Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1867-12-09
CONGRESSIONAL.
MnNnAY ernhar O

abolish the existing Southern State govern
ments. Laid on the table.
Also, communication from the Attorney y
Gentral, enclosing a statement o! Assis-a.l;
District Attorneys appointed, and salsTies II
the same. Referred 10 Committee Oh the ID
dietary
Mr. Fessenden presen ted the petition Of a..
sistant Assessors Of Internal Revenue in Norrh
Carolina, praying for compensation. ReterrsG
10 COMMITTEE on Finance.
Mr. sumner presented resolutions OF taa
Massachusetts Legislature relating . tha
Northern Pacific Rsilro ID. Referred % CON-
mittee on Pacific Railroad
Mr.. johnson presented the petitien of A. Z
Shepherd, and l24 other citizens of Wsshlag-
ton, asking the incorporation of compGgy
with authority 10 construct q railway irC IA
WashinsIon through Maryland to connect
Win ibe Northern Central railway. Referred
10 Com mmittee In Commerce.
Mr. Wilson, from the Conn OH Military
Ansirs. reported back number OF petitions,
which IN the opinion of the committee should
be referred to the Committee on Claims and
they were 20 referred
Mr.. Wilson, also gave notice hat be should
to- morrow introduce "a bill TO remove political
disabilities from 2el citizens OF AIaoawa
recommended hy Generals Pope and Swayne
Mr.. Trumbull ohereda resoI ution calling on
me Secretary of the Treasury for fun and
complete information as % the restoration OF
all captured and abandoned property: the
names OF those to whom restored; The evidence
upon which 1t was so restored; whether the
parties gave satisfactory proof OF loy atty, and
by what authority the property was SO return.
ed, &c, &c. Adopted.
Mr. Ramsey introduced resolution. in.
sTucung the committee on Foreign Relations
10 inquire into the eXpediency OF the Uni ed
States concluding a treaty with the United
Dominion, (the British North AmerIs sau Prov
inees,) including provisions that a duty of 5
per cent snail be imposed on exportstIons ex-
clusively the production OF each country from
one TO the other The river 81. Lawrence 10 be
free 10 Americans; the CnitedStates 10 assume
e2,BQV0 OF the debt of British Colu nbia, and
Ur Sfarrn
the United States.
Mr.. Ramsey said the people Of this north
western territory desired 10 be annexed 70 the
United States.
Mr.. Grimes said the resolution loo sed 10 an =
other reciprocity treaty. and objected TO Its
consideration; and accordingly II went over.
Mr Sumner offered q resolution instruc citing
me COMMITTEE on the Duties and Compensa-
ton OF the Officers Of the Senate to report a
resolution defining the duties of the office OF
Sergeant alarms. t "
Mr.. Sumner said in reference 10 the defini.
ton OF Sergeant-at- arms, he found that officer
TO be one whose duty il was 10 preserve order
III this was the proper definition, il woula seem
mat the Sergeant-at- Arms should be present
during the deliberations OF the Senate When
he Mr. ) first came into the Senate, many
years ago the seat OF the Sergeant. at Arm
was on the right hand of the President, and
that officer was always in his seat. But since
the present Incumben had come into the once
he Mr.. 5. hao never seen him in the Senate
perhaps other Senators had " no had sharper
eyes. ne former Sergednts-at-ArmS had AL
ways considered 1t a part of their duty to an
nounce messages from the House. He (Mr. ) }
merely wished to know what the duties were
perhaps the Committee would not find II nec-
essary TO bring In a formal resolution, all that
ne wanted was TO know what the duties really
were.
Mr.. How we said it was the business of the pre
siding officer to keep order, and he thoug ght il
could be done without the presence Of the Ser.
geant at-Arms.
Mr.. JrumbuIl said there were o.her officers
OF the Senate who were not always in their
places, and moved to amend that the eommi:
tee also ing ulre into the daties of the Secre-
tary and other officers. The Sergeant at A rms
was, Of course. unable to do personally all the
duties which pertaIned to his office, and had
some forty subordinate officers under him
but according TO his experience the presen
ofhcer performed individually as many duties
as his predecessors with whom he TNr. 7. /
had been acq tainted.
Mr.. Conness hoped the effect of the resolu
uon would not be TO bring more officers into
The Senate than now during the transaction o Z
executive business. 1t was we'll known thar
now all the secrets Of executive sessions We're
communicate d TO the public as soon as they
occurred. OF course, il was not 10 be sup :.
posed that Senators violated their oaths, and
ne feared the effect OF having more subordi.
mates present
Mr.. Trumbull proceeded to defend Mr..
Brown from any imputation of neglect OF
duty. He did not think IL made any differ.
ence as TO what particular chair that officer
occupied. He knew that 1t was the custom in
ceded by the sheriff in cooked hat and long
sword, but did not think the present presiding 2
omcer OF the Senate would care to be attended
by such paraphernalia. lLaugh.erl
After some fur ther discussion, the resolution
was referred TO the Committee on the Pay OF
the Officers
ON motion of Mr.. Harlan, the Committee on
Military Affairs was requested to inquire into
the propriety OF amending the law declaring
and fixing the rights of voiunte teers as a part OF
the army, so as to include previous service IN
In - klssh.
IN the army. Also as to the proprieiy of au.
thoriztng the Secretary OF War to take into
consideration in all cases previous rank as
position of officer.
Mr.. Henderson offered a resolution calling
on the Secretary of the Treasury for copies OF
instructions TO officers relating TO captured
and abandoned property; the amount OF money
received from the sale of such how m uch has
been returned TO the Treasury, and how much
is stli in the hands Of the officers receiving the
same, &c.
Mr. Fessenden said the Senator could get all
this Information by personal application at the
treasury Department. These indiscriminate ~
resolutions of inquiry entailed often immense
ano unnecessary labor on The Departments,
ana the printing OF the reports also caused
great expense.
After considerable discussion, the resolution
was referred TO the Committee on Finance
MIR. Chandler called up his resolution de.
clariDg neutrality on the part OF the United
States between the contending forces of Eng
Mr.. Chandler had no expectation, when OF.
fefing his resolution, that there would be apy
objection to IL, and he thought that it shouId
nave been passed unanimously. 1t was re.
clprocity. 1t was extending the same cour-
tesy 10 Great Britain which she had extended
10 us IN 1861. Perhaps IT might be called re-
taliatlng, II so fheu let il be. Some Senators
on TINS floor called IL Joke; il was not so i'm :
tended, and II q loke, was a very serious one
just like the one Great Britain perpetr ated in
ls6l That practic al joke OF Great Britain cost
tins Government 2Ul,0O0 lives and two thou.
sand millions OF dollars. Ii gave eouaI priyi.
leges To q nag which had no existence on either
nation the rebellion would have been put
down in twelve months. These rebels were
like the Devil when he offered All
kin gdoms of the world to our Saviour Wnv.
SIR the devil had not enough land 70 bury him.
self. lLaughter.l Precisely so with these
rebels; they did not own one inch OF ground
on land or water. This act OF Great Bri,aiu
cost Us 900 ships, and reduced us from the
rank OF first class commercial people TO a
third or fourth rate position. Why mad Great
Britain done this to a friendly mover 10 a
Government which had respected and rpyer.
enced and always stood by herr She did n
with che hope of breaking up this riorious
Union. For all this love and wrong Great
Britain had never atoned.
Mr.. Nye.-And never can
Mr.. Cbandler.-No, she never can. His
(Mr. C's.1 record on this subject had been CON
sisient. In December. 1864. he had brou Phi in
resolution instructinG the Secretary or State
to present the due principal and interest Of Ihs
Alabama Claims- and hA rvn IN hor..--, - !.