The Portland daily press., 1869-01-25
XLth C0NGRESS-Third Session.
SENATE.

WASHINGTON, Jan 23.-Mr. Wilson, from
the Committee on Military Affairs, offered d
Joint resolution donating condemned cannon
for the erection of a monument to the late
President Lincoln. Passed.
The Senate y vote of % to 9, took up Mr..
Stewards joint resolution off red by him as an
amendment to the Constitution, in relation to
suffrage.
Mr.. Stewart moved to make it special order
for Thursday next at 10 O'Clock.
Mr.. Sumner preferred it should be acted
upon sooner
-Nr. Dixon gave notice that he would Offer
an amendment requiring the ratification of the
proposed amendment by convention in three.
quar- seIs of the States instead of by LegisIa-
lures. because the existing Legislatures of some
States. owing to The peculiar manner of their
electio o, did not truly represent the people of
the Sta ties, and also because on general princi-
ples it was desirable that such important con-
stitutioual change should be passed upon by
bodies specially elected for that purpose rather
than by bodies elected before the question
arose.
Mr.. Ferry asked his colleague whether he
would have Congress prescribe the mode of
constituting such convention in Connecticut,
one of the States which the latter had said was
not properly represented by their present Leg
islatuie.
eress to do thai than submit the amendment to
body not representing the peoples will in re-
After debate the Senate, 81 to II, made it
the special order tor Thursday next.
On motion OF Mr.. Wilson the Senate agreed
to the amendment made by the House to the
Joint resolution respecting provisional govern
ments of Virginia and Texas, and also to anoth.
err amendment extending the provisions of the
resolution to the State OF Mississippi. The
resolution then passed.
The Air Line railroad bill was taken up and
debated for short time when il was postpon-
ed and the Central Branch Pacific lrailroad
bill was discussed till 80 O'clock.
The death of Mr.. 81 nds was announced and
eu'ugies pronounced.
AT o'clock the Senate adjourned.
A resolution was adopted calling upon the
heads OF department for information as to the
buildings wanted by them in Washington.
A resolution was adopted calling on the Sec
rotary Of Stale for Information as to the prop
erty of William I. Harris, an American citi-
zen, who died at Bahia. Brazil, in 1867, and
whose property was siezed by officers of the
Bra lillian government at that time.
On motion OF Mr.. Spaulding, Of Ohio, the
Senate amendment to the Joint resolution pro-
viding for The disposition of certain papers re-
lafing TO military claims accruing III the De-
partn,ent of the West, was taken from the
Speakers table and non concurred in.
Several other bills and resolutions were in.
troduct and acted upon.
Afier discussion as to The order of business,
Mr. Boutwell,, OF Massachusetts, called up the
proposed CoDstitut onal amendment and he
bill in regard to suffrage, and pen ID the debate
upon it, He said this was the last of the great
measures or reconstruction. II the right of
suff age was secured to all citizens of the init
ted States without respect of race or color, the
Republic would be established on sure basis.
Ii will be impossible for this Congress or the
Republican party 10 escape that issue. he
knew it was unusual to propose measures II ON
a mere point of view, but the sii uation was Pc
cui r; the Democratic party from the pening
of The war till now had been identified with
measures calculated 10 prevent the resto alton
of the Union by and through the influence OF
war; TO the Republican party the nation was
indebted for its existence, aud, therefore, it
was responsible for the perpetuity and peace
OF the nat on which it had saved The Com
mittee on Reconstruction invited examination
and criticism as to the phraseology and orthO.
doxy of the proposed amendment and law. He
then proceeded 70 explain the sections and ad
gocated the measure at length.
In an ,wer 10 query Mr.. Boutwe lsaid there
was nolhic g IN the bill preventing States from
making property aud educational qualifications
for voters. In conclusion, he said that the Re-
publican party must stand where it is, but it
might as well move forward to complete the
great work it has undertaken.
Mr.. Robinson, of New York. gave notice OF
an amendment by substituting for the word
"citizen" the words "inhabitant having nc
other residence elsewhere than in the United
States"
The amendment was ordered to be printed
In the course of his arguments Mr.. Bout
we'll held that no State had a right to say un-
der the Constitution that white man was en-
titled TO certain privileges and that black
anan was not.
MI. Mich olson, OF Delaware, inquired wheth-
er, when the fourteenth amendment OF the
Constitution was discussed in the 39Jh Con-
gress, the gentleman from Massachusetts, and
the members of his party did not concede the
distinction between civil AMI political rights,
and that the amendment could not confer po-
litical rights on the class which it was intend
ed to benefit.
Mr.. Boutwell, said he had no recollection of
any such thing. 1t might bave been that some
persons did concede that, but he did not
NJ. Eldridge. of Wisconsn-Was it not con-
coded that the 14th amendment at all events
recognized the existence of the right of the
States to regulate suffrage?
Mr.. Boutwell-Oh! no.
Mr.. Knott, of Kentucky, spoke against the
bill
Mr.. Cullom, of Illinois, obtained the floor
but he yielded to various motions.
Mr. Lynch's bill, from the Committee on
Banking, was ordered to be recommitted and
notion to reconsider was made by Mr.. Lynch,
who gave notice that he would call up the mo-
ton to reconsider on Monday.
Petitions from New York merchants were
presented asking toI the removal of obstruc-
lions in Hell Gate.
Mr.. Dawes, of Massachusetts, gave notice
that he would in few days call up the Geor-
gia contested election case. Adjourned