Daily Ohio statesman. [volume] (Columbus, Ohio) 1855-1870, 1868-03-07
CONGRESSIONAL.
WASHINGTON, March 6.
SENATE

WASHINGTON, March 6.
SENATE. Lt
| A communication was received from the
President giving information in regard to
the Island of Alta Vela, near st. Domingo.
and in reference to the abduction of Allen
Mcdonald. citizen of the United States in
lCanada. zfE
Mr. POMEROY introduced a Joint res.
lolution authorizing the Secretary of War
to take charge of the Gettysburg and An
itietam cemeteries. Referred to Military
committee.
At the expiration of the morning hour,
the PRESIDENT announced that the time
having arrived when the Senate was to
proceed to the trial of impeachment of the
President OF the United States, he would
vacate the chair for that purpose.
The Chief Justice was again escorted tp
the chair by Mr.. POmeroy, chairman of the
committee appointed for that purpose.
The Secretary of the Senate read the
minutes of the Court of yesterday.
The Chief Justice then stated the ques-
tion to be, an objection having been made
to the swearing in of the Senator from
Ohio (Wade), on the motion to postpone
the swearing in of the Senator until the
remaining members should have been
sworn. He also announced that Senator
Dixon had the floor.
Mr.. HOWARD, rising to point of or
der, said: By the Constitution, the Senate
sitting on the trial of impeachment, is to
be on oath or affirmation. Each member
of the Senate, by the Constitution, is q
competent member of the body for that pur-
pose. There can, therefore, be no trial un-
less that oath or affirmation be taken by the
respective Senators, who are present. The
Constitution of the United States is opera
tive, and when a member presents himself
to take the oath, / hold that, as a rule OF
order, it is the duty of the presiding officer
to administer that oath, and that the prop
osition to take the oath cannot be post
poned. l make the point of order that the
objection made to the swearing in of
Mr.. Wade is out OF order, and also
that the motion of the Senator
from Maryland, to postpone the swearing
in of Mr.. Wade, is out of order, under the
rules and under the Constitution of the
United States, and | ask the Court respect
fully but earnestly. that the President of
the Senate, the Chief Justice of the Su-
preme Court of the United States presiding
over that body, decide this question of or
der and without debate. object to any
further debate.
| After considerable debate between Dixon,
i Drake, Howard and Sherman on points of
/ order, Hendricks, yielding to the sugges-
tion of some Senators on his side that OBJ
] lection to the swearing OF Wade has been
made prematurely, withdrew the objection.
1
the chair and took the oath, as administer
ed by the Chief Justice. -
| The remaining Senators having been
| also sworn, the Chief Justice proclaimed
that the Senate was now duly organized to
proceed with trial of Andrew johnson,
President of the United States.
| The Sergent-at-Arms then made the
proclamation.
Hear ye! Hear ye! Hear yel-An per-
| sons are commanded to keep silence on
pain Of imprisonment. while the Senate of
the United States, is sitting for trial of arti-
cles of impeachment against Andrew john
son, President of the United States.
The managers on part OF the House, with
the exception of Stevens, then appeared
and demanded that the Senate issue an or
| der for the apprehension of Andrew john
son, President of the United States, to
answer to charges. whereupon,
| On motion of Mr.. HOWARD, it was Or
dered that the President be summoned to
appear on Friday, March 18th, at one
o'clock of the afternoon.
The Court then, at three o'clock, ad-
journed till next Friday.
| HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVE
Mr.. ELLIOTT,by unanimous consent,in-
| introduced a bill to authorize contracts tor
| foreign mail service, and to aid in the con-
! structiOn and employment of American
built steamers, which was referred to the
Postoffice committee. The bill authorizes
| the Postmaster General to contract for
| term of years, with citizens or corporations
of the United States. for the conveyance of
foreign mails between the ports of New
| York, Boston. Philadelphia and Baltimore.
aud the ports of Great Britain, France,
Belgium and the German States. The ves-
sells must be built in the United States and
wholly owned by citizens thereof or cor
I poratiOns established therein. Each line
must consist of not less than two nor more
than four steamships between such ports,
and shall be of not less than $500 tons, and
be classed as A No. l, and be of speed equal
to that now contracted for with the Cunard
line. The subsidy is not to exceed $4,000
per year for each steamer.
Mr.. JULIAN reported bill providing
that at the sale of the Usage Indian reserva-
tion lands in Kansas. actual settlers on the
18th of March, 1868, who have made i'm
[provements, and who are citizens of the
| United States, or have declared their inten-
ltions to become citizens, shall have the
privilege of purchasing the same, not eX-
ceeding one hundred acres, at the highest
price bid by any bona Jfde bidder, and shall
| paw for same in four annual instalments.
! Mr.. DONNELY moved an amendment
providing that both the odd and even
numbered sections shall be offered for sale.
| MIR. CLARK, of Kansas spoke in favor
of the bill, and the amendment was agreed
to and the bill passed. -
| Mr.. BINGHAM, from the Impeachment
managers, reported a resolution authorize
ing them to sit during the session of the
House, and to send for persons and papers.
administer oaths and take testimony of
witnesses. Adopted.
It was agreed that the sessions of to-mor-
row shalr be for debate only.
| Mr.. DAWES, from the committee on
telections, reported the following bill, which
lvy fn " 10
mittee: EcE8s---F 8
Be II Enacted, &c, That whenever any
person who has participated in the late re-
bellion, and from all local disabilities
arising therefrom, has been removed by
act of Congress, by vote of two thirds of
each House, has been elected appointed to
any Office or place of trust in or under the
lGovernment of the United States, he shall,
fbetore entering upon the duties thereof,
take and subscribe to the following oath
Ion Attenuation q and no other: II
Ia. B. do hereby swear (or affirm) that
will support and defend the Constitution
of the United States, against all enemies,
foreign and domestic; that L will bear true
faith and allegiance to the same, that /
take this obligation freely, without any
mental reservasion or purpose of evasion !;
and that l will well and faithfully dis
charge the duties OF the office to which l
am about to enter. So help me Cod.
Under the operation OF the previous ques-
tion the bill passed.
At three o'clock the board of managers
on the part OF the House appeared, and Mr.
Bingham, the chairman, announced that
the Senate was organized for the trial OF the
impeachment of Andrew johnson, Presi-
dent of the United States.
| Mr.. JULIAN addressed the House at
length on the bill to prevent the further
sale of public lands of the United States
EXCEPT as provided for in the prt -emption
and homestead laws, for disposing of town
sites and mineral lands.
Mr.. SELEYE introduced bill amenda-
tory of the national banking law. Refer
red to the committee on Banks and Bank
| ing,