The western Democrat. [volume] (Charlotte, N.C.) 1852-1870, 1867-12-10
Congress-.

DECEMBER In the Senate, memorial
from the Alabama Conv ention for the repeal OF
the Cotton Tax, was referred. Resolutions of
| the Tennessee Legislature, asking the repeal of
the Cotton and Tobacco Tax, was presented
At twelve o'clock the commencement of the
new session announced.
In the House, the Judiciary Committee was
instructed to enquire whether the House had the
right to accept or reject the terms of treaty
like that acquiring Russian America. Various
petitions, resolutions, &C., requesting the repeal
of the cotton tax, We're referred to the Committee
on Ways and Means.
At twelve o'clock the beginning of the new
session was proclaimed. One hundred and forty
six members being present. committee Was
appointed to wait on the President, who subse-
quently reported that the President would COM
municate his message at noon tomorrow.
DECEMBER 3-In the House on the Sd, Mr.
Schenck, from the Committee on Ways and
Means, reported BILL that all cotton raised in
the United States, after the year 1867 be ex-
empt from tax. He refused amendment
making the same law apply to sugar. Mr.
Schenck proceeded to explain why the law was
not made to apply to cotton raised this year.
Oneftth was already on the market, and very
large POI ton of it had passed from the hands of
the producers and growers, and they would de-
rive but little benefit from it. The committee
believed that it would be impolitic and inexpe-
dent.
Mr. Brooks moved u substitute, that the tax
be abolished and that no American manufac-
turcd cotton goods shall be entitled to the benefit
of the existing drawbacks, unless shipped within
ninety days OF the passage of this Act.
a general debate ensued, IN which Messrs.
Covode, Ella and Butler opposed the repeal, and
Logan, Blaine, Mullen, Garfield and Niblack
favored Schenck's bill, and Barnes and Rill fav-
oring Brooks substitute.
The Presidents message was then read in the
House, and the standing committees were ap-
pointed
DECEMBER I'm the Senate, the ratification
of the 18th Article of the Constitution, by Ne
braska, was announced.
MIR Drake offered a concurrent resolution, that
the President had transcribed his Constitutional
powers, in the language of the message, refer
ring to reconstruction. A motion to print extra
copies OF the message elected debate, ventila
ting the views of several Senators. MIR Howard
did not think it worthy of publication. 1t was
a libel on every member who voted for the re-
construction bill 1t was nothing less than an
insidious invitation of the rebel States to resist
by violence the reconstruction acts. He would
not vote money for the distribution of such at
tacks on the peoples Representatives. Mr. An
thony said the question was whether they would
depart from the precedent, and hereafter only
print matter advancing their own views. Mr.
Sumner moved to amend by printing only, the
reports He considered the message not only a
libel on Congress, but an incendary document,
designed to stir up the rebels Mr. Buckalew
claimed that the President but exercised his
prerogative in presenting his views to Congress.
Mr. Wilson said that Congress was not to be de-
tered from its work, by either the President or
the press, and the South will be represented by
the fourth of July next. The President ibeled
not only Congress, but the Freedmen, in declar-
ing them unfit for the ballot. He declared that
the newspaper correspondents were in the inter
est of the rebels, and made garbled statements.
Mr. Dixon claimed that the Reconstruction Acts
had been strongly condemned by the recent cleo
tions. The question of printing the message was
postponed.
A bill amending the Reconstruction Acts, so
as to require only majority of the votes cast to
call Convention, was referred to the Judiciary
Committee A bill was passed declaring five
members of the Supreme Court a quorum.
In the House, the bill removing the tax on
cotton after this years crop was passed as it came
from the Committee. Nays 20.
Dec. 5.-Nothing of importance was done to-
day. bill striking the word ':white" from the
ordinances of the District of Columbia was adcp-
ted by the Senate by vote of 80 to 8.
DEC. 6.-Ihe impeachment argument attracts
but little attention. Boutwell's line of argument
is mainly to show that the Committee was right
in its report, though the House should refuse to
impeach. He combats Wilson's position that.
impeachment is possible only on indictable of
fences. The impression is, that after Wilson's
speech the whole matter will be tabled,