The Portland daily press., 1867-02-08
xxx OONGREss--sEOOND SESSION
WASHINGTON, Feb. z.

SENATE.
Mr. Fowler sent to the chair, to be read. a
| dispatch announcing the passage of the negro
| suffrage bill by the House OF Representatives
| OF Tennessee.
Mr. Trumbull, from the Judiciary Commit
| tee, reported the House bill suspending tba
operation Of the act of 1864, authorizing a
commission to pay $500 compensation to loyal
slave owners for slaves taken in the volunteer
service, and to discharge the Comm;ss;oners
| already appointed
MT Irumbull also reported, with an amend
ment, the House joint resolution to prevent
oo,Poreal punishment in the late rebel States.
MI. Drown introduced bill to facilitate dl-
Iect lhportatlons, providing that on the dis
charge OF cargoes at Boston and in other ports
haiheu, when portions of the cargo may pe
shippeu TO other ports named, and SO lhVoiced,
IL snail be the duty of the revenue oihcefs, I'M
der certain regulations, to forward Such goods,
etc. Referred to Committee on Commerce.
Mr.. Trumbull spoke OF the last statement OF
the public debt showing an accumulation of
| $4,000 600 in the public treasury He be-
| lieyed tins was uni st TO the people and dam
| gerous to the liberties of the country
Messrs Fessenden and Sherman replied
| showing why the money had accumulated i'm
the Treasury; that it was required to meet the
maturing Indebtedness.
Mr.. Williams called up the resolution in
creasing the compensation Of civil employees
of the Government at Washington twenty
per centum for one year. Discussed until one
o'clock z. NJ, when Mr.. Fessenden called up
the legislative judicial appropriation bill.
Mr.. Sumner Interrupted the reading at the
paragraph appropriating $500,00O for Temporal
ry clerks in the Treasury Department, and a
discussion ensued between him and Mr., Fes-
sender in regard to the fairness and impartial
lty OF MIR. McCullock in classifying clerks and
distributing extra compt ms ltion heretofore APP
propriated; Mr.. Sumner contending that the
Secretary had unduly favored Democrats and
johnson men in the administration of his De-
partment.
Mr.. Fessenden defended the Secretary.
Mr.. Sumner said he was satisfied that either
the Department or the Secretary ought to be
abolished, and read letter charging the Sec
rotary with partiality and unfairness, but re-
fused to give the name of the writer at Mr..
Eessenden's request. The latter objected to
the practice of reading anonymous letters of
this character, or letters whom the writers were
unwilling to have their names made public.
The amendment appropriating $4,000 for
temporary clerks was adopted.
The Senate then took recess till Pm.
EVENING SESSION.
The legislative appropriation bill was taken
up:
An amendment was adopted making appro-
priation for eighty additional clerks in the
Pension Office.
Various amendments proposed were adopt
ed and rejected Among the former was one
directing the Secretary of War to have the
territory between the Rocky Mountains and
Sierra Nevada surveyed for a new route to the
Pacific. The bill was then taken out of COM
mittee of the whole and reported to the Senate:
The Senate at 10 p. M. adjourned.
On motion of Mr.. Kasson the Committee on
Coinage were instructed to attend the annual
assay at the United States Mint next Monday.
and report what measures, if any, would tend
to greater economy and efficiency in the sys-
tenn of mintage, or improvement of the COIN
age:
Mr.. Stevens, from the Committee on Appro-
priations, reported the deficiency contingent
fund bill 1t appropriates $74, 500. Passed.
Mr. Paine, from the Committee on Militia
reported the bill for recognizing the militia.
Mr. Ashley, of Ohio, had read at the Clerks
desk, correspondence of the Cincinnati Com
mercal, protesting to give the circumstances
connected with offering of the impeachment
resolution, and denouncing it as q silly false
hood, and gave at some length the history of
the impeachment resolution.
The bill from the Reconstruction Committee,
reported by Mr.. Stevens yesterday, was taken
up.
Mr. Bingham opposed the bill and offered as
an amendment, to strike out the preamble and
insert in lieu thereof the following: Whereas
it is necessary that peace and good order shall
be enforced in the several States lately in re-
bellion, until the States respectively Shall be
fully restored to their constitutional relations
with the Government of the United States,
therefore, ETC.; also, to strike out the words
$50 called" before States.
Pending the amendment, the House took
recess.
In reply to a question, Mr.. Stevens said he
had not come to any definite conclusion in re-
gard to taking vote on the BILL but desired to
have the vote as early as possible.
Mr.. Finch suggested postponement of the
bill until Monday and that it be debated then
for day or two before the vote is taken.
Mr.. Stevens objected and wished the discus
sion to go on now, and hoped the gentlemen |
on his side of the House would not interfere |
with debate ON the other side
Various suggestions were made in reference |
to the time OF debate.
A motion of Mr.. Maynard, that the evening |
session be devoted to this debate, was agreed |
to.
Mr.. Schenck from the Joint select committee
on coin retrenchment and reform, made re-
port exculpating Mr.. Van Dyke, Assistant
Treasurer at New York, from the charges in
connection with the sales of gold. Ordered to
be printed.
Mr. Stevens spoke at some length in support
of the bill establishing military Governments,
and gave notice that he should move the pre-
vious question on it at 1 p. NJ, tomorrow.
Mr. Brandagee also spoke in support of the |
bill.
Messrs. LeBlonde and Finck opposed and
denounced the bill as the death knel of the
civil liberties of the country, and the inaugur-
alton OF military despotism.
The discussion was continued until 4.30 P.
M, when the House took recess until 30
EVENING SESSION.
Mr. Cleaves, of New Mexico, presented me-
mortal from the Legislature of that territory
relative to the invasion of New Mexico. Re
ferred.
The Speaker prevented Executive commune
cations, among which was one from the Sec
rotary of the Treasury, relative to trade and
commerce between the United States and the
British Provinces since the abrogation of the
reciprocity treaty.
Debate on Mr.. Stevens bill was resumed.
Mr.. Bingham spoke against the bill as re-
ported, and in favor of his amendments.
Mr.. Bingham said in the course of his argu-
ment there never had been a moment from the
commencement of the war, when a single
rood of the insurgent States was foreign ter
ritory. They therefore never became a con-
quered country.
Mr. Hise protested against this bill as find
ing no warrant or authority in the Constitu-
ton, and said it proposed to establish a
purely military despotism in which no right
of a citizen would be recognized OF respected.
Mr.. Ingersoll argued that there were two sorts
of States-geographical and political. The
late insurrectionary States were geographical,
but not under the Constitution were they as
political States in the Union.
Mr.. Trimble gave notice of an amendment
that he intended to offer, that no person
should be held for capital or otherwise infa-
nous crime, except by impeachment of the
a IuNnx NI.x IL