Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-05-15
CONGR EsSIONAL.
81. s5r WASHINGTON, May 13.
HOUSE OF REPREsENTATiV

The SPEAKER presented communi-
cation from the Secretary OF the Treasury,
with statement of the judgments obtain
,! ed IN the Court of Claims and paid by the
treasury Department. Referred.
MT. DONNELEY introduced a bill to
extend the limits OF certain land grants In
iowa and Minnesota. Referred. ne r.
MT: GARFlELD, from the committee
on Military Affairs, reported Joint reso-
luton directing the Secretary of War to
sell the tract of land belonging to the Unit
ed states In Baltimore, known rs the site
of Fort Covington. 1t was modified sim
ply to authorize the sale, and in other re-
spects, and adopted.
Mr.. PILE introduced bill to establish
Geographic communication between mill
tary posts and for the construction of a
telegraph line to Puget Sound. Referred.
The House proceeded to the consideration
of the bill to admit the States of North
Carolina, South Carolina, Louisiana, Geor-
gia and Florida to representation in Con-
gress.
! Messrs. Pruyn and Brooks spoke against
and Messrs. Paine and Bingham in favor of
| the bill. f.9 lT
Mr.. WOODBRIDGE moved to amend che
Dill by striking out the word Alabama
wherever it occurs, on the ground that
majority OF voters of that State had not
voted in favor of the Constitution as pro-
vlded i'll the reconstruction law.
Mr.. FARNSWORTH denied that such
was the requirement of the law, asserting
that the provision was that Congress should
be satisfied that majority of the people of
the State were in favor of it. He declared
that larger portion of the registered
voters OF Alabama had voted for the Con-
stitution than in any other State.
Mr. BENJAMIN moved to amend By
striking out of the first section the clause
prohibiting change in the Constitution,
and inserting instead of it the words
THAT the Constitutions of said States shall
never be amended or changed so as to dis
crlmlnate In favor of or against any citi-
zens or class of citizens In it, in ref renee
to the right to vote, who are now entitled
to vote by said Constitutions" I ssl
Mr.. BINGHAM said he would accept
that as substitute for his own amend
ment.
Mr.. REAUM asked leave to offer the fol-
lowing amendment: sand it is hereby
made the duty of the President, within ten
days after receiving official information of
the ratification of said amendment by the
Legislature of either of said States to issue
proclamation announcing that fact"
MIR. STEVENS-I agree to that. 1t is
part of the bill now.
MIR. BROMALL made some remarks In
criticism and condemnation of the Demo-
cratic party.
The question was taken on Mr.. Wood
bridges amendment to strike out Alabama,
and was rejected.
MIR. STEVENS, of Pennsylvania, then
closed the debate
The House proceeded to vote on the bill
and amendment. The first vote was on the
amendment offered by Mr.. Stevens in
reference to debts due to loyal men. The
amendment was agreed to.
The next question was on the amend
ment offered to-day by Mr.. Benjamin and
accepted by Mr.. Bingham as substitute
for his own. Agreed to.
The next question was the amendment
offered by Mr.. Brooks, that all citizens of
the United States in those States shall be
entitled to equal rights of suffrage. 1t was
rej ected without the yeas and nays.
The bill then passed-yeas los, nays So.
Mr.. BUTLER, from The committee on
Appropriations, reported the Indian APP
preparation bill, which was made the spe-
cial order for Saturday.
Mr.. JENCKES. from the committee on
Retrenchment, reported bill to regulate
the civil service of the United States and
to promote the efficiency thereof. He spoke
an hour in advocacy of the bill, which was
then postponed until the Sd of June.
Adjourned till Tomorrow.