Memphis daily appeal. [volume] (Memphis, Tenn.) 1847-1886, 1869-12-23
THE XLIst CONGRESS-.


WASHINGTON, December 22.-Se57-
[ G5e.-phe joint resolution extending
recess until the 10th of January, was
| cOncurred in.
Mr.. Sumner introduced a bill to
( carry out the reconstruction acts in the
/ State of Virginia, and to secure equal
/ ity before the law, which he gave no.
| tice that he would move as a substi-
tute for the bill reported by the COM
/ mittee. 1t alleges various irregulari-
ties and defects in the organization of
/ the present Legislature, and declares
/ the existing State Government to be
provisional only, and in all respects
/ subject TO the authority Of the United
/ States.
The bill directs the military com
msnder of the First District to as
semble within thirty da Ss the persons
( elected as mem bers of the Legislature,
but none shall participate in its organ
iZatiun or business, without taking the
oath Of July ID, 1852. Upon the rati-
fcation of the XVIII Amend
ment by the Legislature thus
organized, the State shall be adj
n4itted TO representation in Con-
gress upon the fundamental cor =
dIIion that the Constitution of Nir-
ginia shall never be amended so as To
deprive any citizen of the right to
vote, hold Office, or set upon juries,
participate equally i'll the school fund
or enjoy equal personal rights with all
Others under like circumstances.
Amendments may, however, bemade
in regard to the time and place Of res
idence of voters.
Mr.. Wither offered a resolution in
structing the Committee on Military
Affairs To consider the eXpediency of
adding two 20 the number of Lieuten-
ant-Generals and reducing the number
Of M3ior- Generals from five to three.
The House resolution relative to the
death OF George Peabody was con-
Cured in. The House resolution rel
alive to the erection of an equestrian
statue of President Grant was referred
TO the Committee on Military Affairs
A bill regulating the emigration of
Chinese was referred to the Committee
on Commerce.
A bill promoting and encouraging
the International Industrial Exhibi-
ton in Washington was amended by
changing the date to 1872.
Several other amendments were
proposed, when the whole subject was
referred TO the Committee on the Dis
trict Of Columbia.
The executive session followed.
HOuse.-Mr. Eldridge referred to
the remarks Of Mr.. Dawes, and said:
When the reconstruction measures
were introduced by the Republican
party, he felt no doubt that the day
would come, and come soon, when
those who were most ardent in the
advocacy OF the destruction Of States
rights would be heard to pray Just
as the gentleman from Massachusetts
had been heard to pray to-day.
He hoped nov that the gentleman
from Massachusetts had taken that
position, the gentlemen on the 9th
er side, Notwithstanding the ruin
they had brought on the country,
would consider the course they had
pursued, and would come back TO the
position occupied by the Fathers Of
the Republic. The Union de-
pended tor its life on the mainten-
ance of the rights OF States.
The Union had been uplifted and was
upheld by the States it had not ex-
isted except in the life Of the States,
and must fall when the States; were
destroyed. He hoped that the gentle
man from this time forward would
stand with those On the democratic
side in defense of the rights Of states.
MIR. Dawes said, in no matter would
he be found mere scrupulous than in
regard to the rights Of StRtes; but he
begged the gentleman from Wiscon-
sin TO make the distinction, the failure
10 make which, by his party
had involved the country in the diresJ
war between States Rights and
he thought the whole system Of rep
resentatIOn should be revised, and a
system devised whereby all people |
minorities or majOrities should be rep
resented.
Mr.. Dawes replied to the arguments |
of Mr.. Cullem. He said he heard |
with some apprehension that the gen |
tleman not only thought it right, but !
an attempt on the part |
~4hose who might have the power |
or right TO break up the origi- |
nal Constitution of this Govern |
ment composed of the States and |
the people of the whole nation. The !
amendment suggested |
by the gentleman from Illinois would /
be breach of the plighted faith OF |
every State that had come into the |
Union under the Constitution. That |
the late war had been waged to put |
down the heresy Of State sovereignty. |
Let it not, he prayed mark also the /
decay Of rights.
Some further collOquy took place |
between Messr5. Eldrldge and Dawes, |
but it embraced merely repetition OF |
views expressed in the foregoing.
Mr.. Washburne, OF Wisconsin, IA
vored postal telegraph system, He |
was satisfied that better lines than |
the Western Union could be built by |
the Government for less than $40, ,000,- |
600. He said the purpose of his bill is
to bring the telegraph with
in the reach of the humble as
well as the highest, by connecting /
it with the pOstoffice, and establishing
a uniform rate of twenty cents for
twenty words, and give press dis
patches to the entire press of the
country at less rate than it is now
to the favored few who
the close corporation known
as the Associated Press.
MIR. Stevenson presented a petition
from many citizens OF Cincinnati for
the amendment of the revenue laws
80 as to permit distillers of grapes,
apples and peaches to use ''drop beer"
for distillation.
BY Mr.. Lawrence: A bill proposing
an amendment to the Constitution.
The House then went into a Com
mittee Of the Whole for general de-
bate.
BY Mr.. Boyd: That the subject of
under the next census
deserved to be carried out. To apply
to The next Congress favoring the in |
creasing of Representatives TO at least I
three hundred, iDtimating that at no 4
distant distant day there would be an |