Nashville union and dispatch. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1866-1868, 1868-05-15
LATEST TELEGRAMS.
MIDNIGHT DISPATCHES.
CONGRESSIONAL rRoCrEDINcs.
House of Representatives.

tary of the Treasury, with statement of
the judgments obtained in the Court of
Claims and paid by the Treasury Depart
ment. Referred
Mr.. Donnelly intrDduced bill 10 ex-
tend the limits OF q certain land grant in
Iowa and Minnesota. Referred ia ID
Mr.. Garfield, from the Committee on
Military Affairs, reported a joint resolution
directing the Secretary of War 20 sell the
tract belonging to the United States in
Baltimore, known as the site of Fort Gov
ington.
Mr.. Washburne, from the Committee on
Claims, made an adverse report on Senate
bill to confirm sales made by the Direct
Tax Commissioner for South Carolina to
persons in the army, navy or marine corps.
Tabled. -..t ..|.',.;.' -rI,- -.
=. Mr.. Washburne also reported bill APP
proprtatlng 81 600 TO pay certain in
debtedness Of the Agricultural Department,
incurred priorto the first of July, 1867.
Passed.
The House proceeded to the considera-
ton of the bill to admit the States of
North Carolina, South Carolina, Louisi-
ana, Georgia and Alabama, to representa-
ton in Congress-
Messrs. Prnyn and Brooks spoke against
the bill and Messrs. Payne and Bingham
in favor. -t'
Mr.. Woodbridge moved to amend the
bill by striking ont the word Alabama
wherever it occurs, on the ground that
many of the voters Of that State had not
voted in favor Of the Constitution, as pro-
vided in the reconstruction law. Rejected
60 to74 49, :.
Mr.. Benjamin moved to amend by strik-
ing out the first section of the clause pro-
hibiting the change in the Constitution
and inserting instead Of it the words that
| the Constitution of said States shall never
be amended or changed to discriminate in
favor of or against any citizen or class of
citizens in the United States in reference
TO the right TO vote, who are now entitled
to vote by said Constitutions.
MIR. Bingham said that he would accept
that as substitute for his own amendment,
and it is hereby made the duty of the
President, within ten days after receiving
official information Of the ratification of
said amendment by the legislature Of either
said States to issue proclamation an
nouncing that fact. rH a .!a -s'i''t
Mr.. Stevens, of Pennsylvania, closed the
debate. He said Mr.. Speaker, do not
expect to be heard over this house, but what
| say will be said in such manner that
those who choose to be quiet will hear it.
Our friends on the other side to-day pur-
sued the same tactics which they have pur-
sued partially, though not to the same ex-
tent, in what they have been pleased TO
call argument, for the last eight or ten
years No man on that side of the housa
has risen on any important question but
that person entering the gallery would
think | was on trial for some offense.
Four-ffths of the time of the gentleman
from New York, Mr.. Brooks, is always con-
sumed in attacks, if YOU choose TO call IL
so, on the gentleman from Pennsylvania,
not on his measures, or he may be adverting.
| call upon every high minded man here
10 say whether that course of argument, 70
long and Persistently pursued, Is an honor
able or dishonOrable course of argument?
Gentlemen need not flatter themselves by
surprising l take TO myself their remarks
as llattering JUNCTION to my soul, or sup
posed them intended for the purpose of
exalting me. say TO my bretheren all
of us being equal it is intended as dis
grace TO them. 1t is intended under pre-
tense Of exalting me to degrade all others.
Does the gentleman from New York
Mr.. BrOOks) believe, for such is his argu-
ment, that by appealing to the energy or
ambition of the gentlemen he can excite
them to action? Because | happen
to be on a particular course, does he
suppose that his excessive and I'M
necessary and uniustified praise Of che
individual to excite the ambition, or rather
the envy of the rest of the members, az TO
induce them to forget the arts-the low
arts of cunning and low argument, not of
low gentlemen, but of gentlemen who use
low language. For the first time in the
course Of ten years | have alludedtO this
offensive line of argument on behalf Of the
gentlemen on the other side. Excuse me-
therefore, II, when have said this, shall
pass over and preteFmit three-fourths of
the same kind of what the gentleman from
New y Ork thought was argument. have
no donbt but be Thought it was in his
TRADE against one individual and in de-
probation of one hundred and forty.
MIR. Stevens proceeded to support the
bill at some length, concluding az follows
] have no apology TO offer for the
admission that we intended that
these men shall have a right to
compete in science and in religion with
the gentleman from New York and
his constituents of the Five Points, with
myself and the honest yeomanry around
me- and with all the people Of the nation
around me, and let him who is the most
worthy, who climbs highest on the ladder
Of merit, of science, of intellect, of moral
Hy, be the ruler, according 10 the law, of
all his sluggard neighbors no matter what
may be their color, no matter what may he
their professions, no matter what they are,
whether they are men of nobility, or
whether they are men of common rank.
Indulge no longer that vain idea that any
of sufficient intellect is to he stricken out
of the gOvernorship or the ruling of
this country. Never again, trust,
never again | believe, will that Infamous
day come for which the gentleman from
New York so ardentIy prays.
Mr.. Stevens went on to explain the bill,
and in the course Of his remarks said, those |
gentlemen of the Democratic party are
fearful that some of their Senators will be |
before we GUST the first military |
despOt of that region. There is not much |
danger now, and they may afford to let us
10. They know, ] suppose, whether that |
gentleman is TO remain longer in the White
House or not. l do not. But at any rate,
we can admit any Senators in time TO ope-
rate on that question.
The House proceeded to vote on the bill
ADD the amendments. The frat vote was
Dn the amendment offered yesterday by |
Mr.. Stevens, in reference to debts due loyal
men. The amendment was agreed to By
vote Of IS 10 So
The next question was an amendment
offered to-day by Mr.. Benjamin, and ac-
,epted by Mr.. Bingham, rs a substitute for
ais own. IL was agreed to without yeas
md nays.
The next question was an amendment
offered by Mr. Brooks, that citizens of The
United States in these States shall be en-
tiled to the equal rights Of suffrage. 1t
vas rejected without the yeas and nays, and
be bill then passed by a vote Of Jos to IS.
Mr. Butler, from the Committee on Ap-
reported the Indian appro-
,ristion bill, which was made the special
rider for Saturday.
Mr.. Jeneks, from the Committee on Re
reported bill to regulate the
K