Yorkville enquirer. [volume] (Yorkville, S.C.) 1855-2006, 1868-03-19
CONGRESSIONAL NEWS.

Ah IhC 44OuoC, Ou tuC jill, piho WOiO A"SSNNS~S
to reduce the expenses Of the navy and extend the
bounty act; that the next generation should pay
the national debt; that Congress should pay loyal
Southern and Northern citizens alike for subsis-
tence, &c.
A resolution that sound policy requires the
gradual substitution of greenbacks for iterest
bearing treasury bonds, was introduced; motion
to table failed by vote of 56 to "a, and it was re-
ferred to the Committee on Ways and Means after
failure to second the previous question.
In the Senate q memorial was presented from
one hundred and fifty Carolina and Georgia ne
groes, stating their ability and willingness to work
for sixty dollars year, but are such victims to
persecution that they desire one hundred dollars
to go to Liberia, which was referred to the Judi
ciary Committee. ..-..
When the credentials of Mr.. Vickers, the new
senator from Maryland, were presented, Sumner
moved that they be referred to the Judiciary Com.
mittee, on the ground that Maryland negroes did
not vote for the legislature that elected him, and,
therefore, that government was not republican.
Mr.. Conness said that, under Summers plan, five
Of the New England States and Wisconsin would
have to carry on the government The motion
was withdrawn.
In the House, on the 10th, the Reconstruction
Committee reported the following bill in reference
to the admission of Alabama: l.... ......
Whereas the people of Alabama, in pursuance
of the provisions of an act of Congress entitled
"An act for the more efficient government OF the
rebel States, passed March I'd, 1867, and the acts
supplementary thereto, have framed constitution
| ~oro.o,oant which 10 ranuhlinap in form
and whereas at on election held commencing or
the 4th of February, 1868, large majority OF the
legal voters of said State, voting at said election
voted for the adoption Of said constitution there
fore. 4,
Be IL enacted DC, That the said State of Ala
4 bama shall be recognized and admitted as one O
the States of these United States of America, ant
shall be entitled to representation in Congress a
soon as the legislature of said State the member
of which were elected at the election mentioned il
the preamble to this act, shall have duly ratified
the amendment to the Constitution Of the Unitet
States, proposed by the thrty-ninth Congress, ant
known as article fourteen.
Sec. 2. And be 1t further enacted, That said Stat
of Alabama shall be recognized and be admitted
into the Union upon the following conditions, Il
wit: That the right of suffrage of citizens Of tn
United States shall never be denied or abridged ii
said State on account of race, color or previous
condition of servitude, and Congress shall hav'
mower to repeal any act Of said State Legislature
in violation or in derogation of the provisions
this act.
The bill was ordered to be printed, and made th'
special order for the next day.
The bill selling lands on the South Carolina Se'
Islands was passed. 1t confirms Mr.. Lincoln's in
structions to the tax collectors in 1863. Person
on'o
der Of 1865, must obtain warrants before the lst o
May, 1868. The land is to be sold in small lots
nominal prices, to negro residents and heads o
families.
The Committee on Freedmens Affairs introdu
ced a bill continuing the Freedmen's Bureau on
year, and authorizing the Secretary of War to re
establish it where discontinued.
The bill repeating the tax on manufactures wa
resumed 1t involves sixty millions decrease IL
the revenue. 1t goes into effect on the first o
April, and cxempts everything but spirits, liquors
oil, gas of certain kinds wine and tobacco, and wa
passed by vote of l22 to 2. Schenck stated tina
the committee favored the continuance of the twt
dollar tax on whiskey.
The proceedings in the Senate were unimpor
tant
In the House, on the llth, report from Gen
Grant on the Alabama election, was read. Il
states the number of votes cast in favor of the
constitution were 1882, against lOO9 The reg
istered vote was III 900.
The subject of Alabama's admission was resu.
med, and it was spiritedly opposed by the Demo
crats s-no Republicans spoke in opposition. The
vote was postponed.
In the House, on the 10Th, the Freedman's Bu-
reau Bill was postponed. Stevens called up the
bill for the admission of Alabama, but Blaine
moved an adjournment which was carried.
The proceedings Of the House and Senate, on the
18th, present nothing of general interest, as that
was the day fixed for the President to answer the
Iimpeachment charges.