The national Republican. [volume] (Washington City [D.C.]) 1866-1870, 1869-12-08
CONGRESSIONAL PROCEEDINGS.
rony.finl COngrw"Stc,nd Regular Session
TUESDAY,, p I NJ, :, iss'.

Mr. sumneT IniroiuccI The following bill to
n mend the baking act, and to promote the
fc'urn OF specie p'ymentsi "
n II sHaeisi 81 That 40 much Of the bank
80 act As nnttsihe issue of bills to three hun
I-Ti millions Of dollars, Is hereby repe aled,
I,Tks U,,y b. ofsaniIea at hs,discretion OF
the secretary OF the Treasury; but no more
bills than are authorized by the banking act
Il, al hereafter be issued unIc's the Secretary
ul the Treasury, at the time OI their issue, can
and does eaneel and destroy ike amount OF
legal leaders, and the Increase OF bank bills
hereby authorized sh Ill not exceed any mil
lions Of dollars per yea, which amount shall
be so distributeihy the secretary OF the Treas
ufy as TO cqnshrc IS near As po.sible the
banking Interests Of The different states,
Mr. sumner IN Introducing his bill said /
there were scyen |cry important reasons why |
II should be al rpted which he commended TO
his excellent friend, the chairman OF the Dom.
mittee on Finance:
1 twill create de md for national bonds,
aud to thu. extent foTtiIy the nNtiOnsl credit.
II will tend to sNusiy those parts OF the
country, especially at the south aud West,
where currency and banks arc wanting, and
thus arrest din suit question,
., II will not expand OF contract the cur.
renoy, so that the opposite parties on these
questions may support H. ,u ,,.,.
strengthen themselves and prepare to resume
IS Ii viii give tho south and west the op-
portuuity TO organize banks, and viii Interest
those parts Of the country to this extent In
the national securities and the national bank.
Ing system by which both Will be strength
ened,
o. IL will within a reasonable time relieve
the country OF the whole greeubAck system,
and thus dispose Of an important question:.
I. 1t will hasten the return 70 specie pay
ments.
Mr., Spencer introduced IN to amend the
act Of April w. lsUB to protect all persons In the
United States Ia their civil rights, and 70 fur
ni.h the means for their yiudicstion. II pro-
yides III at sad act shall be so constructed asto
extend TO al persons within the Jurisdiction OF
any state the equal protection Of Its laws, and
make all persons OF color competent to testify
Ia the courts Of the several StatcA, as fully as
fthey were white pcrsoAs. 1t also confers on
the United Statcs Courts Jurisdiction of crimi.
nal cases Ia whtsh persons are Involved who
belong TO the class Of persons denied some
rights declared IN the hFst section OF said act.
Also, a bill to rcorganize the Medical. Pay
and Engineer Corps OF the United states Navy,
and to regulate aud fix their absolute rank,
uniform, sc.
Mr.. Carpenter introduced a biil to secure and
protect the freedom OF transit within the
tnited States.
1t provides that no cltII,n OF the TnteI
States, in passing from one place to another
within the same, shall be subject to any civil
process whatever In any state, Territory or dis
trict, unless he voluntarily tarry therein for
more than twcnty:four hours, nor shall. his
property be subject to attach ment while in
transit, and all PLAINTIFF or attorneys iusti-
tutlng such suits shall be liable to action for
damages 10 the United states courts: Pro-
rtdCi. That ms shall not aOrIlge the right Of
commeFcial stuppAgc IL frdHsiu between
vendor NUd yCHdcs, Nul further, that action
demOHs'fNuUg 20 the satisfaction Of = cOuTt
OF record thNt he has ArpDl ctIss of action,
and that the vary has LETT his place OF DOM.
ellie, and IL Ia transit through the tnltcd
states, with the Intention OF departing from
the same,
section 2 gives to the United SlAtes District
courts jurisdiction OF acts contrary 10 tho pro.
visions thereof
Mr.. IlUrtou introduced a joint resolution
declaring the state Of Virginia restored to ITS
normal condition IA the tnIOn, zui entitled to
representation Ia tOngtess.
Mr.. Trumbul introduced a bill 70 relieve
members OF Congress from importantly, aud to
preserve the independence Of the several Dc.
partments Of the Government.
II provides that any member Of Congress
who recommends any person to Office, unless
requested Ia whiting BY the President or heads
Of Departments, snail be guilty OF a INSIDE
meAnof and hned 81, 700, unless by y member OF
the senate In his constitutional capacity
Mr. Trumbull sad that some reform In the
civil service wa absolutely necessary, In =
yAst majority Of cases NPpolutmrnts were die
tAted rs an Influence utterly GrknUwa to the
Constitution, Every member OF this Ssuste
and Of the othsI House kuUws that nsjority
OF all the appointment are made ~ their die
tAtion, anu the President Ntd heads uf depart.
nents are not LETT irr- 70 srIr"t officers with
Al eye slHsl. 20 'Fr puulc goo. l. IL geHeF-
appointments with n their districrs, .ul ~ here
district 10 represented rs an opposition
member the Sena'uEs VA ci-!m the privilege
Of maklnE The appointments. Often good
IfilCpt il turned OUT beCtusp he dad not 20 for
The npmIurlon OF the member oil COGgres.
tom HE dls'ut' Nrnhe vi Congress are
ottea heart rm sNy 'hN1 they have such tnl
such debts 20 pay, auA ihIsts wH,r 1t mrAna.
DlteuNme- All pthre - u-lr y.-t o suhsgrN I
the interez's OF some member Oi congress. Al
thus sub1rf-iVc ut the Constitution, aud u
drmnf.IziHE n the extreme This il why az
have The spectacle Of senators and members
ctOwdIng the ante .ch tmbers OF the President
and Heads OF the Departments. II Is sad that
some OF the Departments actually kept a
debit and credit account with members OF Con.
grpss IN TINS matter, ch NFgiug them with sou e
ccrtNin offices anu creditiug them with certain
ptices. II this bill ~ passed 1t will alb Y
members Of Congress to attend 10 their leglti
mate duties and relieve the President and III,
Heads Of Departments from the pressure nov
brought to hear upon them.
The btll | have introduced allows the sp
pointing power TO obtain the benefit Of infDr
nation by = written request TO the member, "a
which the member may reply Ia wfIting, but
makes It penal offence for him 70 recommend
IN any other way, ami prohibits the Appoiat.
ment to Utice OF any person recommended In
any other way directly or indirectly by h u.
The custom Of allowing Congressman TO die.
tate appointments has become 50 hrmly es'aJ.
ItshrN a. % have almost the form Of law, ami
hUihIng b4tA positive statute can change u
Mr. Davis was glad that the attention OF the
senate had been directed to this subject. He
lrslred to know, however, how the state oil
kentucky was TO have good officers, as she
had Senator. and Representatives who had %
Influence with the appointing power There
was one case IN Kentucky now, In the Lex
lngton District, where the present in'crnn,
revenue incumbent, . gallant soldier Of tn.
late war, and VINO voted tor Ten Grant. Anl
who vas trusted hy cvr=y one. was constant,
inaligned by the CumuIss.uaeT Of the IuleTnh
Revenue, who had Deca ,"vG.ng 10 oumpnt.
his removal Tor lively" months There wer,
other cases, The III tunrr In which snpoi I
Inents had been made ia Kentucky was sham,
and disgrace 10 the Administration.
Mr. Yates DID not mink II in Accordsnc,
with the dignity Of Senators TO he signing re
commentators Of persons To Oiiicr lie h,
seen their siguatures passing around and b.
must cJnfess It, his own too, but he did no
like II. He did not think 1t proper that SET.
Ators who passed upbn the nom in.tlons foi
oince should solicit those nominations 10 b,
made
Mr.. Drake Offered resolution that the
SeFgcsut-at-A Arms be directed to clear the fooI
II the senate OF All person. not entitled TO be
yHyuege thereof ten mlautes h.fIrc The UpcI.
aug OF the season I.,ll on the table
The senate tnen ADORNED
HOUSE OF RLpEE~FE TATIVFS
Immediately after Tie ip,diDy Of No Inn,.
nal, On the notion OF Mi Sghruck tha
House resolved itself into A t'ulnmittce ~ ,%
Whole Mr. FcFFy. of llIchlr,n' in Inc rh.,r Az
and resolutions were oirrrrI AMI adn",,
formally referring tho yariou. portions IL IN,
pFCsiIe1t' A message 10 the c1n,inIttres h,ytn,
la charge the subIgrts rcEurctiycIy NJ vyIiTi
the message treats
Atter the rrsoluilona had Locn road M
Schcnck sand he dli not prnl,pse to make