The Democratic advocate. [volume] (Westminster, Md.) 1865-1972, 1869-12-23
Proceedings Of Congress.


In the Senate, on the 18th instant, joint res
olutions Of the Ohio Legislature, rejecting III,
Fifteenth Amendment totie Consultation, wer,
presented and laid on the table. resolution
hxing the tax on distilled spirits at ono dola
gallon, and taxing the capacity OF the still
was introduced aud laid on the table for ID,
present. A number OF bills relating TO III,
Paciic Railroad, were Introduced and referred
Mr.. Morrill,, Of Maine, formally announced Il
the Senate the death Of Senator Fessenden
and offered the customary resolutions OF con
dolence after an euloKy upon the deceased,-
Addresses were also delivered by Messrs. Sum
ner, Trumbuil, Anthons and others, upon III,
life and character Of Mr.. Fessenden, after
which the resolutions were adopted and III,
Senate adjourned.
In the House number Of resolutions wer,
introduced aud referred to Committees. Til,
Secretary Of the Navy was directed to furnish
the House With copy Of the report OF tbs
commission to Ok the rank of naval officers. A
modest petition from the Negro Labor Conyen
ton, asking that the public lands In Southern
States be sub-divided into parcels Of forty acFe,
for convenient settlement by negroes, and thai
all land grants 10 railroads 10 the South be for.
feited for the use OF the said negroes, was re-
ferred 10 the Committee on Public Lands. A
memorial, reciting the wrongs OF the medical
staff officers Of the Navy, was referred 10 thu
Committee on Naval Affairs. The Census bill
was taken up In Committee OF the whole and
several amendments adopted. Pending its dis.
cussion, the death Of senator Fessenden was
announced with the action Of the Senate there
on. The Committee ut once arose and the
Senate resolutions were adopted. Eulogies
upon the deceased were delivered BY several
members, and, as token Of respect for his
memory, the House adjourned.
On the 18th instant, the Senate agreed to the
House joint resolution to take a recess from tho
22d instant to the 5th Of January. Senator
Brownlow, Of Tennessee, had read, by request,
long personal explanation 10 relation to at
fairs in his State. Mr.. Carpenter call.d up his
resolution declaring as the sense Of the Senate
that the Spanish gunboats destined for Cuba
should not be allowed 10 depart from the Uni.
ted States, Mr.. Carpenter made an able speech
in favor OF his resolution, and Mr.. Sumner re-
piled. The resolution from the House to define
the meaning Of the eight-hour law was then
taken up and discussed until the hour of ad-
journment.
In the House a resolution was offered BY Mr..
Jones, Of Kentucky, declaring that, in the
death OF George Peabody, this country and
the world bave sustained an irreparable loss
and reeiiing the fact that the Queen Of Great
Britain, the authorities ofLondon, end the En-
perOr Of France have made extraordinary
provision for the transfer Of Mr.. Peabody's re-
mains to bis native land, and authorizing the
President to order as many ships Of the line as
may be convenient and adequate 20 the occa
sion to meet the European convoy at sea and
conduct 1t TO these shores, and TO make such
other preparations for the reception Of the
body as are commensurate with the merits of
the deceased and with the dignity of the coun.
try. The resolution was laid over until Mon
day, the 10th. A large number Of bills we're
introduced and referred among them ono pro-
viding for specie payments, and another 10 re-
move all political disabilities imposed BY the
fourteenth amendment. The census bill was
then taken up and considered until the hour OF
adjournment.
On the l6th instant, in The Senate, the bill TO
perfect the reconstruction" of the State Of
Georgia was taken up, when a motion was
made providing that the Legislature shall be
provisional until il has ratified the fourteenth
and fifteenth amendments. This proposition
led 10 an interesting debate, but no result was
arrived at The bill 10 relation to the appellate
jurisdiction Of the United States Supreme Court
was also discussed at considerable length. A
resolution was adopted requesting the judiciary
COMMITTEES to inquire whether any further leg
isiation " necessary ~ protect public meetings
in the District Of Columbia.
10 the House several bills were introduced
and referred, among them one by NJ. Stone,
OF Maryland, to repeal the tar Of ten per cent,
on notes OF State banks. The census bill was
then called up, and the amendment IN relation
To the franking privilege was rejected This
amendment provided that accurate accounts
should be Kept OF money expended for postage,
aud that the money should be refunded, and
this to be in lieu of the exercise Of the ftank,pR
privilege. After disposing Of other amend.
ments the bill was passed. The House then
went into committee Of the whole on the Pres.
tdentsmessage, and protracted debate ensued
on the question Of repadia,ing the national
debt. Finally, by vote OF l33 yeas to nav,
resolution was adopted declaring any prop
osition, direct or indirect, to repudiate any
portion of the United States debt Is unworthy
OF the House and unworthy Of the honor and
good name OF the nation, aud that the House,
withou, distinction OF party sets the seal OF its
concentration upon any and all such proposi-
tons. The House then adjourned until Monday.
The House was not In session on the 18th in
slant, having the day before adjourned over
until the 10th. The Senate was prIncioallv
engaged during the day and up to a late hour
last evening In discussing the bill to again
''reconstruct" the State OF Georgia. THE
amendment Of Mr.. Morton that the Legislature
Of that State should be required to adopt the
fourteenth and filteenih amendments was
amended so as TO compel only the ratification
OF the fifteenth amendment before the admis.
sion OF the State 10 representation In Congress.
Neither house of Congress was In session on
| Saturday.
On the Goth instant, in the Senate, a bill VA,
passed to annul the leasing Of the land ON which
the custom-house at San Francisco stands. The
finance committee reported favorably on the
bill to exempt canned fish from duties, and the
Judiciary committee reported joint resolution
declaring Virginia entitled 10 representation
In Congress. A bill was also'introduced 10 re.
form the civil service Of the United States.
10 the House large number OF bills were
introduced, among them one providing for III,
Resembling Of the Virginia Legislature, and
the administration Of the testoafh to the mem
hers. A joint resolution was then offered L
admit Virginia 10 representation in Congress
but Mr.. Butler objected IN the ground that thu
reconstruction conmittee bad determined Il
| postpone the subject until after the holidays
motion to suspend the rules to consider ID,
resolution was rejected-yeas So, nays l0G.--
The bill To ''perfect the nstruction" o.
Georgia was then taken up, and after an agree
ment that the vote on the passage Of the bill
should be taken at three O'Clock on Tuesday,
1t was discussed at great length and severa
amendments offered, to be disposed Of on tha
day.