The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-03-11
The Tax on Tobacco, Liquors
and Petroleum Retained.
Report and Bill for Readmitting
Alabama Into the Union.
Revelations Relative to
Whiskey Frauds.
Passage Of the Consular and Diplomatic Appro-
priatiOn Bill in the Senate.


The Committee on Reconstruction, to whom was
referred the application of Alabama asking adms-
sion into the Union as o sovereign State reported
this morning as follows:-
That it is the intention to pursue the spirit II not
the letter Of the law OF March 3D. 1867, entitled San
for the more efficient government OF the rebel States
passed March 1867 and to facilitate restOraton.n
They especially intend to enforce the spirit OF that
law when there seems TO be any conflict In the
facts in evidence between the spirit and the
letter. Such is the true principle laid down by moral
things were evidently intelded-One was to admit
Alabama as State II, after full registration, with
time for deliberations majority of her citizens should
be in favor of admission the other was to prevent
hastY and preciptate legislation before the people
should have duly examined the subject. Hence the
law provided that not only Alabama but all the con-
quered territory should have oil her legal votes regis
tered by proper officers, and II majority Of legal
aconstituton convention should be ordered for The
purpose OF framing one; but II majority OF all the
registered votes by either their votion or casu
atty should not be cast against constitution they
should still be counted In the negatives most unu-
sual provision in our or any other government but
IN ordinary times it would have but little effect
except in so far as removals and deaths took place
between the time OF registration and the time OF vo
ing. On the day Of the Alabama election most
extraordinary and unexpected state Of things ex-
isted In very large portion of the State, espec-
ally In the republican portion, very severe storm
ragged from morning till night. The streams were
swollen to such an impossible degree that 1t is test
fed by Governor Smith, now elected Governor of
the State, and other respectable gentlemen that 1t
kept from the polls numbers OF voters who would
otherwise have 0 attended. In attempting to reach
the places Of election one or more persons were
drowned, which deferred many from proceeding fur
fher. Thus all who chose to stay away We're counted
as voting against the constitution, though II they had
all gone and voted against it 1t would not have
changed the result from q positive majority in its
favor to majority against IT, large majority of
the legal voters then In the State known to have
cast their ballots for it. Besides, very large proper
ton OF the registered voters were deferred by the
most infamous threats from coming to the polls,
when there from casting their votes for the constu
tiOn. Very few white men did, and very few black
men dared thus to cast their votes lest they should
be deprived Of food for which they are suffering. All
this Is proven by the sworn testimony Of the
nearly two hundred lab0rers have voun-
tarily come forward singy and testified to
cruel employers Tor having exercised the elective
franchise according to their own will and pleasure.
be or the number OF votes that were destroyed boxes
seized and thrown out OF the windows and other
modes Of violence used to destroy them and i Is
destroyed and detained from the polls by violence,
outrage and fraud, had they been cast, would have
Overbalanced all those counted against the constu
ton, whether cast or enumerated as lost by reason
Of sickness, absence or DEATH Some time before the
Alabama election the Convention saw the injustice
majority principle In the vote upon The m Of the
its Justice and passed act and sent 1t to the Sem
ate The Senate by some unaccOuntabe delay from
motives which it Is hard to fathom suffered that act
fate OF the Alabama election was announced. They
then took 1t up and passed IT. and II has now passed
that majority Of Tie Votes cast should govern has
been restored and your committee can see no reason
why it should not govern In the present case. The
circumstance Of the almost unheard OF storm on the
day OF the election the violence OF human passion
hut little less malignant and raging, and the wild
frenzy OF former masters at the polls. together
with the evident injustice OF the principle In ques
iion, upon which no one has s yet ACTED seem ,n
H<avn hnytId ha n1m tfnl IN 40
one Of the States thereof. But while this
free people are rebuilding. mighty nation
In which there must be no faint OF despotism or in
justice, they have examined carefully all the pro-
visions uf the constitution and as precedent which
they nope w never IT. DC n p Se sser
States, they have determined that no State shall
ever be admitted into the Union when the right to
universal suffrage shall not be made permanent and
impossible Of violation. Fearing also that some
cunning scheme might be devised by which peonage
such as is already established in some OF the South
American States might be created, they recommend
the passage OF the act for the admission Of Aobama
as o State In the Union.
Virginia Not q State in the Union.
The examination Of the case Of Samuel s. Strong,
who was arrested yesterday on requisiton from
the Governor OF Virginia fugitive from justice
and who had hearing before Judge Fisher, before
whom he was brought on writ OF habeas corpus
yesterday afternoon, was resumed this morning.
After short discussion OF the points involved Judge
Fisher decided to release the prisoner on two
grounds, viz.:-First, because Virginia is not State
In the Union that the proclamation OF the President
and more particularly Congress by its legislation,
have expressly refused to recognize Virginia and the
other Southern States as forming States OF this
Union; that the requistion OF Governor Pierpoint
cannot be recognized under the act OF Congress pro-
yiding for the rendition OF fugitives from justice
the act OF the executive authority OF State OF the
United States. Second, that there Is no anldavit
with the requsition showing that Strong Is actually
fugitive from justice.
The Alleged Destruction Of Bonds mt the Print.
ing Bureau.
The Congressional Committee on Retrenchment
which has been for some time engaged upon in
vestgaiions into the affairs OF the Treasury De-
partment, inquired this morning into the alleged
destruction Of bonds at the Printing Bureau OF the
department. Several witnesses were examined,
including General Spinner, the Treasurer OF the
United States. II discovered that the DESTROYED
sheets were blank paper which had been laid out for
printing as bonds, but which were not printed on
account OF instructions given to the proper onlcer
some time ago by this committee to suspend certain
operations, including the printing OF these bonds,
during their investigation. The sheets were re-
ceipted for at the Office Of the Treasurer as blank
paper, and the only loss by their not having been
printed ia that resulting from the destruction OF
blank paper.
Isst of valuables Stolen from the Patent Once
I'm 1857.
The box which was deposited in the Treasury De-
partment, In 1857, for safe keeping, and which the
Secretary Of the Treasury recently authorized by
resolution Of Congress to open, was yesterday SUBJ
jected to an examination OF Its contents, which were
stolen from the Patent once in this city, in the year
above mentioned They consist OF the following ar
sicies Of value vizOne bottle containing altar of
roses and supposed to be worth from 500 to ooo
one vial, containing pearls; one VIAL containing dia-
monds one gold plate inside lining Of a SNUFF box,
presented to the United States Minister at st. Peters,
burg BY the Emperor; paper containing gold
ornament and silk tassel belonging TO necklace;
paper containing thirteen diamonds and four pearls
and two Jumps OF gold. There was also enclosed a
certificate signed by Hugh Mccormick and R. O.
Weightman, dated United States Patent once,