Evening star. [volume] (Washington, D.C.) 1854-1972, 1868-03-18
F0RTIETH CONGRESS,
This Afternoons Proceedings,
"WEDNESDAY. March te

War, stating that the military reservation al
Fort Ridgley, is not needed now for military
purposes, and may be disposed Of Referred 10
Committee on Military Affairs
= Mr. Sumner presented memorials adopted by
the Cleveland Manufacturer Con ven tion. ask
ing change in the internal revenue system
Referred 10 Finance Conmittee.
Mr.. Sumner offered resolution to print 1880
extra copies for the Department of STATE, OF the
communications relative TO the Joint occupa-
tion of San Juan in Puget's Sound. Referred
10 COMMITTEE on Printing.
Mr. Wilson, from the Committee of Confer
ence on the bill to facilitate the payment Of SOL
dlers oounhes, made report, which was con-
MIR. Hendricks called up the bill to amend the
act to provide for the recording OF conyeyances
Of vessels which was passed.
Mr.. Hendricks offered a resolution reouesting
the Secretary of the Treasury TO communicate
TO the Senate the amount Of the monthly ex-
pr nses Of the War, Navy, and Interior Depart
ments, since July I, 1865 with the details of the
expenses OF the various bur reaus of said Depart
ments.
Mr.. Edmunds thought ii had better lie over
Mr.. Hendricks had ascertained at the Treas
ury Department that the inquiry could be an
swered without dificulty.
Mr. Hendricks then withdrew his objection,
and the resolution passed.
Mr.. Edmunds called up the bill to regulate
the presentation OF bills to the President and
the return OF the same.
Mr.. Bayard maintained that the bill cur
tailed the power conferred by the Constitution
the President in which to return bill cannot
be abridged. That Congress If il adlourns
before the ten days has expired, and the Presi-
dent has not returned bill, the bill unques-
tionably fails. Congress must he in session
when the ten days expires, or If the President
neg1ects TO affix his Signature the bill certainly
fails. The decision of the Supreme Court OF
New Hampshire in reference to this matter he
could not regard as having any force or bear
ing on the present question. The usage of the
Government Of the United States has never
been that the President has filed a message Civ
ing his objections TO q bill with the clerk of
either House, but had always sent his message
direct to the House in which the bill originated.
AT the conclusion Of Mr.. Bayard's remarks
Mr. Morgan, from the Committee on Finance,
reported bill for the relief of certain mer-
chants and importers Of New York
Mr. Morrlll, OF Maine, made a report from the
COMMITTEE OF Conference on the Cons ular and
diplomatic appropriation bill, which was
The Chair laid before the Senate a communi.
cation from General Grant. enclosing cypher
dlspatch OF January IL, stating that unless
the test oath is rescinded the pending recon-
suuction bill making ii obligatory on the mill.
ary commanders 70 I'LL vacancies in the State
offices will be imperative.
The bill to exempt certain manufacturers
from internal tax was taken up.
The amendment of Nh. Henderson EXEMPT
ing from duty all imported articles used in
construction of steamboats, on the inland wa
ters OF the United States was rejected.
Mr.. johnson offered an amendment that the
Impoi ted articles used in the construction of
ocean steamers be exempt from duty.
Mr.. Ferry should vote against all such
because Of the tendency 10 defeat
the original bill
Mr.. Ci,andi,l >-.A-n ~uuid oe in order to
offer an amendment TO release from duty all
imported articles used in the construction of
all vessels of whatever character throughout
the whole United States.
The Chair said that ii would not now be i'm
order.
Mr. Chandler said very well, he hoped all of
these amendments would fail, but if relief OF
This kind was TO be approved, they might a.
well do ii by the wholesale
HOUSE OF REPEEsENTArIvEs.-Th first
business In order was the consideration OF the
motion submitted yesterday by Mr.. Broomall
Pa.) TO reconsider the vote whereby the bill TO
guarantee TO the several States OF the Union a
form OF Government was referred TO
the Committee on the Judiciary. TThe bill re-
citss in the preamble that the governments of
several States IL not republican in form. and
that it is the constitutional duty of the United
states TO guarantee TO any State q republican
form of government. The bill therefore enacts
that all provisions and enactments in State
and laws which make distinction
in political and civil rights among citizens Of
the United States, or deny such rights to any
such citizen, on account of race, parentage,
lineage or color, are hereby declared TO be null
and OF no effect. Section two enacts that if any
person shall prevent any qualified citizen OF
The United States from exercising the right of
suffrage at any election in any State under the
pretence that such citizen Is disqualified by the
and laws of such State, on account
of his parentage, race, lineage or color, said
person shall be deemed guilty of a midemea-
nor, and on conviction thereof shall be sem
fenced TO pay a fine of $500 or TO undergo i'm
prisonment OF five years, or both.
Mr.. Bromall proceeded 10 give ~ length his
definition OF a republican form OF Government
and 10 argue that under the Constitution il
vas the duty of Congress TO guarantee TO each
State such form as would ensure all the fran
chises of the Government to all citizens He
insisted that the majority of people in a State
could not disiranchise a minority in conse-
quence OF race. color, or lineage. If that Were
so, he argued that in South Carolina and other
southern States the black majorlty could dis
disfranchise the white maiorities. No one
would pretend that such a State as that
was republican IN form. yet II would not be
al all surprising if the colored people
who had control in ihe Southern States
would follow the example of the white
men who excluded the negro in States where
they were IN the ascendency. He coptended
that the principle would be as Just inSts ope-
ration upon one side as upon another He
combatted the idea so often asserted that thIs
was s'Whlte mans Government" and de-
manded 10 know when il first became a white
mans Government The negro had always
owed allegiance to the Government, and that
being so, he was as much part of the Govern
ment as the white citizen. Mr.. Broomall con-
unued al length urging in favor Of universal
suffrage and against any distinction on account
Of race or color.
Mr.. Woodward pa as ked MIR. Broomall if
he believed the government of PENNSYLVANIA
was not republican in form
Mr.. Broomall replied that in The particular
hat certain class were excluded from the
elective franchise on account Of color the gov
ernment OF Pennsylvania was not republican
IN form, nor had II been since the Constitution
Of 1e3e. Before that year there was no heredi-
rary disfran chisement and the State then had
a republican government.
Mr.. Woodward asked If his colleague did not
know that in 1881 the Supreme Court OF Penn
sylvania decided that the word ssfreeman." i'm
he Constitution of 1870, meant .white free
men"
Mr.. Broomall replied that such was the fact,
but the case was got up by the Supreme Court
Judges of that day, 10 meet the questions of the
day. Ii was political trick TO have its effect
upon the convention winch was then amend.
ing the constitution.
Mr.. Woodward said that was not a direct
answer to his question. Did not the Pennsyl-
vania Supreme Court make such q decision in
1887. = : "
Mr.. Brooman repeated that the ease was one
goi up for the occasion. He would say further
that ne had not much faith in the decisions of
tue Supreme Court Of nsylvania, for he had
known the Judges thereof to reverse themselves
too often. He had known cases where the
court, In decisions. turned itself upside down,
and that, too, when his colleague was a men,
Der of that court
Mr.. Woodward said when he took a seat in
this House he determined with himself that
would not quarrel about anything that nigh
be said about himself. His record was clear
and he was willing to stand upon il and abid
by ii, but his colleague had, in his assertion
assailed the dead rs well rs the living.
~ In Liberty township, Scott county Iowa,
on the 18th, there occurred q savage fight be-