Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-04-07
F0RTIETH CONGRESS.
This Afternoons Proceedings
TUESDAY, April ,

4 N
i TUESDAY, April :.
l. SENATE-Mr johnson presented a memorial
from two or three thousand colored cittzans of
| me South, asking AID TO assist them in emigra-
ting 10 Liberia
i Mr.. Johnson said the memorial WAS author.
| lzed 10 be signed by four Thousand more color
La people. TEey state their INABILITY I, get
| along that they cannot edu cate their children.
anu desire to go 10 Liberia, where they can
| the memerfalisfs Were correct in their views as
| TO Liberia. lie understood thai in that Repuh-
iie there were schools and colleges equal 20 any
IN the United States. He thought the oliey Of
the Government should be 20 assist these peo-
PIE 10 return 10 their native land.
The memorial was referred TO the Committee
| on the Judiciary
MIR. Harlan called up the bill su Elementary
10 The act 10 provide for a register of deeds for
the District OF Columbia; which was read and
Mr.. Ramsey offered a resolution reouesting
| the Committee on Pensions inc uire into the
| expediehcy of so amending the pension laws as
10 provide that the marriage of soldiers widow
| shall no longer work a forfeiture of her pen-
| sion. Adopted.
| Mr.. Harlan, from the Committee on the Dis
! triet OF Columbia reported a bill 10 extend
the charter of the city Of Washington for one
year.
Mr.. Harlan said the charter expired in NAV.
and the election took place in June, and 70
| have proper registry of the votes. this bill
| should be acted on Immediately.
| MT Sumner moved as an amendment TO the
Dill the eiii 10 regulate the selection Of ON GERS
| for the city of Washington.
| Mr.. Sumner said the bill which he offered a.
| an amendment had been already voted ON by
the House. Ii was very important and many
| ciuzens OF W ashiD Rton Were anxious about II
| MIR. Sumner said the amendment was ex
| planned by resolution which had passed the
| Common Council, urging upon Congress the
1 pas saee Of this amendment The ob;ect a, a, ,s
| to take from the Mayor the power 10 annoint
| certain officers and select the bank of deposites
| and give that authority 10 the two Boards Ii
was well known that the Mayor in making
| these appointments acted in hostility 70 those
4 who were in the majority here. and IL would
| be impossible for any colored person 10 get an
OF these offices. II this bill passed the colored
| people would have some chance. He hoped
they would have the aid of his friend, rhe Sens.
| tor from Maryland, (Mr. Johuson,l in tins
matter, and that he MT. - would a OF throw
| himself in the way of the coiored peoria
Nr. johnson did not desire to throw himself
| IN the path OF any people, much less OF our
| eolored fellow citizens. He understood that
| eolored men now held Offices under the city
| government, and that some Wen. in the Nav
| or's office. IL might be very inconyenienr 10
| put all the offices in the control of the colored
people; man! OF them here were not competent
| 10 NIL these offices. Mr. J. then alluded 70 The
| fact that during the Impea chment trial no coll
| ored people had been admitted and as ked what
was The reason the Senator (Mr. Sumner) had
| not given some o. has icllets 70 coIored neopie
Mr.. Spmner.-Let us have the question
Mr.. Davis said You could not put the prcp.
\ osftlon 10 place negro above a white man In
| any euape uuueT IOU'S heaven that wOuld
| ceire his sanction IL was impossible 70 ele-
| yate the negro 10 the degree of the white man
| and he could not consent 10 impose tins thing
upon the people of the District of Columbia
| The negro equality doctrine will not prevail
/ m tins country. Look at Michigan. a State
1 which was supposed to be committed more
than any other to negro suffrage, Ithas voted
| Union largely. No man or no party who adj
/ yocates this negro doctrine can stand before
| the people of this country. Sooner or later
| they will be swept out OF existence
4 The morniEp o. N har a.
declared he unfinished business TO De in order.
1 and that the pending bill must 20 over
| MT; Iavis.-Well, am glad of it, and hope
| 1t Will go over eternally. ILaughterl
| Mr.. harlan moved 10 postpone the unfinished
| business and proceed with the pending ban.
Mr., Davis called for the ayes and noes on the
| motion.
MIR. Hendricks opposed the motion. He nm
derstood the object Of the bill to D. 20 place ALI
the Offices Of this District in the hands OF ne
groes.
MIR. Sumner-Oh, only some of them,
MI Hendricks.-l want 10 give the white
| men Of this country some chance.
MIR. Sumner.-Oh. they will have a chanca
Mr.. Henderson said the bill in relation 20 the
Charter was very simple matter, and ought
TO be acted on at once. The charser would expire
either on the 18th or 18th of Nav He hopeh
| his frif nd from Massachusetts, would with
draw his amendment, which was provoking
| debate.
Mr.. Sumner declined to do so. His amend.
me MT was OF very practical nature, and il
| was very essential that il should pass before
the election. If he withdrew il now he should
despair of its passage in time.
| Mr.. Harlan understood that il was the nrsc
tce in all the cities for the Conn, ills 70 elect
their ohcers, and that was all the bill proposed
| 10 do in the city OF Washington.
The motion was then taken ta postpona the
unfinished business tor the purpose OF proceed.
| ing with the confederation of the bill under
consideration, When il was aereed TO.
Mr.. Davis then said he would leave the ma.
Jority OF the senate 70 work out their own de-
| hyerance.
Mr.. Sumner.-very well.
Mr.. Grimes referred TO the proyIso giving the
power TO the Couh ellis in Joint session 10 holsb
ofices, &c, and asked whether il was proposed
to create third legislative assembly, as this
was clearly conierring legislative powers upon
the two Boards onjoistly.
MI Harlan did not know thar il was so in
tended, and would, therefore, move to strike
| out the proyiso.
Mr.. Sumner did not know that this could he
done. He had not examined into this proyiso
| particularly, but il had come from the House.
and he understood il was drawn up by gem
temen OF Washington, who Were Interested
and who knew What they were about. III
| however, the Senator from Iowa (Mr. Grimes
/ saw any danger in the proyiso he would moi
| object -.
Mr.. Fessenden approved of the object Of the
bill. bot he Objected TO this provision imposing
| legislative powers upon con vention.
| The proviso was then struck out
MIR. Buckalew moved to strike out the fourth
| section of the amendment, giving the power TO
the Boards in convention and the Mayor TO
Oeslg gndtt tne OepOSltary OF the CITY funds. He
did not see what reference IL had TO the rest of
| the bill.
Mr.. HaIlsn said the denositary of the CITY
funds occupied the same position rs a treas
urer would. A treasurer WAS an officer, and As
the bill provided for the selection of other ofi
| GERS, there was no reason why this should not
be included.
The motion 10 stri Ike out was rejected
| Mr.. Buckalew said this bill was clearly an
| attf mpt 10 get control Of the public patronage
The sy stem Of appointments which prevailed
under the corporation of Washington was SIM
| liar to that which prevailed under the Govern
| ment Of the United States. The Mayor had not
stated that any inconvenience or any wrong
had resulted from the working of the present
system; but the only reason alleged was that
the practice Of electing By the councils in con-
vention prevailed in certain eastern cities The
| whole object was to place the Offices and the
| monies of the corporation I'm new hands. for
partiZan purposes. and he should therefore
witha clear conscience, vote az ainst the amena, ,
ment
Mr.. Wilson.-Q uestlon.
Mr.. Sumner.-Q uestion.
Mr.. McCreery called for the yeas and nsvs an
| the amendment, when IL was agreed to-yesS 90
| nays 10-Mr. Van Winkle voting in the mega,
tive with the Conservatives.
Mr.. sherman offered an amendment as an az. .
diuonal section, requiring the mayor and Com
mon Council Of the city Of Washington to pro-
vide for the paving and grading of the streets of
said city, and planting and improving any part
OF said streets, and shall assess the costs the