The Portland daily press., 1868-03-30
XLth O1NGREss-seoond Session.
SENATE.


WASHINGTON, March 2S.-Mr. Edmunds Of
fered the following resolution, which was
adopted:
ResoZved, That the President of the United
States be requested to communicate to the
Senate whether he has established or ordered
the establishment of any new military depart
ment since the first day of August, 1867; and
if so, what department or departments, and
under what statute.
Mr.. Dawes offered resolution inquring of
the Secretary of the Treasury what amount of
United States bonds are outstanding of each
class, with rate of interest, and what each
class was worth in gold at the time they were
issued.
Mr.. Sherman suggested that it would be i'm
possible to give that information at mo-
ment's notice, and the resolution was laid over
On motion of Mr.. Sherman the Senate took
up the report of the committee of conference
on the bill to relieve certain manufactures
from internal tax. Mr.. Sherman explained
tle anne pdment.
Mr.. Nye again opposed the amendment for
Furnishing whiskey frauds. He said the effect
would be to deprive the Government of any
revenue whatever from whiskey, and perhaps
to fill the penitentiares with revenue officials.
The remedy lay in another direction. He
derstood that law wasin preparation to cover
the whole subject, and he suggested that IL
would be better to leave the matter until then,
instead of establishing system of spies upon
legitimate business. The bill was oppressive
and unjust
Mr.. Morrill,, of Vermont, said not one eighth
of the whiskey paid duty, while the accom-
plices received more than the Government.
The bill was too stringent. He suggested to
amend, leaving it in the discretion of the In
ternal Revenue Commissioner to close up dis
tilleries, instead of mandatory upon him.
Mr.. Sherman said it was useless to attempt
another committee of conference. The bill
had been fully discussed.
Mr.. Morton objected to the punishment pro-
vided, as there were existing laws on the sub
ject. The trouble was they were not enforced
After long debate the Senate, on motion
of Mr. Howard, non. concurred in the report
of the committee of conference on the bill by
vote of 20 against g. and ordered a new COM
mittee of conference. The Chairman appoint
ed Messrs. Sherman, Howard and Morton.
Mr.. Trumbull called up the bill to re-
lieve the political disabilities of r. R. Butler
of Tennessee.
Mr.. Blu kalew took the floor in opposition,
but yielded at 5 o'clock to motion to adjourn,
and the Senate adjourned till Monday at Il
o'clock.
The House proceeded to the consideration of
the bill to admit the State of Alabama to rep
resentation in Congress.
Mr.. Ashley, of Ohio offered a substitute.
Mr. Kerr addressed the House in opposition
e. the bill.
Mr.. Eldridge spoke against the bill. He de-
clared that Alabama was State of the Union
unless the history of the last five years were
a lie; unless the war for the suppression of the
rebellion was a monstIous crime; unless every
man who fought in the war ON either side wa
a conscious traitor. The BILL he said, could be
justified by no man not filled with internal ha-
tired of our government and desiring its over
throw. 1t must, it could only end in blood.
No man in his senses could expect anything
else: The white race had never in the history
OF the world been subject to the black race.
The madness or folly of Congress could never
compel the white race to submit to its African
domination or government He did not be-
lieve it either essential or wise to compel the
people OF Alabama to enjoy the privileges of
against their will. Ii there were any consid-
cradle number Of white men in the South who
had any sense of contrition for what they had
done beyond that feeling OF remorse which
swayed the heart OF Satan and his peers only
because their enterprise had failed, he had not
seen the evidence OF it. He did not believe in
forcing those incorrigble delinquents into al
association of power with people whom they
hated and government they had strlyen tt
overthrow.
Mr. Bingham advocated the bill on the
statesmanlIke axiom that "if you cannot gel
all you wish you should get all you can: H'
thought, however, that sufficient restrictions
mad already been imposed on the people o
Alabama, ard therefore he was opposed to the
thlrd SECTION 1t was authorized neither By
law nor constitution. 1t was tue right OF the
peOple 10 aiter or amend their Constitution
suplect only to the Constitution of the United
States, and they could not he denrived of thai
right. The American system would be a tota
failure if the people could not be trusted will
that right. There was no colorado excuse FOL
attempting to engrait such provision on the
fered by Mr.. Spaulding, and proceeded to sd
vocate the passage of the bin with the tbir,
section stricken cut and predicted that fl,
members who voted for it would find them
selves sustained by their constituencies am
...aIk fta- hxyf hn anfi 49,
of Alabama themselves
Mr. Dawes said he would be very glad t
vote for the bill as it came from the commit
tee, either with or without the third section,
he could see in it any guarantee of security
the people of Alabama. The proposition
Mr.. Spaulding secured to the people of All
bama everything secured to them by the orig
pal bill, except one thing, and that was repr