The Portland daily press. [volume] (Portland, Me.) 1862-1921, 1868-01-22
xLth ooNaREss-seoond Session.
SENATE


members of the Constitutional Convention of
Georgia, asking Congress to authorize the es
Enlistment OF provisional governments at the
South. Referred.
Mr.. Patterson of New Hampshire, from the
Committee on Retrenchment, reported Dill
u amend the act to regulate the tenure OF
certain civil offices. He gave notice that ne
would call 1t up at an early day.
The House bill for the appointment OF
commission to examine and report upon spirit
meters was taken up. --
Committee on Finance, providing that the
| present commission of the Academy OF Sci
| ence shall be added to the commission. After
| a discussion the regular order was called for,
| and the resolution that Phillip f. Thomas is a
| Senator elect from Maryland, was taken up.
MIR. Howard addressed the Senate at length
in opposition to the resolution.
Mr. Morton also opposed the admission of
Mr.. Thomas. He, Mr.. Morton, believed that
Mr.. Thomas was one of the original conspira-
tors and would have engaged in the rebellion
but that Maryland had been Unexpectedly
constrained to remain in the Union.
Mr.. Williams supported the resolution.
After further remarks in opposition by
Messrs. Morrill, of Maine and Stewart Mr..
johnson gave notice that he would press Tor q
vote tomorrow, and moved TO adjourn. .t (
The motion was carried.
The supplementary reconstruction bill came
from the House and was referred it-
-O 'SoeS ehOu az 1.No az bOulbou.
HOUSE.
MIR. Butler offered resolution instructing
the Committee on Ways and Means to devise
some measure by which distilled spirits of
American manufacture may be exported un-
der law.
The House then proceeded to the regular Or
der of business, being the motion of Mr.. But
Ter to reconsider the vote ordering the main
question on the bill reported from the Com
mittee on Reconstruction. The question was
taken by yeas and nays, and resulted-yeas
", nays %. SO the vote was reconsidered, and
Mr.. Butler offered his amendment giving the
State oticels TO the Constitutional Conven-
ton, aud then moved the previous question.
Mr.. Eldridge moved to lay the bill aud
pending amendments on the table. Mega
lived. et}lstt Et-,-- itaA
The amendments offered by Mr.. Bingham
yesterday were agreed to without division.
MIR. Butler then briefly explained his amend
ment, which differed, he said, by having State
officers appointed by the several Constitution
al Conventions after they have submitted
Constitution to the people, instead OF having
those officers appointed by district comm md
ers. He had offered his amendment in obedi-
ence to q universal cry to that effect, coming
up from every Southern State.
Mr.. Stevens spoke briefly in support of the
amendme IT. which, he said, was called for by
the loyal people OF the South, and which was
more in consonance with Republican institu-
tons than was the proposition to leave the APP
poiuencut VI Otdte OIuC6rS III the 0anuS Oh
military men, who could not possibly have
that local knowledge which would enable
them to select proper persons. 2 w.
Mr.. Kelly read extracts from letter re-
celved by him from member of the Arkansas
Constitutional Convention urging the plan
covered in the amendment =
Mr.. Eliot, from the Committee on Freed
mems Affairs reported joint resolution au-
thorizing the Secretary of the Treasury to is
sue, for the relief of all classes of the desti-
tint in no Snnfa
and such 'dessicated mixed vegetables as have
accumulated during the war and are not now
needed for the use of the army. Read three
times and passed.
Mr.. Dawes, from the Committee on Elec-
tons, made report on the contested election
case from the I'd district of Kentucky, closing
with resolution declaring that the member
elect not entitled to seat ON account of his
connection with the rebellion, and the con-
testant not having received a majority of votes
vacancy exists.
Mr.. Kerr presented minority report. The
matter was laid aside for future action. f.If
Mr. Dawes called attention to the fact that
copies of the brief of Mr.. Young in the con-
test between him and Mr.. Mckee and other
kentucky contested election cases were print
ed and laid on the table of members this
morning, an unusual and improper course.
The Speaker stated in behalf of the door
keeper that the thing was done without his
Mr.. Washburne of Illinois, from the Com
mittee on Appropriations, reported back the
Senate Joint resolution limiting the contracts
for stationery and other supplies in the Exec
utive Department to one year.
Mr. Maynard moved to amend by striking
out the words, I'm the present unsettled state
of prices" r.
The amendment was agreed to, and the
joint resolution as amended passed
The House then at o'clock proceeded to
the business of the morning hour, viz call ON
Committees for reports. UiF u
MIR. Farnsworth, from the Post Office Com
mlttee, reported several bills, as follows: Au-
thorizing the building of bridges across the
MISSISSIPPI; Limiting the publication of de-
partment advertisements for proposals for
contracts or supplies in Washington papers to
matters in which the District of Columbia or
Maryland are specially concerned Both of
these bills were passed. 3ttaaif snfssss.asss o
MT. Clarke, OF OHIO, from the same commit
tee, reported back the joint resolution author
izIng the free transmission through the mails
OF certain certificates by the Adjutant Gene
raj of New Hampshire. Passed. I5s.sll4i 'a
Mr.. Lincoln, from the same committee, re-
ported bill repeating the 4th section of the
act OF Mrrch 25, 1864, for carrying the mails
between the United States and foreign ports,
the enect OF the repeal being to allow printed
matter to go through the mails Passed.
The Speaker presented several executive
communications and legislative memorials,
which We're appropriately referred. -
MI. Dawes presented the proceedings of a
public meeting held in Hampden county, Mas
sachusetts, protesting against the treatment
received by American citizens while travelling
abroad. Referred to Committee on Foreign
Affairs.
Mr. Stark weather presented q petition of the
citizens of the Sd Congressional District of
Connecticut on the same subject. Referred to
same committee.
Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa, from the Judiciary
Committee, reported back several bills, memo
rails, Sc and had them referred to other COM
mittees. III =. la .sUH
Mr.. Eldridge, from the same committee, re-
ported back adversely the bill to amend the act
of February 25, 1858. regulating the fees and
costs of clerks, marshals and attorneys of
courts. Tabled. I
Mr.. Lawrence. of Ohio, from the same COM
mlttee, reported bill to provide for the APP
pointment of a marshal for the District of
Columbia. The bill authorizes the Supreme
Court of the District of Columbia to appoint
U. 5. Marshal for the District, with the same
powers, duties, emoluments, &C., as those mar
shals appointed by the President under exist
ing laws. 1t also repeats the acts of Feb. 10,
1864, appointing the Warden of the Jail in the
District of Columbia. The bill gave rise to IN
animated discussion, v hich was participated
in by Messrs. Washburne of Illinois, Marshall,
Holman and Julian against, and by Messrs.
Lawrence lStevens of Pennsylvania, Mullins
and Woodbridge in its favor.
Finally, on motion of Mr.. Orth, the bill was
tabled, yeas So, nays 81. -
Mr.. Schenck, from the conference committee
on the bill to suspend the further contraction
OF the currency, reported that the committee
had agreed to recommend that the Senate re-
cede from its amendment and agree to the
House bill, with the following amendment:
But nothing herein contained shall prevent
cancellation and destruction of mutilated
United States notes, and replacing the same
with notes of the same character and amount"
The report was agreed to.
Mr.. Logan, from the conference committee
on the cotton tax bill, reported the committee
had not been able to agree. t-l
The House then ordered another conference
committee, and Messrs. Schenck, Morehead
and Beck were appointed.
Mr.. Butler, from the Committee ON Appro-
priations, reported back the Senate amend
ments to the deficiency bill.
Pending its consideration, the House at two
minutes past o'clock adjourned.