The New York herald. [volume] (New York [N.Y.]) 1840-1920, 1869-12-07
Second sesslon OF Che Forsy-arss Coasrees.

Second Session Of tho F0rty-nrst Congress.
Yesterday the Forty-nrst Congress met,
organized, listened to the reading Of the Presi-
dents Message, aud entered promptly and
vigorously on the labors of its second session.
In the Senate the pressure of public sentiment
In regard to certain urgent questions OF import
ance was indicated by the character OF the
bills, joint resolutions and petitions which wero
offered at this early date Prominent among
these were the petition from thirty thousand
citizens Of Philadelphia praying Congress to
recognize the independence of the republic Of
Cuba and to accord to 1t the rights Of a bel
llgerent Power the bills of Mr. Drake and Of
Mr.. Sumner with reference to the further defin-
ing and regulating the jurisdiction and powers
of the courts Of the United States; the bills Of
Mr.. Williams for the Improvement of Oregon,
the establishment of telegraph line from the
Columbia river to Great Salt Lake, and the
regulation of Chinese immigration; the bill to
relieve and remove tho political disabilities Of
certain persons in Alabama the joint resolu-
ton for the relief of persons engaged in the
late rebellion, and, particularly, the bill OF
Mr.. Morton to provide for the reconstruction
Of the State Of Georgia by converting the
old State Legislature, with the conditions
that no person shall be admitted to
membership who is disqualified under the
fourteenth amendment, or excluded therefrom
on account of race or color, and then that II
the Legislature thus organized shall ratify the
fifteenth amendment the State shalt be ad-
mitted to representation to Congress- bill
which corresponds so nearly to similar recon-
mendations in the Presidents Message that
II very probably will be passed; the bill
providing for the execution Of the laws against
the crime Of polygamy in the Territory
of Utah; the bill for establishing an ocean
mail service between the United States,
Mexico and Central America, and the resolu-
ton requesting the President for information
about the presence of Governor William
McDougall at Pembina in Dacotah Territory,
and the opposition of the inhabitants Of the
Selkirk settlement to his assuming the Gov
ernorship of the Northwest Territory, said
to have been lately transferred by the
Hudson Bay Company to the Dominion of
Canada. The bill of Mr.. Sumner in reference
to the appellate jurisdiction Of the Unitel
States Supreme Court, in causes or proceed
ings commenced by the writ of habeas corpus,
is manifestly designed to meet such special
case as that Of Yerger; but the bill proposed
by Mr.. Drake is Of far more sweeping
character, aud is SO generally regarded as q
direct attempt to break down the Judiciary
that it will doubtless meet with strenuous
opposition.
Among the bills and resolutions offered in
the House Of Representatives the most note
worthy were bill providing for taking the
ninth census for fixing the number of the men,
bers Of the House and for their future
apportionment among the several States, and
joint resolution declaring Virginia enti-
tied to representation in Congress. Notice
was also given Of bill to prevent the appoint
ment of members Of Congress to any place
of trust and profit under government On
the whole the first day of the second session
of the Forty-frst Congress was very busy
day, and wide field for work was laid out for
the legislative plough.