The Portland daily press., 1868-05-14
The amendment was rejected. and the mo
ton to adjourn till Saturday prevailed.


| HOUSE.
Mr.. Reck offered a resolution directing thu
| Secretary of War and General of the army tt
| communicate reports of the several distric
| commanders as to the elections on the ratifica
| tion of the proposed Constitutions in Georgia
| North Carolina, South Carollna and Louisiana
| and for the election of officers Hereunder the
accompanying papers, sc. Adopted.
| Mr. Schenck made statement in reference
| to a recent New York item that neither the
| Committee of Ways and Means nor himself
| know OF any complaint against Collector Of
Internal Revenue Bail of New York, and that
tney nad no person employed in any secret
detective service. The Committee did not
cialm the authority, and certainly had not the
disposition, to enter on that business.
The bill allowing the Whitehall and PITTS
Durg Railroad to pass across United states
lands at Plattsburg was passed.
Mr.. Price, from the Pacific Railroad Com
mittee, reported back the bill with amend
ments to incorporate the Puget Sound and CO.
lumbia Railroad Company. Alter considera-
BILE discussion and propositions to amend, Mr..
Price moved the previous que ton, which the
House refur to second The bill was referr-
ed to the Committee on Public Lands.
The bill to admit the States of North Caro-
lima, South Carolina, Louisiana, Georgia and
Alabama to representation in Congress was
taken up.
Mr.. Stevens of PENNSYLVANIA offered the fol-
And be 1T further enacted, That the provi-
SONS of section IL, article 8, of the Constitu-
tion OF Georgia, shall not apply to debt due
70 any person who, during the whole time of
the rebellion, was loyal to the United States
and opposed to secession.
Mr.. Steveas stated he would allow the whole
day for debate the part of members opposed
to the bill, and he would ask the vote or it to-
morrow.
Mr. Beck made an hours speech against the
BILL
Mr.. Robinson asked whether it was under
stood that the House was going into an amend
ment of State Constitution.
The Speaker stated that it was question
for the House and not for the Chair.
MIR. Stevens proposed that amendment,
and for this season: The Constitution Of
Georgia nullifies all debts due before a certain
period, as well as those due to loyal men as
those due to rebels: My amendment is that it
shall nullfy only those due to rebels and not
to loyal men.
Mr.. Robinson-Will the gentleman from
Pennsylvania allow me to ask him how he is
loyal?
Mr.. Stevens-I am not going to do it, but
when anybody claims to be loyal suppose he
Will pick himself out. (Laughter.)
himself out,
Mr. Paine inquired of Mr.. Stevens whether
this was an individual amendment of his own
or one that came from the Reconstruction
Committee.
MIR. Stevens replied: 1t is an Individual
amendment; discovered this morning that
the proposition was in reference to debts en-
6raced, as well as those due to loyal men, those
due to rebels; that of course, 1 thought wrong
and propose to amend.
MT; Pruyn-I rise to a question of order; 1
ask the Chair to rule that this House has no
right, by any legislation or attempted legisla-
tlon mere, TO interfere with the Constitution of
any State.