The Evansville journal. [volume] (Evansville, Ind.) 1866-1870, 1869-01-30
CONVERSATIONAL.
1Lth CONGRESS : THIRD SESSION.
SENATE.

| SENATE.......WAs w WAsHINGroN. January p.
The President presented the credentials
of Zachariah Chandler, Senator elect from
| Michigan, whscn were read and piaced on
FreelingF sen presented memorial
/ from Rev. UF. Mc Gosh, President OF Prihce-
/ ton COLLEGE aud the Professors OF iha1 III
| Stitution asking Congress- to make an q ap-
| proprsation to enable them TO take oOser-
| vations of the total eclipse OF the sun IN
| August next, and stating thaL thorousn
| ol,serVafious can be best mad n the
I Southern part OF the Uni ed States.
Summer presented the petition Of George
| h. Upton y merchant OF Boston, renlon-
str Iting against the treaty for the settle-
ment Of the Alabama claims as unjust TO
himself and other American cIJizenS.
Also a petition of the National Executive
Committee OF colored citizens, asking for
the passage of bill To secure the lppllca-
tion of a homestead law TO certain lands } a
the lately rebeiiiOus States for the benefit
of eolored persons. Referred to the Com
mittee on Public Lands.
The President Submitted a message from
the House transmitting Tue papers in re-
Iation to the Mct5aTrahan case.
Morton moved I'd refer the bill for the
relief of Mr.. Mcdarrahan, with the accom- =
pdnying apers, to the Judiciary Commit
After discussion, Morton Withdrew his
motion and the bill and papers were re-
ferred to the Committee on Private Laws
and Claims.
of its friends, and without committing
himself 10 us support TO aid the Memphis
IL Ei Paso Pacine Railroad company OF
Texas in the construction OF y raliroaa
from the Mississippi River 10 the Pacific
.cean, and to secure TO the Government of
the United States the use oi tie same for
military and postal purposes. Referred
to the Committee on Pacific Railroad.
The Senate theI resumed the consideIa-
ton of the order of th g day, the pl opposed
Constitutional amendment
Mr.. Dixon made an argument against IT.
He insisted that the rover TO regulate the
suffrage was an essential OF The Consiltu
ton OF "a state having n republican, form
of government; and, therefore, no such
Stale could divest Itself OF that power,
either voluntarily or upon compuision,
without thereby losing It's republican ch ar
acter.
tionaI Amendment, by striking out the
words - on account of race or color or pre-
vious condition OF servitude," aud insert
Instead Z" BDr any reasons not equally APP
plicab,e 10 all citizens.
PomerOy then addressed the Senate,
commenting upon tile Statement OF VIII
son. Yesterday that the advocacy of equal
tights has been and was still unpopular
every whei q throughout the country, and
had Gu { The Republican party many
votes. He said II that party were 10 aban-
don the cause of equal rights, ~ would lose
all its vOies, because the people would
no longer have motive Tor sustaining It,
nor won d iLbs worth sustaiIiing. The ad-
vocacy of equal rights, instead OF being
source of weakness to the parry was really
the source of All its strength. He would
have tue party raise high the banner OF
equal rights, and by one comprehensive
ton all distinction between clizensAas TO
their rights before the law. on account OF
rece, color, condition or sex
Morton, from the Select Committee on
Republican Reform, reported, with "a slIg Int
amendment the joint resolution intro
dueed yesterday by Buckalew - amend
the Constitution to compel the choice OF
Presidential Electors directly from the
people, and advocated IL in n br1ef Speech
Dawes said he would meet the pioposi-
tion of the Senator from Kan as, affirm
ing equal rights of all citizens. with q
much better founded and more philan-
thropic proposition, viz. That every St;ls G
ia the Union is entitled to all the rights
and privileges under our Constitution that
any other State is entitled 40. The party
in power had ignored this great truth-da-
rights by various schemes of forcs and
fraud, but he warned them that their DAM
nation was approaching an end.
Ferry took the floor 10 speak upon the
Constitutional Amendment, bat retired
for the motion To ad iourn, which was lost,
and the Senate, on motiOnOf Wilson, took
up the bill to provide for the reduction of
the military forces, and for other purposes
Several amendments were resOrted by The
Military Committee.
Gonkling moved an amend .nent prOYld
issg that the vacant Brig tdter deneftI- MP
shall not be flied at pres 'nt. Adopted.
Note.-The substance of the bili has al
ready been printed.
A motion for adjournment till Monday
was lost
The Joint resolution introduced yester-
| day by Conkling, for the appointment oi
q Committee of five to l. quire whether
any legislation is -tsSsary in regard TO
taking the next census, was passed.
Adjourned.