The Portland daily press., 1869-03-18
XLIst OONGRESS---First Session.
SENATE.

AhlSJ nSL SESSION.
SENATE.
WASHINGTON, March INT. Trumbull from
the Judiciary Committee, reported bill with
an amendment to enforce the 14th amendment
TO the Constitution.
Mr.. Trumbull from the same committee, re-
ported back the credentials of Hill and Miller,
Senators from Georgia, with the recommends
ton that they lay on the table.
Mr. Morton introd uced the joint resoiutlon'
OF which he had gwen notice on MONDAY, pre-
ScrlDlng the manner OF proceeuIns, ~ CnS.;
Legislatures upon amendments =! 70 W: OouoIi
tuition, proposed to them for ratlncauon, and
on his motion it was ladson the !ap'e.
Mr. Chandler offered a resolution, which was
agreed to, requesting the fresident 10 SEND TO
the Senate copies of the correspondence be-
tween President Buchanan and the Secretary
of State. Cass, in regard to the policy to be
pursued to avert the then impending war of
the rebellion.
The bill to repeal the tenure OF office act
came up.
Mr.. Edmunds resumed his argument against
it.
Mr.. Thayer offered 1substtute for the pend
ing bill providing that the act regulating the
tenure OF certain civil offices is hereby made,
and declared to be imperative and void from
and after the passage of this act; PROVIDED,
however, that the President shall report 10 the
Senate within ten days from the beginning OF
each session all appointments maue ny niIn
which require confirmation by the senate.
Mr. Sherman spoke in favor OF the repeal,
and was followed by Mr.. Cole in advocacy of
the substitute.
Mr.. Carpenter made an argument against
the repeal, though he would favor a suspension
OF the law.
Mr.. Morton spoke briefly for the repeal.
Mr.. Wilson introduced bill relative to the
Committee on Military Affairs. 1t provides
for continuing the educational and collection
departments of the Freedmen's Bureau until
Jan LIST, 1871.
The Senate then went into executive session
and soon after adjourned.
HOUSE.
Mr.. Dawes from the Committee on Appro-
priations, reported the Indian appropriation
bill, which was made the special order.for TO-
morrow. The bill appropriates $2,44,O0
Mr. Dawes, from the same committee, re-
ported Joint resolution TO supply OMISSIONS
in the enrolment of some of the general APP
preparation bills of the last session. One OF
fhcm requires owners of bonded warehouses
TO reimburse to government the salaries OF
storekeepers, &c. Another is for lighting the
capitol and the Presidents house.
The question being on the passage of the
joint resolution, Mr.. Beck argued against the
bonded warehouse proposition, and Mr.. Butler
advocated it,
A long debate ensued, during which Mr..
Schenck defended the enrolling Clerk OF the
House, who was incapable of having design
eddy omitted anything proper to be inserted
Mr. Butler produced the manuscript OF the
conference report, and called attention to the
omitted paragraph. He also commented upon
the fact that the opposition to the resolution
come from the Chairman of the committee on
ways and means, and from the gentleman from
KEN lucky Beck who represented one of the
largest distiling districts in the United Statss,
from the Chairman of the committee on en-
rolled bills (Holman) who had made point of
order on it, and whose duty it was to see that
the bill was properly enrolled.
Mr.. Schenck explained how easily such a
mistake might have been made without i'm
putting any improper design, and remarked
that SO far as he knew of the officers of the
House and the members of the committe ON
enrolled bills they were at least as little likely
to attempt to commit fraud on anybody as
the gentleman from Massachusetts.
Mr.. Holman said the insinuation of the gen.
teman from Massachusetts was not only false,
but could only have been. suggested by will
lngness to perpetraue Just such fraud on the
legislation of the country.
Mr.. Dawes remarked that the committee on
appropriations had looked into the matter, and
had found no occasion to intimate any lack OF
integrity on the part of any officer of the
House connected with the enrolment of bills.
After further discussion, Mr.. Butler said the
question was whether an enrolling clerk, by
accident or design, should be allowed to change
law taking millions rom the Treasury, and
whether when it comes back to the House for
cOrrecGlOn There can D6 u iODDy brought luJO
requisition to prevent such corrections. de
did not know that there was such lobby now,
but he knew that there was very strong pres
sure in favor of keeping this provision out of
the law.
Mr. Schenck-Will the gentleman state from
what source that pressure comes, and on whom
it ia directed?
Mr.. Butler-Every man can see as well as /
can see, every man can understand as well as
], and am not to be diverted from my argu-
hrTo nCff mt 20 do rccr1
Mr.. Schenck-No side issue at all. The gen.
tleman intImated that there is lobby here
pressing to prevent this paragraph being put
back. l want him to reduce this fling of his
if he dare, to the shape of direct charge
against anybody.
Mr.. Butier-f dare stand up for the Treasury
of the United States. The gentleman from
Ohio has high courage to stand up for the
whiskey ring. The country may judge be-
tween u.s.
Mr.. Scbenck-The gentleman may state that
which he knows to be untrue il he knows any
thing about it.
Mr.. Butler-I supposed the result would be
that we should get into some such discussion.
l understand the gentleman from Ohio thor
oughly. l know fully all his ms and outs, and
some day he shall have them investigated when
he desires it.
Mr.. Schenck-When you please.
Mr.. Butler-I shall take care that it shall be
DONE
Mr.. Schenck-Just when you please.
Mr.. Butler-But let us not be diverted from
the question. | find that this clerk who drop
ped out this item in the enrolment of the bill
has been, before the question come up IN the
House, stating his case to the Chairman of he
committee of ways and means, and has found
an advocate in him.
Mr.. Schenck-I never heard of the case be-
fore that clerk came to my seat while the gen.
tleman from Massachusetts was making an
abusive attack on somebody for doing what his
oTn colleague, Mr.. Dawes admitted was moth
ing but an accident.
Mr. Buter-I am confined to parliamentary
language, and yet II have not received it. l
made no abusive attack on anybody. stated
the facts as l state them again.
AT O'Clock in the morning this provision
was in the law, at o'clock it was not in the
law. There was 81 100000 year interested in
having it fail, and it did fail. That I-say in the
face Of the country. Gentlemen are exceed
lngly sensitive; even my usually cool and ami
able friend from Indiana (Mr. Holman) gets a
sion TO be sensitive. Let the CALLED jade
vince, my withers are unwrupg." / stated
the simple, plain facts, and have not a word
10 retract, nor word to add to them. Refer
ring to MI. Schencks statement as to the in
crease of revenue from whiskey, Mr.. Butler
said that whskey had to be withdrawn from
the bonded warehouses before the 10th of
April, and hence the apparent increase. But
it was only killing the goose that laid the
golden egg. He would meet the gentleman
tax had been collected between the Goth of
April and the 10th of December next. Time
would show whether he was right or the chair
man of the Committee on Ways end Means
was right; and time at least makes all things
even-even bad tempers. Naughter.) The
House should correct this mistake of its clerk
and then let the Committee of Ways and
Means bring in bill to repeal it if they dare.
(Laughter.)
The discussion was continued by Messrs.
Blair, Farnsworth, Winans and Dawes. Fin
ally the discussion closed, and Mr. Holman
moved to strike out the paragraph abaut bond
ed warehouses. Rejected-yeas 40, nays 107.
An amendment offered by Mr. Lynch was
rejected.
The joint resolution then passed-yeas 100,
nays 43.
The Senate joint resolution respecting the
provisional governments in Virginia and Tex
as was referred to the Committee on Recon
struction.
The Secretary of the Interior was directed
to furnish informant IN as to what steps had
been taken to separate the mineral lands from
lands granted to corporations for railroads and
other purposes.