The Portland daily press., 1868-12-15
XLth 0ONGRESs---Third Session.
SENATE,

SENATE.
WASHINGTON, Dec. IA communication
from the Governor OF Oregon, transmitting
resolutions of the Legislature of that State re,
scinding the ratification of the constitutional
amendment, was referred to the Committee on
the Judiciary; also the laws of Colorado and
Dacotah, were referred to the Committee on
Territories.
Mr.. Pomeroy presented petition of nine
citizens OF Kansas, praying that in any amend
ment of the constitution in regard to suffrage
no distinction shall be made on account of sex.
Mr.. Morgan presented memorial sig ned by
VIM. e. Dodge, Horace Greeley, Marshall o
Roberts and others, praying Congress to APP
point special committee to investigate the
naturalization frauds and the Irregularities
perpetrated at the recent elections in the city
Of New York. Ordered to be printed and re-
ferred to the Committee on the Judiciary.
Mr.. Anthony presented resolutions of the
Providence Board of Trade, favoring the pro-
iect of consolidating the postal and Geographic
systems OF the country, and requesting che
Senators and Representatives of Rhode Island
to favor the passage of the bill introduced by
Mr.. Ramsey to establish a postal and tele-
- graphic system for the United States.
Several petitions were presented by Mr..
Sumner. including one from the negroes of the
South, asking continuance of the Freedmen's
Bureau and protection from outrage.
The following is the bill introduced by Mr..
Morton:
n uil 10 PROVIDE fOr bne redemption IN coin
of the United States notes and fractional cur
rency, and requiring the national banks to re-
deem their notes in coin.
Sect 1. Be it enacted &C., That hereafter
there shall be no sales of gold belonging to the
Treasury of the United States and that the
surplus gold now in the Treasury and that
which may hereafter accrue over and above
the amount required to pay the interest OF the
public debt and for other specific uses specified
by law, shall be reserved and set apart for the
Wnda ftnyl Of TTtasfa fokn n,xl fran
tional currency
Sect. 2. And be it further enacted, That on
and after the LIST day of July, 1871, the Treas
urer Of the United States shall pay in coin at
the Treasury of the United States, at WASH
ington, in the District of Columbia, and at such
other points as may be designated by the Sec
Rotary of the Treasury, all United States notes
and fractional currency that may be presented
for redemption.
Sect. 3. Be il further enacted, That on and
after the list day of January, 1872, the national
banks shall pay in coin such of their notes as
may be presented for redemption, and shall, on
and after the tst day of July, 1870, reserve and
hold in their vaults all the coin that may be
received by them as interest on their stocks
held by the government, for the redemption of
their stocks.
Sect. 4 And be it further enacted, That I'M
til the LIST 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 the whole reserve of legal ten
der notes as now required by law, and that on
and after that time the reserve of legal tender
notes as fast as withdrawn shall be replaced
with coin to like amount, and the said
banks shall thereafter be required to hold
reserve in coin to the like amount and for the
same purpose as now required by law to be
held in legal tender notes, provided, that the
Comptroller of the Currency may, with the
assent OF the Secretary of the Treasury, allow
said banks to hold a portion of said notes in
reserve notexceeding two-thir1s of the amount
required by law in the United States notes.
Sect B. Be it further enacted, That the Sec
retary OF the Treasury may cause SO many of
the United States notes that 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 all fractional currency that may
be redeemed shall be cancelled.
Sect. 6. Be it further enacted, That on and
after the LIST day of January, 1872, the United
States notes shall cease to be legal tender in
payment of debts, but shall be receivable in
payment of government dues as now provided
by law.
Sect z. Be it further enacted, That the Sec.
rotary of the Treasury shall have power to ne
gotiate and sell bonds of the United States to
be due in 20 years, and redeemable by the gov.
eminent at its pleasure after ten years, bear
ing interest at the rate of blank per cent the
principal and interest payable in gold to such
an amount as may be necessary to carry into
operation the provisions of the second section
of this act
Mr.. Wilson introduced bill to fix the num-
Der of Judges of the Supreme Court of the
United States and to change the judicial cir.
cults. Referred to the Committee on the Ju
dietary. Also, a bill to amend the act regulat'
ing the elective franchise in the District Of
Columbia. Referred to the Committee on the
District of Columbia.
MIR. Williams introduced bill to establish q
uniform rule of naturalization and to repeal
the acts heretofore passed on that subject. Re.
{o he Ind oio ,vatf
Mr.. Stewart iL.foduced bill to punish fol-
the crime of holding Office in violation of thu
14th amendment, which was table on his mo
tion.
Mr.. Pomeroy introduced bill to create
Department of Indian Affairs to provide TO
the civilization and government of Indians
Referred to the Committee on Indian Affairs
Mr.. Sherman, from the select committee, t
which it was referred, reported With amend
ments she bill incorporating the New York &
Washington Railroad Company. The princi
pal provisions, as heretofore published, are un
altered by the reported amendments.
Mr.. Ferry introduced bill to amend til,
naturalization laws. Referred to the Jude
larry Committee.
Mr. Davis introduced a resolution, askin,
the Secretary to inform the Senate what wa
the aggregate amount of each issue OF Unite
States bonds by their respective dates, and tn
rate of interest borne by them respectively
Laid over.
Mr. Kellogg introduced a resolution, re
uuestfng the Secretary of War to commun
cate any information received by him from tn
officers of the Freedmen's Bureau in referenc
to the late disturbances in Louisiana. Adopt
ed. Also resolution, asking the Secretary {
War to inform the Senate what number Q
t.oops are employed on the Plains, and wheth
err any volunteers are so employed, and If sc
by whose authority. Adopted.
The Senate went into executive session
LAS, and continued about fifteen minutes
after which Mr.. Cattell introduced a resolutio
censuring the President for the views in hi
message in relation to the national debt. In
resolution was briefly debated by Messrs. Ca
tel, Edmunds, Hendricks and Nye, and the
referred to the Committee on Finance
Mr.. Wiley introduced a similar resolution
which was referred to the same committee.
The Senate agreed TO the House resolution
to adjourn from the Dist inst. to January l;tl
and then adjourned until tomorrow.
Bills and joint resolutions were introduce,
read twice and appropriately referred as 70
lows:
By Mr.. Peters of Maine, to provide for I'll
defence of the north eastern frontier, and NAL
ing grants and concessions to the European
North American Railway Co.; by Mr.. Ella, r
iatng to the payment OF pensions SONS ana Dou
freedmen's hospitals; by Mr.. Poland, to repe
part of section of the act of August Sd 1sf
In reference to the appointment of West Poi
cadets; by Mr., Smith, providing tor the pa
meDt for horses lost by certain ofhcers IN q
service OF the United States; by Mr.. Bank
instfucting the Committee on Appropriate
to consider the expediency of making an a
preparation to carry into effect the proyisio
of the act relating to pensions; by Mr. Robi
som to remove distractions from East Rlv
harbor, New York, appropriatjng $4,000
therefor; by Mr.. Broomall, to incorporate