Nashville union and American. [volume] (Nashville, Tenn.) 1868-1875, 1868-12-15
CONGRESSIONAL.
Proceedings I'm the senate

presented communication from the Sec
Rotary of War, transmitting the report {
ths Commissioner of Freedmen, Refugees
and Abandoned Lands, asking for the ap
pointment of a commission to investigate
the operations of that bureau from its or.
ganization to the end of the present month
Referred to the Military Committee.
Mr.. Sumner presented a petition from
colored persons in Georgia, asking a rem
edy for outrages to which they had recent
~ been exposed. Appropriately referred.
Mr.. Sherman presented a memorial and
address of members elected to the Legisla-
ture OF Mississippi and others, alleging
that the Constitution was adopted by a
majority of registered voters in that State,
and praying Congress TO recognize it as the
Constitution OF Mississippi, and put in
operation the State government under it.
Referred TO Committee on Judiciary.
Mr.. Morgan introduced the following
bill, TO provide for the redemption in coin,
Of the United States notes and fractional
currency:
Be it enacted, That hereafter there shall
be no sales of gold belonging TO the treas
ury, and that which may hereafter accrue
over and above the amount required TO pay
Il tuC AhNcicbt Vi Tue PUBIC OtDt d0u lOT QUIET
speci6c uses, specified by Law, shall be r,
served and set apart for the redemption of
| United States notes and fractional currency
Section 2. And be it further enacted,
That on and after the first day of July,
1871, the Treasurer Of the United States
shall pay, in coin, at the Treasury of the
United States, at Washington, in the Dis
trict Of Columbias and at such other points
as may be designated by the Secretary of
the Treasury, all notes and fractional cur
reney that may be presented for redemp-
ton.
Sec. 8. Be il further enacted, That o
and after the lst of January, 1872, the
national banks shall pay 10 coin such of
their notes as may be presented for re-
demption, and shall, on and after the LIT
day Of July, 1870, reserve and hold n
their vaults all the coin that may be re.
ceived by them as interest on their stocks
held by the government for the redemp-
lion of their stocks.
Sec 4. Be it further enacted, That until
the lst of January, 1872, at which time
they are required to begin the redemption
of their notes, the national banks shall
keep and hold in their vaults whole re-
serve Of legal tender notes, as required BY
law, and on and after that time the reserve
of legal tender notes as fast as Withdrawn,
shall be replaced with coin in like amount,
and said banks shall thereafter be required
10 hold reserve in coin 10 the like
amount, and for the same purpose as now
required by law, 10 be held in legal tender
notes, provided that the Comptroller of the
Currency may, with the consent of the Sec
rotary of the Treasury, allow said banks to
hold portion Of said reserve not exceed
ing tWo-hfths of the amount required by
law, in the United States notes.
Sec. 5. And be it further enacted, That
the Secretary of the Treasury may cause so
many of the United States notes az may be
redeemed under the provisions Of this act
to be cancelled as may in his judgment be
necessary to the proper Limitation Of the
currency, provided further, that ali tctiOn
OF currency that may be redeemed s!.Ill be
cancelled.
Sec 6. And be it further enacted, That
on and after the fret day Of January, 1872,
the United States notes shall cease 10 be
legal-tender in payment of debts, bnt shall
be redeemable in payment of government
dues as now provided by law.
Sec. Z. Be it further enacted, That the
Secretary of the Treasury shall have. the
power to negotiate and cell bonds OF Il e
United States 10 be due in thirty years aud
IeIeemable by the government at is
pleasure after ten years, bearing interest at
the rate of seven per cent, the principal
and interest payable in gold on such an
amount as may be necessary 10 carry in
operation the provisions Of the second sec.
ton Of this act.
A large number of bills and resolution,
we're introduced, relating to the Judiciary,
franchise, naturalization, education, etc
etc, and appropriately referred.
The Secretary of War was requested to
furnish what information he had from
officers of the Freedmen's Bureau relatir &
TO the recent disturbance in Louisiana.
A resolution was adopted, asking the
Secretary Of War TO inform the Senate
what number Of troops are employed On
the plains, and whether any volunteers are
so employed, and if 30, by whose authority.
Mr.. Sherman, from the Select Committee
to which it was referred, reported with
amendments
A bill Incorporating the New York and
Washington Railroad Company. The
principal provisions "a heretofore pub
iished, are unaltered by the reported amend
ments.
The Senate went into executive session
at las P. NJ, and continued about fifteen
| minutes, after which, MIR. Csttell intro
duced resolution censuring The Presldeit
| for his views in his message in relation 10
the national debt. The resolution was
briefly debated by Catte!l, Edmunds, Hen
bricks aud Nye, and then was refereed 10
the Committee on Finance.
Mr.. WILEY introduced Il similar EegDlu-
| ton, which vas referred to the same cam
mittee.
M Wilson introduced a bill relative to
the Supreme Court. Il is "a follOws Be
it enacted, etc, That the Supieme Court
shall consist of a Chief Justice Of The United
States and fourteen Advocate justices
| Sec. 2 And be il further enacted, That
the District of Maine, New Hampshire and
| Vermont, shall constitute the first Circuit
Court. That Of Massachusetts, Rhode
Island ard Connecticut, shall constitute
the second circuit That Of New York the
third. That Of Pennsylvania and New
Jersey the fourth. That Of Maryland,
Delaware aud Virginia, the fifth. Tat
the Districts Of North Carolina, South
Carolina, Georgia and Florida, the sixth.
That the Districts of Alahama, Louisiana
and Texas, shall constitute the sew
enth circuit. The Districts of Ken
lucky, Tennessee and Mississippi, shall
constitute the eighth circuit. That the
Districts Of Ohio aud West Virginia
shall constitute the ninth circuit.
That the districts Of Indiana and
Illinois shall constitute the tenth ciIcuit
} That the districts of Michigan and WiscOn-
, ain shall constitute the eleventh circ-it
That the districts of Iowa, Minnesota, Do
katoh and Nebraska shall constitute the
! | twelfth circuit. That the districts OF
: | Missouri, Kansas and Arkansas shsil con.
t | stitute the thirteenth circuit. That The
D districts of California, Oregon and Neva Ia
' shall constitute the fourteenth circuit
3 SEC, 8. Be il further enlcied, Tha. IN,
e Chief Justice and seven Associate Justice
} be annually drawn by lots shall hold on,
J, term annually at the seat Of government
!. and such adjourned and special terms a
they may find necessary for the dispatch o
business of said court; and the A'sOciat
Justices not drawn TO hold the term Of sa
court at the seat of government; shall M
nually hold one term in each circuit an
such adjourned and special terms as ,h
business of the several circuits may II
- quire.
a Among the cases argued in the SupTem
Court were those fnom New York involv
ing the question whether certificates
Indebtedness are securities of the Unite
States and therefore exempt from tsXitio
by the State.
D. The Senate agreed 10 House rcaoluG,
-, / 20 oliourn from tha Olaf mat Ia / i,ua,