The Portland daily press., 1869-02-05
XLth O0NGRESS---Third Session.

MIR. Howe, from the Committee on Claims,
reported favorably on the bill to pay loyal cltl-
| Zens in the States lately in rebellion Tor SER
| vices in taking the United States census OF
| 1860.
| The unfinished business of yesterday was
| then brought up the constitutional amendment.
| Pending the amendment, that moved by Mr..
| Stewart to substitute for the joint resolution
| as it passed the House that report OF the Judi
| ciary Committee of the Senate that the right
/ of a citizen of the United States to vote and
| hold office shall not be denied or abridged by
| the United States or by any State on acc punt
| of race, color or previous servitude. Mr.. Fer
| ry addressed the House at length on the SUBJ
| ject. .s II. ...st
The debate was participated in by Messrs.
| Morton, Dixon, Sumner and others, after which
the Senate took up and passed the bill to pro-
vide for the expenses of the Patent Office for
january and February, 1869.
Mr.. Williams offered the following amend
ment upon which he will speak Tomorrow
Congress shall have power TO abolish or modify
| airy restriction of the right to vote or hold
| office prescribed by the constitution or laws Of
any State.
| The Senate at 4.3O took recess until seven
| o'clock.
EVENING SESSION.
A few private bills were passed.
A bill to amend the act granting lands in aid
of the branch of the Central Pacific railroad
to Portland, Oregon, was recommitted.
The bill amending the act for the sale OF the
arsenal grounds at st. Louis, passed.
The bill to legalize certain land appropria-
tions and agricultural scrip was discussed and
tabled. Adjourned.
After reading the journal the Sergeant-at-
Arms appeared at the bar Of the House with
Henry johnson in his custody, the leccsant
witness committed yesterday to his keeping
Mr.. Lawrence of Ohio, Chairman of the
Committee on New York Election Frauds,
stated witness had appeared before the COM
mittee and testified and there seemed to have
been a misunderstanding between witness and
the officer who had served the subpoena as to
the room at which the committee had been sit
ting in New York. Under these circumstances
he offered a resolution that Henry johnson be
discharge from custody. A
After long discussion the resolution was
agreed to.
Scannel the other recusant witness, was also
discharged upon payment OF costs, about sew
enty dollars.
Mr.. Eliot, from the Committee on Commerce,
reported bill repeating the act of July 80,
1884, and the first second and fourth sections
of the act of July Is, 1892 concerning tonnage
duties on Spanish vessels and those of her col
onies where no discriminate duties are levied
on United States vessels shall be exempt in
United States ports from tonnage greater than
those on vessels of the United States. After
explanation by Mr.. Eliot the bill passed.
Mr. Schenck said he was instructed by the
Committee on Ways and Means to propose
that there be no action TO night on the bill as
the whiskey and tobacco amendments were
not yet printed and the committee wanted to
revise them, but that the evening session should
be held for general debate.
Mr.. Woodward inquired whether Mr. |
Schenck was serious in desiring final action
on the bill at this session in view of the fact |
which he believed was generally understood |
by both Houses that the Senate could not pos
sibly take it up and act upon it.
Mr.. SchencS reDlied he was yery serious |
about it.
The proposition for an evening session for
general debate was agreed to.
Mr.. Moorehead wanted to have the tariff TAX
en- up this evening but objection was made.
The amendments reported by the committee
of the whole to the Indian appropriation bill
were then taken up and acted on by the House.
Mr.. Garfield moved to recommit the bill with
instructions to report back an additional sec
ton transferring the Indian Bureau to the
War Department. ,-..n |
On point of order made by Mr.. Windham
the motion to recommit was ruled out of order |
During the debate, MIR. HOlbrook, delegate
from Idaho, obtained the floor from Mr.. Butler |
and proceeded to discuss the Indian question,
and in the course of his remarks used these
words: The gentleman having charge of this
bill saw fit to silence the delegates here by rails
ing points of order and making assertions
which he knew at the time to be unqualifedy
false. sn
The Speaker interrupted and called the dele
gate to order.
Mr.. BENJAMIN asked that the offensive words
be taken down. 3a y Aits
Mr.. Butler remarked that he had not heard
what had been said.
Mr.. Holbrook was beginning to repeat the
offensive language when the Speaker again in
terrupted him and said it would be improper
for him to repeat it.
The Objectionable words having been writ
ten by the reporter and read by the Clerk, the
Speaker in q severe tone, said the Chair rules
these words to be out of order, both as being
unparliamentary and indecorus; when gen.
tleman declares that a member has stated on
the floor of the House what he knew to be I'M
qualifiedly false, he uses the most insulting
language that can be uttered on the floor of
parliamentary body. 1fut
Mr.. Holbrook was abont to make some re-
marks when Mr.. BENJAMIN interruptng him,
said he objected to the delegate proceeding
until he retracted What he had said,
Mr. Holbrook-I do not propose to retract
one word of what have said.
Speaker-The delegate from Idaho refuses to
retract his words.
Mr. Holbook-Does the Chair rule
Speaker-The Chair has ruled that the re-
marks of the gentleman were not only unpar'
liamentary but were as insulting as could be
made on the floor of parliamentary body.
Mr.. Holbook-I dssire to ask a question.
Speaker-The Chair can hold no debate with
the gentleman.
Mr. Chandler appealed for the decision of
the Chair as being contrary to a decision which
he made before in reference to language used
by Mr. Logan.
Speaker-The Chair can hold no controversy
with the gentleman from New York or any
other gentleman in relation to decisions; every
decision stands by itself on the words used,
and is subject to appeal at the time.
Mr.. ChandIer-I withdraw the appeal.
Mr.. Schenck offered the following resolu-
ton:
Resolyed, That E. ID. Holbrools delegate from
the Territory of idaho, having uttered the fol-
lowing language Quoting it distinctly and in
the presence of the House, and refused to re-
tract the same, be Immediately brought to the
bar ST the House by the Sergeant-at-Arms and
severely censured BY the Speaker. Adopted
without "a division, and the Speaker having
directed the Sergeant-at-Arm to bring Mr..
Holbrook to the bar of the House, administer
ed the censure and Mr.. Holbrook RETIRED and
the discussion of the Indian appropriation bill
was resumed.
Mr.. Garfield moved to lay the bill on the ia
BILE, which was rejected there being only %
affirmative votes The bill was then passed.
| Mr.. Schenck offered the following privileged
resolution: a...a -as
| Resolved, That James +. Wilson, of Iowa,
| and John V. l., Pruyn, of New York, be APP
| pointed tellers on the part of the House of
| Representatives to count the electoral vote for
| President and Vice President of the United
| States.
The Speaker stated that for obvious reasons
| the Chair desired the House to take the re-
| sposibility of making those appointments in
| stead of himself al
The resolution was agreed to,
Mr.. Logan introduced a bill providing for
| the payment of the national debt and the re-
| duction of the rates OF interest thereon. Re
| ferred to Committee on Ways and Means.
| The House then proceeded to the business of
| the morning hour, being the bill reported yes
| terday from the Committee on Roads and Ca
| nails, to authorize the building of a military
ard postal railroad from Washington to New
York.
Mr.. Cook concluded his speech in support of
| the bill.
| MI. Kerr addressed the House against the
| bill.
| The morning hour having expired, the bill
| went over till Tuesday next. --
| The House then proceeded to the business
| on the Speakers table, and disposed thereof as
| follows!-The Senate joint resolution directing
| the Secretary of the Interior to annul the sta
| tonery contract with Dempsey & Otoole, was
| passed with an amendment, striking out the
| direction to gi re the contract to Messrs Mo-
| hun & Blanchard the Senate joint resolution
| authorizing the transfer of certain appropria-
| tions heretofore made for the public printing
| binding and engraving which was passed. the
| Senate joint resolution extending to the re-
| constructed States the benefits of the Agricul-
| tural College bills was referred to the Com
| mittee on Public Lands; the Senate bill to
amend the act of Feb. 10, 1862, to prohibit the
| eoole trade in American ships, was passed.
| The House then took a recess till 7.30