The Portland daily press., 1869-04-10
XLIst CONGRESS- First Session.
SENATE.

NAohANGAONf hpTtl 3.-Mr, AQtlOny WI
again made President pro tenn, in the absen,
OF Mr.. Colfax.
On motion of Mr.. Trumbull, the bill autho
ling the submission OF the Constitutions
virginia, Mississippi and Texas to vote OF Ii
people was taken up.
Mr. Morton offered as an additional sectio
the joint resolution offered BY him the otne
day, providing that before Virginia, MississI
pi and Texas shall be admitted 10 represents
tion in Congress their several Legislature
shall ratify tine 18th amendment.
Mr.. Trumbull did not think it wise to ad
this section to the bill.
Mr. Morton spoke in favor of his amendmeu
at considerable length.
Mr.. Conkling opposed the amendment, q
did also Mr. Thurman, after which the yot
was taken and the amendment agreed to-
to 20.
Me-. Trumbull proposed several verbal amend
ments. designed to remove antiquities in tn
original bill, which were agreed to.
On motion of Mr.. Edmunds, the sixth sec
ton, authorizing the commanding General q
suspend, until the action of the Legislature, al
laws that he may deem unjust and oppressive
was struck out.
Mr.. Edmuuds then offered an additional sec
tion, which was adopted, declaring tnat tne
proceedings of any of the said States shall not
be deemed final or operate as a Ceomplete re-
storation until their action shall be approved
by Congress.
Mr. Sawyer offered an amendment to the
the words ''the registered voters Of said State,
and inserting instead the words voters O
said State registered at the time of said sub
mission"
After some remarks against the bill BY
Messrs Davis, Stockton, Bayard and Casserly,
1t was passed by vote of A yeas to 9 nays
all the Senators present voting in the afirma-
tive except the following:-Bayard, Casserly,
Davis, Fowler, McCreery, Norton, Sprague,
Stockton and Thurman.
The unfinished business of yesterday, tbs
bill TO declare and fix the status of Judge Ad-
vocate of the army, came up, was amended
and passed.
The President pro tenn, laid before the Sem
ate the Presidents proclamation calling an
extra session of the Senate, beginning on
Monday next for the transaction of executive
b siness.
The bill providing for compromising loyal
owners of steamers taken for the use of the
Government during tina war was taken up aud
discussed till As, when the Senate went into
executive session.
EVENING SESSION.
Mr.. Howard called up the bill to secure the
Railroad, and said the Central and Union Pa
cific Railroad Companies had come to an
agreement as to their point of meeting. He
offered substitute for the first and second
sections of the amendment offered by him to
the House bill the other day. Agreed to.
Mr.. Davis complained that there was no
Democrat on the Committee ON the Pacific
Railroad, and said he felt less delicacy about
nqkng complaint because he was not himself
q Democrat. (Laughter.)
Mr. Thurman admitted that the complaint
was not without cause, and expressed hopes
that that cause would be removed at the next
session.
Mr. Anthony said that formerly the practice
in the Senate was for majority to assign
their own members to the several COM
lnittees, leaving in each vacancy or vacancies
to be filed by the minority, but at the begin
ming Of the war it was found necessary to de-
part from that practice in the case of the Com
mittee ON Military Affairs, because majority
felt satisfied that if a vacancy were left on the
committee for one of the minority it would be
filed by an unworthy predecessor, Mr.. Brock
inridee, Senator from Kentucky, aud it was
not thought safe to entrust him with military
secrets Of the Government
Mr.. Howard moved to strike out the first
seven lines of section two and insert instead
his amendment, offered when the bill was last
up naming the officers who should cons titute
the commission to examine the road.
Mr.. Williams moved to strike out the Sec
ton offered by Mr.. Davis and adopted the
other day, directing the Attorney General to
investigate whether the charter of the Union
Pacific Railroad Company has not been for
Mr.. Casserly offered an amendment to Sec
ton third, which was agreed to- and the bill
then passed.
At 1O25 the Senate went into executive ses-
sion.
On motion of Mr. Schenck the Senate
amendment to the whiskey and tobacco bill
was taken from the Speak sr's table and nom
concurred in and committee of conference
requested.
Mr.. Cook moved to suspend the rules to en-
able hin to report from the Judiciary Com
mittee bill to provide for the publication of
opinions of Attorney Generals and for other
purposes The rules were suspended and the
bill came before t1e House for action and was
passed under the previous question
Mr.. Paine, chairman Ut the Committee on
Elections, moved that the Representatives
elect from the State of Connecticut be sworn
in. He said they had not the usual regular
certificate, because the canvass was not yet
fully completed. but they had credentials from
the State officials which satisfied the Commit t.
tee of Elections unanimously that they were
duly elected.
Mr. Brooks suggested that this would be es-
tablishipg very dangerous precedent What
was the particular object of this haste? Was
it simply to anticipate the payment of mile
age?
Mr.. Paine stated that whatever satisfied the
House of the election of its members satisfied
the constitutional requirements. The canvass
could not be- fully completed before the ad-
jourDment OF the session.
After some further discussion the motion
was agreed 10, aud Messrs. Strong, Kelley and
Starkweather were sworn in as Representa-
tves from Connecticut. Mr. Barnum, Repre-.
sentative elect from the Fourth District, was
not present
The Speaker appointed Messrs Schenck
Allison and Marshal conference committee
on whskey and tobacco tax bills
Mr. Julian presented the conference report
on the Usage Island bill, which was agreed to
The House then at haf-past resumed the
consideration of the Myers and Moffett con-
tested election case from Pennsylvania.
After two hours discussion the House pro
eeeded to a vote on the resolution. The reso
luton of the minority, declaring that Moffet
wag entitled to a seat, was rejected; and tina
of the majority, declaring that Mr.. Myers wa
entitled to it, was adopted, each by strictl,
party vote.
Mr.. Myers was thereupon sworn in as Rep
resentative from Pennsylvania.
Mr.. Beaman presented the conference repor
ON the Deficiency BILL which was agreed to.
A res luton was adopted to pay Mr.. MOI
fot' who contested the seat of Mr.. Myers
$780,
Mr.. Whittemore, from the Committee OF
Reconstruction, reported a bill relieving
large number of persons from political dlsabili
ties, and moved the previous question. Th
previous question was not seconded.
Mr.. Whittemore then moved that the rule
be suspended The rules were not suspended
two-thirds not voting in the affirmative, AM
tee bill was before the House for discussion
and acton.
Mr. Farnsworth advocated the bill and spok
of its great importance and the close scrunin,
which the names included had received fror
the Committee on Reconstruction. He re
minded his Republican brethren that II it cam
to be understood that no man was to be re
lieved unless he voted the Republican tickle
no one at all would be relieved. Nearly a
the persons thus far relieved were Republicans
Probably not one-twenteth named in tn
pending bill were Democrats He moved tn,
previous question on the passage of the bill
which was seconded.
Without vote on the passage of the bill
the House at o'clock took recess till P. N
EVENING SESSION.
The House met at o'clock.
On motion of Mr.. Logan, the Senate bill t
facilitate the payment of bounties to soldier
or their heirs, was taken from the Speaker
table. amended by provision that attorney
fees sh.l be reserved by the Department whe
money is paid, and it was then passed.
The consideration Of the bill removing polit
ical disabilities was then resumed. The bi
was read in full by the Clerk. A vote wa
then taken on the passage of the bill, and n
suited yeas 81, nays AZ. So two thirds yotln
in the affirmative the bill was passed. Som
slight applause followed the announcements
the vote.
Mr. Dickinson endeavored to resusctate tn
Senate bill to prevent the determination
fur bearing animals in Alasks, which had bee
referred to the Committee on Commerce, BIT
failed.
Under a suspension of the rules the bill I
nroyIde for submitting the Constitutions
VIRGINIA, Mississippi and Texas to the peopl
was taken from the Speakers table, and th
senate amendments were concurred in by
stlct party VOTE -: