Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-06-02
CONGREGATIONAL.
Conclusion of Yesterdays Proceeding,

tinued at some length, and was participated in
by Senator's Buckalew. Henderson, Edmunds,
Dooiltte. Van Wrinkle, Sherman. Williams
Mr. Henderson offered as an amendment Q
vote of thank to Chief Justice Chase.
The amendment was rejected by yeas H.
nays30
The question then required on the original
resolution, which was adopted as follows:
Teds-Messrs. Anthony, Cameron. Cattell
Chandler. Edmunds, Ferry, Fessenden. Ere
lnghuysen, Harlan, Howard. Howe, Morgan
Morrill, of Me, Morrill, of VT, Morton, Nye,
Patterson OF N. H., Pomeroy, Ramsay. Sher.
man, Sprague, Stewart, Sumner, Thayer, Tip
ton, Trumbull, Van Wrinkle, Wade, Wiley,
Williams, Wilson, and Yates-37.
Ndys-Messrs. Buckalew, Doolittie, Fowler,
Henderson, Hendricks, johnson, McCreery,
Morton, Patterson Of Tenn, Ross, and Wick
ers-ll.
Mr. Fowler explained his vote in the mega
public services of Mr.. stanton than he had; be
would vote thanks to him at any time, but he
could not consent to cast a vote now for 8 reso-
luton, the effect Of which will be to condemn
his former action.
Mr.. Van Wrinkle wished to state that he voted
with pleasure for this resolution, and should
have voted for the preamble to the resolution
eohnrming Gen Schofield, but that he misun-
The unfinished business, being the bill for
the admission of the State of Arkansas, was
then taken mp.
Mr.. Drake modified his amendment so as to
read tn I there should be NO denial OF abridg-
ment in said State of the right Of franc hise, or
any other right, on account of race or color;
and any such denial by said Stale shall cause
its exclusion from representation in either
house OF Congress.
Mr.. Drake then argued at length in favor of
his amendment.
Mr.. johnson desired to explain his vote on
the amendment Of Mr.. Henderson to the reso-
luton of thanks to Mr.. Stanton. He had
voted for it under a misappreheEsion, Imagin-
ing that il was giving thanks to Mr.. Chase for
his management of the Treasury Department
during the rebellion. He could not, Of course,
change his vote now, but would say that he
sition which he believed would nave the effect
TO injure and lower the judiciary. Mr.. j. then
went on to argue against the amendment of
MI Drake, contending that the right of regu-
lating the suffrage was vested solely IN the
States.
Mr.. Frelinghuysen moved an amendment.
that there should never be in said State any de.
nal or abridgement OF the elective franchise
on account OF race or color, unless with In
dams not taxed.
Mr.. Drake accepted the amendment Of Mr..
Erehnghuysen In lieu of his own; and il was
then adopted-ayes 26, noes 10.
Mr.. Drake moved to strike out of the pre-
amble the words sin FORM which was con-
CURED in.
Mr.. Ferry renewed his amendment to strike
from the bill all the conditions of admission.
The amendment was then rejected, as follows:
Yeas Is, nays ~.
The bill was then passed by ayes "a, noes 8.
The Senate then, at o'clock and " minutes,
adjourned.
HoUsE.-After our report closed yesterday,
the House being in Committee Of the Whole on
the tax BILL
Mr.. Schenck proceeded to explain the BILL
and said: The bill Is long, the longest, perhaps
ever submitted TO Congress in the form of a sin
gle act But gentlemen must not be alarmed
on that account. 1t need not occupy our time
in disposing of it at all in proportion to that
length. The long and patient labor of the Com
mittee OF Ways and Means will be found to
have abridged in considerable degree, think
the labor of the committee Gentlemen will
please to observe the title of the bill. Ii tells
truly and succinctly the character and extent
of our work. 1t Ii "a bill to reduce into one
act and to amend the law relating TO internal
taxes" The present laws relating to Internal
revenue are embraced in twenty five different
acts, spreading through the statute books from
August 1861, to the present session. These
acts, IN succession, enlarge restrict modify
repeal, and not unfrequently repeat or contra
dict much of what goes before so that the
whole mass OF them, if not chaotic, are at least
IN many respects, anything but clear and easy
TO be understood by the people who are to obey
or by the officers who are TO enforce them
The obscurities are only in a degree removed
by Interpretation and regulations. 1 beg to be
understood in speaking thus, as not meaning
TO imply any disparagement of the work of any
former committee or former Congress. Inter-
nal taxation was an experiment, and necessi-
~ on which we were driven; and il was not to
be expected that a new system should be built
up and adapted to the business and habits of
our country and people, hastily and under the
pressure of circumstances, without its being in
many respects imperfect In form, if not crude
il substance-so we found it, / do not for a
moment pretend to CLAIM perfection for the
bill before you. and by which We have sought
to remedy some of these defects and evils in
the existing law. But we have done the best
we could with these views of what il was our
duty To attempt.
Mr.. Scbenck proceeded to make an explana.
ton and analysis of the bill. The KEY note of
one great change which we propose and which
pervades and distinguishes our bill throughout,
rs 10 be found in the first and Immediately sue
ceediDg sections. We propose, II will be seen
o make the office Of Commissioner of Internal
Revenue an independent department. BY this
its head, who is to be expected under the usage
OF the Government to be invited TO the Cabinet
councils of the President; but one rather like
the Department of Agriculture, with a chief.
styled, not a Secretary, but a Commis sioner
me provisions which follow Immediately after
this Will make our purpose obvious. We desire
10 give this independent character to the Com.
missioner OF Internal Revenue, In order not
only 10 mark and secure his own responsibility
and accountability for the conduct and man.
agemeht OF all affairs in the Department, but
TO enable him, under the Constitution as s.head
OF department" 10 appoint all his subordi.
mates, Tor whom and whose conduct also we
intend he shall be in the fullest degree respon-
sible.
Mr.. Schenck went on to say that a writer in
the New York ETening Post had charg ed that
the Committee of Ways and Means and its
cndirndn were assuming 70 be King makers, In
giving such great powers to the Commits sioner
OF Internal Revenue. The writer illustrated
his argument by reference 10 section ten That
was an unfortunate illustration; for II so hap
pened that that was OF the sections
copied from the existing law. II the House
should refuse to confer this power on the Com
missioner, then he would ask the House TO con-
fer IL on the Secretary of the Treasury, with
out the Intervention of the Commissioner
or on the President without the Intervention of
either the Secretary OF the Commits sioner-on
somebody who would be held to account tor
what Is done and for what is omitted in mat.
ter so vital as the raising Of revenue honestly
fairly, and without fraud and robbery There
was, in fact. no head now. There was triple.
headed monster-the President, the Secretary
of the Treasury, and the Commissioner: and
another element Of the division of power was
the necessity of procuring confirmation by the
Senate Of officers of the revenue. Between the
President, the Senate, the Secretary of the
Treasury, and the Commissioner, there was
such division of responsibility that nothing
was done. If the President. the Sacre
tary, and the Commissioner were all right
then there was another body-the Senate
where fault might exist in not acting on the
recommendations made through the proper
channel He did not say il was so; but he said
that from the divided responsibility and want
OF accord between them, there Were no proper
officers TO collect the revenue, and, Therefore
stealing went on. These facts tended TO iIlus-
trate the proposition that the country hal an
without a responsible head and
taxes eolled until the system was reduced To a
concentrated responsibility. The Committee
had settled down on the conclusion that the
II way to get the tax collected WAS to i'm, posa