Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-12-17
FORTIETH CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings.
THURSDAY, December n


report OF yesterdays proceedings relative to the
resolution Of Mr.. Edmonds The Finance
Commit, Q had reported IN ia yor of LAYING thar
resolu ton on the table.
Mir. McCreery presented resolutions propos-
ing amendments 10 the Constitution of tue
United States, which, he said, were prepared
by Hon ;. =. Dickens, of Louisville, who had
TOT MY years been an ornament to the ben b
ana bar, and these amendments were the resul;
Of long and careful study on the subject.
nance, reported the House biIl extend;OH OH tno
tlme Tor nxing the stamps on tobacco.
Mr.. Rice introduced bills to remove political
dlsaolluAs from certain citizens of Arkansas
and Kentucky; which were referred 10 Judi
clary Committee.
MIR. Sawyer called up House bill for the re-
moVai OF political disabilities from sundry Cit
lZsns OF South Carolina; which was amended
by the addition of other names.
AFTER debate, the bill was passed by the
requisite two-thirds vote.
MIR. Wilson reported House bill repeating the
clause OF the Army Appropriation bill for Did
ding militia organizations in the seeded States.
Mr.. sumner called up :he loint resolution
rendering the thanks and best wishes of the
people of the United States to Spain.
Mr.. Bayard declared in favor of non-inter-
vention. All we knew about affairs in Spain
was that there was war going on there, and
We had nothing to do with recommending
abolition to them. 1t would certainly he i'm
pertinent in US to recommend to Mr. G iadstone
TO dIsestsblIsh the Irish Church.
Mr.. Thayer moved an amendment, as to
recommend to Sna,n the establishment OF a re.
publican form of government.
Mr.. Fessenden said this matter had been con =
sdered by the Committee on Foreign Reations,
and they Were unanimous that il would be an
impertinent interference for us to recommend
TO the people of Spain vhat kind Of Govern
ment they should frame. That was a matter
for them alone.
Mr.. Sumner individually thought that ancient
monarchy would err IL it did not now establish
republican form of government, but he did
not think II was good taste Tor Congress to
express any opinion as to that.
Mr.: Thayer then withdrew his amendment,
ana the morning hour expiring, the resolution
went over.
The unfinished business, being the resolution
OF censure on the President for tue language
used in his message in reference to the payment
OF the public debt, was taken up.
Mr.. Dixon took the floor and proceeded to
defend the President on the ground that the
construction which had been placed on his
language was not the correct one.
HOUSE OF RRPRRsKNrATIvEs.- After the
reading OF the journal, MIR. Dickey (Pa.) arose
Mr.. Speaker: The painful duty has de-
yolved upon me Of announcing to the House
the death of my predecessor, Hon. Thaddeus
Stevens. of Pennsylvania. This distin Suished
statesman was not merely my predecessor in
TINS body, but in my childhood ny father
taught me to admire and love him, who was
the instructor and guide Of my youth, and the
friend OF my mature years. If an intimacy
with wise and noble men be one of the greatest
blessings that can crown man, then In no
part OF my career have i been so fortunate as
in my association with Thaddeus Stevens Il
was In his office and in connection with HIM
mat commenced my professional life, and
from that moment, through the turmoil of le-
gal and political contests, down to the moment
when IN his last will he selected me to perform
the last service one man can ask from his tel
low, cur friendship suffered neither dlminu-
tlon nor interruption
Mr. Dickey then proceeded TO give a most ln-
terestiDg sketch OF the life of Mr. Stevens
stating that his father listed the war of Sl2
and died in the service, and that his mother
was woman of great energy, strong will, and
deep pley, and seeing the ambition and fully
Sympathizing with the ASPIRATIONS of her Grip
Piled boy, she devotedly seconded his efforts
for the acquisition of knowledge Mr. ID. then
traced step Dy step the boyhoOd of the deceased
his early educa ton, his legal Studies his pr,~
tice of the law, in which b. exhibited rres,
ability, his entrance into political life, aud a.
day OF his death.
Mr Dickey spoke of the mea sures of i'm.
proyement Mr.. Stevens champIonad in thr
early days Of his political life among them
"tne common school sy stem of PennsylyanIa,
which al critical moment he saved from over
throw by speech viii ch Le ALWAYS asserted
TO have in his opinion been the most effective
lie ever made, and then said ssMr Stevens was
an honest and faithful man In public and In
private life. His word was sacred in letter
and spirit, and was never paltered in a dou bic
sense In money matters he was liberal 10 a
fauit- and out of his immense professional in
come he left but a meager estate. In his pri-
Vate charity he was lavish. He was incapable
OF ssGing no in the presence OF want or mi sery
His charity, like his political convictions, re-
garded neither creed, race, nor color"
He then proceeded to speak of Mr. Stevens
labors against slsyerys,sayIng: ssFrom the time
Ne left ms native mou nsinS 10 the m oment of his
death, he was not only anti slavery i'm the COM
mon aeceptation of the term, but a bold, fear
less, determined, and uncompromising foe TO
oppres sion in any and every form. He was an
aooiltlonIst before there was such q party
name" F'
Mr.. ID. concluded as follows: "I.et us trust
and believe that If the earnest aud sincere
prayers of millions of the Dor down .trodden
and oppressed, may smooth the pathway OF the
traveller on his journey from this world TO the
home Of all, his has been a happy exit
Mr Dickey was followed by Judge Poland,
OF Vermont, who paid a feeling tribute to the
memory Ok Mr.. Stevens, eulogIzing his public
char acter and services, but we have not space
to-day tor even an abstract of his remarks, or
OF the able addresses which followed