The Republican journal. [volume] (Belfast, Me.) 1829-current, 1869-12-23
CONGRESS.


amendment-the Legislature to be considered as
provisional only until after further action by Con-
gress. Bills were introduced providing for fund
ing the pubic debt and for annulling contracts Tor
labor made With emlSrantS III foreign countries
Senator Drake called up his bill restricting the jur
isdiction of the Supreme Court, which he sustained
IN long argument Senators Edmunds and Sauls-
bury replied to the arguments of Mr.. Drake, after
which the Senate went into executive session and
adjourned.
| In the House large number of bills were intro
dueed, including an amendment to the National
Currency act; TO abolish the tranklng privilege;
to pension surviving soldiers Of the of 1872.
and for the readmisson of Virginia A concurrent
resolution for both houses to adjourn from Wednes-
day, December % to January was passed.
resolution was introduced by Mr.. Butler that the
five per cent tax on income from bonds be deduct
ed from the interest on all bonds paid by the United
States to the owners thereof. Mr.. Fox called up
his resolution of inquiry into the Of the gold
panic in September, which was amended and pass
ed Mr.. w Ward presented monster petition, sign
pendence of Cuba. The Census bill was taken up
and considered in committee of the whole and at
four O'Clock the House adjourned.
| Dee. l4h In the Senate the death Of the late
Senator FeSsenden, Of Maine, was announced by
Ms successor, Mr. Morrill,, and resolutions of re-
Spect to his memory were adopted Eulogies Oh
the deceased were delivered by Senators Morrill,,
Summer, Trumbull. Anthony, Williams, Cattell,
Patterson; Davis, McNickers and Hamlin, and at
halfpast three O'Clock the Senate adjourned
| In the House resolution was offered inquiring
into the eXpediency of abolishng agents OF inter-
nal revenue and apportoning the amount of do
lmeStic tax to be raised among the several States,
and also one expressing indignation at the holding
of American citizens rs political prisoners i'll Eng
land. bill was introduced requiring meteoroo-
gcal observations tobe made at military stations
and notices to be made by telegraph of the approach
of storms on the Atlantic seaboard and on the
Northern lakes. The bill for the conditional adj
mission Of Virginia and representation in Congress
was recommitted to the committee on Reconstruct
ton A memorial from the National Colorcd Con-
vention was presented asking the donation of pub
lie lands in the South in lots OF forty acres each to
colored settlers who shall occupy the same for one
year The House ten went into Committee of the
Whole and took ;ip the Census bill. Pending its
discussion M ssage was received from the Senate
announcing its action on the death of Senator Fes-
sender, when euloges We're delivered by several
members and the House adjourned
Dec. 18th. In the Senate several petitions We're
presented for pensions and for relief from political
disabilities; also memorial from convention of
laborng men asking the apportionment of the pub
lie lands in the southern States among the colored
laborerS. The joint resolution providing for Il re-
cess of Congress from Wednesday, the 22d instant
to Wednesday. january 3, was taken up and pass
ed. Senator Brownlow had read from the Secre
tary 5 desk personal explanation defending HIM
self against the charge of cneaN orng to secure the
election of Andrew Johnson rs Senator from Tonnes
see: Senator Carpenter called up his resolution
declaring that the Spanish gtnboats i'll New York
should not be permitted TO leave that harbor, sup
porting his resolution in speech of considerable
length Senator Sumner briefly replied to Senator
Carpenter. arguing against interference in Cuban
affairs. senator Morrill,, of Vermont called up the
bill providing against the reduction of wages of
government artisans and abor,rs, which bill he
opposed in long. speech. The Senate, after a
brief executive session, adjourned.
In the House Mr.. Jones, of Kentucky offered a
resolution declaring the nations regard for George
Peabody and authorizing the President TO despatch
a fleet of war vessels TO meet the European convoy
with Mr.. Peabodys remains and to make proper
arrangements for reception. Bills We're introduced
for the resumption of specie payments, 10 remove
all disabilities imposed hy the fourteenth amend
ment and to increase the taxes on national banks.
Resolutions Were offered declaring against the sale
of Indian lands by treaty to corporations and spec
ulaor>, and that no appropriations of money for
carrying such treaties into effect Will be made by
the House
Dee. 10th. \ resolution was introduced in the
Senate asking the Attorney General for inform;l-
ton regarding the of Ierger. of MiSsiSSppi
now under arrest by military authorities. The
bill relative to the appellate jurisdiction Of the Sl-
prcmc Court was taken up and advocated by Sen
ator Tumbull. who offered an amendment restrict
ing the powers Of Justices of the Supreme Court in
issuing writ> of habeas corpus to eases and per-
sons within their respective districts. The bill to
perfect the reconstruction OF Georgia was called up
| and an amendment offered and discussed rcquir-
/ ing the Legislature to raify the fourteenth and
fifteenth amendments but without taking a vote
on the amendment the Senate adjourned.
In the House the Census bill was taken up, all
the proposed amendments considered and the bill
:
mittee of the Whole and was addressed by Mr..
Mungan, of Ohio on the financial policy of tie GOV
| ernmcnt. advocating reputation of the national
debt. Mr.. Mungan replied to by several demo-
cratic members, who denied his right to speak for
the democratic party, denounced reputation as Il
political hereSy. and declared the entire dent must
be paid in strict accordance with the letter and
spirit of the obligation. At the close of the discus
sion Mr.. Garfield, OF Ohio, introduced resolution
that the proposition of reputation is unworthy the
nation, and that the House. without distinction of
1Nnlt >nal nj Ill IAN oil a.,
propositions. This resolution was adopted yeas
125, nays Jones, Of Kentucky. A message was
received from the President in reply to resolu-
ton calling for copy of the correspondence of the
5 State Department with Minister Sickes in regard
, to Cuban and Spanish affairs. The President re-
erred the House to a letter from Secretary Fish.
who declines to comply with the request of the
House, on the ground that it WAS Incompatible
with the public interest,
DEC H. In the Senate Mr.. Summer called III,
the bill relative to Geographic communications with
foreign countries, which provides that such copa-
MES Shall be governed by regulations established by
the United States. Bills We're introduced to abolish
the tranking privilege and to furnish stamps for
the payment of government correspondence. and
to provide for the reduction of officers of the army
The bill to perfect the reconstruction of Georgia
was taken up and discussed and amended, an even
ing session being held.
Much opposition is manifested in the Senate to
the nomination of Attorney General Hoar as AS
sCciate Justice of the Supreme Court. When his
name came up for consideration i'll the executive
session yesterday it was promptly laid aside
Dec. 20. Mr.. Trumhu reported Il resolution
declaring Virginia entitled to representation. Mr.
Schurz introduced bill to reform the civil service
A bill chartering an cable to Holland was in
troduced A resolution calling on the President
for information relative to the Alabama claims was
, agreed to.
In the House, Mr.. Butler stated that the Recon-
struction Committee had postponed until after the
recess the joint resolution to the admission of
Virginia, because the Committee had not sufficient
evidence Mr.. Farnsworth, of Illinois, moved to
suspend the rules that he might introduce and have
put upon its passage joint resolution declaring
that Virginia has performed the required acts en-
titllng her to representation in Congress. and that
: she is entitled to such representation. The House
refused to suspend the rules-yeas, So; nays, LOG.
Mr.. Butler then introduced bill. ''An act to pro-
mote the reconstruction of the State of Georgia"
g upon which lengthy debate sprung up, which
was not finished at the date of the dispatches
DEC. 81. Bill to suppress polygamy in Utah
was reported. Mr.. Warner introduced a bill for
the more equal distribution of the banking capital
In the House, the bill for reconstructng Georgia,
after debate was passed, III to 81 Resolve was
adopted authorizing the President to make prepar-
ations for the reception of the body of George Pea
body.
The Portland correspondent of the Boston