The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1868-07-28

parchment and the Time and Money 1t Has
Cost-COntested Observation-Disclosures Mea.
sures Observation-Disclosures OF the Freed.
mems Bureau and the Cost ThereOf-Re.
construction Biils-BiH Passed Giving n
Rebel General a Sent in COngress-Alasika-
Appropriations-The Senate ON COnirma.
lions.
WASHINGTON, July 2e, 1868.
Congress met on the 21st Of November last, nearly
one month prior to the commencement Of the regular
session. The present assembling has, therefore,
been protracted without interval just eight months.
The principal portion Of this time has been absorbed
in the attempt to impeach the President contested
election cases and the consideration Of important
bills which have not been disposed of.
Almost the first business undertaken was the i'm.
parchment of the President, which was referred to
the Judiciary Committee. That committee spent
three months in the investigation Of charges, the
examination OF testimony and the preparation OF Its
report. The abors of the committee were nenectual,
and would have failed but for the removal of Stanton
by the President, when the actual business of I'm
parchment commenced. First was the passage Of
the resolution by the House and the appointment Of
committee to impeach the President at the bar Of
the Senate; then the Board Of Managers was desig.
mated to prepare articles and conduct the trial before
the High Court. Three weeks were consumed In the
preparation Of the case; then the trial commenced
and occupied nearly three months, during which
time all other business was suspended. The Presi.
dent acquitted three Of the articles, and then
the court adjourned without day. The cost of i'm.
parchment, as nearly as can be estimated, Is put
down by members on both sides at something over
million OF dollars, and this does not include the
expense of subsequent Investigations as to the cor
ruptng influences assumed by Manager Butler to
have been used to procure the votes or the seven
radical senators.
Another item outside Of legitimate legislation that
has absorbed a large proportion OF the time of Con-
gress is the contested election cases. There have
been twenty-five contested seats greater number
than has been known In the history OF the country,
involving an enormous expense and the exhibition
OF the most intense partisan prejudice. Many Of
these cases are still pending.
The history OF this session ia more conspicuous for
the important legislation 1t has deferred than for
what 1t has contaminated. 1t has neglected to ADOPT
Q revision OF the Internal Revenue bill except in the
two items OF whiskey and tobacco.
An attempt was made to consider the tariff bill by
pecemeal, but action was deferred from time to
time and finally 1t failed altogether.
The River and Harbor bill was passed. and subse.
quently 1t was designed to throw some guards
around the expenditure OF the liberal amount appro
priated, but 1t was not accomplished. All bills for
the protection and development OF commerce ON the
great rivers were defeated or deferred.
bill was passed deprivtng the Supreme Court OF
appellate jurisdiction in cases affecting personal
liberty.
BY an existing law the Freedmen's Bureau was to
have been discontinued next month. The last work
OF Congress was to pass bill continuing the Bureau
one year, with all the powers originally conferred
The precise annual cost Of this vast establishment
cannot be furnished by accurate data. The only
official estimate for any one year was furnished by
General Howard, the Commissioner Of the Bureau
for the fiscal year ending January /, 1867, upon
which an approximate estimate can be based. In
that calculation he placed the total at ST. 45 O5O
Some two and half millions OF this sum he apprO-
PIRATES for clerk hire stationery and other purposes
not Immediately applicable to the feeding, clothing
and schooling OF the negroes. In the administrative
department OF this Bureau there are employed, as
subordinate to the Commissioner, major general,
seven brigaders, nine colonies, seven lieutenant
colonels twenty nine majors, one hundred and nfty
seven captains one hundred and fifty eight lieuten.
ants and seven hundred and seventeen clerks mes.
sengers and other employees ut salaries correspond
ing with those OF the various civil departments Of
the government.
OF the Reconstruction bills one reported by the
Reconstruction Committee In January last passed
the House. This bill gave the General of the Army
and department commanders absolute power over
all provisional governments until the States to which
II was applicable were admitted to representation In
Congress. This bill did not pass the Senate.
The next OF this class was the Alabama bill, passed
with special reference to the election in that state
by which the constitution was defeated, and pro-
vded for her admission, Notwithstanding majority
OF the registered voters had not voted for the const
tuition required by the Reconstruction This
bill did not pass but substitute, offered by Judge
Spalding, OF ohio. authorizing the Legislature OF
Alabama to resubmt the constitution to the people,
received majority in both houses, was vetoed by
the President and became a law, the objections Of
the Executive to the contrary Notwithstanding.
Next In the Reconstruction series Is the act gen.
era in its application to the reconstructed States
providing that any election authorized by the act OF
March %, 1857 shall be decided by majority Of the
votes cast and authorizing any person duly regis.
tered to vote In the district In hch he may offer his
vote. This act became law.
An act for the admission Of Arkansas has passed
and becamesa law over the Presidents veto.
The Omnibus bill, admitting Moth and south Caro-
lima, Louisiana, Georgia, Alabama and Florida, was
passed over the veto.
general act was passed removing disabilities It
modites the oath Tor the benefit OF persons who par
An act introduced on the 10th OF July providing
for an election in Virginia is now pending In the
Senate II enfranchises twenty five thousand white
voters and from the fact that they would, In all pro-
liability vote the democratic ticket s fate Is sealed
The last Of this class Is the bin reported by Mr..
passed by the House on Friday. II will be smothered
In the senate by speeches on Monday If an effort is
A bill was passed last night removing disabilities
from General Young. member OF Congress elect from
Georgia. General Young Is an Old democrat aud
brigadier rebel general OF cavalry He will be ad
United tomorrow Generals Grant, Meade, Schoned,
Emery and Howard recommended the removal Of
disabilities, and Judge Bingham took lively interest
In managing the bill through both houses.
The nnal passage Of General Banks, bill making
appropriation Tor the purchase OF Alaska consum-
liar features OF this bill those reservng the right
to determine the proprety OF future negotiations OF
this character and OF Withholding appropriations.
The military bill for furnishing arms to the South
ern States has failed. The reference to the Military
Committee carries 10 over.
The appropriation bills have been passed with special
reference to the public scrutiny. In many instances
the amounts for the expenses OF the civil departments
have been placed far below the actual necessities,
and the dismissal Of q considerable proportion Of
the clerical forces In the departments Is Inevitable.
when Congress meets again there will he q heavy
deficiency to supply. The dismissal OF hundreds OF
clerks, required by the inadequacy VI the money
appropriated and the scanty pay Of those remaining
ia employ, creates a vast deal OF discomfort among
numerous class of people who have furnished the
radical snews Of Congress by m0neyed contributions,
names to petitions and sympathy to an indefinite
amount.
Among the other important measures adopted by
Congress one for the protection OF naturalized
citizens abroad which, after much discussion and
considerable amendment, became q law. The strug-
gle Cn tais measure was peculiar and interesting.
both political parties bid high for the Irish vote,
winch, n cast solid In the coming Presidential cleo
ton, will b. sure to turn the scales one way or the
other. IL was amusing therefore, TO study the de-
vices resorted TO by democrats and republicans to
toue down eSbi as II originally came rom the pen
OF General Banks OF the House Foreign Affairs Com
ilittee, without ACQUIRING the hostility OF the terrible
fenians, nearly ev.ry man OF whom u voter VINO