The New York herald., 1868-05-14
HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES,.
WASHINGTON, May 10, 1865

N.
THE SOUTHERN CONSTITUTIONAL ELECTIONS
Mr. BECK, (dem.) OF KY, offered a resolution d
rectng the Secretary of War and the General of the
Army to communicate the reports Of the several dis
trict commanders as to the the elections on the rai-
hcations OF the proposed constitutions in Georgia.
North carolina, South Carolina and Louisiana, and
for the election OF the officers Hereunder with the
accompanying papers, &c. Adopted
THE AGRICULTURAL REPORT FOR 1867.
Mr.. TROwBRlDGE, (rep) OF Mich, offered a resolu-
ton 10 PRINT 600 copies of the Agricultural Report
for 1857, which was referred to the Committee on
Printing.
GArGERs FOR PHILADELPHIA
Mr.. O'NElLI- (rep.) Of Pa, introduced bill for
port Of Philadelphia which was referred to the Com
mittee on Commerce
THE ARREST OF COLLECTOR BAILEY.
Mr.. SCHENCK, (rep.) OF Ohio made statement in
reference to telegram in the morning papers, an
nouncng the arrest in New York Of Collector Bailey
of the Fourth revenue district OF that city on a
charge preferred by detective in the EN-
ployment OF the Committee on Ways and Means
lie SAID tnat neither himself nor the committee knew
anythng az 10 the merits OF any complaint against Mr.
Bailey, and certainly had no person employed in any
secret detective service. The committee did not
claim 10 nave The authority, ana certainly had not
the disposition to enter on that business through the
agency or Mr.. Davis, or anybody ese All that was
known by the committee about Mr.. Davis was, that
in the course OF its investigation he appeared as
witness on one occasion, but no particular import
ance, as he recollectcd, attached to his testi
mony.
WHITEHALL AND PLATTsBURG RAILROAD.
Mr. GARFIELD, lrep9 of Ohio, introduced bill
authorizing the Whitehall and Plattsburg Railroad
Company to construct and operate its road across
the land belonging to the United States at Platsburg,
n Y, and to he subject to such restrictions as the
secretary or war may impose, and limited to four
rolls in width. The bill was passed.
THE PUGET's SOUND AND COLUMBIA RIVER RAIL
Mr.. PRICE (rep.) OF Iowa, from the Pacific Railroad
Committee, reported back the bill with amendments
to incorporate tne Puget Sound and Columbia River
and propositions to amend Mr.. Price moved the pre-
viOus question.
The House refused to second the previous question:
Mr.. JULIAN, (ep) OF nd moved to refer the bill to
the Committee on Public Lands
The motion was agreed to and the bill was so re-
ferred.
RESTORATION OF SOUTHERN STATES.
The bill to admit the States Of North Carolina,
South Carolina Louisiana, Georgia and Alabama to
representation In Congress was taken up.
MIR. STEVENS, (rep:l OF Pa, offered the following
amendment as an additional section-
And be further enacted that the provisions of section
seventeen article i've of the constnon Of Georgia shall not
a e Hso Gna hs sn
secession.
day for debate on the part OF members opposed to
the bill, and that he would ask vote on 1t tomor
Mr., BECK took the floor and made an hours speech
against the bill.
Mr.. RoBINsoN, ldem1 Of N. Y, asked whether it
was understood that the House was going into the
amendment OF q State constitution.
The SPEAKER stated that that was question for
the House, not for the Chair.
Mr.. STEvENs-I propose that amendment, and for
this reason: the constitution OF Georgia nunes all
debts due before certain period, rs well those due
is that 1t shall nuy only those to rebels not to loyal
men.
Mr.. RoBINsoN-Will the gentleman from Pennsy
vania allow me TO ask him how he Is going to pick
out the creditors loyal and dislOya9
Mr.. STEvENs-I am not going to do it; but when
anybody claims to be loyal / suppose he will pick
himself out. (I.aughter.)
Mr.. RoBINsON-Then everybody is to pick himself
out.
Mr.: PAINE, (rep.) OF Wis, inquired OF Mr. Stevens
whether this was an individual amendment of his
own or one that came from the Reconstruction Com
Mr.. STEVENS repIIed-It is an individual amend
ment discovered this morning that the PROPOSE
tlon with reference TO debts embraced all, as well
those due TO loyal men as those due to rebels. That
of course thought wrong and propose to amend.
Mr.. PRUYN. (ien) OF n. VI rise to q quest on OF
order ask the Chair to rule that this House mas no
right by any legislation or attempted legislation here
to interfere with the constitution or the provisions OF
the constitution Of any state.
The SPEAKER-The Chair overrucs the point Of
order. He declines to rule as tho gentleman from
New York desires because If that were his preroga-
tive he might be called upon to rule thus on bills
which many members regard as not constitutional,
aud which even the President vetoos az not being
constitutional The Speaker has no right in any legs
atiye body 10 rule whether proposition is cOnstitu-
tona, only vine her 1t is parliamentary. Its const
tutOnay affects its merits, and such questions are
to be decided by the House, not by the Chair.
Mr.. RANDALL, tdem) Of Pa, asked Mr.. Stevens
where lie got authority, in the constitution Of the
United states. or anywhere else TO amend the const
tuition Of StateY
Mr. STEVENS-i ma II IN the constitution, which
saws, Congress may admit 10 the United Statesr |
hold that under that Congress may admit them I'm
just such shape as Congress pleases. do not find
any difficulty about that.
Mr.. RANDALL would like the gentleman to 90 on
and give us his argument upon tins point, because
some OF us here ind great difficulty about 1t.
Mr.. STEvENs-Anybody who needs argument on
that point cannot enlghten. Q.aughter)
Mr.. FERRY, repJ Of Mch.--I desire to know
whether my colleague intends that his amendment
shall prevent the taxation OF debts judgments and
cases of acton sue to loyal meny
Mr.. STEvENs-I expect them to modify IL according
to the provisions Of this act. stated when this bill
was postponed last Monday that would ,sllow fun
discussion. do not want To discuss it myself but
will leave all the discussion to the ,uembers who are
opposed 10 the bill intend, howeyer, before the
House adjourns today, to move the previous ques
ton, SO tle vote may be taken tomorrow. :" .
would move the following amendment as an addi.
tlonal sectoni-- -
~ further enacted Tha. and after the passage
named shall be admitted to equal rights suffrage.
Mr.. BEcK addressed the House for an hour in op-
position to the bill. lie declared that the amend-
Inent proposed by Mr. stevens was Just as lepiti.
mate as the action OF the people of the States |
on the constitutions proposed for them was. II
the members Of the republican party did not come
up TO the amendment Just offered by Mr.. Stevens 1t
would be the first time that any proposition proposed
was not adopted by all the members Of his party, !
including the distinguished member from Ohio ~
sngnsn Who 9es, wCSa ,Ssaoyy yet by to a s dc
Mr. BSogiY gepJ Of ,5hiit Ohio iTetmaa1rkca marked TIA. that
statement Ts cOntradlced by the recor., IN innu.
nerabe instances and the gentleman o.igbt not TO
make it,
Mr. BecK repeated the assertion nat the position
taken by Mr.. stevens had been sl6wed by his party
In almost every instance whQDer they had been liked
AZ first or not. The aneEdrfant now offered by the
gentleman from PennsS lvania would be another II.
ustratton o the rule. He referred 10 the resolution
Of the Ohio Legislature presented last Monday by Mr.
Van Trump In opposition to the reconstruction mea-
sures of Congress. He also referred to the obec-
tionabe features OF the constitutions which the
Southern states were to he admitted, particularly |
that provision OF the South Carolina constitution |
which makes 1t compulsory on all children white or |
black TO he sent TO the same schools.
Mr. HlGBy, trep.) OF CAL. asked Mr.. Beck what he |
would do with the negroes.
Mr. BECK replied that he would protect them ~ |
freedmen, rs he would protect any person who had |
not the capacity To exercise political rights and prvl
leges for great many reasons He held the negro
was unht to hold political rights, and IL was an out
rage against ne civilization OF the age TO place the
negro OF the south In position to control the white