Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-02-05
Congress.

"' f
In the, Senate, yesterday, a bill for the pro.
lection Of persons making disclosures as paroles,
or tessttifying as. witnesses, was, taken up and
passed, The vote on the resolution heretofore
passed, requesting the President to communi-
cate any and all instructions givenlto Generals
Pope and Meade relative to the government Of
the Fourth Military District and also copies
and votes and opinions in Cabinet meetingire la'
tive to the Reconstruction acts, was recon.
sidered, and the !resolution3was taken UP and
amended 50 as to strike out the last CLAUSE; and
again passed as amended. No other business
of general Importance came up until the ex-
piration Of the morning hour, when the discus
sionofthe new Reconstruction bill was resumed,
and Mr.. Williams proceeded to deliver "a speech
In favor Of the Reconstruction policy of Con
gress. The further consideration of the bill
was then postponed, and the bill, In addition
to the act regulating the tenure of civil offices,
was taken up, theIquestion being o. Mr. Sum
ner's amendment continuing the secret service
of the State Department. 23sAfter a short dis
cussion the amendment was rejected. An
amendment was adopted increasing the num-
Der Of the special agents ofEthe Postof6ce De-
.partment to twenty-five. After some addl-
tional discussion the bill was arecommiIted.
The Senate then adjourned. y7t9g f#
In the House Of REPRESENTATIVES, yesterday,
the Committee on Freedmen's Affairs was
directed to inquire into the circumstances Of
an outrage by armed bandsin Maury and Giles
| counties, Tenn, and that they report, by, bill
or otherwise, some measure of relief. The
House resumed the consideration of the bill,
heretofore reported from the Committee on
Foreign Affairs, in relation to the rights Of y.
S. citizens in foreign countries. The discus
sion of.this bill was continued untilsthe expira-
fion Of the morning hour, when it was laid
aside, and the bill reported from the Commit
tee on Public Lands declaring forfeited certain
lands heretofore grantedato the Southern States
for railroad purposes, was taken up. A long
discussion ensued, which was interrupted by
the reception of a number Of communications
from the different Departments, all Of which
were referred to. committee. Among them was
a communication from the War Department,
containing the correspondence between the
President and General Grant in relation to the
surrender OF the Wan Department.: 1t was
referred to the Committee on Reconstruction,
The Senate bill removing the disability from
Governor Patton, Of Alabama, was received,
and referred to the, same committee. The
discussion of the Land grant bill was resumed,
and the vote ordering it to be recommitted,
reconsidered. Pending a call for the previous
question the House adjourned. ~ {. -..-
SOUTHERN FRUITS AND VEGETABLES. The
Tallahasse, (Florida) Sentinel says that half
grown peaches, green peas and tomatoes are
plentiful around that city, audthe<New Orlean:
Picayune of the 18th ult. remarks that straw.
berries are becoming abundant in that city
The. price has fallen from one dollar to fifty
cents a box at the confectioneries. Oranges
ARE discovery plentiful, and are beginning to
taste as if they had grown along the edges Of
sugar fields, and had absorbed a generous sup
ply of the sweets of the cane, From now to
the last of February the Louisiana and&Florida
orange is said to be the most delicious of all
fruits.