Alexandria gazette. [volume] (Alexandria, D.C.) 1834-1974, 1868-01-09
Congress-.

In the Senate, yesterday, the bill amending
the Bankrupt act was taken up ard indefinitely
postponed resolution was passed instruc-
ting the Committee on Finance to inquire into
the propriety of aAixing penalty upon any
officer OF the Government who shall authorize a
payment or appropriation Of money for any
purpose not previously provided for by law
A long discussion took place in relation to the
payments made by the Secretary of the Treas
ury to parties at the South. of the proceeds
from the sale OF captured and abandoned pro-
perry A resolution Of inquiry was addressed
to the President asking if the bill striking the
word white from the charters of the cities
in the District of Columbia, has been sent to
the Office Of the Secretary of State, to be pub
lished with the laws passed by Congress. The
Senate then went into executive session.
Ia the House, a joint resolution was offered
requesting the President to intercede with the
Queen Of Great Britain for the release of Rev.
raider in 1866, and is DOW confined in Jail in
Kingston, Canada West. A long discussion
ensued in relation to the rights of naturalized
citizeos, which was kept up until the expiration
Of the morning hour, when the res luton went
over under the rule. The bill e1empting
cotton from the internal revenue tax, With the
Senate's amendments, was referred to the Com
mittee on Ways and Means A resolution
reported from the Committeeon Elections de.
clarng Mr.. Van Horn, Of Missouri, the sitting
member, entitled to the seat 10 the House
which was contested by Mr. Birch. After long
discussion, during which Mr. Birch was allowed
70 deliver an address advocating his claims, a
vote was taken and the resolution declaring
Mr. Van Horn entitled to the seat was adopted.
The Committee On Ways aal Means was di-
rected to inquire iuto the expediency ofexemp-
ting from internal tax all manufactures from
cotton, wool or iron. The House soon after
adjourned.
Va. sReconstructiOn Convention.
The Convention spent yesterday, chiefly in
fifteen minute speeches on the second section
Of the bill Of rights, making allegiance to the
u S. paramount to allegiance to the State and
after long debate, at II o'clock at night adopt
ed the substitute, which makes more explicit
recognition of the fact that allegiance to the u
5. is paramount to the allegiance to the State.
THE FREEDMEN AND THE BUREAU. The
New York Times, in speaking Of the suferings
of the South and the best means of relieving
them, makes some practical suggestions touching
the bad effects the operations ofthe Freedmen's
Bureau have had upon the negro. That paper
admits that negroes have been deluded, by the
guardianship of the Bureau and the political
powers conferred upon them, to believe 'that
they may for all time rely upon the Govern
| ment, instead of trusting to themselves. 1t
insists that if help is given them this year it
| must be administered 'as an aux iary in discp-
| lining the freedmen to the steady, faithful la
| Dor which is with them the sole alternative of
| pauperism. And it adds-''lhe country, We
doubt not, will .cheerfully, and with needful
liberality provide for their present imminent
them in laziness or to encourage expectations
which point to shiftlessuess and beggary."