The Charleston daily news. [volume] (Charleston, S.C.) 1865-1873, 1869-02-20
CONGRESSIONAL NOTES.

body Hurt.
Mr.. Edmunds, from the Judiciary Commit
tee. to whom was referred the message OF the
President relative to his proclamation CT De-
cember 25, granting universal amnesty, re-
norted the same back to the Senate on We'd
nesday morning, WITH lengthy report, stating
that the committee are OF the opinion that the
powers attempted 10 bo exercised In the pro-
clamation to grant general amnesty are without
the authority or assent OF Congress, and has
no foundation in the constitution or laws. Ihe
rerort closes with resolution that IN the
opinion of the Senate the proclamation OF Ire
President of the United States ON the 25th OF
December, 1868, purportirg to grant general
uordop and amaesAy to ell persons guilty of
treason and hostility to the United States dur
ing the late rebellion, was not authorized py
the constitution or laws. The Washington
correspondent Of the Baltimore Gazette re-
marks
The report has surprised no one here, as it
WOO well understood in political circles that
such would be the report OF that committee, q
report that is worth about the paper II is VIII
ton on. The committee are careful NOT 70 say
q
t;co, this being left to tho Judicial department.
OF the governments, precisely where 1t would
hs ge been left without any opinion. expressed
or otherwise. by the five distinguished gentle.
men who compose the Julicary Committee OF
the Senate. as the official tenn Oh Presloent
johnson is about drawing to close. he might
be allowed 10 depart IN peace, but certain
1namhers Of both Houses OF Congress seem
to delight in putting chips on their heads and
daring Andrew johnson to knock them on.
There is at least QUE consolation to the cltl'
zen while reading the report OF the Judiciary
COMMITTEES made to-day, and that Is ''nobody's
hurt"
The Constitutional Amcndment-Ano-
ther Muddlo in the Senate.
Washington telegram, OF Wednesday,
says:
Another scene Of confusion, amounting to an
almost inextricable parliamentary mudoie'
took place in the Senate this afternoon In the
discussion upon the proper mode or dlsposlng
OF the suffrage constitutional amendiLo3t,
which had come back from the House on the
refusal of shat body to concur II inc oena!e g!
amer dments. Over three hours we're spent IN
determining the effect il the Senate receded
from its amendments. nearly one-half OF the
senators arguing that such action would have
the effect OF passing the joint resolution as IL
came from the House orig g.nallv; the other half
holding that the passage Of o motion to recede
left the suffrage amendment open Tor amend
ment, or adoption, or rejection.
IT became cv!aent thatt the Republican sena-
Tors we're about equally divided upon ms ~
Hon a proposition, which was considered 10
'prohiblt, BY implication at least, coiored clti-
Esns from holding Office On this ground the
Southern senators appeared to be uni' ID op-
nositlon to this resolution, they demanding
That the measure should be so worded as to
give negroes the same rights aud pr!vlieSes as
are accorded to them in South Caronna, LOU
isiana, &c. On this subject quite neater lea,er
CON ver,ation was indulged In between Senator
Stewart and the Southern seoators, IN one cor
ner n tt Senate chamber, whilst the various
votes were being taken. Mr.. Stewart had un-
5ertaken to engineer tho suffrage resolution
through in a jiffy to-day, and had counted
upon the cooperation OF Southern senator's.
The Senate having subsequently receaed from
its amendments. aud refused 10 auopI
the House resolution, left the whole sub
;ect acaIn open to begin de nopo. This
was iIlse what Senators sumner and |'1i-
son desired. and thereupon they slmultane-
ously. with dozen other senators. jumped TO
the floor, clamorou5 for recognition from tue
chair. MIR. S,ew:-:. rushed down close TO the
~Presideut,s chair. a1d succeeded IN getting III
morton to take up the suffrage resolution
odonted gby the Senate Judiciary Committee,
whioh gives the co.ored citlzen the riehS 10
hold ofi.e. This resolution was expected 10
have tho support OF the Southern senatcrs,
and that therefore 1t would pass lnstanter. DCC,
to the CONSERVATION OF tho excited stewart,
mn sprapg Senator Howard, one OF the most
"a ical Of Radicals, and announce. MS ue
Termination to oppose aud DISCUSS the leso-
intion. Senator Nye also said nc Woulc oppose
the measure 1t was now six o'clock, an Inc
sen tors very gene al.v took advantage OF the
onnorii.,ity. whilst Senator HowaId was max
ing his speech, 10 get luncheon.
In their private conf-ren the TRENDS OF
the ueudi, resolution expressed great lear
that. after all. the suffrage amendment would
fail to get safely through both houses at 1nis
session. There are some who would 1nslst
mon n provision that the amendment be sub
mitted only 10 the State Legislatures hereafter
to be elected, but this proposition would DC
discnssed and thus, by consuming time, de-
feat the whole measure.
The Alabama Claims Treaty-CertaInty
OF its Rejection.
From the Washington d, 1tches (of We'd
nesday) to the New York Hel I'D, wo make the
following extracts:
The Senate Committee on Foreign Relations
held meeting to-day, and among other sub
iects discussed the treaty between the United
States and Great Britain coacei ming the settle
ment of the Alabama claims. .lthcuSh the
Question was brought up near the close OF the
session CT the committee fam expression OF
ssn,iment was elected on the terms OF the
treaty concluded betweoo our Minister TO Eng
land Reverdv Johnson, and tho British Minis
fer for Foreign Affairs, Lori Stanley. A
oIo,r majority of tue committee expressee
Themselves as opposed 10 the provisions o
the treaty. Mr.. Sumner: chairman Of th'
committee, was o. opinion thae Hinlste
Johnson, in negotiating tho treaty. ha'
iost sis bit of the real poia!s ct lssuo be
tween the two governments. Too much hai
baen conceded tc Great Britain; AID III view o
4be fact that q partial acla ow!edgment ha'
Already been made by that eo'o'i m mt OF th'
damages resulting TO American cniz;n fron
tLe rnyaees Of the Alabama, too little at,en!lo
III been pnl5t 10 American interests. Tni
n.;n;on x,s concnrfel in BY & majority CT IL
oa,nm,ttee inciudiI e Senators Csmeton, Nor
ton p.tterson and bnrlan. Judging rom tn
sentiments xprs ssed by tie members OIL u u
committee at the meeting To-Day therc Gaii
it'll. doubt that the treatyw will bSreporteo az
yersely 10 tie Senate. The feeilns OF ma! II
ty of senators openly expressed indicates th1
snch report II ON the committee WILL Do sus
iained by very large vote.
RemovAl of Political Disabilities
The House to day by o large vote p ssed II
Disability bill reported iron tho Reconstruc
ton Committee. The effort OF MIR. Mckee
of Kentucky to Lavo the names from tina
St,te s,i uck out taiied, all tho Democrats ant
large number of Republicans voting aSllns
him. Mckee has sou :ht to co:hmcnd hl,nseg
lately 10 The q ira Radicals oi the uol=o b. al