The Columbian. [volume] (Bloomsburg, Pa.) 1866-1910, 1868-01-17
CONGRESSIONAL.

JANUARY, 10th--ln the Senate yes.
| tcrday the new Reconstruction bill,
| which proposes to supercede the present
/ State Governments of the South by
| Provisional Go$crnmcnts, was discuss
cd until the expiration of the morning
hours, but no definite action was taken.
/ The bill to prevent further reduction of
I &c currency was taken up, the question
being on the amendment that after the
passage of this act the authority of the
Secretary OF the Treasury to cancel
notes, etc, shall he suspended.
In the House the joint resolution re-
ported by the Committee on Foreign
Affairs requesting the President to in
tercedo with the Queen of Great Brit
ain for the release OF Father NJ Mahon,
who is imprisoned in unada upon the
charge of being implicated in ;he Fen
ian raid OF last year, Was taken up.
Mr.. Payne introduced a similar rcsulu-
tion relative To- Robert Lynch, Dl Mil
waul>ee, who Is also imprisoned IN can
ada. Mr.. Wood submitted II resolution
calling up the President to iutcrpOsc
his official authority IN nvlult Oi all
American citizrus confined in Ireland.
Alter debate these resolutions were
passed unanimously.
JANUARY, llth-ln the ScnatC ycs-
NNludN WV 'liI w IliNNNIlt lUliItT NOll-
traction OF the currency came up, and
wps discussed mt length, but no decision
was reached, when the Senate went in
to Executive session, and soon adjourn
cd
In the House the report Of the Com.
mitttee on Elections, declaring that
Lyman >. Trimbic is entitled to Il seat
as representative from the first Con-
grcssiunal district of Kentucky, was
debated and finally adopted, after which
Mr.. TrimhIC took the oath of office.
His seat was contested by Mr.. G.. G..
Symcs.
JANUARY, 18Th Several petitions
were presented to the Senate Saturday
and referred to committees. Mr.. SUM-
ncr introduced resolution declaring
that the Constitutional Amendment,
proposed by the thirty ninth Congress.
is valid as II part Of the Constitution, ii
having been ratified by three-fourths of
the States ; referred TO the Committee
on Judiciary.
The House, having Designated Satur-
day as debating day, went into Com
mittoc ofthe whole on the State of the
Union, for general debate ON the prySi-
dents annual Message.
JAN. l4th-A resolution was adopted
In the Senate yesterday instructing the
judiciary to inquire into the eXppdi-
ency of providing by law rules for pro-
ceeding in impeachment trials, and for
the suspension of the officer under i'm
pcaChmcnt.
In the House on motion of Mr.. Bing-
ham the rules We're suspended and Il
resolution adopted directing the Judici-
airy Committee to report Immediately
the new Reconstruction bill, and pro-
Viding that the House will commence
the consideration of the bill to-day and
take definite action regarding it tO-mor-
row. In accordance with this action
the bill was reported, read twice andr re-
committed. The bill declares that there
are no civil governments, republican in
form, in the States lately in rebellion,
and that the sO-callcd civil govern
ments in said States, respectively, shall
not be recognized as valid norlegal State
governments, either by the executive
or ju lical power or authority OF the
United States. 1t also takes from the
President All powers in regard to en-
forcing the Reconstruction acts, and
gives it to Gen. Grant.
The rules having been again suspcn-
ded, Mr.. Wilson, of Iowa, reported
back from the Judiciary Committee,
with an amendment by way of an ad-
ditional section, the Senate bill, declur-
ing what shall institute Il quorum of
the supreme Court. The bill declares
that any number Of the Justices OF the
supreme Court, mot less than five. being
Il majority thereof, shall constitute Il
quorum. The amendm"nt declares that
no case pending before the Supreme
Court involving the action or cllcct ol
amy law of the United S,utc-. shall hr
decided adversely to The validity of
such law without the cOncurlnce ortwO-
thirds OF all the members of the Court.
animated debate upon the bill en-.
sued, when Mr.. Wilson moved the
previous question, which motion was
sustained and the main question order
ed. Mr.. Wilson, being cntitlei to an
hours time in which to close the de.
bate, yielded few moments to gentle
men opposed 10 the bill. a vOt" was
then taken and the bill passed by n
vote of yeas ll6, nays -. the House
then adjourned.
JANUARY, l5th-In the Senate yes
terday bill to permit the establish
ment of National Banks without limit,
and prohibiting all other systems of
banking, was also laid on the table,
The resolution offered by Mr.. Davis TO
create constitutional tribunal, cOmpos-
ed of one member from each State, to
decide questions Of jurisdiction between
the several States and the General Gov
crnment, came up for debate.
In the House the Committee on Ways
and Means reported back the Senate
amendments to the bill TO repeal the
cotton tax, with the recommendation
that they be non-concurrcd in. A reso-
luton wss adopted irt."urting the Com
mittce on Ways and Means to inquire
into the eXpcdioncY Of selling 10 the
highest bidder the exclusive right of
manufacturing spirits in the United
States for the term Of ten or more
.years, such privilege to he sold at not
less than S75,000,00O per anum. The
House resumed the consideration of the
Reconstruction bill reported by the Ju-
dietary Committee on the previous day.
Mr.. Brooks presented Il minority re-
port, signed by himself and Mr.. Beck.
giving their reasons for opposing the
bill, and also spoke at length on the
question.
JANUARY, 1Gth-In the Senate Il
joint resolution providing ior the pay
ment of SOS, 900 for the seizure of the
Spanish steamers at Port Royal by Gen.
Sherman was adopted. Tho auti-Cur-
rcncy contraction bin was passed.
Nothing Of importance was done in
the House. Fernando Wood was off
cially reprimandcd for intcmperate
language.
The Senate Forces Grant out of the
War Office and Instals Stanton.