill was
aeDateG until O'clock when the bill for the
more emclent government of the rebel States
was received from the House, with amend
ments.
MIR. Williams moved that the further consid-
Grafton of the former bill be postponed. Agreed
| to.
| The House amendments to the latter bill
were read.
| Mr.. Williams moved that the Senate concur
| Mr.. johnson, of Maryland, said he could
| not have not have his own wish, he must ac-
| quiesce with the majority in anything that held
| out a hope however faint, of accomplishing the
| restoration of representation to the Southern
| States. He would vote for the bill because he
| saw in it mode of rescuing the country from
| the perils that now threaten it, and not because
| he approved of it in any particular.
After further debate the Senate took a re-
cess.
E.-I EVENING SESSION.
Mr. Trumbull called up the House resolution
authorizing the Secretary of the Navy to detail
vessel to transport food and clothing for the
destitute in the South. Passed.
The bill for the more efficient government of
the rebel States was taken up.
Mr. Do0little offered an amendment to the
House amendment, adding to the last section
the following proviso: 'That nothing in this
act contained shall be construed to d;sfranch;sa
any person in either of said States from voting
or holding office who shall have received par,
don and amnesty IN accordance with the Con-
stitution and laws
al All amendments offered by Senators were
disagreed to, and the amendments of the House
concurred in--yeas 80, nays7,
MI. Doolttie advocated his amendment, and
6ehled tne statement made by certain radical
senators as to the crime and lawlessness exist
ing at the South
Mr. Sherman said that il the House amend
ments were too harsh, the Southern people
had the Democratic party in the House to
thank for it. IL IN
A HOUSE.
On motion of Mr.. Bingham the journal was
corrected In reference to the death of Samuel
downing so as to read "the last surviving SOL
dier OF the revolutionary war borne on the PEN
sion rolls"
Resolutions and reports were presented and
acted on.
The House proceeded to the consideration of
the bill to provide a more efficient government
for the rebel States. 81 III
Mr.. Blaine withdrew his motion to recede
from the disagreements on the Senate amend
ments, and moved the previous question on
MI. Wilson's (of Iowa. motion to concur with
tore h-'' '''I00''u
Mr.. Shellabarger then moved an amendment
y. W ele amendment as a new section, that until
the people OF said rebel States shall by law be
admitted to representation in Congress any
CIVIL government that may exist therein shall
be in all respects subject to the paramount an
thority OF the United States at any time to
aDonsh, modi1y, control and supersede the
same; and in all elections to any office under
such provisional governments, all persons shall
be entitled to vote under the provisions of this
act and no person shall be eligible to any office
under such provisional governments who would
be disqualified from holding Office under the
provisions OF the Sd article of the Constitution
al Amendment. Adopted -98 to TO-
Mr.. WILSON'S amendment as thus amended
was agreed to-yeas 125, nays 46; strict party
VOTE
AS this amendment to the Senate's amend.
ment was agreed to, the bill was returned to
the Senate at 1.30 p. M
The House during the morning hour took up
the militia bill. f
Mr. Paine, Chairman of the Committee an
Militia said he would relieve his friends on the
Democratlc side, OF their apprehensions as to
the effect of the bill, and not nut them In the
trouble OF filli6ustering, as they had threaten
the Dill, and 1t was so ordered
Mr. Rice, of Massachusetts, from the Naval
committee reported several bills, which were
passed. Wv
BY unanimous consent the committee of the
whole was discharged from the further consid-
Grafton of the army appropriation bill The
House refused to strike out the second section
which provides that the Headquarters of the
General OF the army shall be at Washington,
and all orders and instructions RELATING To mil
itary operations issued by the President and
secretary OF War shall be issued through him,
and prohibiting any change of his headuuar-
ters or assignment to duty elsewhere, without
the previous consent of the Senate by vote of
I'll 10 o. The bill then passed-88 to 3D. tA
The Speaker presented executive communi-
cations. t.tl ----
The House then went into committee of the
whole on the tax bill. Various amendments
were discussed and acted upon. when the com
mlttee rose and the House took a recess
EVENING SESSION.
Mr. Hooper asked leave to introduce a bill
for reference to the Committee on WAYS and
Means, to provide for the payment of compound
interest notes.
Mr. Price objected.
The Committee on Pensions reported back
the Senate pension bills which were passed.
MI Lawrence, from the same committee, re-
ported other pension bills, which passed
After disposing ofthe pension bills, the House
went into committee of the whole on the tax
bill.
Mr.. Williams moved to strike out the para
| graph which strikes out the limitation i'm the
act Of 1864, to the Both of April 1867. of the
right OF railroad and steamboat companies to
| add the tax to the rates of fare.
The amendment was defeated-46 to51.
On motion of Mr. Spaulding receipts for the
| payment OF money were exempted from STAMP
duty. Stamp duties were also removed from
all legal documents, affidavits, probates of wills
| wnere the estate does not exceed $1,000 appl-
cations for soldiers bounties, pensions, ETC.
The committee rose and the House adjourn